Best DNS Filtering Software · 2026

Cloudflare Gateway logoCloudflare Gateway vs Control D logoControl 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.

Our pick

Cloudflare Gateway

8.6/10
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
Visit Cloudflare Gateway →

Control D

8.2/10
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
Visit Control D →

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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 →

EditorialUser reviewsAdoptionAffordabilityFeature breadthEase of trial
Cloudflare GatewayControl D
CriterionCloudflare GatewayControl 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 vs Control D — specs and pricing
Cloudflare GatewayControl 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

Cloudflare Gateway pricing · review

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

Control D pricing · review

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 June 16, 2026. Sources: cloudflare.com, controld.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.