Microsoft Azure Application Gateway vs NetScaler comparison

Microsoft and NetScaler are both solutions in the Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) category. Microsoft is ranked #4 with an average rating of 7.3, while NetScaler is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.3. Additionally, 78% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of NetScaler users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 12, 2025

NetScaler and Microsoft Azure Application Gateway compete in the application delivery controller (ADC) category. NetScaler has the upper hand due to its extensive feature set, particularly in areas where Azure is seen as less versatile.

Features: NetScaler provides a TriScale architecture allowing for pay-as-you-grow scaling, multitenancy, SSL offload, and comprehensive traffic management. It integrates well with Citrix products, providing high availability and load balancing options. Microsoft Azure Application Gateway offers seamless integration with Azure services and is praised for its ease of use and traffic management abilities.

Room for Improvement: NetScaler faces challenges in feature innovation and complex customization, lacking advanced scripting abilities and efficient documentation. Microsoft Azure Application Gateway needs better integration and customization features, improvements in scalability, and enhanced security offerings. Users also note setup complexity and limitations in protocol support and flexibility.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: NetScaler is typically deployed on-premises, offering extensive customer support, although there are inconsistencies in support quality. Azure Application Gateway is cloud-based, presenting flexibility in deployment but with varied feedback on support, noting both effective responses and areas needing improvement.

Pricing and ROI: NetScaler is costly, often requiring separate licenses and support fees, but offers substantial ROI through its capabilities. Azure Application Gateway, while expensive, is considered reasonable relative to traditional solutions, favoring a pay-as-you-go model, though costs can rise with high-traffic use. Both provide high ROI through data security and operation optimization, with enterprise cases affecting specifics.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft Azure Application Gateway vs. NetScaler Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway vs. NetScaler

April 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

Cloudflare

Featured Reviews

Spencer Malmad

Owner at Tech Exchange

It's easy to set up because you point the DNS to it, and it's working in under 15 minutes

Cloudflare is highly scalable. Cloudflare is a system with a web portal that the end users like me see. It's a console where we can adjust the DNS, caching, and security features all in that console. Cloudflare owns thousands of servers across the world that cache the data. It's a powerful solution. When clients sign up for Cloudflare, they're getting this monster content delivery network, security, and a web application firewall in one. It's all rolled into one, and it's massive. Unless you have your website hosted on a massive hosting provider, there's no way that you can deliver the amount of data that Cloudflare can provide to the end users. If you have static content, there's no way that you can ever match what Cloudflare can do. Obviously, there are competitors to Cloudflare that do the same, but I'm saying other types of solutions. Let's say you go with F5. Great, that's on-prem. That's in your colo. You can't deliver as much data to the internet as you can with a CDN. You don't have to spend $20,000 on a net scaler, F5, or whatever Cisco's selling now. You don't have to buy that. You pay them $50 a month or $150 a month. It's totally worth it because even in five years, you'll never get the performance value, not just the actual ROI. You have to consider how much throughput you can get with Cloudflare.

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Shehzad Ali

Information Security and Compliance Officer at Carnation

Offers time and cost savings with integration, but user interface needs improvement

We are using it for our internal application development. We are testing those features of application gateways. We are integrating it with our solutions, application, Azure Application Gateway Microsoft has a vast variety of tools, and it blends very well. It provides a range of services, so it…

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VivekKumar10

Co-Founder at Virajo

Good stability and offers various valuable features like WAF

Pricing is one area for improvement. It's on the higher side because NetScaler is a premium product used for over 70% of internet traffic worldwide. However, price is not the only concern. Manageability and adaptability can also be challenging for end customers, who may require the assistance of experts like us to deploy and manage the product effectively. Although this is good for us as partners, it can limit the product's appeal to customers who prioritize ease of use. Moreover, having some GUI-based tools for log management and troubleshooting would be helpful and make it easier for customers to manage and troubleshoot their databases. For the future release of Citrix NetScaler, I would like to see better pricing, as well as improved manageability and log management features. Another thing is if a problem occurs, we have to rely on the central support system. We need to collect the log and send it back to support for analysis, and then Citrix support will provide the solution. It would be much easier to troubleshoot if something is handy, such as a web portal or a common platform where customers can upload logs and resolve some of the issues automatically.

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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

"We're using dynamic components to build flexible pages to create and manage Git merge requests for code and reviews."

"Cloudflare offers CDN and DDoS protection. We have the front end, API, and database in how you structure applications."

"The DDoS protection is the most valuable aspect of the solution."

"The solution provides good load balancing and protection against DDoS attacks."

"I rate its stability a ten out of ten."

"The most valuable features of the solution are performance and security."

"Cloudflare allows us to self-host services such as Rocket.Chat and Node-RED, in high-availability mode, thanks to round robin DNS which allows us to share one hostname between our two locations."

"New and innovative way to protect the client's data."

More Cloudflare pros

"The pricing is quite good."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is the web application firewall (WAF)."

"I find Application Gateway’s WAF module valuable because it helps prevent layer 7 attacks."

"Microsoft has a vast variety of tools, and it blends very well."

"The security feature in all the layers of the application is the most valuable."

"The product's initial setup phase was easy."

"The solution is easy to set up."

"Load balancing and web application firewall features are the most valuable."

More Microsoft Azure Application Gateway pros

"The solution is very stable. We don't have any downtime or issues of that nature."

"It is a very stable solution."

"The solution is easy to work with and manage."

"We use the product for load balancing and as a reverse proxy solution."

"Available on any device and can be accessed on a wide area network."

"The most valuable features of Citrix ADC are load balancing and application firewall."

"NetScaler Gateway: Why? Availability/Security: We delivered more than 200 applications thru Xenapp. This feature give us the possibility to deliver the applications anywhere. Currently, 30% of access is made through our NetScaler Gateway (Internet connections)."

"The load balancing feature of this solution is very good."

More NetScaler pros

Cons

"We're facing challenges due to an upgrade in the machine learning model. The problem arises from some users abusing the APIs, resulting in an influx of suspicious traffic. Cloudflare's learning model mistakenly identifies this traffic as human. Consequently, it assigns it a higher trust score, akin to legitimate human traffic, causing complications in our architecture. Previously, such traffic would have been categorized as suspicious, enabling us to apply appropriate blocking rules. However, we encounter difficulties distinguishing between genuine and suspicious traffic with the new categorization. Despite these challenges, overall, Cloudflare remains the preferred solution compared to Azure, AWS CloudFront, and Google Cloud Armor."

"The tool needs to improve caching of servers. The product needs to include PFX certificate as well."

"Support response time could be improved."

"It should have easier documentation for the configuration. It's very technical and people who aren't technical should also be able to do the configuration."

"Integration involving API with other products could be more user-friendly."

"It would be good if Cloudflare could have more servers for better traffic routing or an increase in the traffic routed. This is what I'd like to improve in Cloudflare."

"Although I think it's quite good, it doesn't provide me with all the features I would expect to have if I were using Imperva."

"The product support needs to be accessible from more places, a wider area of coverage."

More Cloudflare cons

"I want the solution's support to improve. The tool is also expensive."

"For the first-time user, it is difficult to understand so the user-interface needs to be improved."

"It takes a lot of time for a certificate to update in the system. That is a huge drawback, affecting the load-balancing side. And when there are changes to the load balancing, it affects the end-user."

"It could be easier to change servicing."

"The working speed of the solution needs improvement."

"Microsoft Azure Application Gateway is not scalable."

"Microsoft Azure Application Gateway's first deployment is complex. It needs to improve its pricing."

"The product could be easier to use and implement."

More Microsoft Azure Application Gateway cons

"Integration with other third party providers and third party applications could be better because it can be a bit complex at present."

"The technical support could be improved. They do not respond or assist customers in a timely manner."

"Finding relevant documentation for learning NetScaler can be challenging, especially for beginners who prefer a web interface over command-line interfaces."

"The GUI should be improved."

"I would like to see more integration for single sign-on."

"There are some drawbacks, such as using EUG for specific configurations. It could be improved."

"Too many bugs in the software and it's always difficult when you need to update."

"The licensing model and technical support of the solution could be improved."

More NetScaler cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution has many features but there are ones that you need to pay for. Sometimes you have to find out which is available for free and which you have to pay for."

"The price is reasonable."

"The product's pricing is minimal compared to other products."

"There are no additional costs beyond the standard licensing fees."

"I think the pricing is competitive. I think as far as licensing is concerned it's pretty straightforward because it's based on domain. It's just that sometimes domains could be tricky with some customers."

"I believe their performance has improved, but I'd like to refrain from discussing the pricing aspect related to the cloud. The pricing, in my opinion, could be simplified, and I think they should consider reevaluating the pricing for support, as it can be quite high. At times, this cost can make it challenging to choose CARFAGuard or opt for the support."

"It's a premium model. You can start at zero and work your way up to the enterprise model, which has a very high pricing level."

"The tool is a premium product, so it is very expensive."

More Cloudflare pricing and cost advice

"Microsoft Azure Application Gateway is a pretty affordable product. My company needs to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs of the solution. The additional costs apart from the licensing costs of the solution vary."

"The product is not expensive."

"Between v1 and v2, there is a lot of change in the pricing. It is very costly compared to AWS."

"Regarding pricing for Azure Application Gateway, I would rate it at seven."

"The solution is reasonably priced compared to other solutions."

"The solution's pricing is not complex. It is not expensive from our point of view."

"The price of the solution can be reduced a bit."

"We use the tool's basic subscription. Its licensing costs are monthly."

More Microsoft Azure Application Gateway pricing and cost advice

"It is very pricey, but we get it. If you need the best, money shouldn't be a problem."

"Regarding pricing, while it's expensive, I can't comment on the exact ROI without a budget analysis. However, in terms of service quality, it's worth the price."

"The firewall license is included by default, with no additional costs."

"Ninety day free trial makes it easy to try out this solution."

"After deployment, Citrix Netscaler shifted to a subscription-based license scheme for support, which is slightly more expensive."

"Citrix ADC could improve the price and make it less expensive, other competitors have a better prices. This would allow Citrix ADC to keep dominating the market."

"When compared to other solutions, the cost is high."

"The licensing costs for this solution vary depending on which model is being used."

More NetScaler pricing and cost advice

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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) solutions are best for your needs.

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

19%

Computer Software Company

13%

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

15%

Educational Organization

14%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

Which is the best DDoS protection solution for a big ISP for monitoring and mitigating?

Cloudflare. We are moving from Akamai prolexic to Cloudflare. Cloudflare anycast network outperforms Akamai static GR...

See all answers

Which would you choose - Cloudflare DNS or Quad9?

Cloudflare DNS is a very fast, very reliable public DNS resolver. It is an enterprise-grade authoritative DNS service...

See all answers

What do you like most about Cloudflare?

Cloudflare offers CDN and DDoS protection. We have the front end, API, and database in how you structure applications.

See all answers

What's the difference between Azure Front Door and Application Gateway?

We found Azure Front Door to be easily scaled and very stable. The implementation is very fast and Microsoft provides...

See all answers

How does AWS WAF compare to Microsoft Azure Application Gateway?

Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether Amazon’s Web Service Web Application Firewall or Microsoft...

See all answers

What do you like most about Microsoft Azure Application Gateway?

Application Gateway automatically redirects unwanted users and takes care of the security aspect. It also handles the...

See all answers

What do you like most about Citrix ADC?

The most valuable feature for us is the application firewalling in Citrix NetScaler, ensuring only valid traffic ente...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Citrix ADC?

After deployment, Citrix Netscaler shifted to a subscription-based license scheme for support, which is slightly more...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Citrix ADC?

Citrix NetScaler is a robust product, but mastering it requires significant learning and training due to its complexi...

See all answers

Comparisons

Quad9 vs Cloudflare

Compared 50% of the time

Akamai vs Cloudflare

Compared 4% of the time

Azure Front Door vs Cloudflare

Compared 4% of the time

Azure DNS vs Cloudflare

Compared 3% of the time

Myra Security DDoS Protection vs Cloudflare

Compared 1% of the time

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F5 Advanced WAF vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

Compared 12% of the time

Cloudflare Web Application Firewall vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

Compared 11% of the time

HAProxy vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

Compared 10% of the time

AWS WAF vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

Compared 9% of the time

Imperva Web Application Firewall vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

Compared 8% of the time

More Microsoft Azure Application Gateway Competitors

HAProxy vs NetScaler

Compared 11% of the time

Fortinet FortiADC vs NetScaler

Compared 9% of the time

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) vs NetScaler

Compared 8% of the time

VMWare Avi Load Balancer vs NetScaler

Compared 8% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cloudflare

April 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

March 2025

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway report

Download Microsoft Azure Application Gateway product report

Buyer's Guide

NetScaler

March 2025

Download NetScaler product report

Also Known As

Cloudflare DNS

Azure Application Gateway, MS Azure Application Gateway

Citrix ADC, Citrix NetScaler VPX, NetScaler Console, NetScaler Web Application Firewall

Overview

Cloudflare is a highly-regarded Content Delivery Network (CDN) and a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) protection solution. The robust global connectivity cloud platform that is Cloudflare ensures users are able to connect to the Internet quickly, securely, and reliably. Cloudflare is one of the world's largest networks in the marketplace today. Using Cloudflare, businesses, educational entities, NGOs, vloggers, bloggers, and anyone else with an internet presence can experience more secure, faster websites and applications.

Currently, there are millions of Internet locations on Cloudflare, and the Cloudflare network
continues to grow every day by the thousands. The solution is able to fulfill the requests for
millions of websites seamlessly and serves on average 45 million HTTP requests per second.

Cloudflare has safe, secure data centers in close to 300 cities worldwide to ensure every
client request is filled as quickly as possible. It is Cloudflare’s edge network that makes this
possible by keeping content and other services as close to each client as possible, so the
information requests are always only seconds away.

Many organizations that work in democracy, civil society, human rights, or the arts are able to
access Cloudflare's highest levels of protection for free via Project Galileo. Additionally, official
election websites can be secured from hacking and fraud through Cloudflare’s Project
Athenian, also at no additional cost.

Cloudflare can also help organizations of all sizes develop a robust zero-trust strategy to
ensure the highest levels of productivity and profitability. Employees, stakeholders, and end users have a greater level of satisfaction and overall improved user experience, which can, in
turn, result in higher revenues and overall ROI. Zero-trust and BYOD (bring your own device)
access ensure end users and employees always have the best resources and technology
available to them at all times.

Cloudflare benefits

Cloudflare has many benefits. Some of its most valuable benefits include:

- Faster load times

- Robust DNS security

- Intuitive cloud Web Application Firewall (WAF)

- Free universal SSL

- Image enhancement

- Automatic browser caching

- Next-generation cloud load balancer

- Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)

- Rate limiting

- Minification

- Zero-trust capabilities

- Cost-effective

- Reduced carbon footprint

Reviews from real users

“Many websites require an SSL certificate because they sell stuff and want SSL. Cloudflare
comes with an SSL certificate built in. It's automatic. You sign yourself up for Cloudflare, and
an SSL certificate automatically protects your website. If you have a connection between your
website and your host, the server, Cloudflare, and the host, you don't necessarily need a
certificate.” Spencer M., Owner at Tech Exchange

“What I like best about Cloudflare is that my company can use it to trace and manage
applications and monitor traffic. The solution tells you if there's a spike in traffic. Cloudflare
also sends you a link to check your equipment and deployment and track it through peering,
so it's a valuable tool.” Daniel P., Network Engineer at Ufinet

“The most valuable feature of Cloudflare is the GUI. You are able to control the solution very
well through the interface. There is a lot of functionality that is embedded in the service.” PeerSpot user, Competence Center Manager at a tech services company

Cloudflare

Azure Application Gateway is a web traffic load balancer that enables you to manage traffic to your web applications. Traditional load balancers operate at the transport layer (OSI layer 4 - TCP and UDP) and route traffic based on source IP address and port, to a destination IP address and port.

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

Microsoft

One platform for a consistent application delivery and security experience because nobody has time to learn multiple systems to manage ADC deployments. NetScaler is built with a single code base using a software-based architecture, so no matter which ADC form factor you choose — hardware, virtual machine, bare metal, or container — the behavior will be the same.

NetScaler

Sample Customers

Trusted by over 9,000,000 Internet Applications and APIs, including Nasdaq, Zendesk, Crunchbase, Steve Madden, OkCupid, Cisco, Quizlet, Discord and more.

Lilly, AccuWeather, AIRFRANCE, Honeywell

ABB Schweiz, Aer Lingus, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Amnet Technology Solutions, Aramex International, Ascenty, Atos, Autodesk

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway vs. NetScaler

April 2025

Free Report: Microsoft Azure Application Gateway vs. NetScaler

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Azure Application Gateway vs. NetScaler and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.

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We monitor all Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.