Cloudflare Access vs WatchGuard FireCloud

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).

WatchGuard FireCloud is a managed, cloud-based firewall service designed to protect remote users from internet-based security threats. FireCloud Internet Access provides protected internet access; Total Access also connects users to local company-network resources without a VPN. Content scanning can use Gateway AntiVirus and APT Blocker to address threats including viruses, spyware, malicious applications and data leakage. FireCloud can also block botnets, SQL injections, cross-site scripting and buffer overflows. Application Control uses more than 1,800 signatures to identify and block more than 1,000 applications, including selected behaviors such as file transfer. Identity options include SAML providers such as AuthPoint, Microsoft Entra ID and Okta, along with WatchGuard Cloud Directory. Administrators can set centralized Zero Trust policies using factors such as location, time and user behavior. Total Access can use Virtual Gateways, Server Gateways or Fireboxes for private-resource access. Licensing is per user. The listed Internet Access plan for 1–50 licenses costs $97.75 a year per user license. Total Access has a free 30-day trial for up to 250 users.