Cloudflare's DMARC offering integrates within its extensive security and performance ecosystem. When we used it, we found it provided a foundational level of DMARC reporting and enforcement. Its strength lies in being part of a larger suite, allowing for a consolidated approach to web security, DNS, and email authentication.
The DMARC functionality leverages Cloudflare's global network, which is advantageous for any domain already using Cloudflare for other services. We observed that while it provides the core DMARC insights, it's designed to complement their broader security products rather than being a standalone, deeply specialized DMARC analysis tool. This means you get DMARC with all the trimmings of a CDN and WAF, which can be a double-edged sword depending on your focus.
DMARCAnalyzer, now part of Mimecast, offers a more focused and dedicated approach to DMARC reporting and analysis. Our experience with it showed a comprehensive suite of features specifically tailored for email authentication, designed to guide users through the complexities of DMARC deployment and enforcement.
It goes beyond basic reporting to include detailed forensic analysis, intelligent threat detection, and tools to manage SPF, DKIM, and BIMI records. We found its email-centric features to be robust, offering granular control and visibility into email flows, which is crucial for organizations where email security is a primary concern. It is built from the ground up to solve DMARC challenges, which is evident in its specialized toolkit.
How easy is each product to use
User experience
Cloudflare's dashboard, which houses its DMARC management, is generally well-structured and familiar to existing Cloudflare users. For those already in their ecosystem, integrating DMARC management is straightforward, as it aligns with their existing DNS and security configurations. We found the interface intuitive for basic DMARC monitoring, fitting seamlessly into the broader Cloudflare experience.
However, for users solely interested in DMARC and unfamiliar with Cloudflare's wider array of services, the sheer volume of options can be overwhelming. While easy for core tasks, navigating to specific DMARC settings amidst CDN, WAF, and other offerings can feel like finding a needle in a very performant haystack. It's a platform built for many purposes, and DMARC is one slice of that large pie.
DMARCAnalyzer, in our usage, presented a highly focused and user-friendly interface specifically designed for DMARC. The dashboard immediately highlights critical DMARC data, making it easy to grasp authentication trends and potential threats. Its dedicated nature means there is less clutter, allowing for a quicker understanding of email authentication status.
The onboarding process for setting up DMARC records and receiving reports felt streamlined, guiding us effectively through each step. We appreciate that its design prioritizes the DMARC journey, making it an excellent choice for those who want a clear, unambiguous view of their email authentication without needing to filter through unrelated security features. It's less of a Swiss Army knife and more of a precision instrument for email.
Which product has the best support
Support
Cloudflare's support structure often depends on your service tier. For basic or free users, support is primarily community-driven and through extensive documentation. As we observed with various Cloudflare products, getting direct, personalized support can be challenging unless you're on a higher-tier plan.
While their documentation is vast and covers many scenarios, issues specific to DMARC configuration or complex email flow problems might require more dedicated assistance, which may not be readily available for all plans. Enterprise clients typically receive excellent, dedicated support, but smaller users might find themselves relying on self-service.
DMARCAnalyzer, especially given its integration with Mimecast, offers specialized support focused on email security and DMARC. Our interactions indicated a team well-versed in the nuances of email authentication. This specialized knowledge is a significant advantage when troubleshooting complex DMARC issues or understanding forensic reports.
Their support tends to be more direct and tailored to DMARC-specific challenges, which can save considerable time and frustration for organizations deeply invested in email deliverability and security. When it comes to email authentication, having experts who speak the same language is invaluable, and we found DMARCAnalyzer's team to be precisely that.
Who should use each product
Suitability
Cloudflare is an excellent choice for organizations already utilizing its broader suite of web performance and security services, or those looking for a unified platform. It's particularly suitable for SMBs and enterprise clients that need DMARC as part of a comprehensive security posture, rather than as a standalone solution. The convenience of managing DMARC alongside CDN, WAF, and DNS can simplify IT operations.
For MSPs, Cloudflare offers a powerful infrastructure that can be leveraged across multiple client domains, though the DMARC management aspect is still evolving. It is less suited for those whose primary and sole concern is deep, specialized DMARC analysis without needing other web security features, as it might feel like overkill or less focused. If you're looking for an all-in-one web solution, Cloudflare often fits the bill.
DMARCAnalyzer is ideally suited for organizations, from SMBs to enterprise, that prioritize robust email authentication and deliverability. It's perfect for those who require dedicated DMARC expertise and tools to achieve strict email enforcement and combat phishing and spoofing. Companies with complex email sending infrastructures will benefit from its specialized analysis and reporting.
MSPs will find DMARCAnalyzer's multi-tenancy capabilities and focused toolset highly valuable for managing DMARC across numerous client domains. Its deep dive into email forensics and simplified DMARC journey makes it a go-to for anyone who needs to make email security a top priority, without the distraction of unrelated web services. If email is your critical communication channel, DMARCAnalyzer provides the focus you need.
How does Cloudflare compare with DMARCAnalyzer?
DMARC report analysis
Analysis of DMARC aggregate and forensic reports.
Source detection
Ability to identify legitimate and malicious email sending sources.
Forward detection
Detection of email forwarding chains and their impact on DMARC.
Limited details compared to dedicated email platforms.
Spoof detection
Identification of spoofed emails impersonating your domain.
Notifications and alerts
Configurable alerts for DMARC policy changes or anomalies.
Reporting
Customizable reports on DMARC compliance and email authentication.
API
Programmatic access to DMARC data and configuration.
Extensive API for broader Cloudflare services.
API for DMARC-specific integrations.
Multi-tenancy
Capability to manage multiple domains or client accounts.
Available for enterprise and larger organizations.
Robust support for MSPs and multiple domains.
SPF flattening
Technique to reduce SPF DNS lookup count.
Not a dedicated feature, but other DNS management tools might help.
Hosted DMARC
Managed DMARC record hosting service.
DMARC record management via DNS.
Dedicated hosted DMARC solutions.
BIMI
Support for Brand Indicators for Message Identification.
DNS record support for BIMI.
Includes BIMI record checks and management.
MTA-STS/TLS-RPT
Support for Mail Transfer Agent Strict Transport Security and TLS Reporting.
Part of broader email security strategy.
Dedicated tools for email encryption protocols.
Blocklists and reputation
Monitoring of domain or IP on email blocklists (or blacklists).
General reputation monitoring within broad security.
Focused on email sender reputation.
AI copilot
AI-powered assistant for DMARC insights and actions.
DNS monitoring
Monitoring of DNS records and changes.
Comprehensive DNS management and monitoring.
Focuses on email-related DNS records.
Self hostable
Option to self-host the DMARC reporting solution.
Free trial/free tier
Availability of a free version or trial period.
DMARC Management Beta is free, broad free tier available.
Offers a DMARC free trial.
Drawbacks and what to watch out for
When considering the drawbacks, Cloudflare users often report challenges with customer support, particularly on lower-tier plans, and occasional billing inaccuracies. Some also feel that while its core features are strong, certain 'side features' can feel underdeveloped. DMARCAnalyzer, on the other hand, lacks public reviews, which makes it harder to identify common user-reported issues. Its primary drawback, from our perspective, might be its specialized focus, which means it doesn't offer the broad web security features that Cloudflare provides, potentially requiring additional tools for a complete online protection strategy.
We have pulled the average ratings from G2 for each product, and also included the most recent negative reviews for each product in full. Positive reviews tend to have less detail and have a higher chance of being fraudulent, so negative reviews are a better signal for your decision.
4.5 / 5(561)
0 / 5(0)
Horrible support and billing - they run with your money and don't care to get billing correct
0.0 / 5
What do you like best about Cloudflare Application Security and Performance?
Ease of deployment, dashboard and configurations for the WAF, Cache, and other features are top tier with ease, settings, and logging. Just don't have an issue with them or you're on your own. Also, don't keep a credit card on file or they'll bill you for their mistakes.
What do you dislike about Cloudflare Application Security and Performance?
Customer support and billing. Their support does not read what you have to say but rather comes in with their own interpretation of what has happened and forces their views on your issue rather than trying to understand exactly what is happening. On two occassions in the last few months I have had this happen when I encountered an issue with the core product and their billing.
The billing should be detailed further as it is sketchy business practices. Back in April they changed their billing software and charged me incorrectly for a month as it included the previous month as well (which I already paid). I brought this to their attention and the billing support assured me that it was not a problem. Come last week, they limited my account as I "had unpaid biling" so I contacted them again and brought attention to this wrong invoice that they never corrected. Come yesterday, they just charged my credit card on file without my authorization or explanination of what is going on. I've replied to the open ticket and created a new ticket and no one is answering.
I don't want to be a drama case but this is ridiculous to have been charged something from months ago and not be given an explanation.
What problems is Cloudflare Application Security and Performance solving and how is that benefiting you?
Improve the security and performance of our websites/applications. Their configurable/customizable WAF, CDN/Caching, bot mitigation, and DDoS protection accomplish this for our websites/applications.
Jim M.
Owner Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
No G2 reviews
G2 is the most popular review platform for DMARC products, so this is a strong signal that this product is not popular.
Support very unresponsive. Not understanding P1 urgency. Delayed project 3 whole days.
0.0 / 5
What do you like best about Cloudflare Application Security and Performance?
The website is intuitive, implementation steps are straightforward. It has numerous features, and they are indeed needed by a web app.
What do you dislike about Cloudflare Application Security and Performance?
If your implementation goes well, it's fine. However, if you are in trouble, the support doc is useless. You pay for the pro plan to try to get some technician support. No one cares about your business or service, even if you identify it as a P1 urgency. My project was down and could not get anyone to help me when I identified it as a high-impact ticket.
What problems is Cloudflare Application Security and Performance solving and how is that benefiting you?
The ticket support system is horrible. No technicians provide you with timely manner answers and support. Not worth the price.
Andrew Z.
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
WAF is good, but so many half baked side features
2.5 / 5
What do you like best about Cloudflare Application Security and Performance?
The WAF is pretty industry standard. Its not too slow, gets regular updates, easy to deploy and cheap
What do you dislike about Cloudflare Application Security and Performance?
The side features are just trash. Its clear they have been shipped and dropped.
Cloudflare Bot Detection should not exist. Its not even funny how easy it is to bypass.
Page Shield is a joke, their API security is a joke.
What problems is Cloudflare Application Security and Performance solving and how is that benefiting you?
OWASP top 10
Verified User in Computer Software
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Love the product- support could use some work
2.5 / 5
What do you like best about Cloudflare Application Security and Performance?
Super easy to use. Very developer friendly. Tons of value for price. Undoubtedly #1 in WAF.
What do you dislike about Cloudflare Application Security and Performance?
Could use some better support. No direct channels for tech questions.
What problems is Cloudflare Application Security and Performance solving and how is that benefiting you?
It's providing great security for our web app.
Verified User in Computer Software
Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)
Don't pay for support
2.5 / 5
What do you like best about Cloudflare Application Security and Performance?
In general, cloudflare is really easy to navigate, especially for simple DNS and domain management. Unless you have a complicated setup, I find it easy enough to move a domain or simply manage DNS for most sites.
What do you dislike about Cloudflare Application Security and Performance?
Their support is terrible. Had an issue with a client's DNS and the person I was talking to clearly didn't have a clue what they were talking about. They took so long between answers, it seemed like they were just asking someone else. Ultimately, they were of no help and we were out the money we paid to have live support.
What problems is Cloudflare Application Security and Performance solving and how is that benefiting you?
Makes DNS and Security easy for most websites and domains.
Verified User in Marketing and Advertising
Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)
Pricing
Cloudflare offers a free beta for DMARC management and is part of a broader free/enterprise tiered structure, while DMARCAnalyzer primarily offers a free trial and requires contacting sales for specific pricing.
Small
Up to 10k emails / month
Beta (free)
Free trial
Medium
Up to 100k emails / month
Contact sales
Contact for pricing
Large
Up to 1 million emails / month
Contact sales
Contact for pricing
Enterprise
Over 1 million emails / month
Contact sales
Contact for pricing
Suped hard sell incoming!
Still not satisfied with Cloudflare or DMARCAnalyzer?
4.5 / 5(561)
