Cloudflare vs Stytch: Full Comparison (2026)
Pricing, features, scores, and a clear verdict on which one is right for you.
The bottom line
Cloudflare positions itself as "cdn, ddos protection, and edge computing platform" while Stytch goes after "authentication infrastructure for modern apps" — so the right pick depends on which problem you're actually solving. Both use freemium pricing, but Cloudflare charges flat while Stytch charges per mau — a meaningful difference for larger teams. Cloudflare (founded 2009) has had more time to build out its ecosystem and integrations, while Stytch (2020) tends to move faster on modern UX and newer workflows.
At a glance
| Cloudflare | Stytch | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 91/100 | 82/100 |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | CDN, DDoS protection, and edge computing platform | Authentication infrastructure for modern apps |
Pricing comparison
Calculate your cost
Feature comparison
core
| Feature | Cloudflare | Stytch |
|---|---|---|
| CDN | Yes | No |
| DDoS protection | Yes | No |
| DNS | Yes | No |
| SSL/TLS | Yes | No |
| WAF | Pro+ | No |
| Magic links | No | Yes |
| Passkeys | No | Yes |
| OAuth | No | Yes |
| SMS/TOTP MFA | No | Yes |
| Session management | No | Yes |
advanced
| Feature | Cloudflare | Stytch |
|---|---|---|
| Workers (edge functions) | Yes | No |
| R2 (object storage) | Yes | No |
| D1 (SQL at edge) | Yes | No |
| Pages (static hosting) | Yes | No |
| Zero Trust (ZTNA) | Yes | No |
| B2B SSO | No | Yes |
| Organizations | No | Yes |
| RBAC | No | Yes |
| Device fingerprinting | No | Yes |
| Connected Apps | No | Yes |
integrations
| Feature | Cloudflare | Stytch |
|---|---|---|
| AWS | Yes | No |
| GCP | Yes | No |
| Azure | Yes | No |
| GitHub | Yes | No |
| Terraform | Yes | No |
| Pulumi | Yes | No |
| Next.js | No | Yes |
| React | No | Yes |
| Node.js | No | Yes |
| Python | No | Yes |
| Ruby | No | Yes |
Ratings breakdown
What the data tells us
Key capabilities you'd miss
Choosing Cloudflare means going without Magic links, Passkeys, OAuth (which Stytch offers). Choosing Stytch means losing CDN, DDoS protection, DNS. These are the features that typically drive the final decision — check whether your workflow depends on any of them before committing.
What company size tells you
Stytch (51-200 employees) has the engineering bench to ship features across many fronts but may iterate slower on individual requests. Cloudflare (3,000+ employees) typically ships faster on its core product but may lag on peripheral features. Consider which matters more for your roadmap.
Choose Cloudflare if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value an intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
Choose Stytch if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value an intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
Frequently asked questions
Is Cloudflare or Stytch better?
Cloudflare scores 91/100 compared to Stytch's 82/100 on VendorVS. However, the best choice depends on your needs — Cloudflare excels at ease of use (8/10) while Stytch scores 9/10.
How much does Cloudflare cost compared to Stytch?
Cloudflare starts at free (free tier available). Stytch starts at free (free tier available). Cloudflare is the more affordable option.
Does Cloudflare or Stytch have a free plan?
Yes, both Cloudflare and Stytch offer free tiers, so you can try each before committing to a paid plan.
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