Head-to-head · Web Accelerator Software
KeyCDN vs Squid
KeyCDN leads on 2 checks, Squid on 1, and 0 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreKeyCDN · 7.3/10
- Free planonly Squid
- Most featuresKeyCDN · 2 of 5
KeyCDN scores higher on our rubric for web accelerator software: 7.3 against 7.1 out of 10; our editors rank them #5 and #6.
Squid offers free plan; KeyCDN doesn't. KeyCDN offers image optimization; Squid doesn't publish it. KeyCDN offers origin shield; Squid doesn't publish it.
KeyCDN is the better fit for cost-conscious teams needing a full CDN. Squid is the better fit for free self-hosted caching and proxying.
- KeyCDN fits best
Cost-conscious teams needing a full CDN
- Squid fits best
Free self-hosted caching and proxying
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Side by side
| Feature | KeyCDN 7.3/10 Visit ↗ | Squid 7.1/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 7.3 | 7.1 |
| Ranking | #5 in Web Accelerator Software | #6 in Web Accelerator Software |
| Best for | Cost-conscious teams needing a full CDN | Free self-hosted caching and proxying |
| Pricing model | Paid | Free |
| Starting price | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | — | ✓ (best) |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Docs · 24/7 | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features KeyCDN 2/5 · Squid 0/5 | ||
| Image optimization | ✓ (best) | Not published |
| Web application firewall | Not published | Not published |
| Bot management | Not published | Not published |
| Origin shield | ✓ (best) | Not published |
| Cache purge API | Not published | Not published |
| Specs | ||
| Included bandwidth | Not published | Not published |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | KeyCDN is a content delivery network for website owners and application developers who need to cache and serve web content or video from edge servers. Pull Zones fetch content from an origin server, while Push Zones store uploaded content… Read the review → |
Squid is open-source proxy caching software for web clients and content delivery environments. It suits network operators, websites, and organizations that want to cache and reuse frequently requested web objects while managing the proxy… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
KeyCDN — where it wins
- Pull and Push Zones support origin-based and uploaded content
- Real-time image processing, HLS video delivery and cache purging
- REST API, real-time logs, TLS and CMS integrations
Where it doesn't
- Traffic rates vary by region and volume
- No free plan; access is through a paid service
- Support channels listed are documentation
Squid — where it wins
- Caches HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, and gopher objects in memory or on disk
- Supports reverse-proxy acceleration and cache-peer load balancing
- Includes access controls, request logging, and cache restoration after restart
Where it doesn't
- Self-hosting puts deployment and operations on your team
- Primarily focused on proxy caching rather than turnkey global delivery
- Requires configuration to manage cache peers, access controls, and SSL
- KeyCDN7.3/10 · From $0.04 · 14-day trial
A usage-priced CDN with caching, image processing, video delivery and API controls.
Visit KeyCDNFull verdict → - Squid7.1/10 · Free plan
Open-source caching and proxying for teams prepared to run it themselves.
Visit SquidFull verdict →
More comparisons
- Amazon CloudFront vs Squid
- Azure Front Door vs Squid
- NGINX Plus vs KeyCDN
- NGINX Plus vs Squid
- KeyCDN vs Sirv
- KeyCDN vs ImageKit
- Squid vs Sirv
- Squid vs ImageKit
All web accelerator software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
Last updated · How we research and update





