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
Best DNS Filtering Software · 2026
Cloudflare Gateway vs 
Control D Cloudflare Gateway vs Control D: on our data-weighted scoring, Cloudflare Gateway edges ahead (7.7 vs 7.5/10). 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; Control D starts at $2/endpoint/mo and is best for SMBs and MSPs wanting flat, no-minimum DNS filtering with deep customization. Choose Cloudflare Gateway for the stronger overall track record; consider Control D if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.
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Control D
7.5/10
MSP Compared score
- Starting price
- $2/endpoint/mo
- Reviews
- Not yet rated
- Free trial
- Free tier
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Best for
- SMBs and MSPs wanting flat, no-minimum DNS filtering with deep customization
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 | Cloudflare Gateway | Control D |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 7.7 | 7.5 |
| User reviews | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Affordability | 9.5 | 9.5 |
| Feature breadth | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Ease of trial | 7.0 | 7.0 |
Cloudflare Gateway vs Control D: head-to-head
| Cloudflare Gateway | Control D | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $7/user/mo | $2/endpoint/mo |
| Pricing model | per user | per device |
| Free trial / tier | Free tier | Free tier |
| Best for | Teams wanting free DNS + web filtering on Cloudflare's edge, scaling into full SWG | SMBs and MSPs wanting flat, no-minimum DNS filtering with deep customization |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud |
| G2 rating | — | — |
| Capterra rating | — | — |
| Our score | 7.7 | 7.5 |
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
Choose Control D if…
You need smbs and msps wanting flat, no-minimum dns filtering with deep customization.
✓ Pros
- Flat $2/endpoint
- no minimums
- Highly customizable rules
- Transparent SMB pricing
✕ Cons
- Smaller vendor / brand
- Fewer enterprise integrations
- Reporting less mature than leaders
In depth
Pricing: Cloudflare Gateway vs Control D
Cloudflare Gateway bills on a per user model from $7/user/mo (free tier available), while Control D uses a per device model from $2/endpoint/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
Cloudflare Gateway ships 6 headline capabilities (DNS + HTTP filtering, Edge-delivered on 330+ cities, Category + security filtering, Secure web gateway (SWG)) and deploys Cloud. Control D ships 6 (Customizable DNS filtering, Per-device + per-profile policies, Malware + ad + tracker blocking, No minimums or contracts), deploying Cloud.
Ratings & verdict
Cloudflare Gateway holds Not yet rated; Control D holds Not yet rated. On our data-weighted score, Cloudflare Gateway edges ahead (7.7 vs 7.5/10). Pick Control D instead when smbs and msps wanting flat, no-minimum dns filtering with deep customization. See Cloudflare Gateway alternatives or Control D alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
- Cloudflare Gateway vs Control D: which is better?
- Cloudflare Gateway vs Control D: on our data-weighted scoring, Cloudflare Gateway edges ahead (7.7 vs 7.5/10). 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; Control D starts at $2/endpoint/mo and is best for SMBs and MSPs wanting flat, no-minimum DNS filtering with deep customization.
- Is Cloudflare Gateway cheaper than Control D?
- Cloudflare Gateway starts at $7/user/mo and Control D starts at $2/endpoint/mo (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of September 17, 2026. Sources: cloudflare.com, controld.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.