Best DNS Filtering Software · 2026

Cloudflare Gateway logoCloudflare Gateway vs DNSFilter logoDNSFilter

Cloudflare Gateway vs DNSFilter: on our data-weighted scoring, DNSFilter edges ahead (8.1 vs 7.7/10). 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; DNSFilter starts at $1/user/mo and is best for msps and smbs wanting fast, transparently-priced dns filtering with strong multi-tenancy. Choose DNSFilter for the stronger overall track record; consider Cloudflare Gateway if its pricing model or fit matches your environment better. Side-by-side table below.

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 →

DNSFilter

8.6/10
MSP Compared score
Starting price
$1/user/mo
Reviews
4.6/5 (~239 G2 reviews)
Free trial
14 days
Deployment
Cloud
Best for
MSPs and SMBs wanting fast, transparently-priced DNS filtering with strong multi-tenancy
Visit DNSFilter →

Affiliate links — vendors may pay us a commission. It never affects our data-driven ranking.

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 GatewayDNSFilter
CriterionCloudflare GatewayDNSFilter
Editorial 7.7 8.1
User reviews 7.0 9.2
Adoption 0.0 6.3
Affordability 9.5 9.7
Feature breadth 6.0 6.0
Ease of trial 7.0 6.0

Cloudflare Gateway vs DNSFilter: head-to-head

Cloudflare Gateway vs DNSFilter — specs and pricing
Cloudflare GatewayDNSFilter
Starting price $7/user/mo $1/user/mo
Pricing model per user per user
Free trial / tier Free tier 14 days
Best for Teams wanting free DNS + web filtering on Cloudflare's edge, scaling into full SWG MSPs and SMBs wanting fast, transparently-priced DNS filtering with strong multi-tenancy
Deployment Cloud Cloud
G2 rating 4.6/5 (239)
Capterra rating
Our score 7.7 8.1

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 DNSFilter if…

You need msps and smbs wanting fast, transparently-priced dns filtering with strong multi-tenancy.

Pros

  • Transparent public pricing
  • Strong MSP multi-tenancy + white-label
  • Fast
  • accurate filtering

Cons

  • Monthly minimums per plan
  • Advanced features need higher tiers
  • No free tier

DNSFilter pricing · review

Frequently asked questions

Cloudflare Gateway vs DNSFilter: which is better?
Cloudflare Gateway vs DNSFilter: on our data-weighted scoring, DNSFilter edges ahead (8.1 vs 7.7/10). 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; DNSFilter starts at $1/user/mo and is best for msps and smbs wanting fast, transparently-priced dns filtering with strong multi-tenancy.
Is Cloudflare Gateway cheaper than DNSFilter?
Cloudflare Gateway starts at $7/user/mo and DNSFilter starts at $1/user/mo (see the pricing rows for models and limits).
Data as of June 16, 2026. Sources: cloudflare.com, dnsfilter.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.