A10 Networks Thunder ADC vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway comparison

A10 Networks Thunder ADC vs. Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

April 2026

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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:

ROI

Sentiment score

7.0

A10 Networks Thunder ADC boosts ROI within six months, cutting costs, saving money, and improving operational efficiency for users.

Sentiment score

6.1

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway enhances ROI by reducing infrastructure costs, simplifying setup, and using cost management tools for accurate assessments.

We do see a return on investment and cost reductions after the implementation of A10 Networks Thunder ADC.

For more quotes and insights, download the A10 Networks Thunder ADC report

Head Of Technical And Network Security at Connex Information Technologies

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway significantly impacts our cost savings while maintaining higher performance.

IT Manager at Chong Hua Hospital

If we can use a shared resource, then the return on investment is really nice.

Cloud Specialist at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

We have seen a return on investment in terms of time-saving and cost-saving by not creating our own infrastructure.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Application Gateway report

Information Security and Compliance Officer at Carnation

Customer Service

Sentiment score

6.9

A10 Networks Thunder ADC offers effective support with excellent response times, but some users desire more comprehensive materials and faster urgent responses.

Sentiment score

6.4

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway support experiences vary; some praise expertise, while others criticize delays and inconsistent quality.

Their tech support is very responsible, and their response time is very low, providing superb support.

Ayesh Jayaweera

PM at Connex Information Technologies

The support we receive from the team is quite excellent.

For more quotes and insights, download the A10 Networks Thunder ADC report

Head Of Technical And Network Security at Connex Information Technologies

I would say they provide the best support for Application Gateway because they own the product, so their support is top-notch.

Cloud Specialist at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

There is room for improvement, specifically in paid support, by providing more direct contact.

Information Security and Compliance Officer at Carnation

I would rate Microsoft support as good because they have a very skilled technical support team in the background

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Application Gateway report

Cloud Head at White-Spunner & Associates

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

6.9

A10 Networks Thunder ADC efficiently scales across regions, supporting enterprises with easy integration, load balancing, and growth management.

Sentiment score

7.4

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway provides scalable solutions but has mixed reviews regarding cost and ease of scaling and upgrades.

A10 Networks Thunder ADC's scalability is impressive.

For more quotes and insights, download the A10 Networks Thunder ADC report

IT Architecture Manager at a government with 10,001+ employees

A10 Networks Thunder ADC can handle growth easily, and I have scaled up during higher traffic periods.

reviewer2817951

Senior Consultant and Creative Director at a consultancy with 11-50 employees

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway is a very scalable product.

IT Manager at Chong Hua Hospital

It has the autoscaling feature, so there is not much concern around performance; it can scale significantly.

Cloud Specialist at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway is a scalable solution.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Application Gateway report

Cloud Head at White-Spunner & Associates

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

8.2

A10 Networks Thunder ADC is highly stable, reliable, and handles demanding environments with features like DDoS protection and regular updates.

Sentiment score

7.6

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway is stable and reliable, with high ratings, despite occasional issues due to misconfiguration.

In some of our deployments of A10 Networks Thunder ADC, we have employed DDoS and other security features, and for the past few years, we haven't experienced any major incidents.

For more quotes and insights, download the A10 Networks Thunder ADC report

Head Of Technical And Network Security at Connex Information Technologies

Most of the time, it just runs in the background without issues.

reviewer2817951

Senior Consultant and Creative Director at a consultancy with 11-50 employees

We have been using it for the past two to three years, and there have been good results with no problems so far.

Cloud Specialist at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

The stability is good, and except for a few instances, I don't see the non-availability of Azure Cloud services.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Application Gateway report

Cloud Head at White-Spunner & Associates

Room For Improvement

A10 Networks Thunder ADC requires UI improvements, better API docs, third-party integration, enhanced logging, scalability, and pricing structure refinement.

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway is criticized for high costs, complexity, lacking documentation, and needing improvements in security, scalability, and support.

Having more structured, real-world configuration examples would make a big difference, especially for teams that are new to the platform, helping reduce the initial learning curve for them.

reviewer2817951

Senior Consultant and Creative Director at a consultancy with 11-50 employees

In the vThunder series of A10 Networks Thunder ADC, they have a perpetual license model and a subscription model, but in the Thunder series, the physical appliance does not have a perpetual license model, mainly operating on the subscription model.

Ayesh Jayaweera

PM at Connex Information Technologies

Enhanced integration with third-party tools would be beneficial.

For more quotes and insights, download the A10 Networks Thunder ADC report

IT Architecture Manager at a government with 10,001+ employees

One feature I mentioned is the support for non-HTTPS protocols such as TCP, which could allow one endpoint for all kinds of protocols.

Cloud Specialist at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

There is room for improvement in terms of support, such as assigning agents directly for more straightforward engagement.

Information Security and Compliance Officer at Carnation

In future releases of Microsoft Azure Application Gateway, I would like to see more AI functionalities and a better dashboard as well as some customizations.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Application Gateway report

IT Manager at Chong Hua Hospital

Setup Cost

A10 Networks Thunder ADC is cost-effective compared to F5, with flexible pricing and varying support costs based on requirements.

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway's cost is debated; appreciated for scalability but potentially expensive with additional fees compared to AWS.

I estimate that I can save around 20 to 30 percent of my budget with A10 Networks Thunder ADC.

For more quotes and insights, download the A10 Networks Thunder ADC report

Head Of Technical And Network Security at Connex Information Technologies

We would prefer to have it cheaper, but it is still expensive.

Cloud Specialist at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

Azure solutions are quite expensive.

Information Security and Compliance Officer at Carnation

When it comes to pricing for Microsoft Azure Application Gateway, I would rate it a seven out of ten.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Application Gateway report

IT Manager at Chong Hua Hospital

Valuable Features

A10 Networks Thunder ADC offers load balancing, SSL offloading, security, scalability, and cost efficiency ideal for cloud environments.

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway provides secure, efficient traffic management with integration, automation, and scalability benefits for straightforward application deployment.

Application load balancing in A10 Networks Thunder ADC plays a crucial role in improving application reliability during peak periods.

Ayesh Jayaweera

PM at Connex Information Technologies

What really stands out to me about A10 Networks Thunder ADC is how customizable, performant, and automated the platform is.

IT Architecture Manager at a government with 10,001+ employees

I would assess A10 Networks Thunder ADC's load balancing for improving application reliability during peak periods at around 9 out of 10, as GSLB is far better, and we are very satisfied with it.

For more quotes and insights, download the A10 Networks Thunder ADC report

Head Of Technical And Network Security at Connex Information Technologies

We are using it for some of the security features for our applications, particularly for securing traffic in transit with SSL.

Information Security and Compliance Officer at Carnation

The Web Application Firewall (WAF) in Microsoft Azure Application Gateway has been very effective in protecting applications from security threats.

IT Manager at Chong Hua Hospital

The gateway's Web Application Firewall feature enhances security as it is the first entry point to your network from the outside world.

For more quotes and insights, download the Microsoft Azure Application Gateway report

Cloud Head at White-Spunner & Associates

Categories and Ranking

A10 Networks Thunder ADC

Ranking in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

11th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Microsoft Azure Application...

Ranking in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

7th

Average Rating

7.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Web Application Firewall (WAF) (7th)

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) category, the mindshare of A10 Networks Thunder ADC is 5.6%, up from 5.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft Azure Application Gateway is 5.2%, down from 7.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft Azure Application Gateway	5.2%
A10 Networks Thunder ADC	5.6%
Other	89.2%

Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

Featured Reviews

Application delivery has improved and security now ensures reliable high‑traffic e‑commerce

IT Architecture Manager at a government with 10,001+ employees

A10 Networks Thunder ADC offers several strong features that make it a very competitive solution. First, they provide advanced Layer 4 or Layer 7 load balancing. Another key feature is SSL offloading and encryption handling. A10 Networks Thunder ADC is also highly scalable and flexible. Scalability for A10 Networks Thunder ADC shows up in my day-to-day operations during high-traffic events such as Black Friday. One feature I find really powerful and something underrated about A10 Networks Thunder ADC is A-Flex. Beyond the standard ADC feature, what really stands out to me about A10 Networks Thunder ADC is how customizable, performant, and automated the platform is. A10 Networks Thunder ADC has a significant impact on my organization in several ways. First, it improves application availability and performance. From a security perspective, it helps protect applications against threats such as DDoS attacks. It also has a strong operational impact. In terms of cost, it can lower both CapEx and OpEx.

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Mutual TLS has secured our web services and now needs broader protocol support

Cloud Specialist at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

The most valuable feature we have found in Microsoft Azure Application Gateway is mutual TLS. We find mutual TLS valuable because we can verify the client securely by setting up the trust certificate of the client, and also if we do it at the client side as well. This successfully develops mutual trust, ensuring that we know the client who is calling our service is a legitimate client. That is a very nice feature.Microsoft Azure Application Gateway has helped manage our traffic efficiently because we have many web services that we can put behind the same URL, and we can have different URLs with the same Application Gateway with a limited number of listeners. We can do host-based routing as well as URL-based routing or path-based routing. It supports both, so we can have even a single URL supporting many applications, or we can have different URLs for different applications respectively. We have both use cases.

Read full review

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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

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Government

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	13
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	13

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	23
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	24

Questions from the Community

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

I would recommend A10 Networks due that it delivers high performance in a small form factor to reduce OPEX with significantly lower power usage, rack space, and cooling requirements compared to oth...

Do you recommend A10 Networks Thunder ADC?

I do recommend A10 Networks Thunder ADC. It's very user-friendly, easy to configure, and flexible. It is a very useful solution - especially now, when a lot of employees are working remotely. I hav...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for A10 Networks Thunder ADC?

I estimate that I can save around 20 to 30 percent of my budget with A10 Networks Thunder ADC, though it's not an exact figure.

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 excellent support. Azure Front Door can quickly detect abnormalities before the...

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 Azure Application Gateway web application firewall software was the better fit ...

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 performance side of things, which is why we use it.

NetScaler vs A10 Networks Thunder ADC

Comparisons

Compared 15% of the time

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) vs A10 Networks Thunder ADC

Compared 14% of the time

Fortinet FortiADC vs A10 Networks Thunder ADC

Compared 11% of the time

Radware Alteon vs A10 Networks Thunder ADC

Compared 9% of the time

NGINX Plus vs A10 Networks Thunder ADC

Compared 7% of the time

More A10 Networks Thunder ADC Competitors

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

Compared 7% of the time

HAProxy vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

Compared 6% of the time

NetScaler vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

Compared 6% of the time

F5 Advanced WAF vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

Compared 6% of the time

Imperva Application Security Platform vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

Compared 5% of the time

More Microsoft Azure Application Gateway Competitors

Product Reports

Download A10 Networks Thunder ADC product report

A10 Networks Thunder ADC

May 2026

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway

April 2026

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway report

Download Microsoft Azure Application Gateway product report

Also Known As

Thunder ADC, AX Series

Azure Application Gateway, MS Azure Application Gateway

Overview

A10 Networks Thunder ADC delivers efficient load balancing, SSL offloading, and enhanced security to ensure high application availability across cloud and on-premises environments. It optimizes performance and reduces costs while maintaining reliability during peak loads.

A10 Networks Thunder ADC supports enterprises in managing server load and ensuring secure, high-availability application delivery with features like DDoS protection and SSL offloading. Its cloud flexibility, operational efficiency, and advanced traffic management are key attributes, despite areas for improvement in user interface design, documentation examples, and third-party tool integration. Scalability, logging capacity, and automation for virtual appliances need attention, along with pricing adjustments for certain markets.

What are the most important features?

Load Balancing: Ensures even distribution of network traffic, enhancing performance and reliability.
SSL Offloading: Reduces the burden on servers by handling SSL encryption and decryption processes.
Security Enhancements: Provides robust features like DDoS protection for safer application delivery.
Cloud Flexibility: Adapts to both on-premises and cloud environments for versatile application support.
User-Friendly Interface: Prioritizes ease of use for efficient management, though improvements are needed.

What benefits and ROI should users look for in reviews?

High Availability: Guarantees that applications remain accessible even during high traffic.
Scalability: Offers the ability to expand operations, addressing evolving enterprise demands.
Cost Efficiency: Optimizes costs through strategic resource allocation and efficient management.
Operational Efficiency: Enhances performance through effective traffic management and resource optimization.
Comprehensive Licensing: Provides flexible licensing options to accommodate diverse organizational setups.

In industries such as finance and healthcare, A10 Networks Thunder ADC enables secure, efficient management of server loads and application delivery. Enterprises use its features to protect data, facilitate remote work, and maintain performance amid traffic spikes by hosting applications centrally, ensuring continuous business operations.

A10 Networks

Microsoft Azure Application Gateway offers advanced traffic management and security features for web applications. It includes built-in rules, Layer 7 control, autoscaling, and integration options, providing flexibility and security for managing application traffic efficiently.

Azure Application Gateway is utilized by organizations for securing and managing web traffic with its comprehensive web application firewall, load balancing capabilities, and Layer 7 firewall rules. Known for its ease of setup and integration, the platform facilitates external application access and deploys secure services. While it enhances security with customized configurations, users note areas for improvement such as configuration complexity, pricing, third-party tool integration, and automation. Addressing these aspects can improve user experience and performance.

What are the key features of Microsoft Azure Application Gateway?

Built-in Rules: Pre-configured rules help streamline traffic management and enhance security.
Layer 7 Control: Offers detailed traffic routing and policies based on application-level information.
Real-Time Autoscaling: Automatically adjusts resources to meet demand and optimize performance.
Comprehensive WAF Protection: Guards against web vulnerabilities and potential threats.
Seamless Integration: Easily integrates with Azure services for enhanced workflow efficiency.

What benefits do users look for in reviews?

Traffic Routing: Efficiently directs application traffic based on defined rules for improved performance.
Security: Provides robust protection for internet-facing applications.
Ease of Setup: Simplifies deployment and management of applications.
Flexibility: Supports different application scenarios with customizable configurations.

Industries such as finance, healthcare, and retail implement Azure Application Gateway to protect sensitive data and manage significant web traffic. Its application deployment support and security capabilities make it suitable for businesses needing to ensure secure data exchange and reliable access to online services.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

123inkt.nl, Bentley University, Box, Brainshark, Buienradar, Capgemini, CGN/LSN & NAT64, Chengdu Telecom, Club One, Code Ready, CRC Health Group, Cyso, Deutsche Telekom, Earth Class Mail, Excite, FFF Enterprises, Florence County, Framingham State University, From30

Lilly, AccuWeather, AIRFRANCE, Honeywell