Michael D. Wandzilak
Cloudflare Pages is a hosting platform that serves your website from Cloudflare’s global edge network — over 300 cities worldwide — instead of from one server in one place. For static sites it is, remarkably, free: unlimited bandwidth, unlimited requests, free SSL, no metering. We run dozens of production client sites on it. This is the plain-English version of what it is, why it’s fast, and what it can’t do.
How it works
Traditional hosting can serve pages from an origin server, often with a CDN or cache in front. Pages serves static assets through Cloudflare’s global network. Serving cached files closer to visitors can reduce delivery time. Page size, scripts and connection quality still affect the experience. (If Cloudflare itself is new to you, start with What Is Cloudflare?)
Connect a Git repository or upload directly to publish a new version with Pages. We use preview URLs for client review before production release and check the access settings required for that review.
What it costs
Static-asset requests are free on Pages. Check build limits and any functions, storage, email or other services the site uses when estimating its total cost.
Our Cloudflare Pages vs Traditional Hosting guide compares the options. Use your site’s features, support needs and current bills to estimate the total cost.
What it's ideal for
- Business and marketing sites. Services, portfolio, about, contact — the classic small-business site is the perfect Pages workload. Most of our WordPress migrations land here.
- Sites that get traffic spikes. Static-file delivery can stay within the free plan through a traffic spike. Check the limits and pricing of connected functions and services before your quiet Tuesday turns busy.
- Anything security-sensitive. A static site has no database to inject, no admin login to brute-force, no plugins to exploit. Most of the WordPress attack surface simply doesn’t exist.
- Documentation, landing pages, campaign sites. Simple to publish, with a free plan for suitable static sites.
What it can't do (and the honest workarounds)
Pages serves files; it doesn’t run PHP or a database. That means:
- It can’t run WordPress itself. A WordPress site has to be rebuilt as (or exported to) a static site first — that’s the migration work.
- Dynamic features need a companion. Contact forms, search, payments and logins are handled with small serverless functions — Cloudflare Workers — that live on the same network. For sites using this approach, a Worker can validate form submissions, check a bot challenge and send an email. The form and its delivery service still need testing and maintenance.
- Content editing is a workflow question. There’s no built-in admin panel. Owners either send us changes, or we wire a lightweight CMS in front for sites that need frequent self-service editing.
One more thing worth knowing: Cloudflare has been converging Pages and Workers into a single platform — new capabilities land on the Workers side first, and static-asset hosting is now native to Workers too. Practically, nothing changes for site owners: same network, same economics, and existing Pages projects keep working. It’s simply where the platform is heading, and a good developer picks the right entry point per project.
Getting a site onto Pages
The short version of every migration we do: capture or build the site as static files, wire the forms and any dynamic pieces as Workers, stage it on a preview URL for review, then point the domain at Cloudflare and go live — with every old URL 301-redirected so search engines follow. Email stays wherever it lives today; DNS just needs moving carefully. Done right, the cutover is invisible except for the speed.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cloudflare Pages really free?
Pages includes a free plan for static sites. Static-asset requests are free; builds, functions and connected services have their own limits or pricing. Check the complete setup when estimating costs.
Can Cloudflare Pages run WordPress?
Not directly — Pages doesn’t run PHP or MySQL. A WordPress site is first converted to a static build (which is a service we provide end-to-end), and dynamic pieces like contact forms are rebuilt as Cloudflare Workers.
Do I need to know how to code to use it?
To host something already built, no — you can upload files directly. To build and maintain a real business site on it, you’ll want a developer in the loop, the same way you would for any hand-built site.
Is Cloudflare Pages good for SEO?
Pages can serve pre-built HTML efficiently. Test the finished site’s Core Web Vitals and verify its content, links, crawlability and metadata; hosting alone does not determine rankings.