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Akamai

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Amazon CloudFront

21.4K
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Fastly

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Akamai vs Amazon CloudFront vs Fastly: What are the differences?

## Key Differences Between Akamai, Amazon CloudFront, and Fastly

1. **Global Reach**: Akamai has one of the most extensive global networks with servers in over 130 countries, providing unparalleled coverage. Amazon CloudFront and Fastly also have global reach but may not have the same extensive network as Akamai, impacting response times and availability in certain regions.

2. **Pricing Structure**: Amazon CloudFront offers competitive pricing with pay-as-you-go options, making it suitable for small to large scale businesses. Akamai, on the other hand, is known for its premium pricing model, tailored towards enterprise-level clients. Fastly falls in between both, offering flexible pricing plans that can cater to a wide range of businesses.

3. **Security Features**: Akamai is recognized for its robust security features, including DDoS protection, web application firewall, and bot management, making it a preferred choice for organizations prioritizing security. While Amazon CloudFront and Fastly also provide security features, they may not offer the same level of comprehensive security as Akamai.

4. **Content Delivery Performance**: Akamai has a proven track record of delivering fast and reliable content delivery, leveraging its vast network infrastructure and advanced caching mechanisms. Amazon CloudFront and Fastly also offer impressive performance but may not be as optimized as Akamai in certain scenarios, resulting in potentially slower load times.

5. **Customization and Control**: Fastly stands out for its high level of customization and control, allowing users to tailor caching rules and configurations to specific needs. While Amazon CloudFront also offers some flexibility in customization, Akamai provides a more structured approach that may not offer as much granular control as Fastly.

6. **Support and Customer Service**: Akamai is known for its excellent customer support, offering dedicated account managers and 24/7 technical assistance to ensure smooth operations. Amazon CloudFront and Fastly also provide support services, but it may not be as personalized or comprehensive as Akamai's support system.

In Summary, Akamai, Amazon CloudFront, and Fastly differ in global reach, pricing structures, security features, content delivery performance, customization options, and level of support provided to customers. Each platform caters to unique requirements and preferences based on individual business needs.
Decisions about Akamai, Amazon CloudFront, and Fastly
Francesco Boffa

I don't think I have registered a domain in the last 10 years that hasn't been linked to CloudFlare within the first 2 hours from registration.

The benefits you get from even the free version of CloudFlare are amazing. From day 0: - 30/80% of bandwidth savings thanks to their CDN - Origin IP address protection - Managed SSL

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Pros of Akamai
Pros of Amazon CloudFront
Pros of Fastly
    Be the first to leave a pro
    • 245
      Fast
    • 166
      Cdn
    • 157
      Compatible with other aws services
    • 125
      Simple
    • 108
      Global
    • 41
      Cheap
    • 36
      Cost-effective
    • 27
      Reliable
    • 19
      One stop solution
    • 9
      Elastic
    • 1
      Object store
    • 1
      HTTP/2 Support
    • 28
      Real-time updates
    • 26
      Fastest CDN
    • 22
      Powerful API
    • 20
      Great support
    • 14
      Great customer support
    • 7
      Instant Purging
    • 7
      Custom VCL
    • 6
      Good pricing
    • 6
      Tag-based Purging
    • 5
      HTTP/2 Support
    • 4
      Speed & functionality
    • 4
      Image processing on demande (Fastly IO)
    • 4
      Best CDN

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    Cons of Akamai
    Cons of Amazon CloudFront
    Cons of Fastly
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      • 3
        UI could use some work
      • 1
        Invalidations take so long
      • 1
        Minimum $50/mo spend

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      What is Akamai?

      If you've ever shopped online, downloaded music, watched a web video or connected to work remotely, you've probably used Akamai's cloud platform. Akamai helps businesses connect the hyperconnected, empowering them to transform and reinvent their business online. We remove the complexities of technology, so you can focus on driving your business faster forward.

      What is Amazon CloudFront?

      Amazon CloudFront can be used to deliver your entire website, including dynamic, static, streaming, and interactive content using a global network of edge locations. Requests for your content are automatically routed to the nearest edge location, so content is delivered with the best possible performance.

      What is Fastly?

      Fastly's real-time content delivery network gives you total control over your content, unprecedented access to performance analytics, and the ability to instantly update content in 150 milliseconds.

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      What companies use Akamai?
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      What companies use Fastly?

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      What tools integrate with Akamai?
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      What are some alternatives to Akamai, Amazon CloudFront, and Fastly?
      CloudFlare
      Cloudflare speeds up and protects millions of websites, APIs, SaaS services, and other properties connected to the Internet.
      Google Cloud CDN
      Google Cloud CDN leverages Google's globally distributed edge caches to accelerate content delivery for websites and applications served out of Google Compute Engine. Cloud CDN lowers network latency, offloads origins, and reduces serving costs. Once you've set up HTTP(S) Load Balancing, simply enable Cloud CDN with a single checkbox.
      Apigee
      API management, design, analytics, and security are at the heart of modern digital architecture. The Apigee intelligent API platform is a complete solution for moving business to the digital world.
      Imperva
      It provides complete cyber security by protecting what really matters most—your data and applications—whether on-premises or in the cloud.
      F5
      It powers apps from development through their entire life cycle, so our customers can deliver differentiated, high-performing, and secure digital experiences.
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