Deep-dive: Cloudflare Workers as a link cloaker — Verdict 7/10

Deep-dive: Cloudflare Workers as a link cloaker — Verdict 7/10

The DIY option real engineers reach for instead of a plugin.

What it nails:
— Redirects resolve at the edge, before your origin, in single-digit ms
— Zero DB writes, zero WP overhead, no plugin to update
— Geo, A/B, bot-filtering logic all programmable in one Worker
— Free tier handles 100k requests/day; pennies beyond

Where it bites:
— It's code. No UI for your VA to add a /go/ link without a deploy
— You build click logging yourself (KV/D1/external), it's not free out of the box
— A bad deploy can break every affiliate link at once

For: Technical operators with many links, international traffic, or speed obsession who want to own the redirect layer.
NOT for: Non-coders, small sites, or teams without a deploy process.

Gotcha nobody mentions: If links live in a Worker and your CMS exports clean, your affiliate redirects are now in a DIFFERENT system than your content. New team members won't know where /go/ resolves. Document it or it's a landmine.

Bottom line: Fastest, cheapest, most flexible cloaker if you can code and document. Otherwise a footgun. 7/10.