Akamai
One of the largest CDN and edge platforms, with security services and the Akamai Cloud (Linode) compute offering.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Web
Is Akamai free?
No, it's a paid product
3 alternatives with a free optionSwitch from Akamai to
All 5
Cloudflare CDNCompareStarting price: $20 a month, billed annually (Pro)
Amazon CloudFrontCompareStarting price: $15 a month per distribution (flat-rate plan)
FastlyStarting price: $0.12 per GB in North America and Europe, after 100 GB
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 5
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Akamai
Akamai runs one of the oldest and largest content delivery networks, serving websites, software downloads, video and APIs from servers spread across thousands of networks worldwide. Customers configure delivery through Property Manager, where they set edge hostnames, caching behaviour, origins and rules, and can run JavaScript at the edge with EdgeWorkers. Around the CDN it sells web application firewall, bot management and DDoS protection, which is where much of its business now sits, plus Akamai Cloud, the compute platform that grew out of its Linode acquisition. Large media companies, banks and retailers choose Akamai for its reach and enterprise support during huge traffic peaks. Most products are bought on annual contracts through sales rather than self-serve sign-up, and its control panel and terminology take time to learn. Linode-based cloud compute is the exception, with published pay-as-you-go pricing. Smaller sites usually find Cloudflare, Fastly or Bunny.net easier and cheaper to start with.
Best for: Large enterprises and media companies that need a proven CDN and security at very high scale.
Pros and cons
What works
- Very large, mature edge network suited to huge traffic peaks
- Security products (WAF, bot management, DDoS) alongside delivery
- Edge JavaScript with EdgeWorkers and Terraform support for configuration
Why people leave
- Mostly sold on contracts through sales, with no self-serve CDN plan
- Complex configuration and terminology for newcomers
- Expensive for small and mid-sized sites
Akamai vs Cloudflare CDN, Amazon CloudFront and Fastly
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | Akamai | Cloudflare CDN | Amazon CloudFront | Fastly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Verified price | — | $20 a month, billed annually (Pro) | $15 a month per distribution (flat-rate plan) | $0.12 per GB in North America and Europe, after 100 GB |
| Free plan | No | Yes, $0 a month | Yes, $0 a month flat-rate plan | Yes, 100 GB bandwidth a month |
| Open source | No | No | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | Web | Web | Web | Web |
Full Akamai vs Cloudflare CDN comparisonFull Akamai vs Amazon CloudFront comparison
Top Akamai alternatives
See all 5- 1Cloudflare CDN68.8
Self-serve with a free plan and flat-rate tiers, plus security bundled in.
- 2Amazon CloudFront64.8
Pay-as-you-go CDN tied into AWS, a simpler fit when your origin already runs on Amazon.
- 3Fastly64.8
Developer-friendly edge platform with instant purge, usage pricing and a free allowance.
- 4
Sucuri61.8Website firewall plus CDN for small sites, without Akamai's enterprise contracts.
- 5
Bunny.net61.8Simple pay-as-you-go CDN with very low per-GB prices and a $1 monthly minimum.
Why people left Akamai
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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Akamai: common questions
What is Akamai?
Akamai: One of the largest CDN and edge platforms, with security services and the Akamai Cloud (Linode) compute offering. Best for large enterprises and media companies that need a proven CDN and security at very high scale. Available for Web.
Is Akamai free?
No, Akamai is a paid product.
Is Akamai open source?
No, Akamai is not open source.
What platforms does Akamai run on?
Akamai is available for Web.
What are the best alternatives to Akamai?
The highest-ranked Akamai alternatives right now are Cloudflare CDN, Amazon CloudFront and Fastly. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
Akamai vs Cloudflare CDN: what's the difference?
Akamai is a paid product; Cloudflare CDN is free with paid plans. Both run on Web.