Best DDoS Protection Services (2026): 11 Options Compared

A denial of service attack doesn't steal anything. It simply floods your site with so much traffic that real customers can't get in, and for an online shop or booking system, every hour offline means lost orders and frustrated people.

The eleven DDoS protection services below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the provider's own website, read this week. For the wider picture on keeping your site safe, my guide on how to stop hackers getting into your business website covers the basics.

DDoS protection services side by side

I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site names a free plan, a free version, a free allowance, freeware or an open source version. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where the software is widely known to be free or there's a button inviting you to start, so check the vendor's page before you rely on it.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Akamai	DDoS protection and mitigation services	Large enterprises with critical sites	Not stated
AWS Shield	Managed DDoS protection on AWS	Apps already hosted on AWS	Not stated
Cloudflare	DDoS protection on a global network	Small sites through to enterprises	Not stated
Gcore	Global DDoS protection with edge services	Protection alongside a CDN	Not stated
Google Cloud Armor	DDoS protection and web firewall on Google Cloud	Apps running on Google Cloud	Not stated
Indusface	Application security platform	Web apps and APIs together	Trial only
Link11	Network and web application security	Clean traffic plus web protection	Not stated
Myra Security	IT security made in Europe	Keeping traffic on EU infrastructure	Not stated
Nexusguard	DDoS protection for service providers	Telecoms and hosting providers	Not stated
Path Network	DDoS mitigation service	Game servers and network operators	Not stated
StormWall	DDoS and hacker attack protection	Paying only for clean traffic	Trial only

Eleven DDoS protection services to consider

Akamai

Best for: Large organisations that want a long-established provider for DDoS attack protection and mitigation across their critical websites.

AWS Shield

Best for: Businesses hosting on AWS that want managed DDoS protection plus analysis of their network setup from the same provider.

Cloudflare

Best for: Site owners of any size who want DDoS protection with easy setup and round-the-clock support on a very large global network.

Gcore

Best for: Businesses that want DDoS protection and real-time attack defence alongside a content delivery network from one provider.

Google Cloud Armor

Best for: Teams on Google Cloud that want DDoS protection and web application firewall rules at Google's scale.

Indusface

Best for: Companies that want DDoS protection as part of a wider application and API security platform rather than a standalone service.

Link11

Best for: Operators who want scrubbed, clean network traffic plus a web security platform covering web DDoS protection, bot management and a firewall.

Myra Security

Best for: Organisations with strict data rules who want protection running on the provider's own EU infrastructure.

Nexusguard

Best for: Communications service providers and hosts that want to offer DDoS protection to their own customers.

Path Network

Best for: Hosting and network operators who want a DDoS mitigation service built on fast packet filtering at the network level.

StormWall

Best for: Smaller businesses that want DDoS protection where they're charged for legitimate traffic only, with a trial to start.

Where to start for your situation

• A small business website: Cloudflare or StormWall.
• Apps on a big cloud platform: AWS Shield or Google Cloud Armor.
• Large enterprises with critical sites: Akamai.
• Keeping traffic on EU infrastructure: Myra Security.
• Clean network traffic plus web protection: Link11.
• Hosts and network operators: Nexusguard or Path Network.
• Protection alongside a CDN or app security: Gcore or Indusface.

Protection is only one part of being ready

The National Cyber Security Centre says a distributed denial of service attack is a form of DoS attack that comes from more than one source. Its guidance sets out four essential practices: understand your service, understand your defences, create a response plan and test your response.

A protection service covers the defences. The other three are yours: know which parts of your site matter most, write down who does what during an attack, and test the plan before you need it.

Always-on protection versus on-demand mitigation

Always-on protection sits in front of your site permanently, filtering traffic all the time. It's the simplest option for most businesses because nothing needs switching on during an attack.

On-demand mitigation diverts traffic only when an attack is detected. Larger organisations sometimes prefer it for networks where routing all traffic through a provider every day isn't practical.

Questions to ask a DDoS protection provider

1. Does it protect my website, my network or both?
2. Is protection always on, or switched on during an attack?
3. Where are its scrubbing centres or servers located?
4. How quickly does it respond, and is support available around the clock?
5. Does it include a web application firewall?
6. How is legitimate traffic kept flowing during an attack?

A WAF is the other layer many teams add, and our web application firewall roundup lists the options.

Signs you need DDoS protection now

• Your site has gone down under sudden traffic. Add a protection layer.
• Your sales depend on the website. Protect it before an attack.
• You've had threats or extortion emails. Act on them quickly.
• You've no plan for an outage. Write one this week.

Do you make a DDoS protection or website security service? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on choosing DDoS protection

Put basic protection in place before you need it, because signing up in the middle of an attack is stressful and slow. For most small businesses, always-on protection in front of the website is a sensible starting point.

Then write a one-page plan: who to call, how to reach customers and what to switch off if the site goes down. My guide on staying safe from cybersecurity threats covers the other risks worth planning for.

Frequently asked questions

What is DDoS protection?

DDoS protection filters out floods of fake traffic aimed at a website or network, so real visitors can still reach it during an attack.

Is DDoS protection free?

Some providers include basic protection in wider plans, and others offer trials. The free plan column above shows what each provider's site says.

Do small businesses need DDoS protection?

Any business that relies on its website for sales or bookings benefits from some protection, because attacks don't only target big brands.

What's the difference between DoS and DDoS?

The NCSC describes a DDoS attack as a form of DoS attack that comes from more than one source, which makes the traffic harder to block.

Will DDoS protection slow my website down?

Usually not, and many services also speed sites up by serving content from nearby servers. Test before and after to be sure.

What should I do during a DDoS attack?

Follow your response plan, contact your protection provider and hosting company, and keep customers informed through other channels.