Is Cloudflare's DMARC Management a standalone product?

Cloudflare's DMARC Management is an integrated feature within its broader suite of security and performance services, not a completely standalone product. It works best for those already using or planning to use Cloudflare for other domain-level services.

What are the main technical requirements for ELK DMARC?

ELK DMARC requires a minimum of 8GB of memory to support Elasticsearch, typically run in an Ubuntu or RHEL 9.x virtual machine. Users also need familiarity with Docker and the Elastic Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana) for deployment and ongoing management.

Does either product offer forensic DMARC reporting (RUF)?

Cloudflare's DMARC Management primarily focuses on aggregate (RUA) reports, offering insights into sending sources and authentication. ELK DMARC is capable of processing both aggregate and forensic reports, provided it is configured correctly to receive RUF data.

Can ELK DMARC be used by Managed Service Providers (MSPs)?

Yes, ELK DMARC is suitable for technically adept MSPs because it is self-hostable and allows for extensive customization, including multi-tenancy configurations. This provides complete control over client data and reporting, though it requires significant in-house expertise.

How do support options compare between Cloudflare and ELK DMARC?

Cloudflare offers tiered support, with dedicated assistance usually reserved for higher-tier or enterprise plans; lower-tier users often rely on documentation and community forums. ELK DMARC, being open-source, relies on community support, with no formal commercial support channels available.

Cloudflare vs ELK DMARC

Choose Cloudflare for integrated security, ELK DMARC for self-hosted control.

4.5 / 5(561)

Compare to Suped

ELK DMARC

0 / 5(0)

Compare to Suped

ELK DMARC

Compare product functionality

Feature set

ELK DMARC

Cloudflare's DMARC Management is a component of its broader security and network infrastructure. It offers DMARC reporting by integrating with their existing edge network services, which means it ties into their extensive global infrastructure. We find this integration can be a double-edged sword: powerful for those already using Cloudflare, but less flexible for those looking for a standalone DMARC solution.

The platform primarily focuses on aggregate (RUA) DMARC reports, presenting data within the familiar Cloudflare dashboard. It aims to simplify the interpretation of these reports, helping users identify legitimate and fraudulent email sources. However, we've observed that its feature set is currently more foundational compared to dedicated DMARC platforms, focusing on the core reporting aspect without delving into advanced forensic (RUF) analysis or proactive email authentication policy management beyond DMARC enforcement.

ELK DMARC is an open-source solution built on the Elastic Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana). This means it's inherently flexible and powerful for those with the technical expertise to deploy and manage it. As a self-hosted platform, it gives users complete control over their data, which is a significant advantage for privacy-conscious organizations or those with specific compliance requirements. However, this also implies a substantial setup and maintenance overhead.

We've found that ELK DMARC offers robust DMARC reporting capabilities, allowing for detailed analysis of authentication results through customizable Kibana dashboards. It can process both aggregate and forensic reports, providing granular insights into email traffic. The self-hosted nature allows for deep customization and scalability, provided one has the necessary infrastructure and the expertise to configure the entire ELK stack, including managing data storage and processing.

ELK DMARC

How easy is each product to use

User experience

ELK DMARC

Cloudflare's DMARC reporting, like other services, is integrated into its main dashboard. For existing Cloudflare users, this provides a unified experience, eliminating the need to navigate multiple platforms. The interface is generally clean and user-friendly, consistent with Cloudflare's design philosophy. We appreciate the consolidated view, which makes DMARC data feel like a natural extension of their other security services.

However, for those new to Cloudflare or solely interested in DMARC, the broader dashboard can initially feel overwhelming. The DMARC features themselves are intuitive once located, but finding specific DMARC-related settings amidst the vast array of Cloudflare's offerings can require a bit of searching. We've noted that while the visualisations are clear, the depth of actionable insights might require further digging or external expertise for less experienced users.

Being a self-hosted, open-source solution, ELK DMARC's user experience is largely dictated by the user's proficiency with the ELK stack. The initial setup is a complex, hands-on process, demanding knowledge of Docker, Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana. This is not a "plug-and-play" solution, and we've spent significant time configuring it to our specific needs, from setting up data ingestion to designing custom dashboards.

Once deployed and configured, the data exploration and visualization through Kibana are incredibly powerful. Users can create highly customized reports and dashboards, offering unparalleled flexibility in analysing DMARC data. However, this power comes with a steep learning curve. The aesthetic and ease of use are not comparable to commercial, SaaS DMARC tools, often requiring a dedicated team or individual to maintain and extract value from the system. It's truly a tool for the technically adept.

ELK DMARC

Which product has the best support

Support

ELK DMARC

Cloudflare's support structure typically varies significantly by plan. While we've generally found their documentation extensive, direct DMARC-specific support on lower-tier plans can be slow or limited, often relying on community forums. This can be frustrating when dealing with nuanced DMARC implementation issues.

Enterprise clients usually receive dedicated support, which enhances the experience considerably. However, for most users, resolving complex DMARC challenges might require navigating through general support channels, which may not always have specialized DMARC expertise readily available.

As an open-source project, ELK DMARC does not come with commercial support. Users rely entirely on community support, GitHub issues, and self-troubleshooting. We've found the GitHub repository to be active, with developers and users contributing, but responses are not guaranteed or immediate.

This model means that troubleshooting, bug fixing, and feature requests depend on community contributions or internal expertise. For organizations that require guaranteed response times or dedicated assistance, the lack of formal support for ELK DMARC can be a significant drawback.

ELK DMARC

Who should use each product

Suitability

ELK DMARC

Cloudflare's DMARC Management is best suited for organizations already leveraging Cloudflare's broader suite of services, or those seeking a consolidated approach to web security and email authentication. Here's our take on suitability:

• **SMBs**: Good for SMBs already using Cloudflare for DNS/CDN, seeking basic DMARC visibility without investing in a separate tool. • **Enterprise**: Suitable for enterprises that value a unified security stack and can access higher-tier support for complex deployments. • **MSPs**: Less ideal for MSPs looking for a dedicated, multi-tenant DMARC management platform, as its DMARC features are less tailored for managing numerous client domains separately.

ELK DMARC caters to a specific audience: technically proficient teams who prefer self-hosting and have the resources to manage their own infrastructure. Our assessment of its suitability includes:

• **SMBs**: Generally not recommended for SMBs without dedicated IT staff, due to the high technical overhead for setup and maintenance. • **Enterprise**: A strong option for enterprises with robust internal DevOps or security teams that require full data control and customizability, and have the resources to deploy and maintain an ELK stack. • **MSPs**: Highly suitable for MSPs with strong technical capabilities, as it allows for multi-tenancy (by configuring separate Kibana spaces or indices for clients) and provides ultimate control over data and reporting, though it requires significant initial investment in deployment expertise.

ELK DMARC

How does Cloudflare compare with ELK DMARC?

ELK DMARC

DMARC report analysis

Analysis of aggregate and forensic DMARC reports.

Basic aggregate reporting

Detailed, customizable reporting

Source detection

Ability to identify email sending sources.

Identifies sending sources

Identifies sending sources, highly customizable

Forward detection

Detection of email forwarding issues.

Limited visibility

Manual configuration for detection

Spoof detection

Identification of email spoofing attempts.

Yes, based on DMARC policy

Notifications and alerts

Automated alerts for DMARC policy violations or changes.

Basic alerts

Custom alerts via Kibana

Reporting

Customizable dashboards and data visualization.

Standard dashboards

Highly customizable dashboards

API

API for programmatic access to DMARC data and settings.

Yes, part of Cloudflare API

Yes, Elasticsearch API

Multi-tenancy

Support for managing multiple domains or clients.

Account-level management

Configurable via ELK stack

SPF flattening

Feature to address SPF 10-lookup limit.

Not directly offered

Hosted DMARC

Ability to host DMARC records and policies.

Yes, as part of service

No, self-hosted only

BIMI

Support for Brand Indicators for Message Identification.

Not offered

MTA-STS/TLS-RPT

Support for email encryption standards.

Available as separate services

Not offered

Blocklists and reputation

Monitoring of blocklists (or blacklists) and sender reputation.

Integrates with CF security

Requires external integration

AI copilot

AI-powered assistance for DMARC management.

Not offered for DMARC

Not offered

DNS monitoring

Monitoring of DNS records and changes.

Integrated DNS service

External tools needed

Self hostable

Option to host the solution on private infrastructure.

No, SaaS only

Yes

Free trial/free tier

Availability of a free version or trial period.

Beta waitlist, free tier for basic services

Free to use, but requires self-hosting resources

Drawbacks and what to watch out for

Cloudflare's DMARC Management, while integrated into a powerful ecosystem, can suffer from a lack of specialized DMARC features and inconsistent support for non-enterprise users. Its breadth can also be a drawback, as dedicated DMARC functionality might feel secondary to its core offerings. For ELK DMARC, the primary hurdle is its inherent complexity. It demands significant technical expertise for setup and ongoing maintenance, and the absence of commercial support means relying heavily on internal resources or community forums to resolve issues.

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)

ELK DMARC

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's DMARC Management is currently in beta, with pricing expected to integrate into their existing tiered plans, while ELK DMARC is open-source and free, though it incurs infrastructure costs.

ELK DMARC

Small

Up to 10k emails / month

Beta, contact for pricing

Free, 8GB memory req.

Medium

Up to 100k emails / month

Contact for pricing

Free, 8GB memory req.

Large

Up to 1 million emails / month

Contact for pricing