Azure Application Gateway
Azure Application Gateway: A capable Azure gateway for Layer 7 routing, TLS handling, and WAF-enabled traffic management. Ranked #9 of 31 in Load Balancer Services by our editors (8.3/10); pricing: Paid; best for azure applications needing Layer 7 routing.
At a glance
- Editor score8.3 / 10
- PricingPaid
- Best forAzure applications needing Layer 7 routing
- Free planNo
- Balancing layersBoth
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Layer 7 routing with URL paths and multisite hosting
- Autoscaling, zone redundancy, and backend health probes
- AKS, App Service, Key Vault, and WAF integrations
Where it doesn't
- Paid service with no free plan
- Backend target limit of 1,200
- Does not provide DNS traffic steering
Our verdict on Azure Application Gateway
Azure Application Gateway is a managed load-balancing service for web applications running in Azure and connected networks. It is suited to teams that need application-layer HTTP routing alongside supported Layer 4 TCP/TLS proxying. The current v2 service supports TLS termination, end-to-end TLS, cookie-based session affinity, URL path-based routing, multisite hosting, backend health probes, autoscaling, zone redundancy, and Web Application Firewall integration. It can route traffic to Azure virtual machines, scale sets, App Service, Container Apps, IP addresses, FQDNs, and connected on-premises or external servers.
Pricing is paid and organized around three plans. Basic uses the Application Gateway v2 SKU with fixed gateway-hour and capacity-unit billing. Standard_v2 adds autoscaling, zone redundancy, and a static VIP. WAF_v2 combines Web Application Firewall integration with autoscaling and zone redundancy. The published plans make the main distinction clear: Standard_v2 emphasizes scaling and availability, while WAF_v2 adds the WAF capability for applications that need that layer of protection. There is no free plan, so it is intended for deployments with an operating budget for managed gateway infrastructure.
Its strongest fit is an Azure-centered application estate. Integrations include Azure Web Application Firewall, Azure Kubernetes Service, Azure Key Vault, Azure App Service, Azure Container Apps, Azure Virtual Machines, and Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets. AKS ingress support and routing across Azure and connected networks make it practical for mixed application environments. Choose it when Layer 7 control, TLS handling, session affinity, and Azure integration matter more than DNS-based traffic steering. Teams needing DNS traffic steering or a free entry tier should consider an alternative, and larger deployments should account for the published 1,200-backend target limit.
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Azure Application Gateway pricing
All 3 Azure Application Gateway plans and prices →
Azure Application Gateway fact sheet
| Free plan | No |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Balancing layers | Both |
| Global regions | Not verified |
| TLS termination | Yes |
| Sticky sessions | Yes |
| DNS traffic steering | No |
| Backend target limit | 1200 |
| Deployment | Cloud |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | Docs |
| Built for | Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 7 integrations: Azure Web Application Firewall, Azure Kubernetes Service, Azure Key Vault, Azure App Service, Azure Container Apps, Azure Virtual Machines … |
| Pricing | Paid (source) |
| Website | azure.microsoft.com |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
Azure Application Gateway integrations
Azure Application Gateway lists 7 integrations on its own site.
- Azure Web Application Firewall
- Azure Kubernetes Service
- Azure Key Vault
- Azure App Service
- Azure Container Apps
- Azure Virtual Machines
- Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets
Alternatives to Azure Application Gateway
- AWS Elastic Load BalancingA broad AWS-native load balancing service with usage-based pricing and multiple traffic layers.9.4
- Google Cloud Load BalancingA broad managed load balancer for global, hybrid, and multi-backend workloads.9.2
- Alibaba Cloud Server Load BalancerA broad managed balancing service with a clear ALB entry price and Alibaba Cloud integrations.9.0
See all Azure Application Gateway alternatives →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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