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Cloudflare vs Cloudflare Workers
Short answer: Pick Cloudflare if you want global edge network with integrated security; pick Cloudflare Workers if you want edge-native serverless functions. Cloudflare has a free plan, paid from $20/month; Cloudflare Workers has a free plan.
CloudflareCDN, DNS, DDoS protection and edge platform
Cloudflare WorkersServerless code on Cloudflare's global networkWhich to pick
Pick Cloudflare if you want…
- Global edge network with integrated security
- Integrations with Git, GitHub Actions or VS Code (on Cloudflare's list, not Cloudflare Workers')
Pick Cloudflare Workers if you want…
- Edge-native serverless functions
- Edge serverless code
- Integrations with JavaScript, TypeScript or Python (on Cloudflare Workers' list, not Cloudflare's)
Side by side
- What it is
- Cloudflare:Cloudflare provides a global network platform offering CDN, DNS, DDoS protection, Zero Trust security, and edge compute services.
- Cloudflare Workers:Cloudflare Workers lets you run serverless functions globally on Cloudflare’s edge network in JavaScript, TypeScript, Python or Rust.
- Best for
- Cloudflare:Global edge network with integrated security
- Cloudflare Workers:Edge-native serverless functions
- Who it’s for
- Cloudflare:Developers and teams needing fast, secure, and scalable web infrastructure.
- Cloudflare Workers:Developers building APIs, web apps, or edge logic who need low-latency, globally distributed compute.
- Pricing
- Cloudflare:Freemium
- Cloudflare Workers:Freemium
- Starting price
- Cloudflare:$20/month (Pro)
- Cloudflare Workers:—
- Free plan or trial
- Cloudflare:Free plan (Free)
- Cloudflare Workers:Free plan (Free)
- Plans
- Cloudflare:Free $0 · Pro $20 per month billed annually · Business $200 per month billed annually
- Cloudflare Workers:Free $0
- Works with
- Cloudflare:Git, GitHub Actions, VS Code
- Cloudflare Workers:JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Rust
Cloudflare features
- Unmetered DDoS protection. Mitigates large-scale attacks at no extra cost across all plans.
- Global CDN & DNS. Delivers content from 335+ cities, keeping latency under 50 ms for most users.
- Zero Trust SASE platform. Provides ZTNA, SWG, DEX, and SSO for secure access to apps and data.
- Edge serverless compute (Workers). Runs JavaScript, Rust, C/C++ code at the edge with no cold starts.
- Integrated AI & agents. Deploys AI agents, inference, and governance on the same network.
Cloudflare Workers features
- Global deployment. Deploy code to 330+ cities instantly, reducing latency for users worldwide.
- No cold starts. Functions start instantly without pre-warming, improving response times.
- Infinite concurrency. Scale automatically to handle any number of simultaneous requests.
- Pay-for-usage pricing. Only pay for CPU time and requests; no idle charges.
- Local development runtime. Test functions locally with the open-source workerd runtime before deploying.
Cloudflare vs Cloudflare Workers FAQ
What is the difference between Cloudflare and Cloudflare Workers?+
Cloudflare Workers: Focuses only on serverless edge functions, not the full CDN/DNS/Zero Trust suite.
Should I use Cloudflare or Cloudflare Workers?+
Pick Cloudflare if you want global edge network with integrated security or integrations with Git, GitHub Actions or VS Code (on Cloudflare's list, not Cloudflare Workers'). Pick Cloudflare Workers if you want edge-native serverless functions, edge serverless code or integrations with JavaScript, TypeScript or Python (on Cloudflare Workers' list, not Cloudflare's).
Is Cloudflare or Cloudflare Workers free?+
Cloudflare has a free plan; paid plans start at $20/month (Pro). Cloudflare Workers has a free plan and paid plans.
Do Cloudflare and Cloudflare Workers integrate with the same tools?+
Their integration lists don't overlap: Cloudflare lists Git, GitHub Actions and VS Code; Cloudflare Workers lists JavaScript, TypeScript, Python and Rust.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.