Cato Client vs Cloudflare Access

Cato Client provides secure, zero-trust access to internet, SaaS, cloud, and private-datacenter resources for users on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. It checks user identity and device posture before opening an encrypted connection to the Cato SASE Cloud Platform. Its built-in endpoint protection scans files and running processes for malware, and ongoing checks can cover anti-malware, firewall, disk encryption, patching, endpoint DLP, and device certificates. If a device falls outside policy, access can be limited or the connection ended. Administrators can deploy the client through an MDM or self-service portal, manage upgrade rollouts centrally, and enable an always-on mode that prevents users from disabling it. The client connects to a nearby Cato PoP and uses Cato’s Global Private Backbone. Organizations can request pricing; a free trial is available, but there is no free plan.

Cloudflare Access controls access to self-hosted apps, SaaS applications, and infrastructure by checking identity, device posture, and other context on each request. Policies can grant access at the individual resource level, and applications deny access unless a user matches an Allow policy. It supports SAML- and OIDC-compliant identity providers, including enterprise and social providers, as well as Cloudflare as an identity provider. Contractors, partners, and people using unmanaged devices can connect through a browser with social sign-in or a one-time PIN. Access can replace or supplement a legacy VPN by limiting access to specific applications, and its controls also cover infrastructure such as SSH and RDP. Administrators can manage policies centrally and scale them through APIs and Terraform. Publishing a self-hosted public application requires an active Cloudflare domain with full or partial CNAME setup. The free plan is for fewer than 50 users; paid service starts at $7/user/mo (annual).