AWS Shield Advanced: A Complete Guide to Getting Started and Cost Insights
Published: August 2025
Category: Cloud Security / AWS Infrastructure
Why Shield Advanced Matters for Your Business
As digital experiences grow, so does the risk of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Whether you're running a web app, SaaS product, or gaming platform, availability and uptime are non-negotiable.
While AWS provides basic DDoS protection by default, AWS Shield Advanced delivers an additional layer of defense built specifically for production-facing, high-availability applications. This blog explains:
- What Shield Advanced protects
- How it compares to AWS’s default protection and WAF
- Its benefits, pricing, and setup steps
- Why it’s a smart investment for resilient cloud architecture
Understanding AWS Protection Tiers
| Feature | AWS by Default | AWS with WAF | AWS Shield Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network (L3/L4) DDoS Mitigation | ✅ Basic | ✅ Basic | ✅ Advanced |
| Application (L7) DDoS Protection | ❌ | ✅ Basic | ✅ Advanced |
| WAF Rules & ACLs | ❌ | ✅ Self/Managed | ✅ Enhanced |
| Bot Control & CAPTCHA | ❌ | ✅ Optional | ✅ Optional |
| Cost Reimbursement | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ With Setup |
| 24/7 AWS DDoS Response Team | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ With Support |
| DNS-Level Protection (Route 53) | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| CloudWatch + SNS Integration | ❌ | ✅ Manual | ✅ Integrated |
Note: AWS WAF offers basic protections. For advanced analytics, mitigation, and reimbursement during real attacks, Shield Advanced is essential.
Key Benefits of AWS Shield Advanced
| Benefit | What You Get |
|---|---|
| Cost Protection | Covers EC2, ALB, Route 53, CloudFront usage during DDoS events |
| 24/7 Response Team | Direct access to AWS security experts (with support plan) |
| Proactive Engagement | AWS contacts your team during an attack (if configured) |
| Advanced L7 Defense | Integrated with WAF for bot detection, rate limits, and more |
| DNS Attack Protection | Route 53 domains are protected from query floods |
| Real-Time Visibility | CloudWatch dashboards and automatic alerts for anomalies |
Route 53: The Hidden Shield
Shield Advanced only provides DNS-level DDoS protection if your domains are hosted in Route 53.
| Component | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Hosted Zone | $0.50/domain |
| DNS Queries | ~$0.40 per million queries |
| DNS DDoS Protection | ✅ Enabled when linked |
Tip: External DNS providers are not covered by Shield Advanced. Migrate domains to Route 53 for full-layer protection.
Getting Started with Shield Advanced
Here’s how to enable Shield Advanced for your infrastructure:
- Subscribe
Go to the AWS Shield Console and activate Shield Advanced. - Protect Resources
Register EC2 EIPs, CloudFront distributions, ALBs, and Route 53 hosted zones. - Set Up WAF Web ACLs
Create rule sets for IP blocking, bot filtering, SQLi, and more. - Enable Add-ons
Activate Bot Control and CAPTCHA. Monitor WCU (Web ACL Capacity Units) to stay within limits. - Configure Route 53 Protection
Link hosted zones to activate DNS-layer DDoS defense. - Monitoring & Alerts
Use CloudWatch dashboards, set alarms, and configure SNS notifications. - Proactive Engagement
Add team contacts in Shield’s Global Settings. A Business or Enterprise support plan is required.
Cost Breakdown by Company Size
| Size | Monthly Requests | Shield Fee | WAF Add-Ons | Data Transfer | Total Est. Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 5M–15M | $500 | $50–$150 | $150–$300 | $700–$950 |
| Medium | 25M–50M | $500 | $150–$300 | $300–$600 | $950–$1,400 |
| Large | 80M–150M+ | $500 | $300–$800+ | $600–$1,200 | $1,400–$2,500+ |
Add-on Feature Examples:
| Feature | Small | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web ACLs | $5–$15 | $25–$50 | $100–$500 |
| Managed Rules | $3–$10 | $10–$20 | $20–$40+ |
| Bot Control | $10–$15 | $60 | $100+ |
| CAPTCHA | $0–$10 | $10–$20 | $20–$40+ |
| WCU Overage | $0–$10 | $20–$50 | $50–$100+ |
| Route 53 | ~$1 | ~$2 | ~$5 |
Note: Bot Control and CAPTCHA are billed per request—including blocked and failed attempts.
Data Transfer Costs (Singapore Region)
| Outbound Traffic | Approximate Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 TB | ~$125 |
| 2 TB | ~$250 |
| 4 TB | ~$500 |
| 8 TB | ~$1,000 |
Data transfer is not reimbursed unless associated with a verified DDoS attack on a protected service.
Important Disclaimers
- Estimates are based on AWS Singapore pricing as of July 2025.
- Costs vary by request volume, number of domains, rule complexity, and data transfer.
- Cost protection only applies to services actively protected and properly configured during the attack.
- You will still pay for related AWS services like EC2, CloudFront, ALB, Lambda, and WAF rule processing.
Final Thoughts: Is Shield Advanced Worth It?
If your app, website, or platform serves live customers, handles sensitive data, or supports high availability, Shield Advanced is a must.
You gain:
- Peace of mind with cost protection
- Rapid attack response from AWS experts
- Protection across network, app, and DNS layers
- Deep analytics and alerting to detect threats fast
For production-grade environments, Shield Advanced is no longer optional—it’s your first line of defense.
Ready to Protect Your AWS Infrastructure?
Reach out to our team for:
- A free consultation
- Help estimating your actual Shield Advanced monthly cost
- Support for onboarding and configuration
Let’s build a safer, more resilient cloud together.