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Cloudflare: Connectivity Cloud and Security Platform

Cloudflare helps businesses secure internet-connected assets and manage network traffic. It is designed for teams looking to transition from legacy VPNs to a Zero Trust security model.

At a glance

Category
Security
Best for
Small businesses, Mid-market companies, Enterprise IT teams, Developers
Pricing
Cloudflare uses a freemium model with free plans available. Paid add-ons start at $3 per month for Access, $5 for Load Balancing, $7.85 for Registrar, and $10 for Advanced Certificate Manager.
Key use cases
VPN Replacement, Website Security, Serverless App Deployment, AI Application Management
Official website
cloudflare.com
Screenshot of Cloudflare website

Cloudflare is a connectivity cloud platform that integrates networking, security, and performance services. It is designed for various users, including individual developers, small businesses, and enterprise IT teams.

The platform helps businesses protect websites and APIs from threats such as DDoS attacks and malicious bots, while using a global content delivery network to help improve page load times. For internal operations, its SASE platform supports a Zero Trust approach to network access, which may help reduce reliance on traditional VPNs.

Buyers should confirm their technical needs when selecting a plan, as certain security and performance tools are available as paid add-ons to the base tiers. Users should also verify how serverless developer tools align with their existing application architecture.

Key Features

Zero Trust Network Access

Supports granular, least-privilege access to internal applications and infrastructure based on user identity and device posture.

DDoS Protection

Designed to absorb and filter large-scale attacks using a global network to help maintain site availability.

Web Application Firewall (WAF)

Filters incoming traffic to help protect websites and APIs from common vulnerabilities and cyber threats.

AI Gateway

Helps businesses observe and control the traffic and behavior of AI applications.

Workers AI

A developer platform for running machine learning models on a global edge network.

CDN and DNS

Caches content across a global network to help improve website performance and reliability.

Use Cases

VPN Replacement

Transitioning from traditional VPNs to a Zero Trust model to secure remote employee access to internal tools.

Website Security

Protecting public-facing websites and APIs from bot attacks and DDoS disruptions.

Serverless App Deployment

Building and deploying applications globally using the Workers platform.

AI Application Management

Implementing controls and observability for AI agents and generative AI workloads.

Best For

Small businessesMid-market companiesEnterprise IT teamsDevelopers

Pricing

Cloudflare uses a freemium model with free plans available. Paid add-ons start at $3 per month for Access, $5 for Load Balancing, $7.85 for Registrar, and $10 for Advanced Certificate Manager.

FAQ

What does Cloudflare do for a business?

Cloudflare acts as a layer between a business's website or internal network and the internet, providing security tools like a WAF and DDoS protection while supporting speed via its global network.

Can Cloudflare replace a traditional VPN?

Cloudflare One is a SASE platform designed to help organizations replace legacy VPNs with Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) to secure remote access.

Is Cloudflare free for small businesses?

Cloudflare offers free plans, though advanced features and performance tools are available as paid add-ons starting from $3 per month.

Source category: Security

Source subcategory: Zero Trust Security

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