Cloudflare and DNSFilter are two of the most well-known names in the DNS security and content filtering space. Both platforms promise to block malware, phishing, and unwanted content while delivering fast DNS resolution speeds. However, they take different approaches.
Cloudflare Gateway offers DNS filtering as part of a broader security solution, whereas DNSFilter focuses on DNS and web filtering alone. As such, both provide distinctive capabilities and feature sets.
This article breaks down the differences between Cloudflare vs DNSFilter across key categories, helping you determine which platform is best suited to your needs.
If neither platform fits your use case, we introduce an alternative: Control D – a highly customizable DNS management solution with advanced functionality, quality customer support, and unmatched flexibility.
Editors Note: Cloudflare offers additional products, such as CDNs, that DNSFilter does not. This article focuses solely on comparing strengths and weaknesses in the web filtering arena.
What are Cloudflare and DNSFilter?
Cloudflare is best known for its Content Delivery Network (CDN). However, its DNS filtering solution, Cloudflare Gateway, was launched in 2020 to offer businesses an extra layer of security at the DNS level.
Gateway is designed to protect users from cyber threats, block malicious domains, and enforce content filtering policies, with a global network infrastructure ensuring low-latency DNS resolution.
DNSFilter, which was founded in 2015, is a specialized DNS filtering platform providing businesses with real-time AI-driven threat detection and content filtering. It focuses on ease of deployment and performance, making it a popular choice for companies of all sizes.
Cloudflare DNS: Pros and Cons
Best for: Large enterprises that prioritize speed and performance.
Key Features
- High-speed DNS resolution powered by Cloudflare’s global server network
- Secure Web Gateway and Remote Browser Isolation (RBI)
- Data Loss Prevention for businesses handling sensitive information
- Seamless integration with other Cloudflare security products
Pros
- Low-latency DNS resolution
- Strong privacy features
- Advanced enterprise security options (SWG, RBI, DLP, etc.)
Cons
- Pricing starts at $7/user/month, which is significantly higher than most competitors
- Some features require upgrading to more expensive plans
- Limited built-in threat intelligence
- Ineffective malware filter
- Support is often slow and unreliable
Our Take on Cloudflare
Cloudflare’s DNS filtering is a solid option for enterprises looking for speed and performance, but its malware filtering is ineffective compared to other solutions.
Businesses that need advanced analytics, detailed reporting, or more granular control over DNS filtering might find Cloudflare lacking, especially considering the price point. There’s also the matter of support, which we’ll touch on later in this article.
DNSFilter: Pros and Cons
Best for: Businesses seeking a fast, AI-powered DNS filtering solution with minimal setup.
Key Features
- AI-powered threat detection for real-time blocking
- Flexible content filtering with category-based blocking
- Global Anycast network for fast performance
- Quick and easy setup
Pros
- One of the fastest DNS query speeds available
- Transparent pricing
- Simple deployment and easy management
Cons
- Extra fees for exporting data, SIEM integration, and API access
- Fewer filtering features than some alternatives
- Server uptime and reliability have been criticized
- UI could be more intuitive
Our Take on DNSFilter
DNSFilter is a solid choice for businesses needing AI-driven threat detection and fast DNS resolution – in fact, it often battles Cloudflare for the fastest DNS query speeds. However, its lack of advanced features might be a deal-breaker for businesses needing greater control and flexibility.
Cloudflare vs. DNSFilter
Features, Clients, and Integrations
Both Cloudflare and DNSFilter offer:
- Malware & phishing protection
- Flexible content blocking
- Blockable Services (limited selection)
- Per-user policies
- RMM integration and Single Sign-On (SSO)
However, there are a few features that Cloudflare Gateway offers that DNSFilter does not:
- Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
- Secure Web Gateway
- Data Loss Prevention
- Cloud Access Security Broker
- Geo-IP blocking
- Dual-stack ready
- Support for Linux devices
Not all of these features are offered on the Pay-as-you-go plan, meaning you may need to upgrade to the Contract plan to unlock them.
On the flip side, there are a small number of features offered by DNSFilter that are not available with Cloudflare:
- Blocks Ads and Trackers
- Zapier Integration
Clearly, Cloudflare Gateway has considerably more functionality than DNSFilter and, therefore, wins this category.
Plans & Pricing
Cloudflare has a limited free plan, meaning businesses must upgrade to a paid plan for adequate DNS protection. There are two plans on offer:
- Pay-as-you-go – $7/user/month
- Contract – undisclosed (must talk to a sales rep)
Note: Cloudflare’s Contract plan offers a greater number of features and functionality, suggesting it costs significantly more than the Pay-as-you-go plan.
DNSFilter has three plans but offers a clear pricing structure:
- Basic – $1.15/user/month
- Pro – $2.30/user/month
- Enterprise – $3.00/user/month
DNSFilter also makes a distinction between MSPs, educational institutions, and public Wi-Fi operators:
- MSP – minimum cost of $150/month (user count above this minimum fee is charged depending on plan)
- Education – $4/student/year (125 user minimum)
- Public Wi-Fi – $5/access point/month
Analytics
Both platforms offer basic analytics features, including:
- Admin Action Logs
- Full Query Logging
- Query Log Export
- Per-User Reporting
However, there are some key differences between the two:
- Cloudflare stores query log data for up to 6 months (depending on the plan), whereas DNSFilter stores it for 9 days
- Cloudflare retains reports for up to 6 months (depending on the plan), whereas DNSFilter stores reports for 90 days
- Cloudflare provides two data storage regions (NA/EU), whereas DNSFilter does not give you a second option
- Cloudflare offers data exporting and SIEM log streaming for Contract plan users, whereas DNSFilter charges extra for these features regardless of plan
- DNSFilter provides scheduled reporting, whereas Cloudflare does not
While DNSFilter may charge extra for exporting data or streaming logs to a SIEM tool, its overall cost remains much lower than Cloudflare. That said, Gateway edges ahead thanks to its extended query log retention and the option to store data in two regions.
Support
Cloudflare and DNSFilter both provide similar features when it comes to support, such as:
- Community Support
- Documentation/Knowledge Base
- Email Ticketing Support
- Prioritized Case Handling
However, when considering the quality of support provided, DNSFilter wins this category. Cloudflare is notorious for its slow and inconsistent support, with some labeling it “bad” or “nonexistent.”
Cloudflare vs. Cisco Umbrella vs. Control D
If neither Cloudflare nor DNSFilter feels like the perfect fit, consider a third option: Control D.
Unlike Cloudflare and DNSFilter, Control D offers unmatched customization and control over your DNS experience. Whether you’re looking for better malware protection, more blockable Services, or advanced analytics, Control D delivers it all at a lower price point.
Best-in-Class Malware Protection
An independent test showed that Control D blocks 99.97% of threats, outperforming giants like Google, Quad9, and even Cloudflare. This means that when it comes to keeping malware out, Control D doesn’t just compete – it dominates.
Powered by advanced AI-driven threat detection, Control D doesn’t just wait for known threats to appear on a blocklist – it identifies and stops malicious sites in real time. That means your network stays protected from the latest cyber threats before they even have a chance to spread.
Easy Onboarding & Transparent Pricing
Getting started with Control D is simple. There are no confusing plans and no additional fees for additional functionality; you unlock Control D’s full feature set the moment you sign up with a transparent pay-per-Endpoint pricing structure.
- Enterprises – $2/Endpoint/month
- MSPs – $1/Endpoint/month
- Schools & Non-Profits – Discounted rates available
Onboarding is just as easy. Whether you’re setting up a few devices or an entire fleet, you can deploy Control D in minutes using your favorite RMM tool. That means less time spent on setup and management and more time keeping your network safe.
Ad & Tracker Blocking
With three powerful block modes – Relaxed, Balanced, and Strict – Control D gives you complete control over how stringent you want your ad and tracker blocking to be.
Whether you want to eliminate them without breaking websites or go full nuclear and block everything that even smells like an ad or tracker, Control D lets you easily fine-tune your browsing experience.
Blockable Services
Most DNS filters let you block broad content categories like “Social Media” or “Adult Content,” but what if you only want to block TikTok while keeping YouTube accessible? Or maybe you need to block Facebook but allow LinkedIn? With Control D, you get that level of precision.
With over 1,000+ individual blockable Services – apps, websites, tools, and vendors – you can block, redirect, or bypass specific Services with a single click. No need for messy manual blocklists or complex rule setups.
To put this into context, Cloudflare offers 200+ blockable Services, and DNSFilter offers less than 100.
Traffic Redirection
With Control D’s Traffic Redirection, you can route your DNS traffic through 100+ global proxy locations across 60+ countries. You can set a default location for all traffic or create custom redirect rules for specific Services.
For example, do you want your general browsing to stay in the U.S. but redirect streaming traffic to Europe? Need to ensure banking apps always resolve in a specific country for compliance? No problem. This can all be done at the click of a button.
Geo-Custom Rules
With Control D’s Geo-Custom Rules, you can block, redirect, or bypass queries based on IPs resolving to or from a particular country or ASN. For instance:
- Block queries resolving to IPs in a specific country or ASN
- Redirect queries that don't resolve to IPs in a specific country or ASN
- Bypass queries made from IPs in a specific country or ASN
- Block queries made from IPs not in a specific country or ASN
- Or any combination of the above
There are various use cases for this feature, but common ones include blocking traffic from high-risk countries like China or Russia, ensuring business-critical services only resolve to trusted locations, or redirecting queries to a specific country for compliance.
Cloudflare and DNSFilter can’t match this level of control. Cloudflare only offers Geo-IP blocking, with no redirect capabilities, and it does not extend to ASNs. DNSFilter does not offer a comparable feature at all.
In-Depth Analytics & Monitoring
With Control D’s powerful analytics dashboard, you get complete visibility into your DNS traffic, whether you need a quick overview of trends or deep insights into individual queries.
Unlike Cloudflare and DNSFilter, which offer limited built-in reporting, Control D gives you real-time and historical data to track patterns, detect anomalies, and spot security risks before they become problems.
You can also stream query log data directly to your SIEM tool for centralized monitoring and threat analysis. And if you don’t want to check your analytics data every day, Control D lets you stay informed by automating daily, weekly, or monthly reports by email.
Advanced Chatbot
Barry, Control D’s AI-powered chatbot, eliminates the need to dig through documentation or wait for an email response. Available 24/7, Barry is built on the knowledge in Control D’s documentation, as well as the collective expertise of all employees, meaning he can answer 99% of your questions in seconds.
Since he’s built with machine learning technology, the more you chat, the better he gets. The result? You always have access to fast, accurate, and helpful solutions to your queries.
Full Cross-Platform Support
Control D is fully compatible with all devices and systems, whether that’s Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, or even your router and browser. It also integrates seamlessly with Active Directory, RMM and SIEM tools, and Single Sign-On providers like Okta, giving you complete coverage over your network and devices.
Dual Stack Ready & Modern Protocol Support
Control D is compatible with all modern DNS protocols, including DoH, DoT, DoH3, and DoQ, ensuring faster, more secure DNS resolution. It even supports legacy DNS should it be required and is dual-stack ready, fully supporting both IPv4 and IPv6.
For comparison, DNSFilter only supports DoT and is not dual-stack ready.
Full API Access
Why click around a dashboard when you can automate everything? With Control D’s full API access, you can seamlessly integrate DNS management into your own software and workflows to save valuable time and effort.
Whether you need to automate policy enforcement, manage Profiles and Endpoints, or update authorized IP lists, API access gives you the ability to do it all without ever logging into the dashboard.
Custom Data Storage Region
Unlike Cloudflare, which limits you to two data storage regions – or, in DNSFilter’s case, not providing a second option entirely – Control D lets you choose from three standard locations: North America, Europe, or Australia.
Need a location that Control D does not offer by default? No problem. For an additional fee, you can customize your data storage region to meet your specific compliance, security, or business requirements.
Performance
Cloudflare and DNSFilter lead in query speed with 14.52 ms and 14.82 ms, respectively, but are followed closely behind by Control D with a speed of 16.09 ms.
Control D outperforms Cloudflare and DNSFilter in uptime performance results, with a server uptime score of 99.91%.
Again, Control D has a superior server quality score of 99.91%.
