Key Points
Third-quarter revenue increased 39% year over year to $782.5 million.
Customers paying over $100,000 annually grew 25% year over year.
Paying customer count increased 110% year over year to 158,000.
On its third-quarter 2026 earnings call, held on Nov. 5, 2026, Cloudflare (NYSE:NET) announced its fastest quarterly revenue growth in nearly four years. Quarterly revenue rose 39% year over year to $782.5 million. Enterprise customer growth and expanding software usage are widening profit margins. Three things management said stand out.
1. Sales Execution Focuses on Enterprise Contract Expansion
Management replaced its sales chief to improve execution as corporate deals grow larger. The company wants sales teams to spend more face-to-face time with prospective buyers to shorten contract-signing times.
My immediate priorities are to double down on go-to-market execution, further accelerate our enterprise momentum, and ensure our customers get even more rapid compounding time to value from our platform.
-- Christian Smith, President of Revenue
2. Security Infrastructure Spots Threats Before Public Disclosure
Because massive web traffic flows through its network, Cloudflare spots software bugs before researchers announce them publicly. This early warning system allows the company to protect clients pre-emptively, driving broader corporate adoption.
Because of the vast percentage of the internet that already sits behind Cloudflare, we are among the first to receive quiet disclosure of new vulnerabilities.
-- Matthew Prince, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
3. Lightweight Isolate Tech Outperforms Legacy Cloud Containers
Traditional clouds rely on software containers that consume computing resources during idle periods. Cloudflare uses lightweight isolates (a technology that runs code instantly and costs customers less) to power artificial intelligence applications.
The container-based architecture of the hyperscalers and neoclouds just can't keep up in a cost-effective way with the new agentic paradigms of today.
-- Matthew Prince, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
Looking Ahead
Customer demand is accelerating across enterprise cohorts, and management is openly leaning into its operational momentum. Expanding profit margins show that high-volume developer platforms scale efficiently alongside core security products. Management is strategically watching pricing discipline and contract renewals as clients consolidate vendors.
The higher you go among these cohorts, based on the amount of spending committed to Cloudflare, the faster revenue is growing year-over-year.
-- Thomas Seifert, Chief Financial Officer
The company is accelerating its timeline for sustainable profitability while maintaining capital discipline across its global infrastructure.
We intend to capitalize on this generational opportunity with a continued focus on disciplined capital allocation, rigorous operational execution, and durable, efficient growth.
-- Thomas Seifert, Chief Financial Officer
The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Cloudflare. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.