Overview

Gcore DDoS Protection is a cloud service for organizations that need to keep network, transport and application-layer attacks from disrupting public-facing services. It is a stronger fit for teams with meaningful clean-traffic demand and people able to manage network protection than for a small site seeking a low-cost, WAF-inclusive bundle.

Its appeal is broad attack coverage, unmetered L3/L4 mitigation and API control; its trade-offs are monthly commitments, plan-specific address and tunnel limits, and no included WAF.

Key features

Coverage spans volumetric L3, transport L4 and application L7 attacks. Traffic is inspected at Gcore scrubbing centers, where malicious traffic is blocked and verified clean traffic is forwarded to servers. Gcore says its global network has more than 200 Tbps of filtering capacity, regularly mitigates attacks exceeding 1 Tbps, and scales automatically to threat size. That breadth suits services exposed at multiple layers, but the absence of a WAF means application firewall needs require a separate solution.

For L3/L4 plans, mitigation is unmetered, billing uses the 95th percentile, and charges apply only to clean traffic. This avoids billing directly for attack volume, while making the clean-traffic commitment and measurement method important when choosing a tier. A 99.99% uptime SLA and 24/7 expert support are useful assurances for services where disruption is costly.

Gcore provides a public REST API, with the DDoS API at https://api.gcore.com/security/iaas. Documented automation integrations cover CI/CD pipelines, Terraform workflows, Kubernetes Operators and custom back-office tools. Enterprise deployment options add cross-connects to Gcore scrubbing centers and Gcore-provided IP transit. Two-factor authentication and token-based API access support control-panel security.

Gcore states that its Cloud passed an annual PCI DSS QSA audit, that ISO 27001 compliance was confirmed through independent audit, and that it complies with GDPR requirements for customer and customer-stored personal data. These assurances are relevant to regulated environments, though they do not make the service a substitute for an organization's own compliance work.

Pricing

The entry PAYG plan is free, billed as “Start free.” It has no clean-traffic commit and is postpaid, with up to 1 × /24 IPv4, 1 × /48 IPv6 and two GRE tunnels. That makes it the lowest-commitment way to begin, but the address and tunnel caps constrain larger networks.

Start costs 275.00 USD per month ($275/mo billed), with a 100 Mbps clean-traffic commit, up to 1 × /24 IPv4, 1 × /48 IPv6 and two GRE tunnels. It is prepaid and has a one-month payment setup fee. It fits a smaller protected network that can work within those limits; prepaid billing and the setup fee make it less forgiving than PAYG.

Pro is 495.00 USD per month ($495/mo billed), for a 200 Mbps commit, up to two /24 IPv4 and two /48 IPv6 blocks, and two GRE tunnels. It has the same prepaid terms and one-month setup fee as Start. The extra commit and address capacity suit growing networks, but not customers who need more tunnel capacity.

Pro+ is 1045.00 USD per month ($1,045/mo billed), with a 500 Mbps commit, up to four /24 IPv4 and four /48 IPv6 blocks, and four GRE tunnels. It is also prepaid with a one-month payment setup fee. This is the more capable standard tier for higher clean-traffic needs, at a substantial step up in monthly spend.

Enterprise starts from €1,500 /mo and is aimed at networks over four /24 blocks. It includes dedicated connectivity, API access, a standard SLA and more than four GRE tunnels. It is the relevant tier when the standard network caps are too restrictive, but its starting price and enterprise scope make it a poor fit for smaller deployments. The advertised pricing model also describes a free plan and paid service from €250/mo; the concrete plan terms above are the clearest basis for comparing costs.

Platforms

Access is through web and API. The API and documented automation integrations favor teams that want to connect protection to deployment and infrastructure workflows; organizations expecting a standalone appliance or a broader platform list should look elsewhere.

Who it's for

Gcore identifies e-commerce sites, SaaS platforms, gaming servers and financial services as common users. It is most compelling for organizations with material exposure to DDoS attacks, a known clean-traffic profile, and staff who can manage address blocks, GRE tunnels or API-driven operations. A smaller site with minimal network needs may find the paid tiers difficult to justify, while a buyer requiring built-in WAF should account for that separately.

Pros and cons

Pros: L3, L4 and L7 protection covers several attack surfaces rather than network traffic alone.
Pros: Unmetered L3/L4 mitigation and clean-traffic billing avoid direct charges that scale with attack volume.
Pros: REST API and documented infrastructure automation integrations suit operationally mature teams.
Cons: WAF is not included, so it does not provide an all-in-one web security package.
Cons: Paid tiers require clean-traffic commitments, and Start through Pro+ add prepaid terms and a one-month setup fee.
Cons: IPv4, IPv6 and GRE tunnel caps on standard plans can rule out networks needing more capacity.

Alternatives

DDoS Protection Software is a useful starting point for comparing the category. Choose Haltdos instead if a WAF-focused option is the priority: its free Community WAF covers one website and one security profile, with a Professional WAF plan at 30.00 USD per month.

Fastly Image Optimizer is an image-optimization service rather than a like-for-like DDoS protection choice. FastNetMon is worth considering for teams looking at freemium network monitoring, including a $70-per-user/month LiveView add-on. AWS Shield is a natural alternative for AWS customers who want automatically configured standard network and transport-layer protection at no charge; its Standard plan does not include Network Security Director.

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Secret Management addresses secret management, not DDoS protection. Cloudflare DDoS Protection is the more direct option for readers who want a free plan that combines unmetered DDoS protection with WAF and a managed ruleset.

Verdict

Choose Gcore when you need cloud-based protection across L3, L4 and L7, can size a clean-traffic commitment, and value unmetered L3/L4 mitigation with API-led operations. The broad coverage and attack-scaled infrastructure are its strongest case; the cost and plan limits make it less suitable for smaller networks, and the missing WAF is a clear reason to choose a bundled alternative instead.

	Gcore DDoS Protection	NETSCOUT Arbor Edge Defense
Free plan	Yes
Paid from	$275/mo
Platforms	api, Web	api, self-hosted
Free plan	Yes
Attack layers	both	both
Mitigation mode	hybrid	always-on
Deployment model	cloud	on-premises
WAF included	No
Managed mitigation		Yes

Gcore DDoS Protection vs NETSCOUT Arbor Edge Defense

Gcore DDoS Protection

NETSCOUT Arbor Edge Defense