AWS WAF vs Imperva Web Application Firewall

AWS WAF9.2Visit Imperva Web Application Firewall9.1Visit

Higher score AWS WAF #2 in Web Security Software 9.2/10 Paid ✓ 0 of 4 features Visit AWS WAF

vs

Imperva Web Application Firewall #3 in Web Security Software 9.1/10 Pricing on request ✓ 0 of 4 features Contact Thales

• AWS WAF fits best

  AWS users seeking broad WAF protection at low entry cost

• Imperva Web Application Firewall fits best

  Enterprises needing managed WAF policies and automation

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Side by side

Feature	AWS WAF 9.2/10 Visit ↗	Imperva Web Application Firewall 9.1/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	9.1
Ranking	#2 in Web Security Software	#3 in Web Security Software
Best for	AWS users seeking broad WAF protection at low entry cost	Enterprises needing managed WAF policies and automation
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	$1/unit/mo	Pricing on request
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Browser extension	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web	Web
Support	Docs	Tickets, Docs
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features AWS WAF 0/4 · Imperva Web Application Firewall 0/4
Phishing/malware blocking	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Web app firewall	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
DDoS protection	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Bot protection	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Websites covered	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Managed exploit rules plus SQL injection and XSS protection Bot controls, rate limiting, CAPTCHA, and browser challenges Integrates with CloudFront, API Gateway, ALB, and other AWS services	Managed rules update daily, with real-time updates for critical threats Combines web/API protection, bot controls, and behavior-based rate thresholds Automates policy creation and rule propagation, with Terraform deployment
Cons	Usage-based rule and request charges can increase monthly spend Protection is designed primarily for applications running on AWS Support channels are limited to documentation	No public WAF plan prices; buying requires contacting sales No free plan, though a Cloud WAF trial is advertised Multiple deployment variants may require choosing among different operating models
Our verdict	AWS WAF is a managed web application firewall for organizations operating applications on AWS. It monitors HTTP(S) requests sent to protected resources and lets teams allow, block, count, challenge, or rate-limit traffic using conditions… Read the review →	Imperva Web Application Firewall protects web applications and APIs against application-layer attacks, including SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and other OWASP Top 10 threats. Thales offers it to mid-market and enterprise… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• AWS WAF — where it wins

  • Managed exploit rules plus SQL injection and XSS protection
  • Bot controls, rate limiting, CAPTCHA, and browser challenges
  • Integrates with CloudFront, API Gateway, ALB, and other AWS services

  Where it doesn't

  • Usage-based rule and request charges can increase monthly spend
  • Protection is designed primarily for applications running on AWS
  • Support channels are limited to documentation

• Imperva Web Application Firewall — where it wins

  • Managed rules update daily, with real-time updates for critical threats
  • Combines web/API protection, bot controls, and behavior-based rate thresholds
  • Automates policy creation and rule propagation, with Terraform deployment

  Where it doesn't

  • No public WAF plan prices; buying requires contacting sales
  • No free plan, though a Cloud WAF trial is advertised
  • Multiple deployment variants may require choosing among different operating models

• AWS WAF9.2/10 · Paid

  Broad AWS-native WAF controls with a low entry price and usage-based costs.

  Visit AWS WAFFull verdict →
• Imperva Web Application Firewall9.1/10 · Pricing on request

  Managed WAF rules, bot controls and deployment automation for hybrid environments.

  Contact ThalesFull verdict →