Cisco Umbrella
8.0/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Reviews
- 4.4/5 (~274 G2 reviews)
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- Enterprises wanting DNS-layer security that scales up into a full secure internet gateway (SIG)
Best DNS Filtering Software · 2026
Cisco Umbrella vs 
Cloudflare Gateway Cisco Umbrella vs Cloudflare Gateway: on our data-weighted scoring, Cisco Umbrella edges ahead (8.0 vs 7.7/10). Cisco Umbrella starts at Custom quote and is best for enterprises wanting DNS-layer security that scales up into a full secure internet gateway (SIG); Cloudflare Gateway starts at $7/user/mo and is best for teams wanting free DNS + web filtering on Cloudflare's edge, scaling into full SWG. Choose Cisco Umbrella for the stronger overall track record; consider Cloudflare Gateway if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.
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Cloudflare Gateway
7.7/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- $7/user/mo
- Reviews
- Not yet rated
- Free trial
- Free tier
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- Teams wanting free DNS + web filtering on Cloudflare's edge, scaling into full SWG
Strengths at a glance
Six criteria, each scored 0–10 on the same scale from real review data, public pricing and feature coverage. See our methodology →
| Criterion | Cisco Umbrella | Cloudflare Gateway |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 8.0 | 7.7 |
| User reviews | 8.8 | 7.0 |
| Adoption | 6.5 | 0.0 |
| Affordability | 5.0 | 9.5 |
| Feature breadth | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Ease of trial | 6.0 | 7.0 |
Cisco Umbrella vs Cloudflare Gateway: head-to-head
| Cisco Umbrella | Cloudflare Gateway | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Custom quote | $7/user/mo |
| Pricing model | quote | per user |
| Free trial / tier | 14 days | Free tier |
| Best for | Enterprises wanting DNS-layer security that scales up into a full secure internet gateway (SIG) | Teams wanting free DNS + web filtering on Cloudflare's edge, scaling into full SWG |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| G2 rating | 4.4/5 (274) | — |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 8.0 | 7.7 |
Choose Cisco Umbrella if…
You need enterprises wanting dns-layer security that scales up into a full secure internet gateway (sig).
✓ Pros
- Massive Talos threat intelligence
- Scales from DNS to full SIG
- Proven enterprise reliability
✕ Cons
- No public pricing (quote-only)
- Complex multi-SKU lineup
- Costs climb fast with SIG tiers
Choose Cloudflare Gateway if…
You need teams wanting free dns + web filtering on cloudflare's edge, scaling into full swg.
✓ Pros
- Free tier up to 50 users
- Runs on Cloudflare's huge edge
- Scales into full SSE/SASE
✕ Cons
- DLP/CASB still maturing
- Best value if already on Cloudflare
- Enterprise support gaps
In depth
Pricing: Cisco Umbrella vs Cloudflare Gateway
Cisco Umbrella bills on a quote model from Custom quote (14 days trial), while Cloudflare Gateway uses a per user model from $7/user/mo (free tier available). Because the models differ, the cheaper option flips depending on your fleet size — model both at your seat/endpoint count.
Features & deployment
Cisco Umbrella ships 6 headline capabilities (DNS-layer threat blocking, Intelligent proxy (Advantage), App discovery + control, Cisco Talos threat intelligence) and deploys Cloud. Cloudflare Gateway ships 6 (DNS + HTTP filtering, Edge-delivered on 330+ cities, Category + security filtering, Secure web gateway (SWG)), deploying Cloud.
Ratings & verdict
Cisco Umbrella holds 4.4/5 (~274 G2 reviews); Cloudflare Gateway holds Not yet rated. On our data-weighted score, Cisco Umbrella edges ahead (8.0 vs 7.7/10). Pick Cloudflare Gateway instead when teams wanting free dns + web filtering on cloudflare’s edge, scaling into full swg. See Cisco Umbrella alternatives or Cloudflare Gateway alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
- Cisco Umbrella vs Cloudflare Gateway: which is better?
- Cisco Umbrella vs Cloudflare Gateway: on our data-weighted scoring, Cisco Umbrella edges ahead (8.0 vs 7.7/10). Cisco Umbrella starts at Custom quote and is best for enterprises wanting DNS-layer security that scales up into a full secure internet gateway (SIG); Cloudflare Gateway starts at $7/user/mo and is best for teams wanting free DNS + web filtering on Cloudflare's edge, scaling into full SWG.
- Is Cisco Umbrella cheaper than Cloudflare Gateway?
- Cisco Umbrella starts at Custom quote and Cloudflare Gateway starts at $7/user/mo (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of September 17, 2026. Sources: umbrella.cisco.com, cloudflare.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.