Cloudflare
Tenable
| Feature | Cloudflare | Tenable |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $20/mo | Free / from $3990/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | websites, web-applications, api-developers, enterprises | security-teams, compliance-officers, it-operations, vulnerability-managers |
| Founded | 2009 | 2002 |
| Cdn | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ddos Protection | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dns | ✓ | ✗ |
| Workers Serverless | ✓ | ✗ |
| Zero Trust | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web Application Firewall | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ssl Tls | ✓ | ✗ |
| Pages | ✓ | ✗ |
| Vulnerability Scanning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Asset Discovery | ✗ | ✓ |
| Risk Prioritization | ✗ | ✓ |
| Compliance Reporting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web App Scanning | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cloud Security | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Cloudflare Pros
- Generous free tier includes CDN, DNS, and basic DDoS protection
- Global edge network with 300+ data centers
- Workers platform for serverless computing at the edge
- Fast DNS propagation and always-on DDoS mitigation
✗ Cloudflare Cons
- Advanced security features require expensive plans
- Support quality varies by plan level
- Some features have usage-based billing surprises
✓ Tenable Pros
- Comprehensive vulnerability coverage
- Excellent asset discovery
- Good risk prioritization
- Strong compliance reporting
✗ Tenable Cons
- Expensive for large environments
- Complex initial setup
- Scanning can impact performance
The Verdict
Cloudflare is built for websites and web applications, with a focus on cdn and ddos-protection. Tenable targets security teams and compliance officers and leads with vulnerability-scanning and asset-discovery.
On pricing, Cloudflare is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $20/mo compared to $3990/mo for Tenable. That $3970/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Cloudflare offers broader built-in capabilities (8 features vs 6), while Tenable takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Cloudflare has a slight overall edge — but if comprehensive vulnerability coverage matters most to you, Tenable may still be the right call.