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Head-to-head · Content Delivery Networks

Gcore CDN vs Apache Traffic Server

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Gcore CDN #6 in Content Delivery Networks 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Gcore CDN
Apache Traffic Server #7 in Content Delivery Networks 7.9/10 Open source ✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Traffic Server

Gcore CDN leads on 0 checks, Apache Traffic Server on 0, and 6 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Free planonly Gcore CDN
  • Most featuresGcore CDN · 5 of 5

Gcore CDN and Apache Traffic Server score identically on our rubric (7.9 out of 10) for content delivery networks; Gcore CDN sits at #6 and Apache Traffic Server at #7 in our editorial ranking, so the choice comes down to fit.

Gcore CDN is the better fit for teams needing broad CDN features with PAYG entry. Apache Traffic Server is the better fit for teams operating a self-hosted proxy CDN.

  • Gcore CDN fits best

    Teams needing broad CDN features with PAYG entry

  • Apache Traffic Server fits best

    Teams operating a self-hosted proxy CDN

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Side by side

Feature Gcore CDN 7.9/10 Visit ↗ Apache Traffic Server 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 7.9 7.9
Ranking #6 in Content Delivery Networks #7 in Content Delivery Networks
Best for Teams needing broad CDN features with PAYG entry Teams operating a self-hosted proxy CDN
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price — Open source
Free plan ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud Self-hosted
Platforms Web macOS, Linux
Features Gcore CDN 5/5 · Apache Traffic Server 0/5
Image optimization ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Video delivery ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Origin shield ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Edge compute ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Real-time logs ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Edge locations 210 locations Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Free PAYG plan includes 1 TB/month of traffic
  • Supports images, video, dynamic content, and programmable edge logic
  • Terraform, Grafana, API, and S3-compatible storage integrations
  • Supports forward and reverse proxy deployments with response caching
  • Includes TLS termination, WebSocket proxying, and connection controls
  • Extends HTTP processing through a plugin API and rate-limit plugin
Cons
  • Enterprise traffic and pricing are custom
  • PAYG DDoS protection is limited to basic L3/L4 coverage
  • Advanced connectivity options are listed under Enterprise
  • Requires self-hosted installation, configuration, and ongoing administration
  • Does not provide a vendor-hosted managed global CDN service
  • Configuration relies on command-line tools and configuration files
Our verdict

Gcore CDN delivers websites, applications, software assets, large files, and video through a global network with 210+ points of presence. It is aimed at businesses serving latency-sensitive web, media, gaming, and software content. The…

Read the review →

Apache Traffic Server is open-source software for caching and proxying HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 traffic. It supports both forward and reverse proxy operation, making it a fit for enterprises, internet service providers, backbone providers,…

Read the review →
  1. Gcore CDNContent Delivery Networks 7.9Free plan
  2. Apache Traffic ServerContent Delivery Networks 7.9Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Gcore CDN — where it wins

    • Free PAYG plan includes 1 TB/month of traffic
    • Supports images, video, dynamic content, and programmable edge logic
    • Terraform, Grafana, API, and S3-compatible storage integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • Enterprise traffic and pricing are custom
    • PAYG DDoS protection is limited to basic L3/L4 coverage
    • Advanced connectivity options are listed under Enterprise

  • Apache Traffic Server — where it wins

    • Supports forward and reverse proxy deployments with response caching
    • Includes TLS termination, WebSocket proxying, and connection controls
    • Extends HTTP processing through a plugin API and rate-limit plugin

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires self-hosted installation, configuration, and ongoing administration
    • Does not provide a vendor-hosted managed global CDN service
    • Configuration relies on command-line tools and configuration files

More comparisons

All content delivery networks comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update