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F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition Reviews

Vendor: F5
4.4 out of 5
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What is F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition?

When you need to move faster than hardware allows, BIG-IP Virtual Editions (VEs) deliver the application services you need in a more agile and flexible form factor. Get the scalability, security, and automatability BIG-IP products are known for—all in software designed for use in single-, hybrid-, or multi-cloud architectures.

Get the F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition Buyer's Guide and find out what your peers are saying about F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition, Microsoft Azure Application Gateway, Kemp LoadMaster and more!
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is the #9 ranked solution in top Application Delivery Controllers. PeerSpot users give F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition an average rating of 8.8 out of 10. F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is most commonly compared to Microsoft Azure Application Gateway: F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition vs Microsoft Azure Application Gateway. F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 61% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 11% of all views.
Buyer's Guide
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition
January 2026
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F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition mindshare

As of February 2026, the mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition in the Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) category stands at 0.7%, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition0.7%
F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)14.9%
NetScaler13.0%
Other71.4%
Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

PeerResearch reports based on F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition reviews

TypeTitleDate
CategoryApplication Delivery Controllers (ADC)Feb 7, 2026Download
ProductReviews, tips, and advice from real usersFeb 7, 2026Download
ComparisonF5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition vs NetScalerFeb 7, 2026Download
ComparisonF5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition vs F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)Feb 7, 2026Download
ComparisonF5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition vs HAProxyFeb 7, 2026Download
Suggested products
TitleRatingMindshareRecommending
Microsoft Azure Application Gateway3.76.3%80%50 interviewsAdd to research
Kemp LoadMaster4.76.9%98%50 interviewsAdd to research
 
 
Key learnings from peers
Last updated Feb 6, 2026

Valuable Features

F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition excels with virtualization akin to cloud services, employs AutoDiscovery for seamless virtual machine integration in AWS/Azure, features a web application firewall, provides Layer 7 DoS protection, and supports SSL offloading. Users value Local Traffic Manager, Global Traffic Manager, advanced web application protection, load balancing, persistence, DNS security, and user-friendly GUI. Extensive documentation, easy ticket support, and strong APM module enhance performance, security, and availability, streamlining operations and minimizing errors.
  • "Compared to our physical environment, with F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition we have saved approximately one hundred thousand dollars, reduced our team from five people to two, and achieved an overall cost reduction of twenty-five to thirty percent, with some areas reaching forty percent."
  • "Organizations, if you are using or if you want an enterprise-level solution, you definitely have to go with F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition."
  • "Overall, the application stability and performance are all at par."

Room for Improvement

F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition faces issues with high resource demands, limited NICs, and load management during heavy traffic. Improvements are needed in microservices support, on-the-go upgrades, and GUI usability. Users find pricing high and desire better licensing transparency. Scalability during high-load situations, integration with container orchestration platforms, and training availability require enhancement. Users wish for more metrics visibility and believe cost efficiency needs addressing. GUI improvement suggestions include user-friendly organization and dashboard accessibility.
  • "The failover capability is also not as good as it should be. We have tested the failover functionality, and sometimes we have observed that failover fails."
  • "As per my understanding, there is a need to improve support. Sometimes it is very critical to get support for that."
  • "I feel that F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition could be improved because overall, it is a pretty good product, but the licensing is rather costly."

ROI

Users have noted a significant enhancement in website performance and speed with improved application uptime due to F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition's load balancing and health monitoring. It reduces service outages saves operational time through faster troubleshooting and centralized traffic control. Utilization of multiple modules avoids the need for separate components, saving costs and space. Additionally, its user-friendly nature and abundant online resources make deployment straightforward. Overall, there is a notable performance improvement and positive impact.

Pricing

Enterprise buyers frequently perceive F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition as an expensive solution, with licensing being subscription-based and requiring separate licenses for each module. Although some users consider the setup cost acceptable, pricing often aligns with high availability and performance enhancements. While some view it as moderate and at par with competitors, smaller companies might find it costly. License monitoring is crucial due to potential feature restrictions if the evaluation license expires.
  • "My company's customers need to make payments for the licensing charges attached to the product. It is an expensive product."
  • "The pricing is standard."
  • "I would rate the pricing a three out of ten, with ten being expensive."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations employ F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition for web application firewalls, VPNs, load balancing, and security. It is used in financial services for global load balancing, virtualization needs, and application delivery. Users benefit from SSL/TLS offloading, session management, traffic visibility, and health monitoring. It supports improved performance, availability, and protection against threats like SQL Injection and DDoS attacks, often integrating features like iRules, DNS hosting, and API traffic management for numerous enterprise applications.

Service and Support

Customer service and technical support for F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition are perceived as generally effective and responsive. Users report quick ticket resolutions and good assistance, especially for complex issues. Experiences vary, with some finding support expensive or inconsistent, but others regard it as excellent with high rankings. Users also benefit from helpful forums providing comprehensive answers. External integrators like Spider are used by some for additional support, enhancing satisfaction with F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition.

Deployment

F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition's deployment is complex, with timelines varying from one day to a week, influenced by configuration and application needs. Despite initial challenges, it's scalable and effective for high availability. Some find it simple, especially with F5 support. Others mention a steep learning curve. Licensing costs are noted as expensive. Users describe setups as a mix of on-premises and cloud-based environments like AWS and Cisco CSP.

Scalability

F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition exhibits impressive scalability, efficiently managing traffic spikes and expanding with ease. It supports both cloud-based and on-premise environments, allowing vertical and horizontal scaling by adjusting CPU/RAM resources or deploying more instances. Users appreciate its capability to handle growth in traffic and onboard additional customers smoothly, though some mention concerns during high-load situations. Its flexibility serves enterprises managing numerous applications and customer bases effectively.

Stability

F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition is generally stable, with some users noting high stability and minimal issues. However, some have observed that stability can vary with connection volume and environmental factors. While dependencies on physical servers may affect stability, improvements have been noted over time. Although it initially faced challenges with high traffic, its load balancing capabilities have been praised. Users appreciate its reliability, customization options, and enhanced performance, especially for security tasks.
These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.
Download our F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
By visitors reading reviews
Company SizeCount
Small Business38
Midsize Enterprise22
Large Enterprise93
By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Energy/Utilities Company
6%
Government
6%
University
5%
Media Company
5%
Outsourcing Company
5%
Logistics Company
4%
Transportation Company
4%
Retailer
4%
Marketing Services Firm
3%
Healthcare Company
3%
Educational Organization
3%
Insurance Company
2%
Construction Company
2%
Aerospace/Defense Firm
2%
Wholesaler/Distributor
2%
Legal Firm
1%
Performing Arts
1%
Pharma/Biotech Company
1%
Hospitality Company
1%
Renewables & Environment Company
1%
Consumer Goods Company
1%
Real Estate/Law Firm
1%
Wellness & Fitness Company
1%
Non Profit
1%

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Product Categories

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Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

Popular Comparisons

Popular Comparisons
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F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition Reviews Summary
Author infoRatingReview Summary
Network Architect at a pharma/biotech company with 1,001-5,000 employees4.5I use F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition for scalable, efficient load balancing across environments. It's easy to deploy and cost-effective, though Azure integration and failover need improvement. Overall, it's stable, reliable, and significantly reduced our operational costs.
Sr network engineer at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees4.0I used F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition mainly for load balancing, VPN, and firewall tasks, appreciating its user-friendly GUI and integration, though it struggled with high traffic loads when multiple modules were active simultaneously.
Senior Consultant at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees5.0I've used F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition for years to support scalable, customizable SaaS applications, valuing its stability, traffic management features, and strong support, though I’d like more detailed performance metrics within the GUI.
Senior Network & Security Administrator at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees4.5I've used F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition for over 10 years, primarily for load balancing and security, and found it stable, high-performing, and cost-saving, though licensing is expensive and iRule support could be more user-friendly.
IT consultant at Beginning Solutions IT5.0I've used F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition primarily as a load balancer to enhance application availability and performance, finding it highly stable and scalable, though somewhat expensive and lacking in freely available training resources.
Cybersecurity Engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees4.5I've used F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition for three years in a cloud environment for L7 load balancing and application security; it's stable and scalable, though support and licensing flexibility, especially on weekends, need improvement.
Senior Network And Security Engineer at Mobily4.0I've found F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition powerful and scalable with excellent documentation and support, though its GUI needs improvement. It’s reliable for managing traffic and publishing services, offering better performance than solutions like FortiWeb or FortiADC.
Network Security Engineer at a tech vendor with 11-50 employees4.5I've used F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition mainly for load balancing and security; it's improved efficiency and flexibility, though pricing and licensing could be better. Its customizable dashboards and strong application delivery features have been especially valuable to us.