Cloudflare CDN vs Akamai CDN

Cloudflare CDN9.4Visit Akamai CDN9.3Visit

Higher score Cloudflare CDN #1 in CDN Software 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 4 features Visit Cloudflare

vs

Akamai CDN #2 in CDN Software 9.3/10 Pricing on request ✓ 2 of 4 features Visit Akamai

• Cloudflare CDN fits best

  Broad CDN needs with a generous free plan

• Akamai CDN fits best

  Enterprise CDN buyers prioritizing maturity

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Side by side

Feature	Cloudflare CDN 9.4/10 Visit ↗	Akamai CDN 9.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.4	9.3
Ranking	#1 in CDN Software	#2 in CDN Software
Best for	Broad CDN needs with a generous free plan	Enterprise CDN buyers prioritizing maturity
Pricing model	Free plan + paid	Paid
Starting price	$20/mo	Pricing on request
Free plan	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Cloud	Cloud
Platforms	Web	Web
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Cloudflare CDN 1/4 · Akamai CDN 2/4
Web application firewall	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
DDoS protection	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Image optimization	✓	✓
Origin shield	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Specs
Edge locations	348 locations	Not checked yet
Edge compute	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Free plan includes CDN and unmetered DDoS protection Supports caching, image optimization, video delivery, and edge compute Includes origin protection, cache controls, and instant traffic logs	Delivers websites, applications, APIs, video, downloads, and digital content Combines optimization, origin shielding, edge computing, and performance logging Supports monitoring, reporting, testing, and API acceleration
Cons	Video delivery depends on the separate Cloudflare Stream service Smart Shield and Instant Logs have plan-dependent availability Advanced capabilities can require higher-tier or custom plans	CDN delivery pricing requires contact with sales No free plan is offered Its broad enterprise scope may exceed simpler CDN requirements
Our verdict	Cloudflare CDN is a reverse-proxy content delivery service for websites, applications, and APIs. It caches static and dynamic content at globally distributed edge locations, serves assets closer to visitors, and supports anonymous API GET… Read the review →	Akamai CDN delivers websites, applications, APIs, video, downloads, and other digital content through a globally distributed edge network. It is designed for enterprise teams that need performance, scalability, reliability, security, and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Cloudflare CDN — where it wins

  • Free plan includes CDN and unmetered DDoS protection
  • Supports caching, image optimization, video delivery, and edge compute
  • Includes origin protection, cache controls, and instant traffic logs

  Where it doesn't

  • Video delivery depends on the separate Cloudflare Stream service
  • Smart Shield and Instant Logs have plan-dependent availability
  • Advanced capabilities can require higher-tier or custom plans

• Akamai CDN — where it wins

  • Delivers websites, applications, APIs, video, downloads, and digital content
  • Combines optimization, origin shielding, edge computing, and performance logging
  • Supports monitoring, reporting, testing, and API acceleration

  Where it doesn't

  • CDN delivery pricing requires contact with sales
  • No free plan is offered
  • Its broad enterprise scope may exceed simpler CDN requirements

• Cloudflare CDN9.4/10 · Free plan

  A broad CDN with a generous free plan and edge delivery features.

  Visit CloudflareFull verdict →
• Akamai CDN9.3/10 · Pricing on request

  A mature enterprise CDN with broad delivery, optimization, logging, and edge-computing capabilities.

  Visit AkamaiFull verdict →