Cloudflare WARP review (2026): is the free plan enough?
Free Cloudflare app that encrypts traffic, with an optional paid tier
Black Friday: is there a Cloudflare WARP sale?
Cloudflare WARP report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for a free, simple encrypted connection
Cloudflare WARP, in the 1.1.1.1 app, is a free app that encrypts your traffic to Cloudflare's network or routes DNS through 1.1.1.1. Cloudflare says it doesn't give anonymity and can't make you appear in another country, so it won't unblock regional content.
Who Cloudflare WARP is for
- Fits if you want a free app that encrypts your traffic and DNS on public Wi-Fi
- Works for people who want family-friendly DNS filtering
Who Cloudflare WARP is not for
- Skip it if you want to appear in another country, as Cloudflare says WARP can't
- Not for you if you want anonymity: Cloudflare says WARP doesn't provide it
- Watch out: WARP+ ties the paid tier to more Cloudflare cities, not a choice of server country
- Watch out: WARP+ Unlimited can only be bought inside the iOS or Android app
Why Cloudflare WARP gets a 3.2
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyThe 1.1.1.1 app with WARP is free. WARP+ Unlimited is $4.99 a month, close to the category's middle of $5.
- AFree plan and trialThe core app is free with no cap listed. WARP+ is a paid extra.
- CFeaturesEncrypted traffic, DNS-only mode, 1.1.1.1 for Families and a local proxy mode, but it can't choose a server country or unblock region-locked content.
- BEase of use4.5 from 216K App Store ratings. Install the app and switch it on.
- BPlatforms and integrationsiOS, Android, Mac, Windows and Linux. No browser extension, and the business Zero Trust client is a separate product.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Cloudflare WARP's own pages on 12 November 2026, and its App Store rating. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make Cloudflare WARP? Put this grade on your site
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/cloudflare-warp#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/cloudflare-warp.svg" alt="Cloudflare WARP: 3.2 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Cloudflare WARP stands among VPNs
Cloudflare WARP's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 27 of the 27 other VPNs we grade.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 27 of 27) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $4.99 a month, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 9 of the 26 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 28 VPNs we grade, cut by the letter each got. Cloudflare WARP’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 26 of 27, level with 1
- AFree plan and trialAbove 27 of 27
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 27, level with 11
- BEase of useAbove 7 of 27, level with 18
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 27, level with 26
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 27 VPNs. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep Cloudflare WARP, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace Cloudflare WARP you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 27 of the 27 other VPNs we grade. It costs $59.88 a year.
What you could not
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- An engine that recognises new malware as it appears.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. Cloudflare WARP’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Cloudflare WARP?
Cloudflare WARP, sold as the 1.1.1.1 app, sends a device's traffic or DNS queries through Cloudflare's network. It is free, with a paid WARP+ Unlimited subscription that connects through a larger set of Cloudflare cities. Cloudflare says plainly that it does not provide anonymity and does not let you appear to be in another country, so it is not a location-changing VPN.
Worth knowing
- Cloudflare states WARP does not provide anonymity and does not let you pretend to be in another country, so it cannot unblock region-locked content.
- Cloudflare's WARP+ page ties the paid tier to more Cloudflare cities, not to a choice of server country.
- WARP+ Unlimited can be bought only inside the iOS or Android app, through the Apple or Google store.
- Cloudflare's separate Zero Trust client for businesses is a different product with its own documentation.
Key features
- Encrypted traffic to Cloudflare
- In Traffic and DNS mode the app sends device traffic to Cloudflare's network over MASQUE, using post-quantum encryption, according to Cloudflare's documentation.
- DNS-only mode
- Routes only DNS queries through the 1.1.1.1 resolver, over DNS-over-HTTPS or DNS-over-TLS, without tunneling the rest of the traffic.
- 1.1.1.1 for Families
- A DNS setting inside the app that, according to its App Store listing, protects against malware, phishing and crypto-mining sites.
- Local proxy mode
- On desktop, an advanced setting sends only the apps you point at the local proxy (HTTPS or SOCKS5) through WARP.
- WARP+ Unlimited
- A paid tier that adds more Cloudflare cities to connect to. Payment goes through the Apple or Google store.
Cloudflare WARP pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Cloudflare WARP has a free plan, and paid plans start at $4.99 per month (WARP+ Unlimited, as shown on the US App Store).
- Starts at
- $4.99 per month (WARP+ Unlimited, as shown on the US App Store)
- Free plan
- The 1.1.1.1 app with WARP is free: it encrypts device traffic to Cloudflare's network or routes DNS queries through the 1.1.1.1 resolver.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| WARP (free) | $0 | Traffic and DNS, DNS only or traffic only modes on every supported platform. |
| WARP+ Unlimited | $4.99per month, bought through the App Store or Google Play | Connects through a larger set of Cloudflare cities. One licence key covers up to five devices. $4.99 is the US App Store price. |
Read from apps.apple.com on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Cloudflare WARP before you buy.
Cloudflare WARP alternatives
- Cloudflare WARP vs Proton VPN
Free plan · from $83.88/yr
- Cloudflare WARP vs Windscribe
Free plan · from $3/mo
- Cloudflare WARP vs TunnelBear
Free plan · from $3.33/mo
- Cloudflare WARP vs Mullvad VPN
From €5/mo
- Cloudflare WARP vs Mozilla VPN
From $59.88/yr
Common questions
Is Cloudflare WARP open source?
Cloudflare WARP is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.