Edge DNS vs Cloudflare DNS
Both free. Different things inside.
Cloudflare runs one of the largest DNS networks in the world, and its free DNS is excellent. Edge DNS is free too, with geo-routing and zone analysis included, and it works with any CDN or host.
The short version
Where each one is ahead
For most teams the price is the same: nothing. The difference is what you need beyond the basics.
Edge is ahead when…
- You need geo-routing: included on every Edge account, Enterprise-only on Cloudflare
- You want AI analysis of your zone, with the fixes spelled out
- You'd like DNS that stands alone, with any CDN, host or cloud
- You want nameservers unique to your account
Cloudflare is ahead when…
- You have more than 50 domains and want them all free
- You need DNSSEC today. It's on Edge's roadmap
- You want health-check failover now (a paid add-on on Cloudflare, on the roadmap at Edge)
- Raw footprint matters: 300+ PoPs against Edge's 50+
Feature by feature
Side by side
| Cloudflare | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Zones included | Up to 50 | Unlimited |
| Records | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Queries included | 1M/zone/month, soft limit | Unmetered |
| Anycast PoPs | 50+ | 300+ |
| Propagation | <5 seconds | <5 seconds |
| Geo-routing | Included | Enterprise plan |
| ALIAS / apex flattening | ||
| API access | ||
| DDoS mitigation | Included | Included |
| DNSSEC | Roadmap | |
| Health-check failover | Roadmap | Paid add-on |
| AI zone analysis (DNS Examiner) |
Cloudflare details from its public plans page at the time of writing. Check Cloudflare for current terms.
When to choose Edge
Three reasons teams switch
You want geo-routing without a contract
Send European visitors to your EU origin and Americans to the US one. On Cloudflare that's an Enterprise conversation. On Edge it's a field in the record.
You want to catch mistakes early
The DNS Examiner audits SPF, DKIM, DMARC, CAA and delegation, scores the zone and gives you the exact records to fix.
You want DNS that stands alone
Edge DNS works with whatever sits behind it. Choosing it never becomes a decision about your CDN or security stack.
Moving from Cloudflare
About fifteen minutes, start to finish
If you use Cloudflare's proxy, check which records are orange-clouded first. Once DNS moves, they point straight at your origin.
- 01
Export
In Cloudflare, open DNS → Records and export the zone as a BIND file. - 02
Import to Edge
Create the zone on Edge and import the file. Replace proxied records with your origin or Edge CDN. - 03
Verify answers
Query your Edge nameservers directly with dig or the DNS Examiner and compare. - 04
Switch nameservers
Update them at your registrar and click verify. The zone goes live immediately.
FAQ
Cloudflare switchers ask
Can I keep using Cloudflare's CDN with Edge DNS?
Only on Cloudflare plans that support a CNAME (partial) setup, which are paid. Many teams move DNS and CDN together: Edge CDN has zero egress fees and works with Edge DNS out of the box.
Is Edge DNS slower than Cloudflare?
Both answer in single-digit milliseconds. PerfOps measures eight providers every minute; Cloudflare is sometimes a millisecond ahead, sometimes behind. See the live board on our performance page.
What happens to my orange-clouded records?
They stop being proxied once DNS moves. Point them at your origin, or at an Edge CDN deployment if you want caching and DDoS protection in front.
Do I lose anything by leaving Cloudflare DNS?
DNSSEC and health-check failover, for now. Both are on Edge's roadmap. If you rely on either today, wait, or keep that zone where it is.
Free DNS, with the extras included
Add a zone and compare the answers side by side. Also weighing AWS? See Edge vs Route 53.
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