Cloudflare One vs Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection comparison

Cloudflare and Mimecast are both solutions in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category. Cloudflare is ranked #16 with an average rating of 9.0, while Mimecast is ranked #20 with an average rating of 8.3. Cloudflare holds a 4.0% mindshare in WSG, compared to Mimecast’s 0.5% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Cloudflare users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of Mimecast users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 11, 2026

Mimecast Advanced Email Security and Cloudflare One are two leading solutions in the email security and cloud security market. Mimecast is generally favored for its comprehensive email security features, while Cloudflare One is considered stronger in integration and performance solutions, often seen as providing superior value due to its broad feature set.

Features: Mimecast offers robust email filtering, impersonation protection, and archiving services, noted for sandboxing and smooth integration with Microsoft 365. Cloudflare One integrates multiple security functionalities within a single console, featuring powerful DDoS protection, zero trust network access, and advanced rate limiting tools.

Room for Improvement: Mimecast can enhance customer support responsiveness, simplify its initial setup, and reduce false positives. It also faces challenges with transitioning to other platforms and high data extraction fees. Cloudflare One could benefit from making its initial setup more intuitive and providing better documentation for complex environments, in addition to improving its alert systems and integration with other tools.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Mimecast supports both cloud and on-premises deployment, though users often find the setup complex and desire more onboarding support. While it has responsive customer service, many rely on its extensive knowledge base. Cloudflare One is generally deployed in public clouds and is valued for its straightforward deployment, despite some initial user navigation challenges. Its customer service is perceived as more consistent.

Pricing and ROI: Mimecast is viewed as expensive with high licensing and support costs but valued for its robust protection capabilities. Cloudflare One is typically more cost-effective with competitive pricing and a broader feature set, suitable for smaller companies or those seeking scalable solutions. Users appreciate Cloudflare One’s transparent pricing model and lower overall costs.

To learn more, read our detailed Secure Web Gateways (SWG) Report (Updated: January 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

January 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

iboss

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Secure Web Gateways (SWG) category, the mindshare of iboss is 2.4%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cloudflare One is 4.0%, up from 2.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection is 0.5%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Secure Web Gateways (SWG) Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
iboss	2.4%
Cloudflare One	4.0%
Mimecast Advanced Email Security	0.5%
Other	93.1%

Secure Web Gateways (SWG)

Featured Reviews

reviewer2701851

Managing Director

Enhances web security with a single pane of glass and flexible deployment

I don't see any need for improvement; one of the really good things about iboss as a company is that they listen to customer feedback. I have suggested enhancements, and they are responsive, making changes for the better, and they do a lot of testing. To improve iboss, although we haven't used it, we considered the VPN solution that comes with the highest tier licensing, which includes DLP and various other add-ons. We prefer using another product which automatically logs you back onto your network when turning on your PC. With iboss, the connection is manual, which doesn't meet our needs. Additionally, sizing can be tricky because, although the initial recommendations may seem adequate, actual usage may require more gateways than anticipated.

Read full review

Cobe Van Coller

Network Architect at IP Dimension

Cloud security has improved remote access and has reduced costs for smaller client sites

I have used Cloudflare One's Identity-Aware Proxy, and it is quite straightforward from what I have seen so far. The app registration on the Azure side integrates fully into Cloudflare, and I am very satisfied with that part because it is easy to set up. The integration of Cloudflare One's Secure Web Gateway and Zero Trust Network Access works without any issues. That part is pretty automatic, and if you complete the rest of the setup, it comes together by itself with no issues from my side. What makes it nice is that we can actually start replacing on-site firewalls at this stage for the smaller clients because it does not matter if they go to a coffee shop or work from home; they are still secured by the same connection. The hops get shorter and you get better latency. We have done testing to see if it is better. One thing that we did notice with our proof of concept with our current client is that they have people connecting from the UK. When they used their previous VPN solution, uploading CAD drawings and other files to the server took a long time. They mentioned that it is much quicker on Cloudflare One's solution. I definitely believe that is part of the improved performance, and I am satisfied with that as well. What is nice about Cloudflare One is that it makes the setup easier and also easier to train technicians to maintain it. Compared to legacy systems, we do not need to get fancy firewalls in place that are costly. That is definitely also a cost-saver with Cloudflare One.

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Test Logix

Email Security Engineer at Logic Infosecurity

Experience high detection and user-friendly policies with reliable email security implementation

The system is not user-friendly because you have to create policies that are mapped in a dictionary. As an IT engineer, I understand how it works, but explaining it to another IT person can be difficult. Having more user-friendly dashboards would improve the work experience. In Mimecast Email Security, checking policies in the dictionary or gateway is very complicated, and not everyone understands this process. If you examine the Check Point portal, it's user-friendly with easily accessible tabs that anyone can explore. With Mimecast Email Security, making changes might impact existing mailboxes. The portal is complicated compared to Check Point's user-friendly interface.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"iboss is among the few products providing inline filtering where no application is needed on the device."

"iboss has significantly lowered the number of security incidents. It is crazy how much it blocks and how much it is aware of the outside danger."

"Because of iboss, I did not have to assign web filtering tasks to my techs on a daily basis."

"From a use-case scenario, what I like the most is the plug-in. I like the fact that we can do the filtering of these devices offsite independent of the network they are connected to, and we do not have to have traffic coming back inside our network."

"First of all, the security policies are essential. I do not have to rely solely on Active Directory for our users."

"Granular setup, which was able to set different levels of filters using the OUs in the AD."

"iboss is among the few products providing inline filtering where no application is needed on the device. It operates on the network side and is not device-based. This feature was one of the main reasons why we stayed with them for so long."

"Iboss is a solution that prevents advanced persistent threats, and has a zero tolerance for attacks."

More iboss pros

"Cloudflare is simple to use."

"The tool also offers good scalability, and the dashboard, along with real-time analytics, is very good."

"This solution is easy to understand and easy to configure."

"The simplicity of the solution is its valuable features as almost no effort was needed to learn the configurations. It is also one of the cheapest firewalls available in this category."

"Clover is the best product globally."

"For Cloudflare Access, I am using the free plan...The most valuable feature is their protection."

"Cloudflare DDoS is better than its competitors for its security, deployment, and scalability."

"The best feature is rate limiting. If I'm expecting 500 visits per hour, Cloudflare will limit the requests if I suddenly get 50,000."

More Cloudflare One pros

"It's really quite user-friendly. In terms of technical superiority and the product itself, there are no complaints. It is really cutting edge."

"I have been satisfied with Mimecast Email Security as a good solution."

"Email security is the most valuable feature of the solution."

"The product's most valuable features are impersonation protection and phishing countermeasures."

"The interface of this solution is very easy to navigate and user-friendly. There is no delivery in email and other communications, making it reliable. The configuration is relatively easy."

"What I like about the integration is that it is directly into Microsoft 365, users can use their Microsoft 365 credentials to log into the portal and access their mail."

"We're now certain business-critical mail is perfectly protected in multiple ways."

"In terms of efficacy, Proofpoint is better than Mimecast, though it's a little difficult to manage."

More Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection pros

Cons

"I am currently doing a PoC of the zero trust aspect of it. Compared to other similar solutions, it is hard to get around each feature. It takes a while to get used to it."

"I'd like to see them accelerate development on the security side, particularly around data loss prevention."

"Iboss is growing so fast that it is often hard for them to keep up with the challenges."

"Our biggest problem with their service was it did not recognize the device and filtering did not always work correctly."

"SSL decryption: We had issues with learners using apps instead of using web browsers. This type of encryption is tough for any appliance in a BYOD environment."

"For zero trust implementation, we encountered complexity issues, especially with a large infrastructure company ExxonMobil."

"Sometimes, obviously, there are bugs."

"The reporting feature needs improvement. It doesn't give you the expected results. It is quite difficult to get the specific reports needed, and it is not as intuitive as the rest of the platform."

More iboss cons

"From a logging perspective, it is still a bit difficult to see exactly what users are being blocked with the current views."

"When there are any dynamic changes in complex applications, the tool takes a lot of time, making its analytics-related area a major matter of concern where improvements are needed."

"The free plan has limitations. For example, I can only set up three rules, and the application firewall is unavailable."

"Our customers no longer use Cloudflare because its service is subpar."

"The software has automated alerts, but the automated alerts are not available in the mobile app."

"The initial onboarding was causing us some confusion."

"Cloudflare DDoS has poor technical support."

"There are premium tier live service and lower tier live service, so we opted for the lower tier. But there is no medium tier where we pay a little extra and get a bit more service. So if that can be improved."

More Cloudflare One cons

"The system is not user-friendly because you have to create policies that are mapped in a dictionary."

"Mimecast needs to reduce the number of false positive emails; a big pain point for us."

"Mimecast Email Security is somewhat expensive compared to the competition in the Indian market, and the local presence is lacking as they do not have a local representative currently."

"We have subscribed to an archival service, and yet, when we have to get our data out, we have to pay a fee to get our own data. They charge an extraction fee."

"As for areas for improvement within Mimecast Web Security, I believe there is quite a lot that can be improved."

"Mimecast needs to reduce the number of false positive emails; a big pain point for us."

"Their support should be improved. They are notorious for sending you to knowledge-based articles rather than actually talking to you, but that is, unfortunately, kind of becoming a trend with everything. In terms of features, I haven't had any complaints. However, I don't like the fact they moved to a paid training subscription model. They used to have a lot of free webinars for training, but they have started to charge for them in the past year."

"The interface isn't the best. How everything works on the back end is confusing."

More Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is not expensive, and it is also not cheap. iboss is priced right in the sweet spot for the number of features it offers."

"The overall pricing for iboss is very competitive and transparent."

"It is expensive compared to one of its competitors."

"We have not priced the solution recently, but they were competitive with other vendors in the past."

"We had the cost of purchasing a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs. However, the following year, the cost of just licensing was similar to what was paid the previous year for a new appliance along with the implementation and licensing costs."

"It is probably in line with other solutions, but I do not deal with the financial side."

"The pricing is somewhere in the middle. I would rate the pricing a seven out of ten."

"The pricing of the solution is cheap. The licensing cost is also very low. I rate the cost and pricing a three out of ten."

"The solution is not that expensive."

"The solution's pricing lacks transparency."

"Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform's pricing is good."

"My company has to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the solution. There are no hidden charges apart from the licensing costs of the solution."

"The prices are slightly expensive."

"The price tag is no longer $200,000, but rather $300,000 to $400,000. It's twice."

"Two subscription options are currently offered: monthly and yearly. My suggestion is to opt for the yearly subscription as it can give some discount. The pricing isn't high as other cloud solutions are pricier than Microsoft's offerings."

"Compared to the other products in the market, it is neither cheap but nor very expensive. I would rate it somewhere in the middle, 5 out of 10."

"The solution is expensive."

"Its price is in the middle range. It is a structured licensing model where there are various components that you can add or choose to add or not."

"The price of Mimecast Mailbox Continuity is expensive."

"I'm always going to say the price needs to be lower, but it's reasonable."

"Compared to the other solutions in the market, Mimecast Email Security with Targeted Threat Protection's pricing is fine."

"The product has good pricing in terms of return on investment."

More Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	10
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	10

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	19
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	13

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with iboss?

For zero trust implementation, we encountered complexity issues, especially with a large infrastructure company Exxon...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for iboss?

Previously when I used iboss, we did the POC for iboss for ExxonMobil. Four or five people wanted to move from our ol...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iboss?

Regarding pricing, setup costs, and licensing, iboss is not cheap, and that's my only concern. There are cheaper alte...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cloudflare Access?

Cloudflare Access has strong integration with Microsoft, among other platforms. However, when it comes to Kaspersky, ...

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What is your primary use case for Cloudflare Access?

Cloudflare Access provides secure access to internal applications for employees, external members of the organization...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Cloudflare Access?

Cloudflare Access is one of the best integrations available. While about two hundred vendors offer similar services, ...

See all answers

What do you like most about Mimecast Email Security with Targeted Threat Protection?

The interface of this solution is very easy to navigate and user-friendly. There is no delivery in email and other co...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Mimecast Email Security with Targeted Threat Protection?

Do you know anything about the pricing and cost of the Mimecast Email Security?

See all answers

What needs improvement with Mimecast Email Security with Targeted Threat Protection?

There is room for improvement since new threats are emerging. Considering the availability of new features would be w...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 12% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

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Compared 7% of the time

Lightspeed Filter vs iboss

Compared 4% of the time

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Compared 5% of the time

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Compared 3% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Cloudflare One

Compared 3% of the time

FortiSASE vs Cloudflare One

Compared 3% of the time

Twingate vs Cloudflare One

Compared 3% of the time

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Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration vs Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection

Compared 20% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 vs Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection

Compared 12% of the time

Proofpoint Email Protection vs Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection

Compared 11% of the time

Barracuda Email Protection vs Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection

Compared 6% of the time

Abnormal Security vs Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection

Compared 5% of the time

More Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

iboss

February 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Cloudflare One

February 2026

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Buyer's Guide

Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection

January 2026

Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection report

Download Mimecast Email and Collaboration Threat Protection product report

Also Known As

iBoss Cloud Platform

Cloudflare Area 1 Email Security, Cloudflare Bot Management, Cloudflare Gateway, Cloudflare Zero Trust Platform, Cloudflare DDoS, Cloudflare SASE & SSE Platform

Mimecast Email Security with Targeted Threat Protection, Mimecast Web Security, Mimecast Mailbox Continuity, Mimecast Advanced Email Security

Overview

Iboss offers a comprehensive cloud-based security platform valued for its scalability and autonomous features, ensuring robust security with easy deployment and management capabilities.

Renowned for its robust security architecture, Iboss integrates seamlessly within diverse networks, delivering efficient granular filtering and advanced content categorization. Its single pane of glass console provides ease of management, allowing rapid scalability suitable for rapidly deploying environments. Operates in BYOD setups due to inline filtering without device installation. Integration with cloud-based applications enhances user control, and features like SASE, SSL inspection, and ChatGPT risk protection stand as highlights. Despite its strengths, users have pointed out areas for enhancement like direct navigation in reports, SSL decryption, and better cloud integration while having room to improve data loss prevention.

What are the most important features of Iboss?

Scalability: Supports rapid deployment across diverse networks.
SASE: A consolidated approach to secure access.
SSL Inspection: Ensures safe data transmission.
Granular Filtering: Detailed control over accessible content.
Single Pane Management: Unifies control through a centralized console.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Cost-effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing with robust features.
Autonomous Operation: Reduces management overhead.
Responsive Support: Provides assistance when needed.
Flexible Deployment: Available for both cloud and on-premises environments.

The usage of Iboss spans educational institutions, specifically K-12, to enforce internet policies, protect data, and support remote work environments. It provides web filtering and security frameworks to ensure safe browsing. Its platform-as-a-service model offers flexibility for both cloud-based and on-premises requirements, integrating seamlessly to deliver enhanced security features suitable for various deployment needs including zero trust, CASB, and network security for work-from-home setups.

iboss

Cloudflare One is a comprehensive platform for security, performance, and connectivity. It provides features like rate limiting, DDoS protection, and application access, tailored to enhance user experience while securing internet access and accelerating communications.

Designed to integrate security measures with ease of use and scalability, Cloudflare One offers a secure web gateway and zero trust network access. These features ensure seamless setup and operation, making connectivity reliable and protected. Users appreciate its integrated console, intuitive interface, and the ability to manage risk effectively. It offers straightforward deployment, improves latency, and boasts cost-effectiveness. While its onboarding process and documentation need enhancement, its value in content delivery and application shielding is notable. Despite challenges in integrating Cloudflare Access with existing VPNs and the need for better automation and support, it remains vital for DNS and infrastructure protection.

What features make Cloudflare One stand out?

Rate Limiting: Controls the traffic rate to prevent abuse.
DDoS Protection: Shields applications from distributed denial-of-service attacks.
Secure Web Gateway: Provides secure internet access with seamless operation.
Zero Trust Network Access: Ensures secure, application-based connectivity without relying on traditional VPNs.
Access for Connectivity: Facilitates access to internal applications securely.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Security: Robust measures for DNS and browsing protection.
Performance: Enhanced site accessibility and communication speed.
Cost-Effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing for its features.
Ease of Deployment: Straightforward and efficient setup process.

In industries like finance, retail, and technology, Cloudflare One is crucial for enabling secure remote access and protecting web applications against dynamic threats. It supports compliance access policies and enhances content delivery, playing a key role in safeguarding digital infrastructure.

Cloudflare

Mimecast Advanced Email Security offers advanced features like sandboxing, email archiving, and phishing protection. It's known for integration with Microsoft 365 and user-friendly admin management, making it a robust choice for secure communications.

Focused on safeguarding emails, Mimecast Advanced Email Security integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365, providing features such as sandboxing, spam filtering, and email archiving. It delivers comprehensive protection against phishing, identity threats, and impersonation attempts. Administrators benefit from the ability to monitor external communications and customize configurations, enhancing email security. Users appreciate the intuitive admin console and responsive support team. Although it faces challenges in threat detection rates and administration complexity, its capabilities in email monitoring, spam filtering, and URL inspection remain valued by enterprises seeking reliable email security that supports compliance needs.

What key features should users explore?

Sandboxing: Analyzes attachments in a secure environment to detect threats.
Email Archiving: Provides secure long-term storage of emails for compliance.
Spam Filtering: Prevents unsolicited emails from clogging the inbox.
URL Inspection: Checks links in emails for malicious content.
Phishing Protection: Guards against deceptive tactics to protect sensitive data.

What benefits can impact ROI?

Regulatory Compliance: Facilitates adherence to standards such as HIPAA.
Integration: Enhances existing systems with seamless Microsoft 365 integration.
Support: Offers a responsive support team to resolve issues promptly.
Email Security: Improves threat prevention with effective spam and phishing protections.

Mimecast Advanced Email Security is implemented across industries to protect against email threats like phishing, spam, and malicious attachments. It serves as both a gateway and an archiving tool, supporting compliance in healthcare and finance by offering features like URL protection and data loss prevention. Enterprises leverage its capabilities to secure inbound and outbound communications effectively.

Mimecast

Sample Customers

More than 4,000 global enterprises trust the iboss Cloud Platform to support their modern workforces, including a large number of Fortune 50 companies.

23andMe

Azizi Developments, Affinity Credit Union, Aftercare, Al Abbar Group

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January 2026

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