Cloudflare Gateway vs Microsoft Defender for Business

Cloudflare Gateway9.0Visit Microsoft Defender for Business7.9Visit

Higher score Cloudflare Gateway #2 in User Threat Prevention Software 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Cloudflare

vs

Microsoft Defender for Business #6 in User Threat Prevention Software 7.9/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Microsoft

• Cloudflare Gateway fits best

  Teams seeking affordable, broad web and DNS filtering

• Microsoft Defender for Business fits best

  Small businesses seeking endpoint protection

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Side by side

Feature	Cloudflare Gateway 9.0/10 Visit ↗	Microsoft Defender for Business 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	7.9
Ranking	#2 in User Threat Prevention Software	#6 in User Threat Prevention Software
Best for	Teams seeking affordable, broad web and DNS filtering	Small businesses seeking endpoint protection
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	—	$3/user/mo
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	30 days
Deployment	Cloud, Mobile	Cloud, Mobile
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android
Support	Community, Live chat, Tickets, Phone	Docs
Integrations	6 integrations	4 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market
Features Cloudflare Gateway 0/5 · Microsoft Defender for Business 0/5
Phishing simulations	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Browser isolation	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Attachment sandboxing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
User report button	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Automated remediation	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Protected channels	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Filters DNS, HTTP, and network traffic with threat and content policies Offers schedules, custom blocklists, SafeSearch, and activity logging Supports desktop, mobile, network on-ramps, and device-management integrations	Combines antivirus, EDR, and ransomware attack disruption. Automates investigation and remediation of detected issues. Covers Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices.
Cons	The free plan is intended for teams under 50 users or proof-of-concept tests The $7 plan targets narrow SSE use cases and excludes enterprise support Optional HTTPS inspection and DLP integration add configuration considerations	The $3 per-user monthly price requires annual billing. The 30-day trial requires a payment card. Its focus is device security, not broader user-threat channels.
Our verdict	Cloudflare Gateway is a cloud-native secure web gateway for organizations protecting employees, remote users, branch offices, and guest networks. It applies DNS, HTTP, and network filtering to internet traffic, with policies for threat and… Read the review →	Microsoft Defender for Business provides endpoint security for small and medium-sized businesses, with support for up to 300 users and five devices per user. Its protection spans Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, making it a fit for… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Cloudflare Gateway — where it wins

  • Filters DNS, HTTP, and network traffic with threat and content policies
  • Offers schedules, custom blocklists, SafeSearch, and activity logging
  • Supports desktop, mobile, network on-ramps, and device-management integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • The free plan is intended for teams under 50 users or proof-of-concept tests
  • The $7 plan targets narrow SSE use cases and excludes enterprise support
  • Optional HTTPS inspection and DLP integration add configuration considerations

• Microsoft Defender for Business — where it wins

  • Combines antivirus, EDR, and ransomware attack disruption.
  • Automates investigation and remediation of detected issues.
  • Covers Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices.

  Where it doesn't

  • The $3 per-user monthly price requires annual billing.
  • The 30-day trial requires a payment card.
  • Its focus is device security, not broader user-threat channels.

• Cloudflare Gateway9.0/10 · Free plan

  A broad DNS, HTTP, and network filtering gateway with a free plan and paid entry at $7 per user monthly.

  Visit CloudflareFull verdict →
• Microsoft Defender for Business7.9/10 · 30-day trial

  Affordable endpoint protection with EDR and ransomware response, billed annually.

  Visit MicrosoftFull verdict →