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

IT AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition. 78 of the 252 answers in the 1 category where Cloudflare WAF 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-waf/alternatives/

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

- Akamai App & API Protector: 5
- F5 BIG-IP Advanced WAF: 2
- Imperva Cloud WAF: 2
- Imperva Web Application Firewall: 2
- ModSecurity: 2
- Check Point CloudGuard: 1

## Web application firewalls

**Small business**: 15 of 84 answers did not name Cloudflare WAF (Cloudflare WAF is #1 of 9 at 79%).

- Cloudflare's Pro/Business plans: first choice in 1 of those 15
- Sucuri WAF: first choice in 1 of those 15

**Mid-market**: 30 of 84 answers did not name Cloudflare WAF (Cloudflare WAF is #1 of 11 at 69%).

- ModSecurity: first choice in 2 of those 30
- Check Point CloudGuard: first choice in 1 of those 30
- Cloudflare Business Plan: first choice in 1 of those 30
- Cloudflare – WAF: first choice in 1 of those 30
- Radware Cloud WAF: first choice in 1 of those 30

**Enterprise**: 33 of 84 answers did not name Cloudflare WAF (Cloudflare WAF is #1 of 9 at 59%).

- Akamai App & API Protector: first choice in 5 of those 33
- F5 BIG-IP Advanced WAF: first choice in 2 of those 33
- Imperva Cloud WAF: first choice in 2 of those 33
- Imperva Web Application Firewall: first choice in 2 of those 33
- Cloudflare One: first choice in 1 of those 33

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