Amazon CloudFront vs CloudFlare vs Google Cloud CDN

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Amazon CloudFront

21.2K
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CloudFlare

75.8K
21.8K
+ 1
1.8K
Google Cloud CDN

83
232
+ 1
2

Amazon CloudFront vs CloudFlare vs Google Cloud CDN: What are the differences?

Introduction

In this article, we will discuss the key differences between Amazon CloudFront, CloudFlare, and Google Cloud CDN.

  1. Scalability: Amazon CloudFront is highly scalable and can handle a large amount of traffic efficiently. It offers global presence with multiple edge locations worldwide. CloudFlare also provides a scalable infrastructure that can handle high traffic loads effectively. On the other hand, Google Cloud CDN leverages Google's global network infrastructure, making it highly scalable and capable of handling massive amounts of traffic.

  2. Features and Services: Amazon CloudFront offers various features such as dynamic content acceleration, SSL/TLS termination, real-time log delivery, and support for live streaming. CloudFlare provides features like DDoS protection, web application firewall (WAF), CDN caching, and Edge Workers for serverless computing at the edge. Google Cloud CDN offers features such as caching, HTTP/2 support, SSL/TLS termination, and load balancing.

  3. Integration with Other Services: Amazon CloudFront seamlessly integrates with other Amazon Web Services (AWS) products, such as Amazon S3, EC2, and Elastic Load Balancer, making it easy to create a comprehensive cloud infrastructure. CloudFlare integrates with various platforms, content management systems (CMS), and web hosting providers, allowing for easy integration with existing setups. Google Cloud CDN integrates with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) services like Compute Engine, Kubernetes Engine, and Load Balancing.

  4. Global Network Coverage: Amazon CloudFront has a vast network of edge locations globally, ensuring low latency and high performance for users around the world. CloudFlare also has a large network of data centers across the globe, providing a robust global presence. Similarly, Google Cloud CDN utilizes Google's extensive network infrastructure, offering fast and reliable content delivery on a global scale.

  5. Pricing and Cost Structure: Amazon CloudFront's pricing is based on the amount of data transfer and the edge locations used. CloudFlare has different pricing plans based on features and services, with additional costs for enterprise-level solutions. Google Cloud CDN's pricing is based on regional egress traffic and cache egress traffic. It also provides a cost calculator to estimate the charges based on specific requirements.

  6. Additional Services and Ecosystem: Amazon CloudFront benefits from the extensive AWS ecosystem, including various cloud services like storage, compute, and database options. CloudFlare offers additional services like DNS management, security services, and performance optimization tools through its broader platform. Google Cloud CDN is part of the Google Cloud Platform, which offers a wide range of cloud services, machine learning capabilities, and big data analytics tools.

In summary, Amazon CloudFront, CloudFlare, and Google Cloud CDN are all powerful content delivery networks with distinct features and advantages. The choice ultimately depends on specific requirements, scalability needs, integration preferences, pricing, and the broader ecosystem of services offered by each provider.

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Pros of Amazon CloudFront
Pros of CloudFlare
Pros of Google Cloud CDN
  • 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
  • 423
    Easy setup, great cdn
  • 277
    Free ssl
  • 199
    Easy setup
  • 190
    Security
  • 180
    Ssl
  • 98
    Great cdn
  • 77
    Optimizer
  • 71
    Simple
  • 44
    Great UI
  • 28
    Great js cdn
  • 12
    Apps
  • 12
    HTTP/2 Support
  • 12
    DNS Analytics
  • 12
    AutoMinify
  • 9
    Rocket Loader
  • 9
    Ipv6
  • 9
    Easy
  • 8
    IPv6 "One Click"
  • 8
    Fantastic CDN service
  • 7
    DNSSEC
  • 7
    Nice DNS
  • 7
    SSHFP
  • 7
    Free GeoIP
  • 7
    Amazing performance
  • 7
    API
  • 7
    Cheapest SSL
  • 6
    SPDY
  • 6
    Free and reliable, Faster then anyone else
  • 5
    Ubuntu
  • 5
    Asynchronous resource loading
  • 4
    Global Load Balancing
  • 4
    Performance
  • 4
    Easy Use
  • 3
    CDN
  • 2
    Registrar
  • 2
    Support for SSHFP records
  • 1
    Web3
  • 1
    Прохси
  • 1
    HTTPS3/Quic
  • 2
    Extremely Fast

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Cons of Amazon CloudFront
Cons of CloudFlare
Cons of Google Cloud CDN
  • 3
    UI could use some work
  • 1
    Invalidations take so long
  • 2
    No support for SSHFP records
  • 2
    Expensive when you exceed their fair usage limits
  • 2
    Very expensive not for newbies

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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 CloudFlare?

Cloudflare speeds up and protects millions of websites, APIs, SaaS services, and other properties connected to the Internet.

What is 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.

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What companies use Amazon CloudFront?
What companies use CloudFlare?
What companies use Google Cloud CDN?

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What tools integrate with Amazon CloudFront?
What tools integrate with CloudFlare?
What tools integrate with Google Cloud CDN?

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What are some alternatives to Amazon CloudFront, CloudFlare, and Google Cloud CDN?
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.
Google Cloud Storage
Google Cloud Storage allows world-wide storing and retrieval of any amount of data and at any time. It provides a simple programming interface which enables developers to take advantage of Google's own reliable and fast networking infrastructure to perform data operations in a secure and cost effective manner. If expansion needs arise, developers can benefit from the scalability provided by Google's infrastructure.
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.
MaxCDN
The MaxCDN Content Delivery Network efficiently delivers your site’s static file through hundreds of servers instead of slogging through a single host. This "smart route" technology distributes your content to your visitors via the city closest to them.
Amazon S3
Amazon Simple Storage Service provides a fully redundant data storage infrastructure for storing and retrieving any amount of data, at any time, from anywhere on the web
See all alternatives