GitHub Pages vs Cloudflare Pages: which free plan?
Cloudflare Pages has fewer strings attached on its free plan (score 100 vs 88). GitHub Pages can still be the better choice for the cases below.
Both checked against their official pricing pages on 1 Nov 2026.
| Type | Repo static hosting | Edge static hosting |
|---|---|---|
| Free-tier score | 88 / 100 | 100 / 100 |
| Card to sign up | Not required | Not required |
| Free plan ends | Never | Never |
| Sleeps when idle | No | No |
| Commercial use | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Own domain on free | Yes | Yes |
| Free subdomain | *.github.io | *.pages.dev |
| Free limits |
|
|
| The catch | On a free account the repo must be public, and GitHub says Pages is not meant for online shops or SaaS. | A site cannot hold more than 20,000 files or any single file over 25 MiB on the free plan. |
| Paid from | $4/mo (GitHub Pro (Pages from private repos)) | $5/mo (Workers Paid) |
| Source | Official pricing for GitHub Pages (opens in a new tab) | Official pricing for Cloudflare Pages (opens in a new tab) |
Which one should you pick?
Pick GitHub Pages if…
- your project is: portfolios, docs and project sites
Pick Cloudflare Pages if…
- it is for a business or paid product
- your project is: high-traffic static sites
Questions
Which is better for free, GitHub Pages or Cloudflare Pages?
Cloudflare Pages has fewer strings attached on its free plan (score 100 vs 88). GitHub Pages can still be the better choice for the cases below.
Does GitHub Pages or Cloudflare Pages need a credit card?
GitHub Pages: no. Cloudflare Pages: no.
What is the catch with GitHub Pages and Cloudflare Pages?
GitHub Pages: On a free account the repo must be public, and GitHub says Pages is not meant for online shops or SaaS. Cloudflare Pages: A site cannot hold more than 20,000 files or any single file over 25 MiB on the free plan.