Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025
Microsoft Azure Application Gateway and F5 Advanced WAF compete in the web application firewall category. Azure Application Gateway has the upper hand in cloud integration and ease of use, while F5 Advanced WAF stands out with its advanced security features and traffic analysis capabilities.
Features: Azure Application Gateway excels in Layer 7 access, customization, and integration within Microsoft's ecosystem. Its auto-scaling and web application firewall (WAF) functionalities provide robust application protection. F5 Advanced WAF is recognized for detailed traffic analysis, extensive attack mitigation features, and advanced anti-bot protections. Its behavior analytics and threat detection are highly regarded.
Room for Improvement: Users suggest Azure Application Gateway improve its pricing, documentation, and security features, alongside better scalability and reporting. F5 Advanced WAF is noted as expensive, with room for enhancing its user interface, ease of use, and integration capabilities. Users also point to its high pricing model and a need for more affordable options.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft Azure Application Gateway is effective in hybrid and public cloud deployments, with responsive customer service that varies in quality. F5 Advanced WAF is often deployed on-premises and while functional, its deployment is complex with customer support that could be more consistent in responsiveness and user training.
Pricing and ROI: Azure Application Gateway is perceived as moderately priced, especially advantageous in large deployments with a flexible pay-as-you-go model. F5 Advanced WAF is seen as a higher-cost solution, valued for its security features despite its expense. Both platforms are viewed positively for ROI, with Azure emphasizing cost savings in cloud management and F5 showcasing value through its extensive security capabilities.
