Gcore DDoS Protection

Gcore DDoS Protection is a cloud service that filters distributed denial-of-service attacks at the network (L3), transport (L4), and application (L7) layers. Traffic is routed through Gcore scrubbing centers for real-time analysis, where malicious traffic is blocked and verified clean traffic is forwarded to servers. Gcore states that its global network has over 200 Tbps of filtering capacity and advertises a 99.99% uptime SLA guarantee, plus 24/7 expert support. Access is available through web and API, and documented automation integrations cover CI/CD pipelines, Terraform workflows, Kubernetes Operators, and custom back-office tools. Enterprise deployment options include a cross-connect to Gcore scrubbing centers, Gcore-provided IP transit, and API control. L3/L4 plans include unmetered mitigation, 95th-percentile billing, and payment only for clean traffic. A free PAYG option is listed at $0. Paid options include Start at $275 a month, Pro at $495 a month, Pro+ at $1,045 a month, and Enterprise starting from €1,500 /mo.

Gcore DDoS Protection covers multiple attack layers and offers API access, automation integrations, and enterprise deployment options. A free PAYG option is listed, while paid plans have stated traffic commitments and pricing.

The service is suited to e-commerce sites, SaaS platforms, gaming servers, and financial services seeking DDoS protection. Its API and automation integrations may also suit teams managing protection through development or infrastructure workflows.

Gcore DDoS Protection is a cloud mitigation service for organizations whose public-facing infrastructure cannot tolerate large or multi-layer attacks. It is especially suited to e-commerce, SaaS, gaming, and financial-services operators that want API-driven deployment and operational automation. The strongest case is broad coverage with predictable L3/L4 mitigation billing; the main trade-offs are substantial commitments on paid plans and the absence of an included WAF.

Overview

Gcore places traffic through global scrubbing centers for real-time inspection, blocks malicious traffic, and forwards verified clean traffic to your servers. Coverage spans volumetric network-layer (L3), transport-layer (L4), and application-layer (L7) attacks, so it can address threats that a narrowly focused network filter would miss. Gcore says its network provides more than 200 Tbps of filtering capacity, regularly mitigates attacks above 1 Tbps, and scales automatically with attack size.

The service advertises a 99.99% uptime SLA and 24/7 expert support. Gcore also states that its Cloud passed an annual PCI DSS QSA audit, confirmed ISO 27001 compliance through an independent audit, and complies with GDPR requirements for customer and customer-stored personal data. Two-factor authentication protects the control panel, while API access uses tokens.

Key features

Every product is backed by a public REST API, with the DDoS API based at https://api.gcore.com/security/iaas. CI/CD, Terraform, Kubernetes Operator, and custom back-office integrations make the service a practical fit for teams that manage protection as code rather than through a portal alone. Enterprise deployments can add cross-connects to Gcore scrubbing centers, Gcore-provided IP transit, and API control.

All L3/L4 plans include unmetered mitigation, 95th-percentile billing, and payment only for clean traffic. That limits direct exposure to attack-volume charges, but the clean-traffic commitment still determines the monthly tier and requires sensible capacity planning. L7 coverage is useful for application attacks, yet a WAF is not included, so teams needing an integrated web application firewall must add another product.

Pricing

The free PAYG plan costs free, is postpaid, and has a 0 Mbps clean-traffic commitment. It supports up to 1 × /24 IPv4, 1 × /48 IPv6, and two GRE tunnels. It is the sensible starting point for evaluation or very small deployments, but offers no committed clean-traffic capacity.

Start costs $275 a month ($275/mo), prepaid, with a 100 Mbps clean-traffic commitment, up to 1 × /24 IPv4, 1 × /48 IPv6, and two GRE tunnels. A one-month payment setup fee applies. Pro is $495 a month ($495/mo), prepaid, raising the commitment to 200 Mbps and allowing up to two IPv4 and two IPv6 blocks; it retains two GRE tunnels and the setup fee.

Pro+ costs $1,045 a month ($1,045/mo), prepaid, for 500 Mbps committed clean traffic, up to four IPv4 and four IPv6 blocks, and four GRE tunnels, plus the one-month payment setup fee. Enterprise starts from €1,500/mo for networks over four /24 blocks and includes dedicated connectivity, API access, a standard SLA, and more than four GRE tunnels. These tiers target established networks; smaller operators should avoid paying for commitments they cannot consistently use.

Platforms

Gcore supports web and API access. Cloud deployment, GRE tunneling, and enterprise connectivity options accommodate routed infrastructure as well as automated control planes.

Who it's for

Choose it when your business depends on online availability across several attack layers and your engineering team can integrate APIs or automation workflows. E-commerce, SaaS, gaming, and financial-services environments are the clearest fits. It is less suitable for buyers seeking a low-cost package with a built-in WAF or for networks whose clean-traffic needs are too small to justify paid commitments.

Pros and cons

• Pros: L3, L4, and L7 coverage; more than 200 Tbps stated filtering capacity; unmetered L3/L4 mitigation with clean-traffic billing; 99.99% SLA and 24/7 support; REST API and infrastructure-automation integrations.
• Cons: Paid plans begin at $275 per month and require clean-traffic commitments; prepaid tiers add a one-month setup fee; WAF is not included; enterprise pricing starts at €1,500 per month.

Alternatives

AWS Shield is the better fit for AWS customers wanting automatically configured network and transport protection, with Shield Standard free; it does not include Network Security Director. Cloudflare DDoS Protection suits web properties wanting free unmetered DDoS protection bundled with a WAF and managed ruleset, while its paid tiers add capability at lower stated entry pricing. Project Shield is the choice for eligible organizations seeking free, unlimited web DDoS protection. Haltdos fits buyers seeking self-hosted or API-oriented WAF options, including a free one-site community tier. F5 BIG-IP APM is an alternative for deployments spanning hardware, virtual, hybrid, and multiple operating platforms. Fastly Image Optimizer is aimed at image delivery and optimization rather than a direct DDoS-service replacement. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Secret Management addresses secret storage, not traffic mitigation. Tencent Cloud API Gateway is an API gateway with a free first-year call allowance, not a like-for-like DDoS platform.

For a wider shortlist, see DDoS Protection Software.

Verdict

Gcore DDoS Protection is a strong recommendation for technically mature organizations that need multi-layer coverage, automated control, and unmetered L3/L4 mitigation under a stated SLA. Choose another service if you need an included WAF, a cheaper web-focused package, or pricing without a substantial clean-traffic commitment.