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Cloudflare vs Hetzner Cloud

Cloudflare logo

Cloudflare

Software

The web performance and security company

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hetzner Cloud logo

Hetzner Cloud

Software

Affordable cloud servers in Europe

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cloudflare free tier limited to basic features (no advanced analytics or premium features); Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • They diverge on capability: Cloudflare covers Global CDN, Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cloudflare and Hetzner Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Cloudflare and Hetzner Cloud differ
AttributeCloudflareHetzner Cloud
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
PlatformsWebWeb, Api, Cli
Founded20091997

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Cloudflare

  • Global CDN
  • DDoS Protection
  • WAF
  • DNS
  • SSL/TLS
  • Load Balancing
  • Bot Management
  • Workers (Serverless)

Only in Hetzner Cloud

  • Cloud servers
  • Block storage
  • Object storage
  • Load balancers
  • Networks
  • Firewalls
  • Floating IPs
  • Backups

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Cloudflare

  • Global content delivery network (CDN) with 330+ data centres worldwidenot Hetzner Cloud
  • DDoS protection and bot blockingnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Web application security and rate limitingnot Hetzner Cloud
  • DNS management and domain protectionnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Static and dynamic content cachingnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Serverless computing via Cloudflare Workersnot Hetzner Cloud
  • Database and storage services (D1, R2)not Hetzner Cloud
  • Performance optimisation for Core Web Vitalsnot Hetzner Cloud

Hetzner Cloud

  • Low-cost virtual servers for development and testingnot Cloudflare
  • European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot Cloudflare
  • Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot Cloudflare
  • Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot Cloudflare

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Cloudflare

  • Free tier limited to basic features (no advanced analytics or premium features)
  • Pro tier ($20-25/month) caps at professional websites (higher tiers needed for enterprise scale)
  • Caches only anonymous API GET responses (authenticated requests and non-GET methods not cached)
  • Geographic coverage limited to announced 330+ cities (may not cover all regions globally)

Hetzner Cloud

  • Cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • The shared-resource tiers are positioned for variable usage and development rather than sustained production workloads
  • Regions are limited to Germany, Finland, the United States and Singapore, so latency to other markets is a real constraint
  • The uptime guarantee is 99.9 percent, below what the large hyperscalers offer on comparable services
  • Support is 24/7 by email, without a phone channel

Pricing, plan by plan

Cloudflare

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cloudflare review.

Hetzner Cloud

Free
  • CX11$3.29/month
    • 1 vCPU
    • 1GB RAM
    • 25GB SSD
  • CX21$6.59/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 4GB RAM
    • 40GB SSD

Which should you pick?

Choose Cloudflare if

  • You need global cdn.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want ddos protection.
Cloudflare review

Choose Hetzner Cloud if

  • You need cloud servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want block storage.
Hetzner Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Cloudflare or Hetzner Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Cloudflare starts at Free and Hetzner Cloud at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cloudflare or Hetzner Cloud?
Cloudflare starts at Free and Hetzner Cloud at Free.
Does Cloudflare or Hetzner Cloud run on more platforms?
Cloudflare runs on Web. Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli.
Can I use Cloudflare for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Cloudflare best used for?
Cloudflare is most often used for global content delivery network (cdn) with 330+ data centres worldwide, ddos protection and bot blocking, web application security and rate limiting, dns management and domain protection. Of those, global content delivery network (cdn) with 330+ data centres worldwide and ddos protection and bot blocking are not what Hetzner Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Cloudflare do that Hetzner Cloud cannot?
Cloudflare covers Global CDN, DDoS Protection, WAF, DNS. Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support, Api support.
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