Summary
| Fastly Bot Management | Centinel | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 test (8 tools) | 0 of 8 detected | 8 of 8 detected |
| Where it runs | Fastly's network, before cache, or after cache with Next-Gen WAF | Edge, CDN, reverse-proxy, server, and CMS integrations, including Fastly Compute and VCL |
| Buying model | A separately purchased Fastly product | Quote from the team after scoping; the site audit is free |
| Data location | Confirm with Fastly | Data stored in the EU |
Fastly Bot Management runs on Fastly's network. Centinel is a separate layer that runs on Fastly Compute or VCL, or on another stack, so you can add it next to Fastly or switch to it.
The benchmark
In September 2026 we ran eight scraping and browser-automation tools against Centinel and against Fastly: Browser-use, Firecrawl, Browserbase, kernel.sh, Playwright Stealth, Camoufox, Zyte, and Ulixee Hero.
Centinel detected all eight. Fastly detected 0 of 8.
Per-tool detection results
| Scraping tool | Centinel | Fastly |
|---|---|---|
| Browser-use | Detected | Not detected |
| Firecrawl | Detected | Not detected |
| Browserbase | Detected | Not detected |
| kernel.sh | Detected | Not detected |
| Playwright Stealth | Detected | Not detected |
| Camoufox | Detected | Not detected |
| Zyte | Detected | Not detected |
| Ulixee Hero | Detected | Not detected |
| Detected | 8 / 8 | 0 / 8 |
The table reports detection in the September 2026 test. See the benchmark scope for the tools and products compared. Download the published per-tool results (CSV).
When Fastly fits better
- Your traffic already runs through Fastly and you want one vendor. Fastly Bot Management inspects requests on Fastly's network, before cache or after cache with Next-Gen WAF, and offers client challenges and client-side detections.
- You already run Next-Gen WAF. Keeping bot and WAF rules in one product can be simpler to operate. Check your platform first: Fastly documents that its Essential Next-Gen WAF platform does not support Bot Management.
- The result is good enough for your routes. If the automation that costs you money is already handled, keep it.
Where Centinel fits
Centinel fits when browser-like automation still reaches a route that matters. In the September test, Centinel detected all eight tools; Fastly detected none of them.
It also fits sites that are not fully on Fastly. Centinel has guides for Fastly Compute and Fastly VCL and for other CDNs, proxies, servers, and CMSs, so one policy can cover a mixed stack. Centinel separates declared and verified crawlers from spoofed or hidden automation; you can check one address with the crawler verification tool.
Feature comparison
| Area | Fastly Bot Management (from its documentation) | Centinel |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Fastly network, before cache or after cache with Next-Gen WAF | 15 documented guides, including Fastly Compute, Fastly VCL, and AWS CloudFront |
| Client-side | Client challenges and client-side detections | Browser-side checks where the integration supports browser collection |
| Crawler identity | Confirm current crawler verification with Fastly | Separates declared and verified crawlers from spoofed ones |
| Responses | Confirm the responses available on your plan | Identify, observe, rate-limit, challenge, allow, or block, depending on the integration |
| Pricing model | Purchased separately | Quote after scoping |
| EU and GDPR | Confirm data location with Fastly | Data stored in the EU; ISO/IEC 27001 certified; assessed against SOC 2 Type 1 |
Source: Fastly's About Bot Management guide. Centinel's guides are on the integrations page; its security posture is in the trust center.
Setup effort and pricing model
Fastly Bot Management is enabled on Fastly services once purchased. Centinel on Fastly runs on Compute or VCL; on other stacks it is a module on the CDN, proxy, or server. Plan for one engineer who can change that configuration, the owner of the protected workflow, and a rollback path.
Ask Fastly for its current pricing. Centinel quotes per deployment: bring your domain, typical and peak traffic, and current stack. The site audit is free and needs no card.
Adding Centinel to Fastly, or moving off it
You do not have to leave Fastly to use Centinel. You can keep the CDN and add Centinel for the routes where automation still gets through.
- Pick the routes. List where automation costs the most and which automation you want to keep, such as search crawlers and monitoring.
- Deploy in observe mode. Add Centinel on Compute or VCL for those routes. Nothing changes for visitors.
- Compare decisions. Review where Centinel and your current Fastly rules disagree, using the tools above and any workflow you can reproduce safely.
- Decide who enforces. Give one product the final decision per route, so an allow in one cannot silently override a block in the other.
- Switch route by route. Move enforcement, check legitimate-user completion and error rates, and keep a rollback.
The proof-of-concept scorecard turns these steps into a written evaluation plan.
FAQ
Is Centinel a Fastly Bot Management alternative?
Yes, and it can also run next to Fastly. In the September 2026 test, Centinel detected 8 of the 8 tools and Fastly detected 0.
Do I have to leave Fastly?
No. Centinel has Fastly Compute and Fastly VCL integrations and works alongside your existing CDN and WAF.
Does Centinel publish its prices?
No. Contact the team for current pricing, included usage, and contract terms. The site audit is free.
Where does Centinel store data?
Data is stored in the EU. Centinel is certified to ISO/IEC 27001 and assessed against SOC 2 Type 1.