Azure Bastion vs Azure Web Application Firewall comparison

Azure Bastion and Azure Web Application Firewall are both solutions in the Microsoft Security Suite category. Azure Bastion is ranked #19 with an average rating of 9.0, while Azure Web Application Firewall is ranked #20 with an average rating of 8.4. Azure Bastion holds a 1.5% mindshare in Microsoft Security Suite, compared to Azure Web Application Firewall’s 1.9% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Azure Bastion users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of Azure Web Application Firewall users who would recommend it.

Azure Bastion

Read 11 Azure Bastion reviews

1,465 Views
752 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Azure Web Application Firewall

Read 13 Azure Web Application Firewall reviews

1,211 Views
1,010 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Azure Bastion

Azure Web Application Firewall

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Azure Bastion and Azure Web Application Firewall based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Microsoft Security Suite solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Azure Bastion vs. Azure Web Application Firewall Report (Updated: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Azure Bastion vs. Azure Web Application Firewall

March 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Azure Bastion

Ranking in Microsoft Security Suite

19th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Monitoring Software (24th), Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) (6th)

Azure Web Application Firewall

Ranking in Microsoft Security Suite

20th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Web Application Firewall (WAF) (13th)

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Microsoft Security Suite category, the mindshare of Azure Bastion is 1.5%, down from 1.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Azure Web Application Firewall is 1.9%, down from 1.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Microsoft Security Suite

Featured Reviews

Aladin Steiner

Head of Value Stream Azure at SmartIT Services AG

Has good scalability and provides secure access to the virtual machines

The product improved the security posture of our organization. We don’t have open ports and connect them to servers using it. We can carry out two-factor authentication to protect the devices with conditional access features. It would be nice to have a feature to copy and paste the files into servers. I rate the product a nine out of ten.

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Mano Senaratne

Management Consultant at a consultancy with 201-500 employees

Comprehensive suite simplifies configuration while frequent updates require management

Mainly, it comes with the complete suite of Microsoft services. I can use it in conjunction with the best options and other features that come with it. Configuration is much easier than using different platforms. For example, if I have hosted the application in AWS and am using the Application Firewall from Azure, there are certain additional steps to follow when configuring them. With Microsoft, everything is within a single suite, making it easier to configure and plan. Azure continually upgrades platforms and sends us messages to upgrade to the next version, simplifying the process. Later, it's much easier if I want to upgrade the software platform, scale it, or move it to a different application host as the whole suite comes together. The return on investment is good. If I am doing applications for clients, I can invoice them for better costs. Most applications that I run and use have a better return on investment.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most significant advantage lies in its runbook features, particularly beneficial for our infrastructure team."

"Azure Bastion makes it easy to provide quick virtual machine access to our customers."

"Overall, I had a very positive experience."

"The interface is available in the edit portal."

"It provides all the security to us. Without getting on the internet, we can access our servers. We can access our desktop through our web browser. We don't need to run the mstsc command and login to the VM. All those things are not required."

"Azure Bastion is preferable because you just switch it on and off you go."

"The ability to operate the product with scripting is excellent."

"The solution's most valuable feature is that it is easy to use...It is modernized, so I can create complex infrastructures."

More Azure Bastion pros

"The solution has good dashboards."

"The initial setup is easy and straightforward...Azure Web Application Firewall is a scalable product."

"The integration it has with GitHub is great."

"Azure WAF is extremely stable."

"The most valuable feature is that it allows us to publish our applications behind the firewall."

"It's quite a stable product and works well with Microsoft products."

"Configuration is much easier than using different platforms."

"It's a good option if you want a solution that's ready to go and easy for your team to learn. It's cloud-based, so you don't need to buy or maintain any hardware infrastructure."

More Azure Web Application Firewall pros

Cons

"Speaking of AI, having Microsoft Copilot in Azure Bastion would be good."

"The solution breaks down sometimes."

"We are not able to copy and paste files directly into the server over the patch host. We have to transfer files over to Azure Storage."

"You are charged for retrieving your own data."

"When you have a boot issue on Windows, you cannot use Azure Bastion to fix it. You have to use the Azure console or the VM console, and it is very limited."

"While general support is valuable, having a detailed breakdown of the specific issues would contribute to a more streamlined and efficient resolution process."

"There is room for improvement with AI features. I would like to see integrated AI features with Azure Bastion, especially for connectivity issues."

"Azure Bastion does its job. However, it would be nice to have the capability to cut and paste across desktops, similar to old-fashioned Remote Desktop emulation."

More Azure Bastion cons

"The support for proxy forwarding could improve."

"We would like to see additional site services using AI to provide information about blocking requests and offer analytics on the origin of calls."

"Some Azure applications, like the web application firewall, require a certain level of SKU for hosting setup. The basic setup does not allow me to use the web application firewall and other additional services."

"The management can be improved."

"From a reporting perspective, they could do more there."

"I would say that Azure's customer service is not that good...I am not very happy with the support offered."

"Upgrading the platform regularly is necessary for security, however, frequent updates every six months or year from Azure can be a maintenance overhead."

"Azure WAF should not be deployed in the middle of the traffic."

More Azure Web Application Firewall cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Azure Bastion's pricing is good."

"It does not save money for us."

"The tool is cheaply priced. I would say that the product is free to use."

"The pricing is a lower decision point than high-quality security for our organization. Better security comes at a cost, but it's worth it, and that's what we tell our customers."

"We have an enterprise agreement with Microsoft and the pricing is good."

"The price is reasonable. It is approximately $2,000 US per month."

"I give the pricing a nine out of ten."

"Azure WAF has price advantages over other WAF solutions. The pricing model is flexible because you pay on a scale based on the level of protection you need."

"The price of the solution depends on your architecture and how you manage it. You can control the cost in Azure quite well. The costs do not directly correlate to expenses in the features we are using."

"The price is for this solution is fair and there is a license needed."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Government

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

18%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Azure Bastion?

Azure Bastion makes it easy to provide quick virtual machine access to our customers.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Bastion?

The price is not necessarily cheaper, but it is acceptable. We are satisfied with the licensing on a yearly basis.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Azure Bastion?

There is room for improvement with AI features. I would like to see integrated AI features with Azure Bastion, especially for connectivity issues. Like Microsoft products that incorporate co-pilot,...

See all answers

What do you like most about Azure Web Application Firewall?

The integration it has with GitHub is great.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Azure Web Application Firewall?

The pricing is okay at the moment. Sometimes, when opting for a higher SKU, it's not the WAF itself that's costly but the additional requirements. A higher SKU application hosting platform adds to ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Azure Web Application Firewall?

While using it, I identified certain areas where it would have been good to have additional features. Right now, I can't recall any specific instances. Seamless integration is good, yet having mult...

See all answers

Comparisons

Azure Firewall vs Azure Bastion

Compared 27% of the time

Azure Front Door vs Azure Bastion

Compared 20% of the time

TeamViewer Remote Management vs Azure Bastion

Compared 12% of the time

Zabbix vs Azure Bastion

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Sentinel vs Azure Bastion

Compared 7% of the time

More Azure Bastion Competitors

AWS WAF vs Azure Web Application Firewall

Compared 40% of the time

Fortinet FortiWeb vs Azure Web Application Firewall

Compared 13% of the time

Azure Front Door vs Azure Web Application Firewall

Compared 6% of the time

Akamai App and API Protector vs Azure Web Application Firewall

Compared 4% of the time

F5 Advanced WAF vs Azure Web Application Firewall

Compared 3% of the time

More Azure Web Application Firewall Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Azure Bastion

April 2025

Download Azure Bastion product report

Buyer's Guide

Azure Web Application Firewall

April 2025

Download Azure Web Application Firewall product report

Overview

Azure Bastion is a service you deploy that lets you connect to a virtual machine using your browser and the Azure portal. The Azure Bastion service is a fully platform-managed PaaS service that you provision inside your virtual network. It provides secure and seamless RDP/SSH connectivity to your virtual machines directly from the Azure portal over TLS. When you connect via Azure Bastion, your virtual machines do not need a public IP address, agent, or special client software.

Microsoft

Azure Web Application Firewall (WAF) provides centralized protection of your web applications from common exploits and vulnerabilities. Web applications are increasingly targeted by malicious attacks that exploit commonly known vulnerabilities. SQL injection and cross-site scripting are among the most common attacks.

To learn more about our solution, ask questions, and share feedback, join our Microsoft Security, Compliance and Identity Community.

Microsoft

Buyer's Guide

Azure Bastion vs. Azure Web Application Firewall

March 2025

Free Report: Azure Bastion vs. Azure Web Application Firewall

Find out what your peers are saying about Azure Bastion vs. Azure Web Application Firewall and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.

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