NordLayer vs Cloudflare Zero Trust: Pricing and Fit

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NordLayer and Cloudflare Zero Trust both address secure access, but their published plans use different packaging and pricing models. NordLayer lists per-user plans with minimum seats, while Cloudflare Zero Trust lists Free, Pay as you go, and Contract options based on users.

Feature comparison#

Area	NordLayer	Cloudflare Zero Trust
Secure access	VPN access, always-on VPN, auto-connect, multi-factor authentication, SSO, and activity reports are included in NordLayer Lite according to its pricing page.	Zero Trust Network Access, customizable access policies, identity-provider authentication, device posture integration, and clientless access are listed across Cloudflare’s plans.
Web and threat protection	NordLayer lists download protection, web protection, three VPN protocols, and NordLynx in Lite.	Cloudflare lists recursive DNS filtering, HTTP(S) filtering, L4 firewall filtering, antivirus inspection, and integrated threat intelligence.
Network controls	NordLayer Core adds private gateways, team-level access management, network segmentation, IP allowlisting, and device monitoring according to its documentation.	Cloudflare lists access to self-hosted, SaaS, and non-web applications, internal networks, split tunneling, internal DNS support, and infrastructure-as-code automation through Terraform.
Higher-tier controls	NordLayer Premium adds a Cloud Firewall, more granular network segmentation, restrictions on non-compliant devices, a Browser Extension, site connections, and secure endpoint file sharing.	Cloudflare lists CASB, mTLS authentication, Logpush, Cloud Email Security, DLP, and Remote Browser Isolation capabilities, with some items marked as add-ons or limited to Contract pricing.
Supported platforms and devices	NordLayer lists Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux application support, with six devices per license in Lite.	Cloudflare lists application connector software and device client agent software across its plans.

According to NordLayer, its plans progress from essential internet access security in Lite to more advanced network access control in Core and Premium. Cloudflare’s published plan document describes Zero Trust as protecting users accessing applications on any device and in any location.

Pricing at 3 team sizes#

NordLayer’s listed plans require at least five users for Lite, Core, and Premium. Its Enterprise offer is for teams over 200 seats and has a 200-user minimum. The listed NordLayer prices are monthly per user, with taxes calculated separately.

Team size	NordLayer Lite	NordLayer Core	NordLayer Premium	Source
5 users	$8 x 5 users x 12 months = $480	$11 x 5 users x 12 months = $660	$14 x 5 users x 12 months = $840, plus $40 x 12 months = $480 for the required dedicated-IP server	NordLayer pricing
10 users	$8 x 10 users x 12 months = $960	$11 x 10 users x 12 months = $1,320	$14 x 10 users x 12 months = $1,680, plus $40 x 12 months = $480 for the required dedicated-IP server	NordLayer pricing
200 users	$6 x 200 users x 12 months = $14,400, Enterprise offer from $6 per user per month	not published in the sources we checked for 200 users	not published in the sources we checked for 200 users	NordLayer pricing

NordLayer’s Enterprise offer is listed as starting from $6 per user per month with the Lite plan, and the price may vary if a higher plan or additional features are selected. Check NordLayer pricing

Cloudflare Zero Trust pricing is based on users. The published plan document lists Free at $0 forever for teams with up to 50 users, Pay as you go at $7/user/month annual, and Contract pricing as a custom price per user.

Team size	Free	Pay as you go, annual	Contract	Source
10 users	$0 forever	$7 x 10 users x 12 months = $840	Custom price per user	Cloudflare Zero Trust pricing PDF
50 users	$0 forever	$7 x 50 users x 12 months = $4,200	Custom price per user	Cloudflare Zero Trust pricing PDF
200 users	not published in the sources we checked	$7 x 200 users x 12 months = $16,800	Custom price per user	Cloudflare Zero Trust pricing PDF

The Cloudflare community page says the Zero Trust Free plan starts from and covers 50 users or seats. It also describes active users as consuming seats, but it does not provide a newer official price than the Cloudflare pricing document checked here.

Deployment and admin effort#

NordLayer’s signup documentation says administrators create an account, verify an email address, set an organization name and ID, choose an employee count, and then use the Control Panel to choose a subscription plan. NordLayer lists user provisioning with Microsoft Entra ID and Okta as an add-on, while SSO with Okta, Entra ID, OneLogin, Google, and JumpCloud is listed as included.

Cloudflare’s published plan document lists application connector software, device client software, identity-provider authentication, customizable access policies, and Terraform-based infrastructure-as-code automation. It also lists clientless access for web applications and browser-based SSH or VNC, which can provide an access option without a device client for those use cases.

The sources we checked do not publish a like-for-like implementation timeline or staffing estimate for either product.

Migration notes#

For NordLayer, the documented plan differences matter during migration. Lite provides shared gateway access, while Core adds private gateways and team-based access controls; Premium adds more granular segmentation, site connectivity, and controls for non-compliant devices. Organizations should map existing VPN access, private resources, teams, and device rules to the selected plan.

For Cloudflare Zero Trust, the published material describes starting with clientless methods for high-risk applications or third parties, then adding identity and endpoint protection and moving applications away from legacy VPNs. Its listed controls cover self-hosted, SaaS, non-web applications, internal networks, and arbitrary L4 to L7 TCP or UDP traffic.

The sources we checked do not provide a product-specific migration checklist, import procedure, or interoperability matrix.

FAQ#

Which product has a published free option?

Cloudflare Zero Trust lists a Free plan at $0 forever for teams with up to 50 users. NordLayer’s pricing page lists paid plans and a 14-day money-back guarantee, but not a free plan.

What is the smallest listed NordLayer team?

NordLayer Lite, Core, and Premium each list a five-user minimum. The Enterprise offer lists a 200-user minimum.

How is Cloudflare Zero Trust priced?

Cloudflare Zero Trust is priced by users. The checked pricing document lists Free at $0 forever, Pay as you go at $7/user/month annual, and Contract pricing at a custom price per user.

Does NordLayer require an additional dedicated-IP charge?

NordLayer’s pricing page says a server with Dedicated IP at $40 per month is required for Core and Premium. The listed Lite plan does not include a dedicated IP server.

Which product supports Terraform according to the checked sources?

Cloudflare Zero Trust lists infrastructure-as-code automation through Terraform. NordLayer’s checked pages do not mention Terraform.