Project Shield
Project Shield: A free Google reverse proxy for eligible sites needing Layer 3/4 and Layer 7 DDoS protection. Ranked #21 of 36 in DDoS Protection Software by our editors (7.3/10); pricing: Free plan; best for eligible public-interest organizations.
At a glance
- Editor score7.3 / 10
- PricingFree plan
- Best forEligible public-interest organizations
- Free planYes
- Paid fromFree
- Attack layersBoth
- Founded2013
- Facts checked22 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Protects against Layer 3/4 and Layer 7 DDoS attacks
- Combines filtering, caching, rate limiting, and access rules
- Integrates with Google Cloud Load Balancing, CDN, and Armor
Where it doesn't
- Access requires eligibility and Google's application review
- Support is provided through documentation
- Protection is limited to eligible websites and organizations
Our verdict on Project Shield
Project Shield is a free Google service for eligible public-interest websites, including news, human-rights, elections-related, political, marginalized-groups, arts, sciences, and certain government sites. It also serves eligible individual journalists. The service operates as a cloud-based reverse proxy, filtering malicious traffic before it reaches the origin server. Its stated fit is strongest for solo, small, and mid-market organizations that need website or API protection without a paid software plan.
The Free plan provides DDoS protection for eligible websites. Its protection scope covers both Layer 3/4 and Layer 7 attacks, while caching helps absorb traffic and reduce origin load. Administrators can apply intelligent rate limiting, IP allowlists and denylists, path-based block and bypass rules, reCAPTCHA controls, and SSL and HTTPS proxying. Traffic, error-rate, and bandwidth metrics are available, and cache invalidation can be handled through the dashboard or API. These controls make Project Shield more than a basic traffic filter, particularly for organizations that need configurable access and traffic policies.
Google Cloud infrastructure is central to the service, with integrations for Google Cloud Load Balancing, Google Cloud CDN, and Google Cloud Armor. That fit will appeal to organizations already working within Google Cloud, while the documentation-led support model gives applicants a clear but limited support channel. Eligibility is the decisive consideration: organizations and journalists must apply and pass Google's review. Project Shield suits qualifying public-interest publishers and groups seeking free, broad-layer protection. Organizations outside those eligibility categories, or teams requiring paid tiers, broader support channels, or a different deployment model, should consider another DDoS protection product.
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Project Shield pricing
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Project Shield fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Free |
| Attack layers | Both |
| Mitigation mode | Hybrid |
| Deployment model | Cloud |
| Protection capacity | Not verified |
| Managed mitigation | Not verified |
| WAF included | Not verified |
| Deployment | Cloud, Browser extension |
| Platforms | Web |
| Support | Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 3 integrations: Google Cloud Load Balancing, Google Cloud CDN, Google Cloud Armor |
| Pricing | Free plan (source) |
| Website | projectshield.google |
| Facts checked | 22 Sep 2026 |
Project Shield integrations
Project Shield lists 3 integrations on its own site.
- Google Cloud Load Balancing
- Google Cloud CDN
- Google Cloud Armor
Alternatives to Project Shield
- Cloudflare DDoS ProtectionBroad Layer 3/4 and 7 protection with a free plan and low paid entry price.9.4
- Akamai ProlexicA managed, hybrid DDoS defense service for enterprises with complex network protection needs.9.2
- Fastly DDoS ProtectionUsage-priced protection for network and application-layer DDoS attacks.9.1
See all Project Shield alternatives →
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Featured on iTechGuides
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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