CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Cloudflare vs Network Critical

Cloudflare sells one platform for apps, agents and workforce. Network Critical sells modular TAP and Packet Broker solutions for network visibility. CISO Tribune files both under DDoS protection. This page sets the two records side by side: what each sells, where it is based, who owns and funds it, the customers it names and its recent news, each fact numbered to its source.

Change the companies

Up to four companies side by side.

  • Cloudflare
  • Network Critical
Cloudflare vs Network Critical: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
CloudflareCloudflare sells one platform for apps, agents and workforce.cloudflare.comNetwork CriticalNetwork Critical sells modular TAP and Packet Broker solutions for network visibility.networkcritical.com
What it sells
  • DDoS Protection[11][12][13][25][26]DDoS protection backed by 500 Tbps of network capacity.
  • Magic Transit[12][13]DDoS protection for networks at layers 3 and 4.
  • Spectrum[12][13]DDoS protection for TCP/UDP applications.
  • Bot Management[11][21][22][25]Custom machine learning models for each bot management customer.
  • RealtimeKit[24]A toolkit for real-time audio and video communication.
  • Network TAPs[1][3]A network TAP creates an exact copy of all data flowing between two points in a network.
  • Packet Brokers[1][7][8][13]Network packet brokers process inputs from multiple sources and deliver the right traffic to the right tools.
  • Hybrid TAP and Packet Broker[8]A hybrid test access point and packet broker combines the functions of a TAP and a packet broker in one package.
  • Bypass TAPs[9][10]A bypass TAP monitors security devices and reroutes network traffic around failing tools.
  • INVIKTUS[1][11][12]INVIKTUS is a zero-trust security solution.
  • Ethernet TAPs[6]Ethernet TAPs capture network traffic without impacting performance.
  • Passive Fiber TAPs[5]Passive fiber TAPs provide always-on monitoring, including when the power is out.
Categories
Headquarters
San Francisco, United States[3][28]Not stated on its pages
Founded
2009[4]Not stated on its pages
Ownership and funding
Public (NYSE: NET)[2][10][19][20][28][31][32]Not stated on its pages
Named customers
  • Canva[5]
  • Discord[6]
  • Shopify[7]
  • Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory[8]
Not stated on its pages
Recent news
  • October 9, 2026Cloudflare announced that the Deno team is joining the company, with the stated aim of simplifying self-hosting of Workers and Durable Objects.[18]
  • August 6, 2026Cloudflare reported second-quarter 2026 revenue of $696.1 million, up 36% year over year.[9]
  • June 4, 2026Cloudflare acquired VoidZero, the open source company behind the Vite JavaScript build tooling ecosystem.[10]
  • May 7, 2026Cloudflare reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of $639.8 million, up 34% year over year.[2]
  • April 14, 2026Cloudflare announced Cloudflare Mesh, a private networking solution built for AI agents.[32]
Not stated on its pages
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • Gartner Peer Insights: listed, seen November 3, 2026[20]
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
Who it fits
From its own pages, Cloudflare sells to organizations from startups to the world's largest enterprises. Cloudflare describes its security platform as serving organizations from startup to enterprise. Cloudflare addresses developers building frontend applications, from static sites to complex web apps. Cloudflare works with managed service partners that serve small to midsize organizations. Cloudflare works with global partners serving the Large Enterprise segment.Network Critical provides bypass TAPs for data centres running inline IPS, firewalls and DDoS mitigation tools. Network Critical describes its data diodes as suitable for highly regulated sectors, such as military, ICS and SCADA infrastructure. Network Critical describes its environmentally protected OT devices as suited to manufacturing floors, utility substations and outdoor installations.
Last verified
October 10, 2026November 8, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Cloudflare and Network Critical are both filed under DDoS protection.

Where they differ, field by field

  • Cloudflare's primary category is DDoS protection; Network Critical's is Network visibility and traffic brokering.
  • Cloudflare is also filed under WAF and WAAP, SASE and SSE and DNS security. Network Critical is also filed under OT and ICS security.
  • Cloudflare lists DDoS Protection, Magic Transit, Spectrum, Bot Management and RealtimeKit. Network Critical lists Network TAPs, Packet Brokers, Hybrid TAP and Packet Broker, Bypass TAPs, INVIKTUS and 2 more.
  • Cloudflare is headquartered in San Francisco, United States.
  • Cloudflare was founded in 2009.
  • Cloudflare is a public company listed on NYSE as NET.
  • Cloudflare publicly names Canva, Discord, Shopify and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

What it sells: Cloudflare

What DDoS Protection does[11][12][13][25][26]
Cloudflare says its DDoS protection absorbs the largest attacks with 500 Tbps of network capacity. Cloudflare offers 24/7 email and phone support, including an Under Attack hotline.
What Spectrum does[12][13]
Cloudflare Spectrum provides DDoS protection for TCP/UDP applications. Spectrum covers applications built with any protocols, including custom protocols.
What Bot Management does[11][21][22][25]
Cloudflare built a platform to deploy custom machine learning models for every bot management customer. Super Bot Fight Mode includes bot protection for Pro, Business and all Enterprise customers.
What RealtimeKit does[24]
RealtimeKit handles WebRTC complexities, connection management and global routing. RealtimeKit Agents supports building voice bots, interactive assistants and automated support systems.

What it sells: Network Critical

What Network TAPs does[1][3]
A network TAP creates an exact copy of all data flowing between two points in a network. TAPs are used to monitor network traffic for performance, security, or compliance.
What Packet Brokers does[1][7][8][13]
Network packet brokers process inputs from multiple sources and deliver the right traffic to the right tools. SmartNA-PortPlus is a packet broker that aggregates low-speed links onto fewer high-speed tools.
What Hybrid TAP and Packet Broker does[8]
A hybrid test access point and packet broker combines the functions of a TAP and a packet broker in one package. Hybrid TAP and packet brokers offer traffic aggregation, load balancing and port mapping. They use interchangeable, hot-swappable TAP modules, including fail-safe copper.
What Bypass TAPs does[9][10]
A bypass TAP monitors security devices and reroutes network traffic around failing tools. Bypass TAPs send small test signals, known as heartbeats, to security appliances. SmartNA-XL bypass TAPs detect when inline security tools fail and redirect traffic in real-time.
What INVIKTUS does[1][11][12]
INVIKTUS is a zero-trust security solution. INVIKTUS network security is built on the zero-trust framework and analyzes and validates traffic.
What Ethernet TAPs does[6]
Ethernet TAPs capture network traffic without impacting performance. Ethernet TAPs can be deployed as standalone TAPs or within SmartNA chassis for advanced traffic management.

Questions about Cloudflare and Network Critical

What do Cloudflare and Network Critical sell?
Cloudflare sells DDoS Protection, Magic Transit, Spectrum, Bot Management and RealtimeKit. Network Critical sells Network TAPs, Packet Brokers, Hybrid TAP and Packet Broker, Bypass TAPs, INVIKTUS and 2 more.
Are Cloudflare and Network Critical in the same category?
They share DDoS protection. Cloudflare's primary category is DDoS protection and Network Critical's is Network visibility and traffic brokering.
Where are Cloudflare and Network Critical headquartered?
Cloudflare is headquartered in San Francisco, United States.
When were Cloudflare and Network Critical founded?
Cloudflare was founded in 2009.
Who owns Cloudflare and Network Critical?
Cloudflare is a public company listed on NYSE as NET.
Which customers do Cloudflare and Network Critical name?
Cloudflare publicly names Canva, Discord, Shopify and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Who are Cloudflare and Network Critical sold to?
From its own pages, Cloudflare sells to organizations from startups to the world's largest enterprises. Network Critical provides bypass TAPs for data centres running inline IPS, firewalls and DDoS mitigation tools.
What have Cloudflare and Network Critical announced recently?
October 9, 2026: Cloudflare announced that the Deno team is joining the company, with the stated aim of simplifying self-hosting of Workers and Durable Objects.

About Cloudflare

Cloudflare sells one platform for apps, agents and workforce. Cloudflare describes one network for workloads and security, close to users and close to data. Cloudflare says security, connectivity and code run in 335+ cities around the world, within 50ms of 95% of the world's population. Cloudflare says DDoS protection, WAF, bot management and Zero Trust controls are built into the network and run on every request from day one. Cloudflare says every site gets the same DDoS mitigation, the same global CDN and the same network at every tier.[1][11][21]

On DDoS defense, Cloudflare says its DDoS protection absorbs the largest attacks with 500 Tbps of network capacity. Cloudflare Spectrum provides DDoS protection for TCP/UDP applications. Spectrum covers applications built with any protocols, including custom protocols. Magic Transit protects networks, data centers and infrastructure against layer 3 and 4 DDoS attacks. Cloudflare says Anycast absorbs and auto-routes traffic, with mitigations that trigger in seconds and no manual tuning. Cloudflare offers 24/7 email and phone support, including an Under Attack hotline.[12][13][21]

For application security, Cloudflare says customers can deploy WAF, rate-limiting, mTLS and Bot Management with a single DNS change, with no agents and no appliances. Cloudflare says one API and dashboard covers edge rules, logs and analytics, and integrates with CI/CD for policy-as-code. Cloudflare says schema validation and mTLS protect REST/GraphQL traffic and enforce client identity, with no SDK required. Cloudflare offers free, auto-renewed certificates and modern transport. Cloudflare provides real-time dashboards plus raw logs to R2/S3/SIEM. Cloudflare says it can detect Magecart-style client-side tampering before customers' card data leaks. Cloudflare says its security platform protects 20% of the Internet.[21]

On bot defense, Cloudflare built a platform to deploy custom machine learning models for every bot management customer. Cloudflare says Super Bot Fight Mode includes bot protection for Pro, Business and all Enterprise customers, and Enterprise Bot Management is the other bot option named.[22]

For workforce security, Cloudflare says internal apps and developer tools can be protected with identity-based access, device posture checks and single sign-on, with no VPN required. Cloudflare says its Zero Trust platform connects and secures users, devices and data, with the first 50 employees free and a flat per-user rate beyond that.[11][21]

Cloudflare also serves developers who build applications. Cloudflare says customers can bring any JavaScript framework or build tool, connect a git repository and deploy a project to a single Worker serving both front-end and back-end. Cloudflare supports Next.js, Hono, React Router, TanStack, Remix, Astro, Nuxt and RedwoodJS. Cloudflare says it charges only for compute, not wall time, even during long agent workflows or hibernating WebSockets. RealtimeKit handles WebRTC complexities, connection management and global routing. RealtimeKit Agents supports building voice bots, interactive assistants and automated support systems.[11][23][24]

Among customers, Shopify powers commerce for millions of merchants and businesses. Shopify uses the Cloudflare WAF, Bot Management, DDoS Protection and Gateway. Cloudflare says the log-only rules in that setup let Shopify preview the impact of security changes before they reach production. Cloudflare works with partners as well: it expanded its worldwide reseller partnership with Rackspace Technology to include managed services offerings. Cloudflare says the Rackspace service includes onboarding support for Cloudflare Managed DNS, Content Delivery Network, Advanced DDoS Protection and Web Application Firewall.[11][25][26][27]

Cloudflare, Inc says its suite of products protects and accelerates any Internet application online without adding hardware, installing software, or changing a line of code. Cloudflare is headquartered in San Francisco, CA, with offices in Austin, TX, Champaign, IL, New York, NY, San Jose, CA, Seattle, WA, Washington, D.C., Toronto, Dubai, Lisbon, London, Munich, Paris, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. Cloudflare Radar is powered by data from Cloudflare's global network and from aggregated and anonymized data from Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 public DNS Resolver.[1][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][23][27]

Cloudflare on the record

Sources

Cloudflare full record

  1. [1]cloudflare.comCloudflare · cloudflare.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Cloudflare announces first quarter 2026 financial resultsCloudflare · cloudflare.com · published May 7, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]About overviewCloudflare · cloudflare.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Technologys promise def con china 1 0 highlightsCloudflare · blog.cloudflare.com · published June 5, 2019 · Tier A
  5. [5]CanvaCloudflare · cloudflare.com · undated page, accessed October 10, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]DiscordCloudflare · cloudflare.com · undated page, accessed October 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]ShopifyCloudflare · cloudflare.com · undated page, accessed October 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Lawrence berkeley national laboratoryCloudflare · cloudflare.com · undated page, accessed October 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Cloudflare announces second quarter 2026 financial resultsCloudflare · cloudflare.com · published August 6, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Cloudflare acquires voidzero to build the future of the ai native webCloudflare · cloudflare.com · published June 4, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Cloudflare: Build for the agent eraCloudflare · undated page, accessed October 23, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]Cloudflare DDoS Protection & Mitigation SolutionsCloudflare · undated page, accessed October 23, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Magic Transit - Unmatched DDoS Protection for NetworksCloudflare · undated page, accessed October 23, 2026 · Tier A
  14. [14]US Privacy Law Compliance FAQs | CloudflareCloudflare · undated page, accessed October 23, 2026 · Tier A
  15. [15]Cloudflare Stream - All-in-one Video PlatformCloudflare · undated page, accessed October 23, 2026 · Tier A
  16. [16]Cloudflare Artifacts - Versioned Git-compatible storage for agentsCloudflare · undated page, accessed October 23, 2026 · Tier A
  17. [17]Cloudflare AI Search - Automatic RAG infrastructure and queryingCloudflare · undated page, accessed October 23, 2026 · Tier A
  18. [18]Posts tagged "Acquisitions" — Cloudflare BlogCloudflare Blog · published October 9, 2026 · Tier A
  19. [19]Cloudflare Application Security and Performance Reviews 2026 - G2G2 · undated page, accessed October 23, 2026 · Tier C
  20. [20]Cloudflare Reviews, Ratings & Features 2026 | Gartner Peer InsightsGartner Peer Insights · undated page, accessed October 23, 2026 · Tier C
  21. [21]Web Security Platform - WAF, DDoS Protection, Bot ManagementCloudflare · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  22. [22]Building unique, per-customer defenses against advanced bot threats in the AI era | Cloudflare BlogCloudflare Blog · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  23. [23]Frontend Development PlatformCloudflare · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  24. [24]Cloudflare RealtimeKit - Voice, Video & Multimodal AppsCloudflare · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  25. [25]Shopify & Cloudflare | Customer StoryCloudflare · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  26. [26]Cloudflare and Rackspace Technology Expand Partnership with Managed Services | Cloudflare BlogCloudflare Blog · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  27. [27]Cloudflare Partner Program Now Supports SASE & Zero Trust Managed Services | Cloudflare BlogCloudflare Blog · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  28. [28]About | Cloudflare RadarCloudflare Radar · undated page, accessed November 3, 2026 · Tier A
  29. [29]Cloudflare to Acquire Replicate to Build the Most Seamless AI Cloud for DevelopersCloudflare · published November 17, 2025 · Tier A
  30. [30]Cloudflare Acquires Astro to Accelerate the Future of High-Performance Web DevelopmentCloudflare · published January 16, 2026 · Tier A
  31. [31]Cloudflare Strengthens Content Offering to AI Companies with Acquisition of Human NativeCloudflare · published January 15, 2026 · Tier A
  32. [32]Cloudflare Launches Mesh to Secure the AI Agent LifecycleCloudflare · published April 14, 2026 · Tier A

Network Critical full record

  1. [1]networkcritical.comNetwork Critical · networkcritical.com · undated page, accessed November 8, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Stars group case studyNetwork Critical · networkcritical.com · undated page, accessed November 8, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Aviation Case Study | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Network TAPs | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Passive Fiber TAPs | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Ethernet TAPs | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Network Visibility Solutions | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Hybrid TAP and Packet Broker | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]Bypass TAPs for Inline Data Centre Security | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]Network Bypass TAPs | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]Healthcare Case Study | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]OT Network Monitoring Solutions | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  13. [13]Data Diodes | Network CriticalNetwork Critical · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A

Spot a factual error? Request a correction.