Cloudflare Access vs Bowtie Private Access

Cloudflare Access9.3Visit Bowtie Private Access6.8Visit

Higher score Cloudflare Access #1 in Zero Trust Network Access Software 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit site

vs

Bowtie Private Access #24 in Zero Trust Network Access Software 6.8/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit Bowtie

• Cloudflare Access fits best

  Organizations wanting broad, affordable ZTNA

• Bowtie Private Access fits best

  Small teams wanting low-cost hybrid access

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Side by side

Feature	Cloudflare Access 9.3/10 Visit ↗	Bowtie Private Access 6.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	6.8
Ranking	#1 in Zero Trust Network Access Software	#24 in Zero Trust Network Access Software
Best for	Organizations wanting broad, affordable ZTNA	Small teams wanting low-cost hybrid access
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	—	—
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension	Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS
Support	Live chat, Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs	Email, Live chat, Community, Docs
Integrations	11 integrations	6 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Cloudflare Access 2/3 · Bowtie Private Access 2/3
Device posture checks	✓	✓
SIEM log export	✓	✓
Session recording	—	Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment model	Cloud	Hybrid
Access methods	Both	Agent
Private app connectors	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Supported app protocols	HTTP, HTTPS, TCP, SSH, RDP, SMB, VNC	TCP, UDP, ICMP
Our review
Pros	Free plan plus $7 per user/month paid annually Clientless and client-based access across web, infrastructure, and private resources Device posture checks, audit logs, and SIEM export support broader controls	Free plan plus an $11 monthly per-user Essentials tier Device posture policies, SIEM integration, and enhanced audit records Supports TCP, UDP, and ICMP through always-on agent connectivity
Cons	Browser-rendered access has protocol and hostname limitations Session recording is not included Contract-plan pricing is custom rather than published	Access depends on device agents rather than agentless application access Smaller platform footprint than broader ZTNA suites Enterprise-only features include MDM deployment and priority Slack support
Our verdict	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 →	Bowtie Private Access provides Zero Trust Network Access through encrypted connections between user devices and private resources. It is designed for small teams that need hybrid access to cloud, data-center, and office resources without… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Cloudflare Access — where it wins

  • Free plan plus $7 per user/month paid annually
  • Clientless and client-based access across web, infrastructure, and private resources
  • Device posture checks, audit logs, and SIEM export support broader controls

  Where it doesn't

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

• Bowtie Private Access — where it wins

  • Free plan plus an $11 monthly per-user Essentials tier
  • Device posture policies, SIEM integration, and enhanced audit records
  • Supports TCP, UDP, and ICMP through always-on agent connectivity

  Where it doesn't

  • Access depends on device agents rather than agentless application access
  • Smaller platform footprint than broader ZTNA suites
  • Enterprise-only features include MDM deployment and priority Slack support

• Cloudflare Access9.3/10 · Free plan

  Broad cloud ZTNA coverage with a free plan, clientless access, and device posture checks.

  Visit siteFull verdict →
• Bowtie Private Access6.8/10 · Free plan

  A low-cost hybrid access option for small teams that prefer agent-based connectivity.

  Visit BowtieFull verdict →