Best Google Cloud Armor Alternatives in 2026
The top Google Cloud Armor alternatives are Cloudflare WAF, AWS WAF and Wallarm WAAP: 15 web application firewall software our editors would look at instead of Google Cloud Armor, in our ranking order.
Google Cloud Armor: A Google Cloud edge WAF with managed rules, API protection, bots, and rate controls. Where it falls short: paid service with usage-based pricing.
Switching from Google Cloud Armor? For most web application firewall software buyers the best Google Cloud Armor alternative is Cloudflare WAF, built for teams wanting broad WAF coverage with a free plan. On a budget, Azure Web Application Firewall starts at $5/mo. Check Point CloudGuard WAF offers the most log retention (90 days).
Why People Look for a Google Cloud Armor Alternative
- Paid service with usage-based pricing
- Bot management is unavailable in Cloud Armor Standard
- Enterprise plans apply data processing fees
- No free plan — 5 of the alternatives below have it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallCloudflare WAF9.4
Teams wanting broad WAF coverage with a free plan
Visit Cloudflare WAF - Lowest priceAzure Web Application Firewall8.7
Paid plans from $5/mo
Visit Azure Web Application Firewall - Best free optionCloudflare WAF9.4
Has a free plan (Google Cloud Armor has none)
Visit Cloudflare WAF - Most log retentionCheck Point CloudGuard WAF8.3
90 days
Visit Check Point CloudGuard WAF
All 15 Google Cloud Armor 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 forTeams wanting broad WAF coverage with a free plan
- Better than Google Cloud Armor:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.4 vs 8.8
Broad edge WAF coverage with a free plan and Terraform management.
- Managed rule sets
- Rate limiting
- API protection
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Cloudflare -
Best forAWS-native applications needing flexible pricing
- Better than Google Cloud Armor:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 8.8
Flexible AWS-native protection with usage-based pricing that requires careful cost planning.
- Managed rule sets
- Rate limiting
- API protection
9.2/10★★★★★Visit AWS WAF -
Best forAPI-heavy teams wanting a free security tier
- Better than Google Cloud Armor:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.1 vs 8.8
A broad WAAP platform with a useful free tier for API-focused security teams.
- Managed rule sets
- Rate limiting
- API protection
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Wallarm -
Best forLarge hybrid enterprises needing mature protection
- Better than Google Cloud Armor:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 8.8
A broad edge security platform for large enterprises with complex environments.
- Managed rule sets
- Rate limiting
- API protection
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Akamai -
Best forCloud-native teams wanting open-source ML protection
- Better than Google Cloud Armor:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 8.8
A flexible open-source WAF for cloud-native web applications and APIs.
- Rate limiting
- API protection
- Bot management
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit open-appsec -
Best forAzure users needing low-cost managed WAF controls
A low-cost managed WAF for Azure applications, APIs, and edge traffic.
- Managed rule sets
- Rate limiting
- API protection
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit site -
Best forOrganizations wanting flexible F5 hybrid deployment
A flexible hybrid WAF with strong automation, API, bot, and rate-limiting coverage.
- Managed rule sets
- Rate limiting
- API protection
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit F5 -
Best forHybrid enterprises needing broad integrations
A broad hybrid WAF for teams securing applications, APIs, bots, and traffic.
- Managed rule sets
- Rate limiting
- API protection
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Barracuda -
Best forEnterprises wanting automated hybrid WAF operations
A broad hybrid WAF for enterprises that need managed rules, automation, and API security.
- Managed rule sets
- Rate limiting
- API protection
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Imperva -
Best forEnterprises needing AI-assisted hybrid WAF security
A broad hybrid WAF for enterprises needing AI-assisted application, API, and bot protection.
- Rate limiting
- API protection
- Bot management
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Check Point -
Best forFortinet customers needing integrated WAF security
A broad Fortinet WAF for web, API, bot, and application-layer protection.
- Managed rule sets
- API protection
- Bot management
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit FortiWeb -
Best forTeams needing flexible Fastly WAF deployment
A flexible WAF for teams protecting applications, APIs, and microservices across varied deployments.
- Managed rule sets
- Rate limiting
- API protection
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Fastly -
Best forBudget-conscious teams needing free edge WAF access
- Better than Google Cloud Armor:
- Free plan
A cost-conscious edge WAAP with free OWASP protection and paid rule controls.
- Managed rule sets
- Rate limiting
- API protection
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Gcore WAAP -
Best forSelf-hosted teams seeking a free open-source WAF
- Better than Google Cloud Armor:
- Free plan
A free, self-hosted WAF with OWASP rules, API validation, rate limiting, and antibot controls.
- Managed rule sets
- Rate limiting
- API protection
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit BunkerWeb -
Best forDevelopers needing open-source multi-proxy WAF protection
- Better than Google Cloud Armor:
- Free plan
A flexible self-hosted WAF for developers working across proxies, servers, and Go.
- Managed rule sets
- API protection
- Bot management
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit OWASP Coraza
Google Cloud Armor Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Google Cloud Armor?
Cloudflare WAF: #1 in our Web Application Firewall Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. Broad edge WAF coverage with a free plan and Terraform management.
Is there a free alternative to Google Cloud Armor?
Yes. Cloudflare WAF, Wallarm WAAP, open-appsec, Gcore WAAP and BunkerWeb have a free plan or a free tier (6 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Google Cloud Armor?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Azure Web Application Firewall starts lowest, at $5/mo.
Why do people look for Google Cloud Armor alternatives?
Paid service with usage-based pricing; Bot management is unavailable in Cloud Armor Standard; Enterprise plans apply data processing fees.
Which Google Cloud Armor alternative has the most log retention?
Check Point CloudGuard WAF, with 90 days.
How do I switch from Google Cloud Armor?
Export your data from Google Cloud Armor (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 Google Cloud Armor.
How to Switch from Google Cloud Armor
- Export your data from Google Cloud Armor (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 Google Cloud Armor.
Google Cloud Armor vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment model | Managed rule sets | API protection | Bot management | Rate limiting | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Google Cloud Armor | No | Edge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.8 | |
| 1 | Cloudflare WAF | Yes | $20/mo | Edge | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | 9.4 |
| 2 | AWS WAF | No | $1/unit/mo | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.2 |
| 3 | Wallarm WAAP | Yes | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.1 | |
| 4 | Akamai App & API Protector | Edge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | ||
| 5 | open-appsec | Free | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.9 | ||
| 6 | Azure Web Application Firewall | No | $5/mo | Edge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.7 |
| 7 | F5 WAF for Distributed Cloud | No | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.6 | |
| 8 | Barracuda Web Application Firewall | No | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.5 | |
| 9 | Imperva Web Application Firewall | No | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.4 | |
| 10 | Check Point CloudGuard WAF | No | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.3 | ||
| 11 | FortiWeb | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.2 | |||
| 12 | Fastly Next-Gen WAF | No | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.1 | |
| 13 | Gcore WAAP | Yes | €25/mo | Edge | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 |
| 14 | BunkerWeb | Yes | Free | Hybrid | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
| 15 | OWASP Coraza WAF | Yes | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.8 |
Head-to-Head
- Google Cloud Armor vs Cloudflare WAF
- Google Cloud Armor vs AWS WAF
- Google Cloud Armor vs Wallarm WAAP
- Google Cloud Armor vs Akamai App & API Protector
- Google Cloud Armor vs open-appsec
- Google Cloud Armor vs Azure Web Application Firewall
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update