Cloudflare Access vs Proton VPN for Business

Cloudflare Access8.6Visit Proton VPN for Business8.5Visit

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

vs

Proton VPN for Business #8 in Business VPN Software 8.5/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Proton VPN

• Cloudflare Access fits best

  Cloud-first teams securing private applications

• Proton VPN for Business fits best

  Businesses wanting managed VPN with privacy features

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Side by side

Feature	Cloudflare Access 8.6/10 Visit ↗	Proton VPN for Business 8.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.6	8.5
Ranking	#7 in Business VPN Software	#8 in Business VPN Software
Best for	Cloud-first teams securing private applications	Businesses wanting managed VPN with privacy features
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	—	$6.99/user/mo
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	14 days
Deployment	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome extension
Support	Live chat, Phone, Tickets, Community, Docs	Email, Live chat, Phone, Tickets, Docs
Compliance	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI DSS, 2FA	SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, 2FA
Integrations	11 integrations	9 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Cloudflare Access 0/4 · Proton VPN for Business 3/4
SSO / SCIM	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Device posture	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Site-to-site networking	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Audit logs	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Specs
Admin control level	Not checked yet	Advanced
Access model	Not checked yet	Hybrid
Supported platforms	Not checked yet	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chrome and Firefox browser extensions
Our review
Pros	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	Centralized administration with access policies, segmentation, and audit trails SSO, SCIM, 2FA enforcement, and MDM deployment compatibility Dedicated IPs, private gateways, monitoring, and broad client coverage
Cons	Clientless browser access has protocol and hostname limitations Session recording is not included Contract-plan pricing is custom rather than published	No free plan; access starts at $6.99 per user per month SSO, SCIM, segmentation, and audit trails require VPN Professional The password manager and SIEM integration require the highest tier
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 →	Proton VPN for Business provides encrypted connectivity for organizations with remote, hybrid, and traveling employees. It combines VPN access with centralized administration, network access policies, segmentation, identity controls,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• 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

• Proton VPN for Business — where it wins

  • Centralized administration with access policies, segmentation, and audit trails
  • SSO, SCIM, 2FA enforcement, and MDM deployment compatibility
  • Dedicated IPs, private gateways, monitoring, and broad client coverage

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan; access starts at $6.99 per user per month
  • SSO, SCIM, segmentation, and audit trails require VPN Professional
  • The password manager and SIEM integration require the highest tier

• Cloudflare Access8.6/10 · Free plan

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

  Visit CloudflareFull verdict →
• Proton VPN for Business8.5/10 · 14-day trial

  A managed business VPN with strong administration, identity, and device-management coverage.

  Visit Proton VPNFull verdict →