# Cloudflare API Shield alternatives: what AI models name instead, October 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition. 217 of the 252 answers in the 1 category where Cloudflare API Shield holds a standing named it neither first nor as an alternative; these are the first choices those answers made. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/vendors/cloudflare-api-shield/alternatives/

## Named instead, most often (every category and segment added)

- Salt Security: 32
- Akamai API Security: 20
- 42Crunch: 15
- Wallarm API Security: 10
- OWASP ZAP: 7
- Aikido Security: 5

## API security platforms

**Small business**: 66 of 84 answers did not name Cloudflare API Shield (Cloudflare API Shield is #3 of 14 at 9%).

- 42Crunch: first choice in 10 of those 66
- StackHawk: first choice in 5 of those 66
- Zuplo: first choice in 5 of those 66
- OWASP ZAP: first choice in 4 of those 66
- Wallarm API Security: first choice in 4 of those 66
- Akto: first choice in 2 of those 66
- Cloudflare Application Security: first choice in 2 of those 66
- Escape: first choice in 2 of those 66

**Mid-market**: 73 of 84 answers did not name Cloudflare API Shield (Cloudflare API Shield is #9 of 13 at 2%).

- Salt Security: first choice in 11 of those 73
- Aikido Security: first choice in 5 of those 73
- Traceable AI: first choice in 5 of those 73
- 42Crunch: first choice in 4 of those 73
- Akamai API Security: first choice in 4 of those 73
- Wallarm API Security: first choice in 4 of those 73
- OWASP ZAP: first choice in 3 of those 73
- Noname Security: first choice in 2 of those 73

**Enterprise**: 78 of 84 answers did not name Cloudflare API Shield (Cloudflare API Shield is #12 of 12 at 0%).

- Salt Security: first choice in 21 of those 78
- Akamai API Security: first choice in 16 of those 78
- Tyk: first choice in 3 of those 78
- Gravitee: first choice in 2 of those 78
- Wallarm API Security: first choice in 2 of those 78
- 42Crunch: first choice in 1 of those 78
- Apigee: first choice in 1 of those 78
- Cequence Unified API Protection: first choice in 1 of those 78

Published under CC BY 4.0. The output is the models' output; nothing here is a recommendation by the index.