Barracuda Load Balancer ADC vs F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) comparison

Barracuda Networks and F5 are both solutions in the Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) category. Barracuda Networks is ranked #13 with an average rating of 8.0, while F5 is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.8. Barracuda Networks holds a 1.4% mindshare in ADC, compared to F5’s 15.4% mindshare. Additionally, 80% of Barracuda Networks users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 83% of F5 users who would recommend it.

Barracuda Load Balancer ADC

Read 5 Barracuda Load Balancer ADC reviews

514 Views
396 Comparison Views

80% willing to recommend

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Man...

Read 121 F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) reviews

6,405 Views
5,241 Comparison Views

83% willing to recommend

Barracuda Load Balancer ADC

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Man...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 17, 2024

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager LTM and Barracuda Load Balancer ADC compete in network traffic management. F5 BIG-IP LTM has an advantage in scalability and traffic control, while Barracuda Load Balancer ADC is better for integration and cost.

Features: F5 BIG-IP LTM offers advanced load balancing, SSL offloading, and intricate traffic shaping. Barracuda Load Balancer ADC provides simplified load balancing, traffic management, and a user-friendly interface.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: F5 BIG-IP LTM has a complex deployment needing specialized expertise but benefits from robust support and extensive documentation. Barracuda Load Balancer ADC features streamlined deployment for quick setup and responsive customer service.

Pricing and ROI: F5 BIG-IP LTM generally has a higher setup cost but delivers substantial long-term ROI. Barracuda Load Balancer ADC offers a cost-effective setup and rapid ROI, appealing to businesses seeking value with lower initial costs.

To learn more, read our detailed Barracuda Load Balancer ADC vs. F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Barracuda Load Balancer ADC vs. F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)

April 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Barracuda Load Balancer ADC

Ranking in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

13th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Man...

Ranking in Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

2nd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

121

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Application Delivery Controllers (ADC) category, the mindshare of Barracuda Load Balancer ADC is 1.4%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) is 15.4%, down from 15.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

Featured Reviews

Roni Wijaya

Vice President of It Operations at a computer software company with 51-200 employees

A simple and powerful solution with WAF feature

The solution is simple and powerful. I find the Barracuda Load Balancer ADC's load balancing function most valuable. It balances the traffic well. The security features, like the Web Application Firewall, are also very helpful. I use the SSL offloading feature too. It's very helpful because it prevents overload. Our application runs on HTTP, but we upload HTTPS on the load balancer. This means there are no performance issues. I think it's very helpful.

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Bonieber Orofeo

Information Security Manager at Chong Hua Hospital

Identifying compromised traffic and securing data has been a significant advantage

One of the most beneficial features of F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) ( /products/f5-big-ip-local-traffic-manager-ltm-reviews ) is its ability to identify compromised traffic and its capabilities in authentication. Additionally, the security aspect of it provides a significant advantage as it helps us secure our data, which is a major investment and benefit for us. Before using this system, we had difficulties in storing our data and managing the traffic that comes in and out.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The price is very good, and it's not very expensive."

"Barracuda's technical support is good - whenever we have an issue, they immediately connect and resolve it."

"The most useful features in Barracuda Load Balancer are its security capabilities, load balancing efficiency, and scalability."

"I would rate the stability of Barracuda Load Balancer as a ten out of ten; it has high stability."

"The solution is simple and powerful. I find the Barracuda Load Balancer ADC's load balancing function most valuable. It balances the traffic well. The security features, like the Web Application Firewall, are also very helpful."

"If I were to choose one key feature in particular, perhaps it would be the iRule feature. It’s a really versatile tool."

"It is a very good, flexible solution. It helps us to catch up on flaws in our partner solutions on top of its load balancing feature."

"Features such as SSL offloading, various balancing methods, and the ability to work with HTTP, HTTPS, or TCP protocols are beneficial."

"It helps us recognize sessions from certain IPs that are authorized to manage the application. This is a function we haven't found anywhere else."

"Bandwidth optimization and capacity awareness of the bandwidth are valuable features. Its video streaming capabilities are also very useful."

"The most valuable feature is the F5 LTM (Local Traffic Manager). This is the part of the product most organisations will be using most. It provides the core functionality to be able to load balance services and the means and the intelligence to be able to load balance based on advanced logic, e.g., TCL scripting."

"F5 BIG-IP is used with good applications and functions as an application firewall with additional features. We will not use any feature or any service unless there is a business case and there is a need for implementation."

"The web application firewall feature is the most valuable and useful feature. It is a leading industry product when it comes to load balancing. Its user interface is very simple. There isn't a steep learning curve. When we initiate someone to F5, they start using it quickly."

More F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) pros

Cons

"There are areas of Barracuda Load Balancer's security that have room for improvement, particularly concerning handling traffic."

"The Barracuda Load Balancer ADC could be improved with more customization features. For example, F5 uses iRules for custom configurations. I haven't found something similar in Barracuda yet. The load balancer and WAF's basic and common features are enough, but we need more customization options."

"There are areas of Barracuda Load Balancer's security that have room for improvement, particularly concerning handling traffic."

"Load Balancer ADC is competitively priced, but it's not feature-rich, and its technology is not that advanced."

"The quality of the solution's performance could be improved."

"I would like to see F-5 implement a regular routing like in other Linux-based devices. When we try and integrate in some complex networks, we have to use some additional routing scenarios from a Layer 3 perspective, then we have some problems. It would be great if this were fixed somehow."

"A lot of functions that are attributed to iRules can actually be simple profile changes. iRules do have a certain performance impact. Therefore, instead of writing simple iRules, they can create certain profiles for classes that will perform the same function."

"I would like them to have more flexible models."

"I think the logging could be improved."

"The solution could improve the ease of use, the management could be simplified. Other solutions are easier to use."

"LTM would be improved with the inclusion of signature-based blocking."

"The setup is a little bit complex."

"There is a need for a more modular version to concentrate on the current monolithic structure of both the virtual and hardware versions."

More F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I rate the solution's pricing a five out of ten."

"Load Balancer ADC is cost-effective and is about half the price of F5."

"Compared to using open-source products, the prices are not cheap."

"It was probably a one-time purchase and then you have maintenance, but I don't have the details on that. We bought what they called the Best bundle at the time, which pretty much included all of the modules. There was probably no additional cost afterward."

"When we purchased additional licenses for our other locations, we received a discount of between 20% and 25%."

"The price of the solution is sometimes expensive."

"The cost that they have with AWS are almost prohibitive. I'm being forced to use F5 WAF. I would not simply use it based on cost. I agree that they have some great features, but for me, cost is key in terms of AWS."

"BIG-IP LTM is considered a premium product, so it's quite expensive and isn't affordable for all customers."

"Great product for the money. But they can get really expensive, so get what meets your needs."

"It is cheaper than the average on the market."

More F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

22%

Retailer

10%

Educational Organization

Government

Financial Services Firm

17%

Computer Software Company

14%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Barracuda Load Balancer ADC?

Pricing for Barracuda Load Balancer ADC can be a consideration. However, it offers good value with its cost-saving benefits and efficient operation, balancing the initial financial outlay.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Barracuda Load Balancer ADC?

There are areas of Barracuda Load Balancer's security that have room for improvement, particularly concerning handling traffic. Also, more could be done to enhance the initial setup, as it can be c...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Barracuda Load Balancer ADC?

The typical use case for Barracuda Load Balancer ADC involves managing and distributing network traffic efficiently to maintain system performance. Clients use Barracuda Load Balancer ADC for its a...

See all answers

What needs improvement with F5 BIG-IP?

The price needs improvement as it is quite costly.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for F5 BIG-IP?

We're using F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) ( /products/f5-big-ip-local-traffic-manager-ltm-reviews ) for our applications and for managing our incoming and outgoing traffic.

See all answers

What do you like most about F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)?

The solution is robust and reliable.

See all answers

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HAProxy vs F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)

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Compared 8% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Application Delivery Controllers (ADC)

April 2025

Download Barracuda Load Balancer ADC product report

Buyer's Guide

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)

May 2025

F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) report

Download F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) product report

Also Known As

Barracuda Load Balancer

F5 BIG-IP, BIG-IP LTM, F5 ASM, Viprion, F5 BIG-IP Virtual Edition , Crescendo Networks Application Delivery Controller, BIG IP

Overview

Barracuda Load Balancer is ideal for organizations looking for a high-performance, yet cost-effective application delivery and security solution. With the broadest range of hardware and virtual models, Barracuda Load Balancer provides maximum flexibility for organizations looking to build highly secure and scalable application infrastructure, whether it's deployed on-premises or in the cloud.

Barracuda Networks

F5 BIG-IP LTM optimizes the speed and reliability of your apps via both network and application layers. Using real-time protocol and traffic management decisions based on app and server and connection management conditions, and TCP and content offloading, BIG-IP LTM dramatically improves application and infrastructure responsiveness. BIG-IP LTM's architecture includes protocol awareness to control traffic for the most important applications. BIG-IP LTM tracks the dynamic performance levels of servers and delivers SSL performance and visibility for inbound and outbound traffic, to protect the user experience by encrypting everything from the client to the server.

BIG-IP LTM provides enterprise-class Application Delivery Controller (ADC). You get granular layer 7 control, SSL offloading and acceleration capabilities, and advanced scaling technologies that deliver performance and reliability on-demand. The highly optimized TCP/IP stack combines TCP/IP techniques and improvements in the latest RFCs with extensions to minimize the effect of congestion and packet loss and recovery. Independent testing tools and customer experiences show LTM's TCP stack delivers up to a 2x performance gain for users and a 4x increase in bandwidth efficiency.

Sample Customers

Fenwal Blood Technologies

Riken, TransUnion, Tepco Systems Administration, Daejeon University, G&T Bank, Danamon, CyberAgent Inc.

Buyer's Guide

Barracuda Load Balancer ADC vs. F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)

April 2025

Free Report: Barracuda Load Balancer ADC vs. F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM)

Find out what your peers are saying about Barracuda Load Balancer ADC vs. F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.

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