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 
DNSFilter 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.
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DNSFilter
8.1/10
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
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 | DNSFilter |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial | 7.7 | 8.1 |
| User reviews | 7.0 | 9.2 |
| Adoption | 0.0 | 6.3 |
| Affordability | 9.5 | 9.4 |
| Feature breadth | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Ease of trial | 7.0 | 6.0 |
Cloudflare Gateway vs DNSFilter: head-to-head
| Cloudflare Gateway | DNSFilter | |
|---|---|---|
| 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
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
In depth
Pricing: DNSFilter vs Cloudflare Gateway
DNSFilter bills on a per user model from $1/user/mo (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
DNSFilter ships 6 headline capabilities (AI-driven DNS threat blocking, Category + content filtering, Roaming clients (Win/Mac/mobile), Multi-tenant MSP console) 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
DNSFilter holds 4.6/5 (~239 G2 reviews); Cloudflare Gateway holds Not yet rated. On our data-weighted score, DNSFilter edges ahead (8.1 vs 7.7/10). Pick Cloudflare Gateway instead when teams wanting free dns + web filtering on cloudflare’s edge, scaling into full swg. See DNSFilter alternatives or Cloudflare Gateway alternatives.
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 September 17, 2026. Sources: cloudflare.com, dnsfilter.com. Figures are pulled from public vendor and security data and refreshed automatically.