BlackGuard vs WaveShield
What is WaveShield, and what does it cost?
WaveShield is one of the most widely deployed FiveM anti-cheats (15,000+ servers) and also markets AI detection, but it's the priciest entry on this list at €50/mo. BlackGuard delivers a transparent dual-AI engine (behavioral + vision), from $20/mo with a 14-day guarantee.
| BlackGuard | WaveShield | |
|---|---|---|
| Detection approach | AI-first: behavioral + vision | "AI-powered" detection |
| Detection categories | All 6 | Full coverage (single tier) |
| Starting price | $20/mo | €50/mo (or €250 lifetime) |
| Money-back | 14-day | None |
| Track record | New (2026) | 15,000+ servers |
Current pricing
Prices as of July 24, 2026, sourced directly from waveshield.xyz pricing page (manual verification).
- Monthly: €50/month
- Quarterly: €100/3 months
- Lifetime: €250 ("Most popular")
WaveShield's quarterly and lifetime tiers work out cheaper per month than its €50 monthly entry if you prepay; BlackGuard's $20/mo has no prepay requirement and a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Where BlackGuard wins
- Less than half the entry price. $20/mo vs €50/mo, with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
- A spelled-out pipeline, not just "AI-powered": behavioral models on gameplay, vision models on screenshots, tiered to keep tick impact light.
- Core detections on every plan vision layer from Pro; no scaling-up to unlock the core set.
Where WaveShield is strong
Scale and adoption: 15,000+ servers is real social proof, and broad exploit coverage. If install base and a large existing user community are your deciding factor, WaveShield has the head start; BlackGuard is the newer entrant.
Bottom line. For modern AI detection at the lowest entry price with a guarantee, BlackGuard. For the largest existing footprint, WaveShield.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Wave Shield cost?
As listed on waveshield.xyz when we checked on July 24, 2026: €50 per month, €100 for 3 months, or €250 lifetime, with prepaying making it cheaper per month than the €50 entry. BlackGuard starts at $20/mo with no prepay requirement, a 7-day trial, and a 14-day money-back guarantee WaveShield does not offer.
What is a wave shield?
In the FiveM context, WaveShield is a commercial anti-cheat used by 15,000+ servers and marketed around AI-powered detection. The same name also appears in hobby electronics for an unrelated Arduino audio add-on, so searches that mix the two are talking about different products. This page compares the FiveM anti-cheat, not the electronics part.
What is the best anti-cheat for FiveM?
There is no single best anti-cheat; the right pick depends on what you value. WaveShield has the largest install base on this list, at the highest price. BlackGuard is the newer server-side option: it auto-bans only physically-impossible events, flags everything else for owner review, and costs $20/mo with a 14-day guarantee. The full comparison across all major options is in our best FiveM anti-cheat guide.
Other comparisons
Full guide: all FiveM anti-cheats compared.