Cloudflare Web3 IPFS Gateway vs Lighthouse

CWCloudflare Web3 IPFS Gateway8.3Visit Lighthouse7.9Visit

Higher score CW Cloudflare Web3 IPFS Gateway #1 in IPFS Hosting Services 8.3/10 Pricing on request ✓ 3 of 4 features Visit Cloudflare

vs

Lighthouse #7 in IPFS Hosting Services 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit Lighthouse

• Cloudflare Web3 IPFS Gateway fits best

  Teams focused on managed IPFS gateway delivery

• Lighthouse fits best

  Users seeking IPFS with distributed-storage backups

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Side by side

Feature	CWCloudflare Web3 IPFS Gateway 8.3/10 Visit ↗	Lighthouse 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.3	7.9
Ranking	#1 in IPFS Hosting Services	#7 in IPFS Hosting Services
Best for	Teams focused on managed IPFS gateway delivery	Users seeking IPFS with distributed-storage backups
Pricing model	Paid	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Pricing on request	$12/mo
Free plan	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud
Platforms	Web	Web
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Cloudflare Web3 IPFS Gateway 3/4 · Lighthouse 0/4
Managed gateway	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Custom gateway domains	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
S3-compatible API	—	Not checked yet
Developer API	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Specs
Included storage	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Gateway bandwidth	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Maximum file size	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Retrieve IPFS content by CID or IPNS path over HTTP Manage DNSLink or universal-path gateways by dashboard or API Cloudflare handles DNS, proxying, SSL/TLS, and content caching	Pairs IPFS hot storage with Filecoin storage backup. Offers encrypted uploads, token-gated access, and IPNS handles. Includes dedicated gateways, migration tools, SDKs, and a CLI.
Cons	Read-only access; it does not pin or store content Gateway hostnames use a subdomain of a Cloudflare zone Pricing is usage-based, with no public fixed price specified	Encryption and token gating are offered as add-ons. IPNS and migration support are also add-ons. The listed plan highlights do not distinguish Lite from Premium.
Our verdict	Cloudflare Web3 IPFS Gateway provides read-only HTTP access to IPFS content, letting applications retrieve content without operating their own IPFS node. It is aimed at teams that want managed gateway delivery for CID- or IPNS-addressed… Read the review →	Lighthouse is a decentralized storage service for individuals, developers, and enterprises who want to store, retrieve, and share files across IPFS, Filecoin, and Walrus. Its web application, APIs, SDK, CLI, and gateways cover both file… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Cloudflare Web3 IPFS Gateway — where it wins

  • Retrieve IPFS content by CID or IPNS path over HTTP
  • Manage DNSLink or universal-path gateways by dashboard or API
  • Cloudflare handles DNS, proxying, SSL/TLS, and content caching

  Where it doesn't

  • Read-only access; it does not pin or store content
  • Gateway hostnames use a subdomain of a Cloudflare zone
  • Pricing is usage-based, with no public fixed price specified

• Lighthouse — where it wins

  • Pairs IPFS hot storage with Filecoin storage backup.
  • Offers encrypted uploads, token-gated access, and IPNS handles.
  • Includes dedicated gateways, migration tools, SDKs, and a CLI.

  Where it doesn't

  • Encryption and token gating are offered as add-ons.
  • IPNS and migration support are also add-ons.
  • The listed plan highlights do not distinguish Lite from Premium.

• CWCloudflare Web3 IPFS Gateway8.3/10 · Pricing on request

  A managed, read-only IPFS gateway for CID and IPNS retrieval, with Cloudflare caching.

  Visit CloudflareFull verdict →
• Lighthouse7.9/10 · Free plan

  IPFS hot storage paired with Filecoin backup, plus tools for managing and serving files.

  Visit LighthouseFull verdict →