We've found that Cloudflare's DMARC reporting, while a valuable addition to their extensive security suite, integrates seamlessly with their broader offerings. Its strength lies in being part of a comprehensive platform that covers DNS, CDN, WAF, and more, offering a unified control plane for web and email security.
The DMARC dashboard provides visibility into email authentication, showing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC results. While it offers essential insights for compliance and policy enforcement, the DMARC specific features are designed to complement their primary web security focus rather than being a standalone, deeply analytical DMARC solution.
Our experience with Netcraft Fraud Detection indicates a highly specialized focus on email authentication and combating online fraud, including phishing and brand impersonation. Their DMARC reporting capabilities are deeply integrated with their broader threat intelligence and takedown services, making it particularly effective for organizations facing sophisticated phishing attacks.
The platform is designed to provide detailed forensic analysis of email threats, helping to identify malicious sources and initiate rapid response actions. While it excels in threat detection and remediation, the DMARC reporting aspect is intrinsically tied to its fraud prevention mission, offering granular data relevant to identifying and stopping malicious email campaigns.
How easy is each product to use
User experience
For existing Cloudflare users, adopting DMARC management is relatively straightforward, fitting within the familiar dashboard environment. The interface is generally clean and well-organized, consistent with other Cloudflare services. However, for users new to Cloudflare or those expecting a dedicated DMARC-centric interface, the sheer breadth of Cloudflare's offerings can sometimes make finding specific DMARC settings a slight journey. We appreciate the unified experience, but it occasionally means DMARC features are not always front and center.
The reporting views are functional, presenting aggregated data that helps understand DMARC compliance. It is designed for users who are already comfortable with security dashboards and data interpretation, offering the necessary information without an overly complex visual layer. We found it efficient for quick status checks.
Navigating Netcraft Fraud Detection's platform feels very focused and purpose-built. The user experience is tailored towards security analysts and incident response teams, with a clear emphasis on threat intelligence and actionable data. While not as broadly appealing to a general user as a more simplified interface might be, it provides the depth required for advanced fraud detection.
We found the dashboards to be rich with information relevant to fraud, offering detailed views of malicious campaigns and their origins. The DMARC reporting integrates into this, providing authentication data that feeds directly into their fraud detection algorithms. This specialized approach means the learning curve might be steeper for those unfamiliar with the terminology and workflows of online fraud investigation.
Which product has the best support
Support
Cloudflare's support structure typically varies significantly based on the service tier. For DMARC management, which is part of their broader security offering, free users primarily rely on extensive documentation and community forums. Paid plans, however, unlock direct support channels, including email and sometimes phone support for higher tiers. Our experience indicates that while the documentation is comprehensive, direct support can sometimes be slower for non-critical issues or lower-tier plans, a common point of feedback from users.
We have observed that the quality of support often depends on the complexity of the issue, with more generic inquiries sometimes receiving template responses. For DMARC, particularly configuration assistance or interpreting complex reports, having access to higher-tier support is beneficial to cut through the noise and get expert advice.
Netcraft, being a specialized cybersecurity vendor, generally offers more direct and expert-level support as part of their service. We have found their support teams to be knowledgeable in email authentication and fraud detection, which is crucial for DMARC implementation and incident response. Their model implies a more hands-on approach, likely due to the critical nature of the services they provide.
Given their focus on fraud prevention and takedowns, their support would be geared towards assisting with active threats and ensuring optimal configuration for maximum protection. This specialized focus often translates to more targeted and effective assistance when dealing with DMARC related issues that directly impact brand reputation and email security.
Who should use each product
Suitability
Cloudflare's DMARC solution is particularly well-suited for organizations already using or considering their comprehensive suite of web services.
For SMBs, the free and lower-tier plans offer a cost-effective way to implement DMARC, often as an add-on to existing DNS or CDN services. Enterprise clients benefit from the unified platform, centralizing web and email security management, and leveraging Cloudflare's global infrastructure. For MSPs, Cloudflare provides multi-domain management, making it feasible to manage DMARC for several clients from a single dashboard, although the DMARC feature set itself might not be as deeply specialized as a dedicated DMARC platform. It is a strong choice for those who value an integrated security and performance solution, where DMARC is one component of a broader defense strategy. The ease of enabling DMARC alongside other Cloudflare services is a significant advantage.
Netcraft's DMARC offerings are best for organizations with a primary concern for advanced email fraud protection and brand impersonation.
SMBs might find Netcraft's offering comprehensive but potentially more than they need if their threat model is simple, though it provides robust protection. Enterprise organizations, especially those frequently targeted by phishing or brand abuse, will highly value Netcraft's deep fraud detection capabilities and incident response services. MSPs serving clients with high-stakes brand protection needs or those in highly regulated industries could leverage Netcraft's specialized expertise to offer premium email security services. This solution shines when the priority is not just DMARC compliance, but actively identifying, tracking, and taking down malicious campaigns that exploit email channels.
How does Cloudflare compare with Netcraft Fraud Detection?
DMARC report analysis
Analyze DMARC aggregate and forensic reports.
Provides a DMARC dashboard for insights.
Deep forensic analysis for fraud detection.
Source detection
Identify legitimate and illegitimate email sending sources.
Identifies sending IPs.
Identifies and correlates with threat intelligence.
Forward detection
Ability to identify email forwarding.
Spoof detection
Detect and prevent email spoofing attempts.
Notifications and alerts
Receive alerts for DMARC policy violations or suspicious activity.
Alerts for DMARC events.
Alerts for fraud and DMARC issues.
Reporting
Generate various reports on email authentication and security.
Aggregated DMARC reports.
Detailed fraud-centric reports.
API
Programmatic access for integration with other systems.
Extensive API across their platform.
For integration into security workflows.
Multi-tenancy
Manage DMARC for multiple domains or clients.
For managing multiple domains.
For managing multiple client domains.
SPF flattening
Automated SPF record optimization.
Offered as part of their DNS service.
Not a primary DMARC reporting feature.
Hosted DMARC
Service for hosting and managing your DMARC record.
BIMI
Support for Brand Indicators for Message Identification.
Supports BIMI implementation.
Often included with DMARC solutions.
MTA-STS/TLS-RPT
Mail Transfer Agent Strict Transport Security / TLS Reporting.
Part of their broad security suite.
More focused on fraud detection.
Blocklists and reputation
Leverage blocklist data and sender reputation.
Leverages its extensive network for reputation.
Specialized threat intelligence feeds.
AI copilot
AI-powered assistance for DMARC management.
Not explicitly offered for DMARC.
Not advertised as a feature.
DNS monitoring
Monitor DNS records for changes or issues.
Core service for their platform.
Not its primary function.
Self hostable
Option to host the solution on your own infrastructure.
Free trial/free tier
Availability of a free version or trial period.
Cloudflare offers a free plan.
Contact for pricing, no public free tier.
Drawbacks and what to watch out for
Cloudflare's DMARC solution, while integrated into a powerful ecosystem, can sometimes feel like a secondary feature with support challenges, especially for those not on enterprise plans. The extensive feature set can also be overwhelming for DMARC-specific needs. Netcraft Fraud Detection, conversely, is deeply specialized in fraud, which means its DMARC reporting is excellent for threat intelligence but may lack the broader, user-friendly reporting desired by some. The lack of public pricing and reviews also makes it less transparent for new users.
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 tier with DMARC in beta and scales with additional services, while Netcraft Fraud Detection exclusively provides pricing upon direct contact.
Small
Up to 10k emails / month
Free (DMARC in Beta)
Contact for pricing
Medium
Up to 100k emails / month
Contact for pricing
Contact for pricing
Large
Up to 1 million emails / month
Contact for pricing
Contact for pricing
Enterprise
Over 1 million emails / month
Contact for pricing
Contact for pricing
Suped hard sell incoming!
Still not satisfied with Cloudflare or Netcraft Fraud Detection?
4.5 / 5(561)
