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F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition Reviews

Vendor: F5
4.3 out of 5
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What is F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition?

When you need to move faster than hardware allows, BIG-IP Virtual Editions (VEs) deliver the application services you need in a more agile and flexible form factor. Get the scalability, security, and automatability BIG-IP products are known for—all in software designed for use in single-, hybrid-, or multi-cloud architectures.

Get the F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition Buyer's Guide and find out what your peers are saying about F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition, Microsoft Azure Application Gateway, Kemp LoadMaster and more!
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is the #11 ranked solution in top Application Delivery Controllers. PeerSpot users give F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition an average rating of 8.6 out of 10. F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is most commonly compared to Microsoft Azure Application Gateway: F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway. F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 59% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 13% of all views.
Buyer's Guide
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition
January 2026
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F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition mindshare

As of January 2026, the mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition in the Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) category stands at 0.5%, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition0.5%
F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)15.3%
NetScaler13.2%
Other71.0%
Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

PeerResearch reports based on F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition reviews

TypeTitleDate
CategoryApplication Delivery Controllers (ADC)Jan 31, 2026Download
ProductReviews, tips, and advice from real usersJan 31, 2026Download
ComparisonF5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition vs NetScalerJan 31, 2026Download
ComparisonF5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition vs F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)Jan 31, 2026Download
ComparisonF5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition vs HAProxyJan 31, 2026Download
Suggested products
TitleRatingMindshareRecommending
Microsoft Azure Application Gateway3.76.6%80%50 interviewsAdd to research
Kemp LoadMaster4.76.7%98%50 interviewsAdd to research
 
 
Key learnings from peers
Last updated Jan 31, 2026

Valuable Features

F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition excels in virtualization comparable to cloud services enabling seamless integration with AWS and Azure. Its standout features include web application firewall capabilities, Local Traffic Manager, global traffic management, load balancing, and advanced Layer 7 security. Users appreciate ease of use and robust support. Its machine learning auto-configures DoS protection, enhancing application security, performance, and high availability. Comprehensive documentation facilitates management of various functionalities under a single platform.
  • "F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition has positively impacted my organization at the State of Oregon by streamlining operations, delivering significant time savings, reducing errors, and giving me a clearer overview of which features each customer has, which minimizes mistakes during operations and enhances our overall efficiency."
  • "I truly appreciate the power of F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition compared to any other vendor we have used, and we have seen more use cases coming in, proving it to be better than other products."
  • "F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition has positively impacted my organization in all three aspects: saving time, improving security posture, and complementing our appliances on our F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition."

Room for Improvement

F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition requires more NICs, better microservices support, especially with Docker and Kubernetes, and on-the-go upgrade capabilities. It demands high resource allocation such as CPU, memory, and storage. Users find the management interface complex and pricing comparatively expensive. Training availability is limited and licensing lacks transparency. The graphical interface is less user-friendly compared to competitors, requiring substantial navigation for routine tasks, impacting operational efficiency.
  • "In terms of improvements for F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition, I encountered issues with load management when multiple modules such as AFM, APM, LTM, and GTM are handled together."
  • "F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition could be improved by enhancing the GUI, as I think it should be more user-friendly."
  • "From a pricing perspective, F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is somewhat high compared to others, and the licensing is provided as annual-based licenses rather than perpetual licenses."

ROI

F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is noted for improving performance, reducing manual processes, enhancing application uptime, and ensuring availability through load balancing and health monitoring. It reduces service outages and escalations by saving operational time with efficient troubleshooting, centralized traffic control, and SSL offloading. It eliminates the need for RMAs, providing a significant operational impact and benefitting website speed, which demonstrates a clear return on investment from its use.

Pricing

For enterprise buyers, F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is seen as an expensive but worthwhile investment. Its pricing is considered high, with licensing fees often described as costly, particularly for small companies. The subscription model requires careful monitoring to maintain functionality upon evaluation license expiration. Setup costs are reasonable but vary based on required modules and sizing. Nevertheless, its ability to provide high availability and exceptional performance often justifies the cost for many organizations.
  • "My company's customers need to make payments for the licensing charges attached to the product. It is an expensive product."
  • "The pricing is standard."
  • "I would rate the pricing a three out of ten, with ten being expensive."

Popular Use Cases

Users primarily utilize F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition for web application firewalls, VPNs, and load balancing. It supports application delivery and security with Layer 7 protection, traffic distribution, and high availability. Employment in IT environments often centers around Salesforce logins and enhancing service publishing. Functions include SSL/TLS offloading, session management, health monitoring, and traffic visibility. Users benefit from the virtual edition for virtualization needs, global load balancing, and network core applications alongside hardware.

Service and Support

Customer service and support for F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition receive mixed impressions. While technical support is noted as expensive, it is described as good for a complex product. Many users experience quick and effective assistance, with issues often escalated to engineers if unresolved. However, some face unsatisfactory outcomes without a full solution purchase. External integrators like Spider provide a satisfactory experience, managing issues efficiently. Ratings for support services range from eight to perfect ten.

Deployment

Deployment of F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is complex, varying from 4 days to a week. Some find setup straightforward, others face complexity due to provisioning tasks. Scaling is easier after initial setup. Support from F5 eases deployment, with AWS and CSP used in cloud models. Users note high costs for setup and licensing. Despite challenges, setup is manageable with documentation aiding learning. High availability and performance benefits justify expenses for many users.

Scalability

F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition effectively handles traffic increases and performs well in various environments, including cloud-based and on-premises setups. It supports growth by quickly scaling up resources like CPU and RAM, facilitating additional instances, and accommodating more backend pool members. User experiences indicate it effectively manages growing demand without issues, making it a good fit for expanding operations in diverse IT setups with ample scalability capabilities.

Stability

Users generally find the stability of F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition satisfactory, though some note it is less stable than physical devices due to dependencies on physical servers. Stability has improved over recent years with updates addressing previous issues. High connection environments may affect performance, requiring adjustments. Reviews show a mixture of stability levels, with many concluding a positive experience, highlighting stability and reliability. Stability ratings vary, with some giving it seven out of ten.
These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.
Download our F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise3
By reviewers
By visitors reading reviews
Company SizeCount
Small Business36
Midsize Enterprise22
Large Enterprise82
By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
6%
Energy/Utilities Company
6%
Media Company
5%
Outsourcing Company
5%
University
4%
Retailer
4%
Logistics Company
4%
Educational Organization
4%
Healthcare Company
2%
Insurance Company
2%
Wholesaler/Distributor
2%
Marketing Services Firm
2%
Aerospace/Defense Firm
2%
Construction Company
2%
Transportation Company
2%
Legal Firm
1%
Performing Arts
1%
Consumer Goods Company
1%
Wellness & Fitness Company
1%
Real Estate/Law Firm
1%
Non Profit
1%
Hospitality Company
1%
Renewables & Environment Company
1%

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Product Categories

Product Categories
Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

Popular Comparisons

Popular Comparisons
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F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition Reviews Summary
Author infoRatingReview Summary
Sr network engineer at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees4.0I used F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition mainly for load balancing, VPN, and firewall tasks, appreciating its user-friendly GUI and integration, though it struggled with high traffic loads when multiple modules were active simultaneously.
IT consultant at Beginning Solutions IT5.0I've used F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition primarily as a load balancer to enhance application availability and performance, finding it highly stable and scalable, though somewhat expensive and lacking in freely available training resources.
Senior Network And Security Engineer at Mobily4.0I've found F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition powerful and scalable with excellent documentation and support, though its GUI needs improvement. It’s reliable for managing traffic and publishing services, offering better performance than solutions like FortiWeb or FortiADC.
Network Security Engineer at a tech vendor with 11-50 employees4.5I've used F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition mainly for load balancing and security; it's improved efficiency and flexibility, though pricing and licensing could be better. Its customizable dashboards and strong application delivery features have been especially valuable to us.
System Administrator at a non-tech company with 501-1,000 employees4.0No summary available
IT Specialist at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees5.0No summary available
Cyber Security Engineer at Paysafe / IBM4.5I use F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition for web application firewalls and VPNs. It supports AutoDiscovery for cloud environments and offers strong security features like DoS protection. However, it requires significant resources and its management could be improved.
Manager | Engineering | Cloud Managed Services at Sify Technologies4.0I use F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition to address our customers' virtualization needs, particularly in payment gateways. Its strong virtualization concepts are valuable, though improvements are needed for on-the-go upgrades without requiring new instance creation for increased resources.