Azure VPN Gateway vs F5 BIG-IP APM
Azure VPN Gateway
azure.microsoft.comF5 BIG-IP APM
f5.comSide by side
| Figure | Azure VPN Gateway | F5 BIG-IP APM |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 12 | 4 |
| Spec score · Business VPN Software | 9.3 (#6) | 8.8 (#13) |
| Access model | vpn | hybrid |
| Admin control level | advanced | advanced |
| Audit logs | Yes | Yes |
| Authentication | Site-to-site tunnels use preshared keys, while point-to-site deployments can use certificates, RADIUS or Microsoft Entra ID. | It supports SAML, OAuth, and OIDC for modern authentication, federation, and single sign-on. |
| Device posture | Yes | Yes |
| Site-to-site networking | Yes | Yes |
| SSO / SCIM | Yes | Yes |
| Supported platforms | Windows,macOS,Linux,iOS,Android,web portal,Azure CLI,REST API | web,Windows,macOS,Linux,iOS,Android |
Plans
Azure VPN Gateway
- BasicPrice not published
- BasicPriced on request
- VpnGw1–VpnGw5Price not published
- VpnGw1–VpnGw5Priced on request
- VpnGw1AZ–VpnGw5AZPrice not published
- VpnGw1AZ–VpnGw5AZPriced on request
- Basic$26.28 a month
- VpnGw1$138.70 a month
- VpnGw2$357.70 a month
- VpnGw3$912.50 a month
F5 BIG-IP APM
- Enterprise License AgreementPriced on request
- Perpetual licensePriced on request
- Public cloud marketplacePriced on request
- SubscriptionPriced on request
In their own words
Azure VPN Gateway
Azure VPN Gateway provides VPN access and site-to-site networking with advanced administrative controls. Listed capabilities include SSO and SCIM, device posture checks, and audit logs. Supported platforms and access routes include Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, a web portal, Azure CLI, and REST API. The service has no free plan, and the listed plan groups specify different bandwidth and tunnel limits. Basic lists 100 Mbps, 10 site-to-site tunnels, and 128 point-to-site tunnels. VpnGw1–VpnGw5 lists bandwidth from 650 Mbps to 10 Gbps, up to 100 site-to-site tunnels, and up to 10,000 point-to-site tunnels. VpnGw1AZ–VpnGw5AZ lists the same bandwidth range and tunnel ceilings. No plan prices are listed here.
F5 BIG-IP APM
F5 BIG-IP APM is now called F5 BIG-IP Zero Trust Access. The product secures and centralizes access to apps, APIs, and data across locations and hosting environments. Its identity-aware proxy applies context-based checks to each application request, while SAML, OAuth, and OIDC support authentication, federation, and single sign-on. Remote access options include per-app VPN, IPSec VPN, and end-to-end encrypted controls. Organizations can connect VMware Horizon ONE (AirWatch), Microsoft Intune, and IBM MaaS360 for mobile device management; REST API connectors can incorporate third-party UEBA and risk engines into access policies. It also integrates with Azure AD Conditional Access policies and F5 BIG-IQ Centralized Management. Deployment options span virtual editions, hardware, and cloud environments. Pricing is on request, and there is no free plan. A 30-day BIG-IP VE trial includes Zero Trust Access with LTM, Advanced WAF, and Network Firewall (AFM). The trial supports several hypervisors and cloud platforms, including VMware ESXi, KVM, AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.