Best Firewall Solutions (2025) Top 10

Network and Web Application Firewall (WAF) solutions ranked by protection, ease of management, integrations, and pricing. Editor’s Picks prioritize providers with strong affiliate programs.

How to choose the best firewall solution

Evaluate protection depth (WAF/NGFW), ease of management, rules/policies, reporting, integrations (CDN, cloud, SIEM), and pricing by traffic/users. Consider DDoS protection, bot management, API security, and compliance needs.

  • Protection: WAF rules, NGFW, DDoS mitigation
  • Management: UI/automation, policy versioning
  • Integrations: CDN, cloud-native, SIEM
  • Performance: global network, caching/CDN
  • Reporting: logs, alerts, analytics
  • Pricing: by traffic, seats, or features
  • Support & onboarding assistance
  • Compliance & audit needs

Featured Firewall Providers

Cloudflare

Best Overall

Global network, robust WAF/DDoS protection, easy setup; strong brand and affiliate ecosystem.

  • Features: WAF, CDN, DDoS, Bot Mgmt
  • Affiliate: Broad reach, good conversions
  • Value: Free tier + scalable plans

Sucuri

Best for SMB

Website security suite with WAF and malware cleanup; noted affiliate program with steady EPCs.

  • Features: WAF, malware removal, monitoring
  • Affiliate: Strong payouts for SMB segment
  • Value: Simple pricing

Imperva

Enterprise

Enterprise-grade WAF/DDoS and data protection; partner/affiliate channels available.

  • Features: WAF, DDoS, API security
  • Affiliate: Enterprise-led programs
  • Value: Advanced protection

Selections consider protection depth, performance, ease of use, integrations, and pricing. Verify current plans and features on provider sites.

All Firewall Solutions — Features & Focus

Provider Focus Key Features
Cloudflare
Best overall
Global WAF/CDN DDoS, Bot Mgmt Visit Cloudflare
Sucuri
SMB-friendly
Website security WAF, malware, monitoring Visit Sucuri
Imperva
Enterprise
Enterprise WAF DDoS, API security Visit Imperva
Akamai
Global network
Edge security DDoS, WAF, CDN Visit Akamai
Fortinet
Hardware + cloud
NGFW FortiGate, UTM Visit Fortinet
Palo Alto Networks
Enterprise
NGFW App-ID, Threat intel Visit Palo Alto Networks
Check Point
Security suite
NGFW Threat prevention Visit Check Point
Sophos
Unified security
NGFW + MDR XG firewall, MDR Visit Sophos
AWS WAF
AWS-native
Cloud WAF Managed rules, ALB/CloudFront Visit AWS WAF
Azure WAF
Azure-native
Cloud WAF Managed rules, CDN/AppGW Visit Azure WAF

Capabilities and pricing vary by plan. Verify current terms on the provider’s website.

Firewall FAQs

What is the difference between WAF and NGFW?
A WAF protects web apps at the HTTP layer (rules for requests, bots, DDoS), while NGFWs secure networks with deep packet inspection, app control, and IPS/IDS.
Do I need both a WAF and a firewall?
Many orgs use both: a WAF for web-facing apps/APIs and a network firewall for perimeter/segment protection. Cloud WAFs complement existing NGFW deployments.
How much do firewall solutions cost?
Pricing varies: cloud WAFs often bill by traffic/features; NGFWs are device/user-based with licenses for IPS, URL filtering, and support.
What features matter most?
Effective rules, automation, global network reach, API security, bot management, DDoS mitigation, logging/reporting, and integrations (SIEM/cloud/CDN).
Can I migrate providers easily?
Yes—export policies and logs; test rules; many providers offer migration guides and professional services to ease transitions.