Azure VPN Gateway vs Cloudflare Access

Azure VPN Gateway9.1Visit Cloudflare Access8.6Visit

Higher score Azure VPN Gateway #3 in Business VPN Software 9.1/10 Paid ✓ 4 of 4 features Visit site

vs

Cloudflare Access #7 in Business VPN Software 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Cloudflare

• Azure VPN Gateway fits best

  Azure-centered organizations needing site-to-site VPN

• Cloudflare Access fits best

  Cloud-first teams securing private applications

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Side by side

Feature	Azure VPN Gateway 9.1/10 Visit ↗	Cloudflare Access 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	8.6
Ranking	#3 in Business VPN Software	#7 in Business VPN Software
Best for	Azure-centered organizations needing site-to-site VPN	Cloud-first teams securing private applications
Pricing model	Paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	—
Free plan	—	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support	Docs, Community	Live chat, Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs
Integrations	6 integrations	11 integrations
Built for	Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Azure VPN Gateway 4/4 · Cloudflare Access 0/4
SSO / SCIM	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Device posture	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Site-to-site networking	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Audit logs	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Admin control level	Advanced	Not checked yet
Access model	Vpn	Not checked yet
Supported platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, web portal, Azure CLI, REST API	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Supports site-to-site, point-to-site, and VNet-to-VNet VPNs Entra authentication, Conditional Access, and device compliance controls BGP, resiliency, RBAC, monitoring, logs, and Azure integrations	Free plan and $7/user/month annual pay-as-you-go tier Supports identity, device posture, and protocol-aware access policies Exports Zero Trust logs to SIEM or storage destinations
Cons	No perpetual free plan Usage-based pricing can include extra tunnel or connection charges Bandwidth and tunnel limits vary across gateway SKUs	Clientless browser access has protocol and hostname limitations Session recording is not included Contract-plan pricing is custom rather than published
Our verdict	Azure VPN Gateway is a cloud-managed networking service for encrypted connectivity between Azure virtual networks, on-premises networks, and individual remote devices. It is designed for hybrid connectivity, branch networking, remote… Read the review →	Cloudflare Access is a cloud-delivered zero trust network access service for employees, contractors, and other users. It applies identity, device posture, and contextual policies to self-hosted, SaaS, private-network, and infrastructure… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Azure VPN Gateway — where it wins

  • Supports site-to-site, point-to-site, and VNet-to-VNet VPNs
  • Entra authentication, Conditional Access, and device compliance controls
  • BGP, resiliency, RBAC, monitoring, logs, and Azure integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • No perpetual free plan
  • Usage-based pricing can include extra tunnel or connection charges
  • Bandwidth and tunnel limits vary across gateway SKUs

• Cloudflare Access — where it wins

  • Free plan and $7/user/month annual pay-as-you-go tier
  • Supports identity, device posture, and protocol-aware access policies
  • Exports Zero Trust logs to SIEM or storage destinations

  Where it doesn't

  • Clientless browser access has protocol and hostname limitations
  • Session recording is not included
  • Contract-plan pricing is custom rather than published

• Azure VPN Gateway9.1/10 · Paid

  A strong Azure-centered VPN gateway for hybrid networks, with usage-based pricing and tiered limits.

  Visit siteFull verdict →
• Cloudflare Access8.6/10 · Free plan

  A cloud-delivered VPN alternative with identity, device, and application-aware controls.

  Visit CloudflareFull verdict →