Cloudflare WARP vs Mudfish VPN: What’s Actually Different?

Both Cloudflare WARP and Mudfish can “feel” like a VPN because they route traffic through another network, but they’re built for very different goals.

• Cloudflare WARP is a device client that sends your device’s traffic into Cloudflare’s global network, where organizations can apply Zero Trust controls (Gateway filtering, device posture checks, access policies, etc.). (Cloudflare Docs)

• Mudfish positions itself as “Acceleration as a Service” and a gaming-focused VPN/optimizer, designed to reduce lag by routing game traffic through selected nodes, with features like Multi Path and the option to pass game traffic only (or run full VPN). (Mudfish)

1) The real purpose

Cloudflare WARP (Zero Trust-first)

WARP is primarily about security + policy enforcement at the edge:

• Send DNS and network traffic to Cloudflare

• Apply web filtering and Zero Trust policies

• Optionally check device health before allowing access to corporate apps (Cloudflare Docs)

This makes WARP a strong fit for organizations that want a managed “secure connectivity layer” for users and devices.

Mudfish (latency/route optimization-first)

Mudfish is primarily about routing optimization for games (and sometimes streaming), where you choose/optimize paths via their nodes to improve connection quality. Their feature list highlights WAN optimization, multi-path routing, server chaining, and “passing game traffic only,” plus Full VPN support. (Mudfish)

2) How traffic is handled

WARP: device → Cloudflare edge → destination

WARP forwards DNS + network traffic from the device to Cloudflare where policies are applied. Cloudflare’s docs describe this as a managed routing flow and explain how DNS/IP traffic is handled depending on WARP mode. (Cloudflare Docs)

Mudfish: “items” (app/game traffic) or full VPN

Mudfish commonly works in two styles:

• Game/app-only routing (“passing game traffic only” / item-based usage) (Mudfish)

• Full VPN mode (route everything), with documentation covering Full VPN behavior and limitations. (Mudfish)

Multi Path mode is explicitly described as routing traffic through two or more Mudfish nodes, optimized by RTT, and it cannot be mixed with Full VPN at the same time. (Mudfish)

3) Split tunneling: similar word, different intent

• WARP split tunneling is usually used to decide what traffic goes through WARP so your organization can enforce Zero Trust where needed (and avoid conflicts elsewhere). Its behavior is tied to WARP routing architecture/modes. (Cloudflare Docs)

• Mudfish “game traffic only” is effectively a practical form of split routing aimed at saving bandwidth/credits and focusing optimization on the game connection. (Mudfish)

4) Performance expectations

WARP

WARP uses Cloudflare’s network to make connectivity more secure and often more reliable/efficient, but the big differentiator is policy + security controls (especially in Zero Trust deployments). (Cloudflare Docs)

Mudfish

Mudfish is explicitly performance-oriented for gaming:

• WAN optimization

• Node selection/optimization

• Multi-path routing for improved path quality (Mudfish)

5) Pricing model: subscription vs pay-per-traffic

Cloudflare WARP (consumer) + WARP+

Cloudflare introduced WARP+ as a paid tier (historically described as $4.99/month or less, varying by region). (The Cloudflare Blog)
(For org deployments, WARP is typically part of Cloudflare Zero Trust offerings, where pricing depends on plan.) (Cloudflare)

Mudfish: credits and pay-per-traffic (common)

Mudfish strongly supports Pay-Per-Traffic:

• Credits deducted based on traffic used (Mudfish)

• Docs mention a base price table like 135 KRW per 1GB (as a reference point) (Mudfish)

• Pricing is explained via traffic balance tables tied to credits and exchange rates (Mudfish)

Quick comparison (practical view)

• Choose Cloudflare WARP if you want:

  • Zero Trust security controls (Gateway policies, posture checks, managed routing)

  • A consistent, org-managed client for devices (Cloudflare Docs)

• Choose Mudfish if you want:

  • Gaming latency/path optimization

  • “Game traffic only” routing and pay-per-traffic cost efficiency (Mudfish)