Azure Web Application Firewall vs Microsoft Purview Data Governance comparison

Azure Web Application Firewall vs. Microsoft Purview Data Governance

December 2025

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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

6.8

Microsoft Purview improves efficiency, security, and compliance, offering significant long-term ROI despite initial setup efforts.

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.

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Web Application Firewall report

Head of Digital Engineering, Management Consultant at Stax Inc.

Clients benefit from using a one-stop-shop solution, increasing their visibility across different platforms.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Purview Data Governance report

Mcafee Epo Administrator at Consultant/Converge Technology Solutions

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

5.5

Microsoft Purview's customer service is mixed, with quick, knowledgeable support but delays and insufficient expertise for complex issues.

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.

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Web Application Firewall report

Senior Solutions Architect at EQ2 Technology

I reached out to their support, and they helped me resolve the issue effectively.

Adolfo Albanell

Owner at ICAL S.A.

Overall, it doesn't meet our expectations.

AmrNaeem

Manager, Service Delivery & Solutions Architect at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

They're skillful people who know what they're doing in their space.

reviewer2596413

Dex engineer at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees

I have a dedicated team as a government agency, and Microsoft assists us promptly.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Purview Data Governance report

Data Governance Advisor at a government with 501-1,000 employees

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

7.6

Microsoft Purview Data Governance offers scalable performance, adaptable for diverse environments, with flexible architecture and ongoing scalability updates.

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.

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Web Application Firewall report

Global IT Solutions Specialist at RELIEF INTERNATIONAL INC

With automation, you can label five documents or 50,000 with the same amount of clicks.

reviewer2596413

Dex engineer at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees

It allows for one-to-one connections with different types of servers, either cloud-based like AWS, or physical servers.

Data Governance Advisor at a government with 501-1,000 employees

The product is scalable and works across multi-cloud and multi-platform environments.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Purview Data Governance report

Mcafee Epo Administrator at Consultant/Converge Technology Solutions

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

7.5

Microsoft Purview is highly stable, evolving consistently, with users appreciating its reliability despite occasional bugs and network issues.

Very rarely do I see any latency issues.

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Web Application Firewall report

Head of Digital Engineering, Management Consultant at Stax Inc.

It can take seven days to 24 hours to determine whether a policy is effective.

Mcafee Epo Administrator at Consultant/Converge Technology Solutions

Microsoft Purview Data Governance is absolutely fine in terms of stability.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Purview Data Governance report

Data Governance Advisor at a government with 501-1,000 employees

Room For Improvement

Azure Web Application Firewall needs better reporting, integration, cost plans, and process streamlining for enhanced management and support.

Microsoft Purview struggles with non-Azure data lineage, integration issues, limited macOS features, and requires better support and documentation.

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.

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Web Application Firewall report

Global IT Solutions Specialist at RELIEF INTERNATIONAL INC

It's essential to know if a feature isn't working due to missing licenses.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Purview Data Governance report

Mcafee Epo Administrator at Consultant/Converge Technology Solutions

There are some problems with DLP rules, and it would be great if the security around DLP could be expanded.

reviewer2596326

Cloud Security Specialist at a aerospace/defense firm with 10,001+ employees

A watermark feature or similar tools to help enhance security for end users could be added.

AmrNaeem

Manager, Service Delivery & Solutions Architect at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Setup Cost

Azure Web Application Firewall offers scalable pricing, valued functionality, and favorable terms, appealing compared to AWS and GCP.

Microsoft Purview Data Governance is generally viewed as reasonably priced but has varied opinions on its cost-effectiveness.

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.

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Web Application Firewall report

Global IT Solutions Specialist at RELIEF INTERNATIONAL INC

The feature might be available in the console, but it won't work without the proper license, creating confusion.

Mcafee Epo Administrator at Consultant/Converge Technology Solutions

Microsoft Purview Data Governance is quite affordable compared to other market solutions, which have high initial costs.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Purview Data Governance report

Data Governance Advisor at a government with 501-1,000 employees

I'm not exactly sure how much our license costs, but it is very expensive.

reviewer2700351

Senior IT Security Risk & Compliance Analyst at a government with 501-1,000 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 excels in data governance with Azure integration, compliance support, multi-cloud protection, and AI-driven data management.

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.

For more quotes and insights, download the Azure Web Application Firewall report

Global IT Solutions Specialist at RELIEF INTERNATIONAL INC

It provides a comprehensive view of the entire ecosystem's threats and compliance in real time.

AmrNaeem

Manager, Service Delivery & Solutions Architect at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

The sensitivity labeling is the most valuable feature because it is the foundation for automating the encryption process and ensuring proper data handling across the organization.

reviewer2596413

Dex engineer at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees

Microsoft Purview Data Governance has helped my company by finding insider risks, ensuring data loss prevention, and achieving compliance to make sure everybody is compliant.

reviewer2700351

Senior IT Security Risk & Compliance Analyst at a government with 501-1,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Purview Data Governance report

Categories and Ranking

Azure Web Application Firewall

Ranking in Microsoft Security Suite

21st

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Web Application Firewall (WAF) (12th)

Microsoft Purview Data Gove...

Ranking in Microsoft Security Suite

8th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Data Governance (1st)

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 Data Governance is 4.5%, down from 5.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Microsoft Security Suite Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Microsoft Purview Data Governance	4.5%
Azure Web Application Firewall	2.0%
Other	93.5%

Microsoft Security Suite

Featured Reviews

Comprehensive suite simplifies configuration while frequent updates require management

Head of Digital Engineering, Management Consultant at Stax Inc.

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.

Read full review

Ayinampudi Srikanth

Tech lead at a healthcare company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Automated data discovery has streamlined management while configuration remains complex

Compared to Big-ID, Microsoft Purview Data Governance looks complicated to me. I do not feel it has a good user-level UI. The interface feels a little complicated compared to Big-ID. I did not appreciate the configuration part. It felt complex, whereas when I went for a Big-ID demo, the interface looked better and was easier to understand for any user.

Read full review

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881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Computer Software Company

11%

Government

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

10%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Large Enterprise	12

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	13
Large Enterprise	31

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 do you like most about Microsoft Azure Purview?

It is designed to seamlessly connect to various data sources, which is particularly beneficial for our customers who primarily use Microsoft technologies.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Azure Purview?

Microsoft Purview Data Governance is quite affordable compared to other market solutions, which have high initial costs. It allows for a cost-effective start with negligible initial cost. However, ...

What needs improvement with Microsoft Azure Purview?

AWS WAF vs Azure Web Application Firewall

Comparisons

Compared 14% of the time

Fortinet FortiWeb vs Azure Web Application Firewall

Compared 11% of the time

Cloudflare Web Application Firewall vs Azure Web Application Firewall

Compared 9% of the time

Azure Front Door vs Azure Web Application Firewall

Compared 8% of the time

Akamai App and API Protector vs Azure Web Application Firewall

Compared 5% of the time

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Collibra Platform vs Microsoft Purview Data Governance

Compared 18% of the time

Varonis Platform vs Microsoft Purview Data Governance

Compared 16% of the time

Alation Data Catalog vs Microsoft Purview Data Governance

Compared 9% of the time

Atlan vs Microsoft Purview Data Governance

Compared 4% of the time

BigID Next vs Microsoft Purview Data Governance

Compared 4% of the time

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Product Reports

Azure Web Application Firewall

January 2026

Download Azure Web Application Firewall product report

Microsoft Purview Data Governance

January 2026

Microsoft Purview Data Governance report

Download Microsoft Purview Data Governance product report

Also Known As

No data available

Microsoft Purview, MS Azure Purview

Overview

Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) provides centralized protection of your web applications from common exploits and vulnerabilities. Web applications are increasingly targeted by malicious attacks that exploit commonly known vulnerabilities. SQL injection and cross-site scripting are among the most common attacks.

To learn more about our solution, ask questions, and share feedback, join our Microsoft Security, Compliance and Identity Community.

Microsoft

The new Microsoft Purview portal offers an enhanced governance experience, serving as a unified platform for managing and governing data across various sources, including Azure, Microsoft 365, on-premises, and multicloud environments. Designed to streamline governance, compliance, risk, and security efforts, the new portal provides a user-friendly interface and unlocks advanced features like live view and preset scans. Existing users of Microsoft Purview can upgrade to this enhanced experience, gaining access to improved user interface, enhanced capabilities, and consolidated management of data assets. Additionally, the upgrade sets the stage for future developments, including account consolidation and fine-grained access control.

Microsoft