AWS WAF + API Gateway Shield Hidden Costs 2026
What they don't show you on the pricing page
AWS WAF + API Gateway Shield costs $0.40 to $0.40 per per thousand attempts as of June 2026. Plan: AWS WAF - CAPTCHA attempt at $0.4/per thousand attempts. Pricing depends on your chosen tier, contract length, and negotiated discounts.
Use the interactive pricing calculator to estimate your exact cost based on team size and requirements.
- Free tier: No free tier available
AWS WAF + API Gateway Shield offers 1 pricing tiers: AWS WAF - CAPTCHA attempt. Paid plans include AWS WAF - CAPTCHA attempt at $0.4/per thousand attempts.
AWS WAF + API Gateway Shield true cost runs 70% above the listed $0.4-$0.4/per thousand attempts price as of June 2026. For a 25-person team, expect ~$204 in year-one costs vs the $120 base license. Verified from 1 sources by CostBench.
Example: True Cost for 25 Users
| License (25 × $0.4 × 12) | $120/yr |
| Implementation (one-time) | +$15,000–$50,000 |
| Premium Support (20%) | +$24/yr |
| Training (25 × $500) | +$12,500 |
| Admin (part-time) | +$15,000–$25,000/yr |
| Estimated Year 1 Total | ~$204 |