Platform · developer cloud
Cloudflare
An edge network for performance, security and developer compute close to users
The verdict
Cloudflare runs a global edge network providing CDN, DNS, DDoS protection and developer compute through Workers, Pages, R2 storage and the Vectorize vector database. It serves everyone from hobby sites to large enterprises.
What it is
Cloudflare sits in front of a site or app to cache content, filter malicious traffic and terminate TLS at locations near the visitor. Its developer platform lets you run code at the edge with Workers, host front ends on Pages, store objects in R2, and build retrieval features on the Vectorize vector database and Workers AI inference. The breadth is large, which means the dashboard and product naming take time to learn, and some edge features impose runtime limits that differ from a normal server.
Strengths
- Global edge network caches and protects sites with little configuration
- Workers and Pages let you run code and host front ends near users
- Includes object storage (R2) and a vector database (Vectorize) for AI features
Trade-offs
- Large product range and renamed services make the dashboard hard to learn
- Edge runtime imposes CPU and execution limits unlike a normal server
- Advanced security and analytics features sit behind higher paid tiers
Best for
Speeding up and protecting a website, then optionally building serverless features at the edge close to users.
Not for
Teams wanting a single long-running application server; the edge runtime imposes execution limits a traditional VM does not.
The AI ecosystem
Massive edge network, extensive developer platform/APIs (Workers, Pages, R2, D1, Queues, Durable Objects), and AI (Workers AI, Vectorize vector DB, AI Gateway). Core internet infrastructure a huge share of sites/AI apps build on.
Pricing
Generous free tier; paid plans (Pro ~$20/mo, Business ~$200/mo, Enterprise custom) for sites, plus usage-based developer products (Workers, R2, D1, Vectorize).
Free
Free$0
- CDN, basic security
- Workers/Pages free tier
Pro
Custom
- enhanced security
- performance
Business/Enterprise
Custom
- advanced
- SLA/support
What people build with it
Frequently asked
- What does Cloudflare actually do?
- It places your site behind a global edge network that caches content, blocks malicious traffic, manages DNS and can run serverless code close to visitors.
- Can I build AI apps on Cloudflare?
- Yes. Workers AI runs model inference at the edge, and Vectorize stores embeddings, so you can build retrieval-augmented features without a separate backend.
- Is Cloudflare free to use?
- Core CDN, DNS and basic security are available on a free plan. Higher traffic limits, advanced security and analytics require paid Pro, Business or Enterprise tiers.
- What are the limits of Cloudflare Workers?
- Workers run in an edge runtime with CPU-time and memory limits, so long-running or stateful processes need a traditional server or a paired service instead.