Best AWS Shield Alternatives in 2026
The top AWS Shield alternatives are Cloudflare DDoS Protection, Akamai Prolexic and Fastly DDoS Protection: 15 DDoS protection software our editors would look at instead of AWS Shield, in our ranking order.
AWS Shield: A layered AWS-native option with free baseline coverage and a $3,000 Advanced tier. Where it falls short: shield advanced starts at $3,000 per month.
Switching from AWS Shield? For most ddos protection software buyers the best AWS Shield alternative is Cloudflare DDoS Protection, built for broad protection at a low published price.
Why People Look for an AWS Shield Alternative
- Shield Advanced starts at $3,000 per month
- Advanced requires a one-year subscription commitment
- Response Team access requires Business or Enterprise AWS Support
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallCloudflare DDoS Protection9.4
Broad protection at a low published price
Visit Cloudflare DDoS Protection - Lowest priceCloudflare DDoS Protection9.4
Paid plans from $20/mo
Visit Cloudflare DDoS Protection - Best free optionCloudflare DDoS Protection9.4
Has a free plan
Visit Cloudflare DDoS Protection
All 15 AWS Shield Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forBroad protection at a low published price
- Better than AWS Shield:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 9.0
Broad Layer 3/4 and 7 protection with a free plan and low paid entry price.
- WAF included
- Managed mitigation
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Cloudflare -
Best forLarge enterprises needing global managed mitigation
- Better than AWS Shield:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 9.0
A managed, hybrid DDoS defense service for enterprises with complex network protection needs.
- Managed mitigation
9.2/10★★★★★Try Akamai Prolexic -
Best forUsage-based web and API protection
- Better than AWS Shield:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 9.0
Usage-priced protection for network and application-layer DDoS attacks.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Fastly -
Best forOrganizations needing cloud DDoS and WAF alignment
Managed Layer 3/4 and Layer 7 protection with always-on or on-demand mitigation.
- Managed mitigation
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Imperva -
Best forEnterprises wanting managed hybrid protection
A managed hybrid DDoS service for enterprises protecting networks and applications.
- Managed mitigation
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Radware -
Best forNetwork operators needing hybrid appliance protection
Hybrid, multi-vector DDoS protection for network operators managing complex traffic flows.
- Managed mitigation
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit A10 Networks -
Best forSelf-hosted teams needing deep attack coverage
Deep Layer 3–7 protection for self-hosted teams, with contact-sales pricing.
- Managed mitigation
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Check Point -
Best forService providers using programmable network mitigation
Programmable, always-on DDoS protection for service-provider and large network environments.
- Managed mitigation
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Nokia -
Best forOrganizations needing managed L3/L4 hybrid defense
Managed Layer 3/4 defense for organizations operating hybrid Internet-facing networks.
- Managed mitigation
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Cloudflare -
Best forOn-premises operators needing inline defense
A focused inline defense for organizations protecting stateful network and application infrastructure.
- Managed mitigation
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit NETSCOUT -
Best forAzure teams needing network protection
A focused Azure service for continuous Layer 3/4 DDoS mitigation, not application-layer defense.
- Managed mitigation
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Microsoft -
Best forNGINX-based applications needing Layer 7 defense
A focused NGINX-based defense for Layer 7 attacks across modern application traffic.
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit F5 -
Best forTencent Cloud customers needing elastic protection
A paid Tencent Cloud service combining network and application attack protection.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Tencent Cloud -
Best forDigitalOcean customers wanting included protection
A no-cost Layer 3/4 safeguard for DigitalOcean resources, not a full application-layer defense.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit DigitalOcean -
Best forAlibaba Cloud customers wanting broad coverage
Broad network and application-layer DDoS protection for Alibaba Cloud workloads.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Alibaba Cloud
AWS Shield Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to AWS Shield?
Cloudflare DDoS Protection: #1 in our DDoS Protection Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. Broad Layer 3/4 and 7 protection with a free plan and low paid entry price.
Is there a free alternative to AWS Shield?
Yes. Cloudflare DDoS Protection, Fastly DDoS Protection, Azure DDoS Protection, DigitalOcean DDoS Protection and Alibaba Cloud Anti-DDoS have a free plan or a free tier.
What is the cheapest paid alternative to AWS Shield?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Cloudflare DDoS Protection starts lowest, at $20/mo.
Why do people look for AWS Shield alternatives?
Shield Advanced starts at $3,000 per month; Advanced requires a one-year subscription commitment; Response Team access requires Business or Enterprise AWS Support.
How do I switch from AWS Shield?
Export your data from AWS Shield (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel AWS Shield.
How to Switch from AWS Shield
- Export your data from AWS Shield (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel AWS Shield.
AWS Shield vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Attack layers | Mitigation mode | Deployment model | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | AWS Shield | Yes | Both | Always-on | Cloud | 9.0 | |
| 1 | Cloudflare DDoS Protection | Yes | $20/mo | Both | Always-on | Cloud | 9.4 |
| 2 | Akamai Prolexic | Network | Hybrid | Hybrid | 9.2 | ||
| 3 | Fastly DDoS Protection | Yes | $0.01/unit/mo | Both | Always-on | Cloud | 9.1 |
| 4 | Imperva DDoS Protection | No | Both | Hybrid | Cloud | 8.9 | |
| 5 | Radware Cloud DDoS Protection | No | Both | Hybrid | Hybrid | 8.8 | |
| 6 | A10 Thunder TPS | No | Both | Hybrid | Hybrid | 8.7 | |
| 7 | Check Point DDoS Protector | Both | Hybrid | Hybrid | 8.6 | ||
| 8 | Nokia Deepfield Defender | Both | Always-on | Hybrid | 8.5 | ||
| 9 | Cloudflare Magic Transit | No | Network | Hybrid | Hybrid | 8.4 | |
| 10 | NETSCOUT Arbor Edge Defense | Both | Always-on | On-premises | 8.3 | ||
| 11 | Azure DDoS Protection | Yes | $199/device/mo | Network | Always-on | Cloud | 8.2 |
| 12 | F5 NGINX App Protect DoS | No | Both | Always-on | Hybrid | 8.1 | |
| 13 | Tencent Cloud Anti-DDoS Pro | No | Both | Hybrid | Cloud | 8.0 | |
| 14 | DigitalOcean DDoS Protection | Yes | Free | Network | Always-on | Cloud | 7.9 |
| 15 | Alibaba Cloud Anti-DDoS | Yes | $1,580/mo | Both | Hybrid | Cloud | 7.8 |
Head-to-Head
- AWS Shield vs Cloudflare DDoS Protection
- AWS Shield vs Akamai Prolexic
- AWS Shield vs Fastly DDoS Protection
- AWS Shield vs Imperva DDoS Protection
- AWS Shield vs Radware Cloud DDoS Protection
- AWS Shield vs A10 Thunder TPS
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update