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Azure Web Application Firewall vs Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
3.9
Azure Web Application Firewall offers cost-efficiency through reduced administration, AI enhancements, and competitive pricing compared to leading competitors.
Sentiment score
6.4
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager enhances ROI by reducing costs, process times, and improving security with no extra fees.
Recently, they have been under serious attack with major exploits, such as Log4j, affecting Fortinet and Palo Alto, and even Cisco and VMware.
Senior Solutions Architect at EQ2 Technology
AI-based recommendations save on time and money.
Head of Digital Engineering, Management Consultant at Stax Inc.
The process is reduced from weeks to a day, showcasing a solid nine for return on investment.
Head of Technology Operations at Pobl Group
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.1
Microsoft support is generally satisfactory, with users preferring higher-tier options for faster response and clearer communication.
Sentiment score
5.0
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager's support needs improvement with slow response times, inconsistent support, and insufficient training resources.
They are good at troubleshooting and configuring things.
Head of Digital Engineering, Management Consultant at Stax Inc.
I am very satisfied with the response from Microsoft dedicated architects if it happens that I have to call for their support.
Senior Solutions Architect at EQ2 Technology
I reached out to their support, and they helped me resolve the issue effectively.
Owner at ICAL S.A.
Since I approach them with more complicated issues, it takes quite a bit of time to get through those two support tiers.
Senior security analyst at MB Cybermode
The support staff, who are often outsourced, seem not adequately equipped to handle issues quickly and efficiently.
Information Technology Auditor at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
The quality of support is affected because most support staff seem focused on obtaining five-star ratings rather than resolving problems thoroughly.
System Administrator at Templars
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.6
Azure Web Application Firewall offers flexible, highly-rated scalability, easily adapting to traffic changes and various workload needs across subscriptions.
Sentiment score
6.8
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager offers scalable compliance management, adaptable to expanding needs, though policy granularity can sometimes be limited.
Some Azure applications, like the web application firewall, require a certain level of SKU for hosting setup.
Head of Digital Engineering, Management Consultant at Stax Inc.
For our company, Azure Web Application Firewall works effectively for scalability.
Global IT Solutions Specialist at RELIEF INTERNATIONAL INC
As services increase, eDiscovery capabilities also increase, allowing easy deployment.
Digital Forensic Investigator at Los Angeles Unified School District
It is straightforward since it scans everything, covering all aspects needed in our operations.
Head of Technology Operations at Pobl Group
While the solution is scalable in terms of user numbers, there are limitations when creating more granular level policies.
Information Technology Auditor at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Azure Web Application Firewall is highly stable, with minimal connectivity or performance issues and consistently earns high reliability ratings.
Sentiment score
7.8
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager is stable and reliable, though could improve in user-friendliness and competitiveness in eDiscovery tools.
Very rarely do I see any latency issues.
Head of Digital Engineering, Management Consultant at Stax Inc.
Despite stability, it needs to be more user-friendly and competitive compared to other eDiscovery tools.
Digital Forensic Investigator at Los Angeles Unified School District
It is reliable and I can depend on it.
Head of Technology Operations at Pobl Group
In terms of latency, stability is not an issue.
Information Technology Auditor at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
 

Room For Improvement

Azure Web Application Firewall needs better reporting, integration, cost plans, and process streamlining for enhanced management and support.
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager requires better integration, automation, accessibility, and expanded functionality; users seek improved interface and budget-friendly licensing.
Upgrading the platform regularly is necessary for security, however, frequent updates every six months or year from Azure can be a maintenance overhead.
Head of Digital Engineering, Management Consultant at Stax Inc.
The pricing needs improvement, and I think for beginners it will be a little bit complicated, so the ease of use could be enhanced.
Global IT Solutions Specialist at RELIEF INTERNATIONAL INC
Microsoft Copilot Security converts human language to search queries using its AdLM language model.
Digital Forensic Investigator at Los Angeles Unified School District
The speed and accessibility, particularly in the user interface, require significant work.
Senior security analyst at MB Cybermode
The Purview Compliance Portal's log management could be more user-friendly, making data retrieval, like email logs, challenging.
Information Technology Auditor at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
 

Setup Cost

Azure Web Application Firewall offers scalable pricing, valued functionality, and favorable terms, appealing compared to AWS and GCP.
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager is cost-effective, especially for Microsoft 365 E5 users, offering competitive pricing with strong compliance benefits.
It is even a lower cost compared to AWS and GCP.
Senior Solutions Architect at EQ2 Technology
Sometimes, when opting for a higher SKU, it's not the WAF itself that's costly but the additional requirements.
Head of Digital Engineering, Management Consultant at Stax Inc.
I would place Azure Web Application Firewall at an eight on a scale from one to 10, with one being cheap and 10 being expensive.
Global IT Solutions Specialist at RELIEF INTERNATIONAL INC
I rate the pricing as a one since it is included in what I am already paying for, as part of the Microsoft 365 E5 licensing.
Head of Technology Operations at Pobl Group
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager is priced at 60% to 70% compared to some competitors.
Information Technology Auditor at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
It was not excessively expensive.
Systems Engineer at a leisure / travel company with 201-500 employees
 

Valuable Features

Azure Web Application Firewall offers robust security, seamless Azure integration, automatic rule management, and scalable, user-friendly deployment with minimal downtime.
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager streamlines compliance with integrated tools, automation, and dashboards, enhancing security and efficiency across platforms.
With Microsoft, everything is within a single suite, making it easier to configure and plan.
Head of Digital Engineering, Management Consultant at Stax Inc.
It is almost impossible to access these assets from outside, requiring a very skilled attacker to obtain asset tokens of a customer using Azure.
Senior Solutions Architect at EQ2 Technology
It integrates effectively with things such as Sentinel and Defender for Cloud, so mostly it's the analytics and now the AI capabilities that have been introduced with Co-pilot.
Global IT Solutions Specialist at RELIEF INTERNATIONAL INC
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager's eDiscovery is essential for organizations using Outlook as their email service.
Digital Forensic Investigator at Los Angeles Unified School District
The most valuable feature is data classification retention since I deal with terabytes of data, and managing and monitoring it simplifies the process.
Head of Technology Operations at Pobl Group
The best aspect is that it requires little to no time for implementation if I am using all of Microsoft's tools.
Senior security analyst at MB Cybermode
 

Categories and Ranking

Azure Web Application Firewall
Ranking in Microsoft Security Suite
21st
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
Web Application Firewall (WAF) (12th)
Microsoft Purview Complianc...
Ranking in Microsoft Security Suite
23rd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
10
Ranking in other categories
Data Governance (17th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Microsoft Security Suite category, the mindshare of Azure Web Application Firewall is 2.0%, up from 1.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager is 1.6%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Microsoft Security Suite Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Azure Web Application Firewall2.0%
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager1.6%
Other96.4%
Microsoft Security Suite
 

Featured Reviews

Mano Senaratne - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Digital Engineering, Management Consultant at Stax Inc.
Comprehensive suite simplifies configuration while frequent updates require management
Mainly, it comes with the complete suite of Microsoft services. I can use it in conjunction with the best options and other features that come with it. Configuration is much easier than using different platforms. For example, if I have hosted the application in AWS and am using the Application Firewall from Azure, there are certain additional steps to follow when configuring them. With Microsoft, everything is within a single suite, making it easier to configure and plan. Azure continually upgrades platforms and sends us messages to upgrade to the next version, simplifying the process. Later, it's much easier if I want to upgrade the software platform, scale it, or move it to a different application host as the whole suite comes together. The return on investment is good. If I am doing applications for clients, I can invoice them for better costs. Most applications that I run and use have a better return on investment.
AO
System Administrator at Templars
Opportunities for improvement overshadow benefits
Microsoft support is great overall. However, their business model of outsourcing to third-party partners, especially in Nigeria with tech experts and other partners, needs improvement. I have raised tickets and worked with these support teams. Microsoft needs to address how partners treat their technical support staff. The quality of support is affected because most support staff seem focused on obtaining five-star ratings rather than resolving problems thoroughly. This appears to be due to the pressure from partners and Microsoft's feedback metrics system. They often rush to close tickets without deeply investigating complaints. From the level of support received, I usually try to resolve issues independently. I rate the engineers favorably understanding their pressures, even when issues remain unresolved. Overall, I would rate Microsoft Support five out of 10.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Computer Software Company
11%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
11%
Healthcare Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business6
Large Enterprise12
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise4
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Web Application Firewall?
I would place Azure Web Application Firewall at an eight on a scale from one to 10, with one being cheap and 10 being expensive.
What needs improvement with Azure Web Application Firewall?
The pricing needs improvement, and I think for beginners it will be a little bit complicated, so the ease of use could be enhanced. I've worked with Fortinet and Cisco, and I think the UI is a litt...
What is your primary use case for Azure Web Application Firewall?
Because we mostly operate in the cloud and because we're a Microsoft environment, it was the best option in the scenario. The options were limited in terms of wanting to be an only Microsoft enviro...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager?
While not cheap, Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager is priced at 60% to 70% compared to some competitors. Additional costs may involve OCR page scanning.
What is your primary use case for Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager?
When I tried to set up Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager for my organization to ensure people are not sending PII documents, especially payment cards, using keywords for flagging, it disrupted o...
What advice do you have for others considering Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager?
I have limited experience with the templates in Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager. Our organization hasn't fully utilized the solution beyond checking compliance scores and adjusting basic setti...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Microsoft Compliance Manager
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Azure Web Application Firewall vs. Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.