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# AWS WAF vs Netgate pfSense Comparison - What are their main differences?

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AWS WAFNetgate pfSense[+ Add Product](#)

Reviews

**AWS WAF** [

4.3/5(72)

](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-waf/reviews#reviews)

**Netgate pfSense** [

4.7/5(326)

](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews#reviews)

Pricing

**AWS WAF**
No pricing available

**Netgate pfSense**
Free Trial

No pricing available

**Pricing Insights**
from reviews

Time to Implement

**AWS WAF**
2 months

Based on 11 responses

**Netgate pfSense**
1 monthFaster

Based on 136 responses

Return on Investment

**AWS WAF**
8 months4 months sooner

Based on 10 responses

**Netgate pfSense**
12 months

Based on 122 responses

Perceived Cost

**AWS WAF**
$$$$$

**Netgate pfSense**
$$$$$

Average Discount

**AWS WAF**
7%

**Netgate pfSense**
7%

Pros & Cons

**AWS WAF**
[
WAF (Web Application Firewall) (2)
](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-waf/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2257694&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Cloud Integration (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-waf/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2257713&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Complex Configuration (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-waf/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2374585&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Expensive (1)
](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-waf/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2374602&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)

**Netgate pfSense**
[
Ease of Use (3)
](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1484436&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Customizability (2)
](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1484584&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Complex Configuration (2)
](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1485139&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[
Difficult Learning Curve (2)
](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1484656&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)

Integrations

**AWS WAF**
[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_b3390b4cc3d92e87d570895f7358c003/amazon-api-gateway.jpg "Product Avatar Image")

Amazon API Gateway

](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-api-gateway/reviews)[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_504423766e296a0eeef13491cb738385/amazon-aws-platform.png "Product Avatar Image")

Amazon AWS Platform

](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-aws-platform/reviews)[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_cacdec8b8edeace9b3c89e0c2cded695/amazon-cloudfront.jpg "Product Avatar Image")

CloudFront

](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-cloudfront/reviews)[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_b3390b4cc3d92e87d570895f7358c003/aws-cloudtrail.jpg "Product Avatar Image")

AWS CloudTrail

](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-cloudtrail/reviews)[
View all
](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-waf/integrations)

**Netgate pfSense**
[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_b3390b4cc3d92e87d570895f7358c003/aws-lambda.jpg "Product Avatar Image")

AWS Lambda

](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-lambda/reviews)[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_dae0031c2ae3821616be108bd707a35f/sophos-firewall.png "Product Avatar Image")

Sophos Firewall

](https://www.g2.com/products/sophos-firewall/reviews)[

 ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_ec16874dda71514576a24845df4c8236/tailscale.png "Product Avatar Image")

Tailscale

](https://www.g2.com/products/tailscale/reviews)[
View all
](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/integrations)

Ratings

Meets Requirements

**AWS WAF**

8.9

8.949

**Netgate pfSense**

9.4

9.4261

Ease of Use

**AWS WAF**

8.2

8.249

**Netgate pfSense**

8.5

8.5268

Ease of Setup

**AWS WAF**

8.1

8.134

**Netgate pfSense**

8.7

8.7247

Ease of Admin

**AWS WAF**

8.2

8.232

**Netgate pfSense**

8.8

8.8243

Quality of Support

**AWS WAF**

8.7

8.745

**Netgate pfSense**

9.1

9.1209

Has the product been a good partner in doing business?

**AWS WAF**

8.8

8.831

**Netgate pfSense**

9.2

9.2197

Product Direction (% positive)

**AWS WAF**

9.0

9.049

**Netgate pfSense**

8.6

8.6262

Features

Web Application Firewall (WAF)[Hide 10 FeaturesShow 10 Features](javascript:void(0);)

8.6

32

Not enough data

Analysis

Logging and Reporting

8.4(won by default)

25

Not enough data

Issue Tracking

8.1(won by default)

22

Not enough data

Security Monitoring

8.9(won by default)

26

Not enough data

Controls

Application-Layer Controls 

9.3(won by default)

23

Not enough data

Traffic Controls

8.7(won by default)

25

Not enough data

Network Controls

8.9(won by default)

24

Not enough data

Functionality

API / Integrations

9.0(won by default)

23

Not enough data

Extensibility

8.3(won by default)

21

Not enough data

Bot Traffic

9.0(won by default)

5

Not enough data

Generative AI

AI Text Summarization

7.7(won by default)

10

Not enough data

Firewall Software[Hide 62 FeaturesShow 62 Features](javascript:void(0);)

Not enough data

8.3

244

Administration

Policy Management

Not enough data

8.8(won by default)

188

Logging and Reporting

Not enough data

8.3(won by default)

209

Application Gateway

Not enough data

8.4(won by default)

179

Concurrent Sessions

Not enough data

9.0(won by default)

200

Uptime Reporting

Not enough data

Not enough data

Web Traffic Reporting

Not enough data

Not enough data

Compliance Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Access Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Incident Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Audit Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Remote Monitoring & Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Agentic AI - Firewall Software

Autonomous Task Execution

Not enough data

Not enough data

Adaptive Learning

Not enough data

Not enough data

AI/Machine Learning

Not enough data

Not enough data

Functionality

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Not enough data

9.1(won by default)

218

Antivirus

Not enough data

6.6(won by default)

136

URL Filtering

Not enough data

7.9(won by default)

167

Availability

Not enough data

9.3(won by default)

200

IP Filtering

Not enough data

Not enough data

Content Filtering

Not enough data

Not enough data

Monitoring

Load Balancing

Not enough data

8.5(won by default)

163

Continuous Analysis

Not enough data

8.2(won by default)

168

Intrusion Prevention

Not enough data

8.7(won by default)

188

Intrusion Detection

Not enough data

8.4(won by default)

181

Intrusion Detection System

Not enough data

Not enough data

Intrusion Prevention System

Not enough data

Not enough data

Generative AI

AI Text Summarization

Not enough data

6.7(won by default)

73

Generative AI

Not enough data

Not enough data

Artificial Intelligence - Firewall

AI Firewall

Not enough data

Not enough data

Additional Functionality

Spam Blocker

Not enough data

Not enough data

Alerts/Escalation

Not enough data

Not enough data

Role-Based Permissions

Not enough data

Not enough data

Network Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Visual Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Customizable Reports

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Reporting & Statistics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Anti Spam

Not enough data

Not enough data

Activity Dashboard

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Notifications

Not enough data

Not enough data

Activity Tracking

Not enough data

Not enough data

Hardware Integration

Not enough data

Not enough data

Summary Reports

Not enough data

Not enough data

Alerts/Notifications

Not enough data

Not enough data

Access Controls/Permissions

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Data

Not enough data

Not enough data

Server Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Two-Factor Authentication

Not enough data

Not enough data

Log Access

Not enough data

Not enough data

Reporting/Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Multi-Location

Not enough data

Not enough data

SSL Security

Not enough data

Not enough data

Behavior Tracking

Not enough data

Not enough data

AI Copilot

Not enough data

Not enough data

API

Not enough data

Not enough data

Event Logs

Not enough data

Not enough data

Vulnerability Scanning

Not enough data

Not enough data

Risk Alerts

Not enough data

Not enough data

Single Sign On

Not enough data

Not enough data

Dashboard Creation

Not enough data

Not enough data

Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Business VPN[Hide 50 FeaturesShow 50 Features](javascript:void(0);)

Not enough data

8.8

181

Usage

Multi-Device Usage

Not enough data

9.2(won by default)

146

Multiple Concurrent Connections

Not enough data

9.5(won by default)

162

Protocol Choices

Not enough data

9.3(won by default)

165

Unlimited Bandwidth

Not enough data

9.4(won by default)

156

No Log Storage

Not enough data

7.9(won by default)

110

Varied Server Locations

Not enough data

8.5(won by default)

113

Unlimited Server Switches

Not enough data

8.5(won by default)

108

Event Logs

Not enough data

Not enough data

Miscellaneous

Live Customer Support

Not enough data

8.1(won by default)

109

Open Source Code

Not enough data

9.3(won by default)

147

Multiple Payment Methods

Not enough data

8.2(won by default)

97

Activity Dashboard

Not enough data

Not enough data

Additional Functionality

Two-Factor Authentication

Not enough data

Not enough data

DNS Leak Protection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Web Inspection

Not enough data

Not enough data

API

Not enough data

Not enough data

Uptime Reporting

Not enough data

Not enough data

AI Copilot

Not enough data

Not enough data

Compliance Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Multi-Language

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Remote Monitoring & Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Security Auditing

Not enough data

Not enough data

Remote Access/Control

Not enough data

Not enough data

Kill Switch

Not enough data

Not enough data

Access Controls/Permissions

Not enough data

Not enough data

Policy Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

User Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

VPN Tunneling

Not enough data

Not enough data

No-log VPN

Not enough data

Not enough data

Encryption

Not enough data

Not enough data

Firewalls

Not enough data

Not enough data

Secure Browsing

Not enough data

Not enough data

Mobile Alerts

Not enough data

Not enough data

Anonymous Browsing

Not enough data

Not enough data

Generative AI

Not enough data

Not enough data

Single Sign On

Not enough data

Not enough data

Secure Login

Not enough data

Not enough data

Anomaly/Malware Detection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Third-Party Integrations

Not enough data

Not enough data

Rules-Based Workflow

Not enough data

Not enough data

Reporting & Statistics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Ad Blocker

Not enough data

Not enough data

Authentication

Not enough data

Not enough data

Mobile Access

Not enough data

Not enough data

SSL Security

Not enough data

Not enough data

IP Masking

Not enough data

Not enough data

Geo-spoofing

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Storage Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Performance Testing

Not enough data

Not enough data

Show 1 feature category with incomplete data

Network Security[Hide 40 FeaturesShow 40 Features](javascript:void(0);)

Not enough data

Not enough data

Additional Functionality

Penetration Testing

Not enough data

Not enough data

Alerts/Notifications

Not enough data

Not enough data

Audit Trail

Not enough data

Not enough data

Anti Virus

Not enough data

Not enough data

Vulnerability Scanning

Not enough data

Not enough data

Remote Monitoring & Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

VPN

Not enough data

Not enough data

Behavior Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Reporting/Analytics

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Notifications

Not enough data

Not enough data

Access Controls/Permissions

Not enough data

Not enough data

SSL Security

Not enough data

Not enough data

Patch Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Event Logs

Not enough data

Not enough data

Anomaly/Malware Detection

Not enough data

Not enough data

DNS Leak Protection

Not enough data

Not enough data

Third-Party Integrations

Not enough data

Not enough data

Server Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Real-Time Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Compliance Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Network Provisioning

Not enough data

Not enough data

API

Not enough data

Not enough data

Email Alerts

Not enough data

Not enough data

Security Auditing

Not enough data

Not enough data

Intrusion Detection System

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Visualization

Not enough data

Not enough data

Two-Factor Authentication

Not enough data

Not enough data

Generative AI

Not enough data

Not enough data

Firewalls

Not enough data

Not enough data

AI Copilot

Not enough data

Not enough data

Anti Spam

Not enough data

Not enough data

Threat Response

Not enough data

Not enough data

Activity Monitoring

Not enough data

Not enough data

Risk Alerts

Not enough data

Not enough data

Data Loss Prevention

Not enough data

Not enough data

Single Sign On

Not enough data

Not enough data

Intrusion Prevention System

Not enough data

Not enough data

Secure Login

Not enough data

Not enough data

Policy Management

Not enough data

Not enough data

Activity Dashboard

Not enough data

Not enough data

User Insights

Reviewers' Company Size

[![AWS WAF](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1533131475/aws-waf.svg "AWS WAF")](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-waf/reviews)

AWS WAF

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)

33.8%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)

33.8%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)

32.3%

[![Netgate pfSense](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/f4469990cc8ea128d45e4ab41bf45ef3/netgate-pfsense.svg "Netgate pfSense")](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews)

Netgate pfSense

Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)

68.5%

Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)

25.2%

Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.)

6.3%

Small-Business

(50 or fewer emp.)

33.8%

68.5%

Mid-Market

(51-1000 emp.)

33.8%

25.2%

Enterprise

(\> 1000 emp.)

32.3%

6.3%

Reviewers' Industry

[![AWS WAF](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1533131475/aws-waf.svg "AWS WAF")](https://www.g2.com/products/aws-waf/reviews)
AWS WAF

Information Technology and Services

21.5%

Computer Software

9.2%

Computer & Network Security

7.7%

Retail

7.7%

Marketing and Advertising

7.7%

Other

46.2%

[![Netgate pfSense](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/f4469990cc8ea128d45e4ab41bf45ef3/netgate-pfsense.svg "Netgate pfSense")](https://www.g2.com/products/netgate-pfsense/reviews)
Netgate pfSense

Information Technology and Services

20.1%

Computer & Network Security

11.0%

Computer Software

6.3%

Telecommunications

4.1%

Computer Networking

3.8%

Other

54.7%

Alternatives

**AWS WAF Alternatives**

 ![F5 NGINX](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/62010ad6d5b954f5a6a5bdaf40a5d2b7/f5-nginx.svg "F5 NGINX")

[
Nginx
](/products/f5-nginx/reviews)

 ![Sucuri](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/1498148115/sucuri.svg "Sucuri")

[
Sucuri
](/products/sucuri/reviews)

 ![ModSecurity](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_28d60f690b9594c41b74bfac5bfc563a/modsecurity.png "ModSecurity")

[
ModSecurity
](/products/modsecurity/reviews)

 ![Cloudflare Application Security and Performance](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_b2231a414cb9f3f7c194f65af32b723e/cloudflare-application-security-and-performance.png "Cloudflare Application Security and Performance")

[
Cloudflare Application...
](/products/cloudflare-application-security-and-performance/reviews)

**Netgate pfSense Alternatives**

 ![Sophos Firewall](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/c3eafd206cf051259b58dcd9712f2d46/sophos-firewall.svg "Sophos Firewall")

[
Sophos Firewall
](/products/sophos-firewall/reviews)

 ![Check Point Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs)](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/64ff8da1b6e6ffabf4336ae2510e8e3e/check-point-next-generation-firewalls-ngfws.svg "Check Point Next Generation Firewalls (NGFWs)")

[
Check Point Next Generation...
](/products/check-point-next-generation-firewalls-ngfws/reviews)

 ![FortiGate-VM NGFW](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/fa3376b61f91a50021359e71d1976187/fortigate-vm-ngfw.jpg "FortiGate-VM NGFW")

[
FortiGate-VM NGFW
](/products/fortigate-vm-ngfw/reviews)

 ![WatchGuard Network Security](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/95497ce130aa56e5fb27b011c9bcaebc/watchguard-network-security.svg "WatchGuard Network Security")

[
WatchGuard Network Security
](/products/watchguard-network-security/reviews)

## AWS WAF vs Netgate pfSense

When assessing the two solutions, reviewers found Netgate pfSense easier to use, set up, and administer. Reviewers also preferred doing business with Netgate pfSense overall.

- Reviewers felt that Netgate pfSense meets the needs of their business better than AWS WAF.
- When comparing quality of ongoing product support, reviewers felt that Netgate pfSense is the preferred option.
- For feature updates and roadmaps, our reviewers preferred the direction of AWS WAF over Netgate pfSense.