Updated October 29, 2026 · 11 min read
Cloudflare Pages hosts static sites free with unlimited bandwidth. What the free plan covers, the catch, and why Cloudflare now points to Workers.
Short answer: Cloudflare Pages is Cloudflare’s hosting service for static websites and front-end apps. Every plan, including Free, includes unlimited sites, requests, and bandwidth. The free plan adds 500 builds per month and 20,000 files per site (Cloudflare docs, checked September 2026). Paid plans mainly raise build limits, to 5,000 builds per month on Pro and 20,000 on Business (Cloudflare Pages limits, checked October 2026). Pages is still supported. However, Cloudflare’s docs now say: “Start new projects with Workers.”
In this guide
- What is Cloudflare Pages?
- Is Cloudflare Pages free? The free plan in numbers
- Cloudflare Pages pricing: what the paid plans change
- What’s the catch? Five Cloudflare Pages limits to know
- Is Cloudflare phasing out Pages? The shift to Workers
- Cloudflare Pages vs Workers static assets
- How to deploy a static folder to Cloudflare Pages by drag and drop
- Who should use Cloudflare Pages today?
- Where sofast fits
- Frequently asked questions
If you searched for “cloudflare pages,” you probably want three answers. Is it really free? What is the catch? And is Cloudflare replacing it? This guide answers all three in plain English, with every figure taken from Cloudflare’s own pages and dated. It is written for a freelancer who built a portfolio with an AI tool and fears breaking something. It is also for small agencies that host client landing pages and hate unbillable setup time.
What is Cloudflare Pages?
Cloudflare Pages is a hosting platform for static websites and front-end projects, run on Cloudflare’s global network. Cloudflare states that network spans 348 cities (cloudflare.com/network, checked September 2026). You give Cloudflare Pages your site’s files, and it serves them from servers close to each visitor. Every project gets a free address ending in .pages.dev, and HTTPS comes “out of the box,” according to the Cloudflare Pages product page.
In plain terms: A static website is a set of ready-made files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, images). The server sends them “as-is” to the browser, with no database.
There are three ways to put a site on Cloudflare Pages. You can connect a Git repository, so every change you push triggers a new build. You can upload a folder from your computer with Wrangler, Cloudflare’s command-line tool. Or you can drag and drop files in the Cloudflare dashboard. Cloudflare calls this “Direct Upload,” and it is the only option that needs no technical tools.
In plain terms: A build is the step where a tool turns your source code into the final files a browser can read. A plain HTML site from Claude or ChatGPT usually needs no build at all.
Cloudflare Pages can also run small pieces of server code, called Pages Functions. Those are useful for a contact form or a login check. However, Cloudflare bills them as Workers requests, which matters for the free plan, as you will see below. If you are unsure whether your site needs server code, our guide to static vs dynamic websites explains the difference with examples.
Is Cloudflare Pages free? The free plan in numbers
Yes. Cloudflare Pages has a real free tier, not a trial. The product page says: “Start building for free — no credit card required.” For a static site, the free plan is very generous, because bandwidth and requests are not metered. Here is what the Cloudflare Pages free tier includes, according to the Cloudflare Pages limits page (updated September 5, 2026, checked September 2026).
| Item | Cloudflare Pages Free plan | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sites, seats, requests, bandwidth | Unlimited | Cloudflare Pages product page |
| Projects per account | 100 | Pages limits docs |
| Builds per month | 500 | Pages limits docs |
| Concurrent builds | 1 | Pages limits docs |
| Build timeout | 20 minutes | Pages limits docs |
| Files per site | 20,000 | Pages limits docs |
| Maximum size per file | 25 MiB | Pages limits docs |
| Custom domains per project | 100 | Pages limits docs |
| HTTPS certificate | Included | Cloudflare Pages product page |
| Pages Functions requests | 100,000 per day, shared with Workers | Pages Functions pricing docs |
| Credit card required | No | Cloudflare Pages product page |
Two lines deserve attention. The product page says “unlimited sites,” while the limits page lists 100 projects per account. For almost everyone, 100 projects is effectively unlimited. The second line is Pages Functions. Static requests are free, but on the free plan, Functions share a 100,000-request daily limit with Workers. That limit “resets at midnight UTC,” says the Pages Functions pricing page (updated September 8, 2026).
In plain terms: MiB (mebibyte) is a unit of file size slightly larger than a megabyte. 25 MiB is about 26 MB, enough for any image but not for a long video.
So is Cloudflare Pages really free? For a portfolio, a landing page, or documentation, yes, as long as you stay under the build and file limits. The Functions pricing page confirms the key point. “On both free and paid plans, requests to static assets are free and unlimited.”
Cloudflare Pages pricing: what the paid plans change
Cloudflare Pages has no separate price tag. Its limits follow your Cloudflare plan, and the Pages limits page lists higher quotas for the Pro and Business plans. Bandwidth and requests stay unlimited on every tier. What changes is build capacity, custom domains, and the file count. Cloudflare’s pricing page lists the current prices of each plan; we do not repeat them here because they are not specific to Pages.
| Limit | Free | Pro | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
| Builds per month | 500 | 5,000 | 20,000 |
| Concurrent builds | 1 | 5 | 20 |
| Custom domains per project | 100 | 250 | 500 |
| Files per site | 20,000 | Up to 100,000 | Up to 100,000 |
| Requests and bandwidth | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Source: Cloudflare Pages limits docs (updated September 5, 2026, checked September 2026).
The other paid option is Workers Paid, which starts at $5 per month per account (Cloudflare Workers pricing docs, updated August 28, 2026). This is the plan that matters if your Cloudflare Pages site uses Functions. Once you pass 100,000 daily Functions and Workers requests on the free plan, Workers Paid is the upgrade path. A purely static site never needs it.
In practice, a freelancer with one portfolio rarely approaches 500 builds a month. An agency deploying many client sites from Git can reach it faster. To compare costs with other hosts, see our breakdowns of Vercel pricing and Netlify pricing. Both use the same method and dates.
What’s the catch? Five Cloudflare Pages limits to know
A popular Reddit thread asks “Cloudflare Pages free forever. What’s the catch?” The honest answer: the catch is not money. It is limits on builds and files, a technical workflow, and the product’s future. Here are the five points to check before you commit.
- Build limits. The free plan allows 500 builds per month, one at a time. Imagine an agency with five client sites, each updated four times a day from Git. That is 20 builds a day, or about 600 in a 30-day month. That estimate exceeds the free quota. A solo site updated a few times a week stays far below it.
- File size and count. Each file is capped at 25 MiB, and each site at 20,000 files on the free plan. A background video or a large downloadable PDF can hit the per-file cap. Most AI-generated HTML sites stay far below both limits.
- Dashboard drag-and-drop is restricted. Dashboard uploads are limited to 1,000 files and 25 MiB per file; Wrangler raises that to 20,000 files. Dashboard drops cannot compile a
functionsfolder. And you “cannot switch to Git integration later” (Direct Upload docs, updated April 21, 2026). - A developer-oriented learning curve. Git, build commands, Wrangler, and DNS records are normal tools for developers. They are new ground for a designer. For example, a root domain like
example.commust first become a Cloudflare zone, which means changing your nameservers. - No new feature investment. Cloudflare announced in April 2025 that new feature work would go to Workers, not Pages. Your site keeps working, but improvements will land elsewhere. The next section quotes Cloudflare directly.
In plain terms: Git is a system that tracks every version of your code. Services like GitHub store it online, and hosts like Cloudflare Pages can rebuild your site each time the code changes.
None of these points makes Cloudflare Pages a bad choice. They simply show who it was designed for: developers who already use Git and a terminal. For a wider view, our comparison of free static website hosting ranks the main free services side by side on the same criteria.
Is Cloudflare phasing out Pages? The shift to Workers
This is the question behind many “cloudflare pages” searches in 2026, and it deserves exact wording. Cloudflare has not announced a shutdown. It has, however, clearly moved its focus to Cloudflare Workers, its platform for running code and serving files on the same network. Here is the timeline, quoted from official sources.
- April 8, 2025 — Cloudflare blog. The post “Full-stack development on Cloudflare Workers” set the direction. “Cloudflare Pages will continue to be supported, but, going forward, all of our investment, optimizations, and feature work will be dedicated to improving Workers.”
- August 25, 2026 — Cloudflare Pages docs. The Pages documentation homepage now reads: “Workers supports most Pages use cases and offers a broader feature set. It is Cloudflare’s primary platform for building applications. Start new projects with Workers.”
- Migration guide. The Workers docs include a guide titled “Migrate from Pages” for moving an existing project.
So, is Cloudflare Pages deprecated? No official Cloudflare page we checked uses the word “deprecated” or gives an end date. The accurate summary: Cloudflare Pages is still supported, but Cloudflare recommends Workers for new projects and focuses new development there. For an existing site, nothing forces you to move today. For a non-developer, the catch is that Workers is more technical. Workers projects are typically configured with Wrangler and a settings file.
Cloudflare Pages vs Workers static assets
“Workers static assets” is the feature that lets a Cloudflare Worker serve HTML, CSS, and images, much like Cloudflare Pages does. The table compares the two for a static site. Figures come from the Pages limits docs and the Workers pricing and limits docs (checked September 2026). Quotes are Cloudflare’s own wording.
| Criterion | Cloudflare Pages | Cloudflare Workers (static assets) |
|---|---|---|
| Status in 2026 | Supported, no new feature investment | “Cloudflare’s primary platform”; new features land here |
| Static requests | Free and unlimited | “Free and unlimited” |
| Files (free plan) | 20,000 per site | 20,000 per version |
| Max size per file | 25 MiB | 25 MiB |
| Server code on free plan | Pages Functions, billed as Workers requests | Worker scripts, 100,000 requests per day |
| Paid upgrade | Workers Paid from $5/month for Functions | Workers Paid from $5/month |
| Dashboard drag-and-drop | Yes, up to 1,000 files | Not covered in this guide |
| Recommended for new projects | No | Yes, per Cloudflare’s docs |
For static files, the two are close on price and limits. The difference is direction. Cloudflare Workers gets every new feature, while Cloudflare Pages keeps what it has. Choose Cloudflare Pages if you already run sites there or want the simple dashboard upload. Choose Workers if you are a developer starting a new project and plan to add server logic later.
How to deploy a static folder to Cloudflare Pages by drag and drop
This is the no-Git path. It follows the Cloudflare Pages Direct Upload docs (updated April 21, 2026). Cloudflare’s dashboard evolves often, so labels may differ slightly on your screen. Before you start, check that your folder has an index.html file at its top level. That is the page visitors see first. Remember the one-way door: a Direct Upload project can never switch to Git integration.
- Create or sign in to a free Cloudflare account. No credit card is needed for the free plan.
- Open Workers & Pages in the Cloudflare dashboard.
- Select Create application > Get started > Drag and drop your files. This is the Direct Upload option.
- Enter a project name. Your site will live at
<PROJECT_NAME>.pages.dev, so pick something short. - Drag your site’s files into the upload frame. Stay under 1,000 files and 25 MiB per file. Cloudflare shows red warning symbols next to oversized files.
- Select Deploy site. Your Cloudflare Pages site is now public at its
.pages.devaddress, with HTTPS. - To update later, choose Create a new deployment. You can publish to production or to a preview environment.
Connecting your own domain name
Custom domains are free on Cloudflare Pages, up to 100 per project on the free plan. The high-level process, from the custom domains docs (updated April 21, 2026), is short. In Workers & Pages, open your project, go to Custom domains, select Set up a domain, enter the domain, and select Continue.
The rest depends on the type of domain. A root domain like example.com must be a Cloudflare zone. You switch your nameservers to Cloudflare’s at your registrar, and Cloudflare creates the record. This can take “up to 24 hours,” Cloudflare warns. A subdomain like www.example.com can stay at your current DNS provider. You add a CNAME record pointing to <YOUR_SITE>.pages.dev.
In plain terms: DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet’s address book. A CNAME record tells it that one name, like www.example.com, should point to another, like your pages.dev address.
One trap to avoid: always add the domain in the Pages dashboard first. Otherwise, the docs warn, the CNAME “will result in your domain failing to resolve.”
Who should use Cloudflare Pages today?
The right choice depends less on price than on how you work. Cloudflare Pages, Workers, and simpler drag-and-drop hosts all serve static files well. The real differences are workflow, technical comfort, and where each product is heading. Use this decision tree, and stop at the first “yes” that describes you.
- Do you already have a Cloudflare Pages site that works? Keep it. It is still supported, and static requests remain free and unlimited. Plan a move to Workers only when you need a new feature.
- Are you a developer starting a new project? Follow Cloudflare’s advice and start with Workers static assets.
- Do you use Git and want automatic deploys, but prefer a mature Pages workflow? Cloudflare Pages still works well. Just watch the 500 monthly builds on the free plan.
- Are you a non-developer with one finished HTML folder under 1,000 files? Cloudflare Pages Direct Upload works, and it is free. Expect a technical dashboard and nameserver changes for a root domain.
- Do you want the simplest possible path, with no developer dashboard? Consider a drag-and-drop host built for non-developers. Our guide to free HTML hosting lists the options.
Other platforms have their own trade-offs. Vercel’s free Hobby plan is for “non-commercial personal use only” (Vercel fair use docs, checked September 2026). Netlify’s Free plan gives 300 credits per month as a hard limit, and projects pause when credits run out (Netlify docs, checked September 2026). GitHub Pages caps published sites at 1 GB and forbids using it mainly for commercial transactions (GitHub docs, checked September 2026). See our full Vercel vs Netlify vs Cloudflare Pages comparison or the step-by-step guide to host a website on GitHub Pages.
Where sofast fits
sofast is a drag-and-drop host for static websites, built on Cloudflare’s global network. To be precise, sofast uses Cloudflare’s infrastructure (a single Cloudflare Worker that serves every site, R2 storage, Workers KV for routing, and Cloudflare for SaaS for custom-domain certificates), not the Cloudflare Pages product. You drag a folder into your browser, and sofast says a typical upload is live in about 15 seconds. Every site gets a sofast subdomain and automatic HTTPS.
sofast hosts static HTML sites by drag-and-drop upload: no Git, no command line, and automatic SSL (Secure Sockets Layer, the certificate behind HTTPS). Free costs $0 for one site, 50 MB, and a sofast subdomain, with no credit card. Custom domains start on paid plans: Starter at $5 per month, Pro at $10, and Large at $20, billed annually. Monthly billing is $6, $12, and $24. Details are on the sofast pricing page.
Be clear about the limits. On free resources, Cloudflare Pages is more generous: unlimited bandwidth, 20,000 files, and free custom domains. sofast has no Git workflow, no server-side functions, and no build step. It is also a new service. Choose Cloudflare Pages if you are comfortable with its dashboard and want the biggest free quota. Choose sofast if you want the shortest path from an AI-generated folder to a live site. Our sofast vs Cloudflare Pages comparison sets the trade-offs side by side.
Frequently asked questions
Cloudflare Pages is Cloudflare’s hosting platform for static websites and front-end apps. You deploy files by connecting a Git repository, by using the Wrangler command-line tool, or by dragging files into the dashboard. Each project gets a free .pages.dev address with HTTPS. All plans include unlimited sites, seats, requests, and bandwidth, according to Cloudflare’s product page (checked September 2026). Small server functions are also possible through Pages Functions.
Cloudflare has not announced a shutdown, but it has shifted focus to Workers. On April 8, 2025, Cloudflare wrote that Pages “will continue to be supported,” while all new investment and feature work would go to Workers. Since its August 25, 2026 update, the Pages documentation says: “Start new projects with Workers.” Existing Cloudflare Pages sites keep working, and a “Migrate from Pages” guide is available.
Yes, for static sites. The Cloudflare Pages free plan includes unlimited requests and bandwidth, 500 builds per month, 20,000 files per site, 25 MiB per file, and 100 custom domains per project (Cloudflare limits docs, checked September 2026). No credit card is required. The main cost trigger is Pages Functions: they share a 100,000-request daily limit with Workers, and Workers Paid starts at $5 per month.
No official Cloudflare page we checked in September 2026 calls Cloudflare Pages “deprecated” or gives an end date. The accurate status is this: Pages is still supported, but Cloudflare recommends Workers for new projects and dedicates new feature work to Workers. If your Pages site works today, you can keep it. For a new project, Cloudflare’s docs explicitly point to Workers.
For an existing Pages site, stay on Cloudflare Pages until you need a new feature. For a new project, Cloudflare recommends Workers, which now receives all new development. For static files, both serve requests free and without limit, and both allow 20,000 files and 25 MiB per file on the free plan. Pages keeps a simple dashboard drag-and-drop upload; Workers is more oriented toward developers using Wrangler.
Yes. The Cloudflare Pages free plan allows 100 custom domains per project, with HTTPS included. In your project, open Custom domains, select Set up a domain, and follow the steps. A root domain such as example.com must use Cloudflare’s nameservers. A subdomain such as www.example.com can stay at your current DNS provider with a CNAME record pointing to your pages.dev address.
Yes. Cloudflare calls it Direct Upload. In the dashboard, go to Workers & Pages, select Create application, then Drag and drop your files. Dashboard uploads are limited to 1,000 files and 25 MiB per file, and they cannot compile a functions folder. You can also upload with the Wrangler command-line tool, up to 20,000 files. A Direct Upload project cannot switch to Git later.
Yes, if you are comfortable with a technical dashboard. A portfolio of HTML pages and images fits easily within the free limits of 20,000 files and 25 MiB per file, and bandwidth is unlimited. Custom domains are free too. The trade-offs are the developer-oriented setup and the product’s future, since Cloudflare now recommends Workers for new projects. Large video files may hit the per-file limit.
Sources
- Cloudflare Pages product page (checked 2026-09-22)
- Cloudflare Pages limits (updated 2026-09-05)
- Cloudflare Pages Direct Upload (updated 2026-04-21)
- Cloudflare Pages custom domains (updated 2026-04-21)
- Cloudflare Pages docs homepage (“Start new projects with Workers”) (updated 2026-08-25)
- Cloudflare blog, “Full-stack development on Cloudflare Workers” (2025-04-08)
- Cloudflare Pages Functions pricing (updated 2026-09-08)
- Cloudflare Workers pricing (updated 2026-08-28)
- Cloudflare Workers limits (checked 2026-09-22)
- Cloudflare “Migrate from Pages” guide (checked 2026-09-22)
- Cloudflare DNS full setup (nameserver wait) (checked 2026-09-22)
- Cloudflare network (checked 2026-09-22)
- Vercel fair use guidelines (updated 2026-09-14)
- Netlify credit-based pricing plans (updated 2026-09-01)
- Netlify, how credits work (updated 2026-08-12)
- GitHub Pages limits (checked 2026-09-22)
- MDN, What is a web server (“served as-is”)
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