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Cloud · head to head

Akamai vs Alibaba Cloud

Akamai logo

Akamai

Cloud

Leading content delivery and security platform

From
$1000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Alibaba Cloud logo

Alibaba Cloud

Cloud

Asia's leading cloud computing provider

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Alibaba Cloud has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Akamai no public pricing available; custom quotes required; Alibaba Cloud technical support is a separate subscription, from $19.99 a month for Developer up to $8,000 a month for Enterprise, with only Basic included
  • They diverge on capability: Akamai covers DDoS Protection, Alibaba Cloud covers Elastic Compute Service.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akamai and Alibaba Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Akamai and Alibaba Cloud differ
AttributeAkamaiAlibaba Cloud
Starting price$1000/monthFree
Pricing modelquoteusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiLinux, Windows, Api, Cli
Founded19982009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Akamai

  • DDoS Protection
  • Web Application Firewall
  • Bot Management
  • Image Optimization
  • Video Platform
  • Analytics
  • AWS
  • Microsoft Azure

Only in Alibaba Cloud

  • Elastic Compute Service
  • Object Storage Service
  • RDS Database
  • MaxCompute
  • Function Compute
  • Load Balancer
  • Terraform
  • Ansible

Both cover

  • CDN
  • API Gateway
  • Cloud deployment
  • Api support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Akamai

  • Content delivery and web performance through Ion and adaptive media deliverynot Alibaba Cloud
  • DDoS protection, bot management and API securitynot Alibaba Cloud
  • Running compute, Kubernetes and managed databases on Akamai's cloudnot Alibaba Cloud
  • Edge compute with EdgeWorkersnot Alibaba Cloud
  • Zero trust access for enterprise applicationsnot Alibaba Cloud

Alibaba Cloud

  • Cloud compute and storage with a strong footprint in China and Asia Pacificnot Akamai
  • Pay-as-you-go infrastructure without upfront commitmentnot Akamai
  • Committed-use discounts through savings plans for steady workloadsnot Akamai
  • CDN and data transfer packages for content deliverynot Akamai

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Akamai

  • No public pricing available; custom quotes required
  • Sales-focused pricing model

Alibaba Cloud

  • Technical support is a separate subscription, from $19.99 a month for Developer up to $8,000 a month for Enterprise, with only Basic included
  • Service prices are not shown as a rate card and route through a calculator or sales
  • Committed discounts require savings plans, reserved instances or capacity packages rather than being automatic

Pricing, plan by plan

Akamai

$1000/month
  • CDN$1000/month
    • Content delivery
    • Global edge network
    • Real-time analytics
  • Security Suite$2000/month
    • DDoS protection
    • WAF
    • Bot management

Alibaba Cloud

Free
  • Free TrialFree
    • Free tier credits
    • ECS instances
    • Cloud storage
  • Pay-as-You-GoFree
    • Flexible billing
    • No commitments
    • Global reach

Which should you pick?

Choose Akamai if

  • You need ddos protection.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want web application firewall.
Akamai review

Choose Alibaba Cloud if

  • You need elastic compute service.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
  • You also want object storage service.
Alibaba Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Akamai or Alibaba Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Akamai starts at $1000/month and Alibaba Cloud at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akamai or Alibaba Cloud?
Alibaba Cloud has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for Akamai and Free for Alibaba Cloud.
Does Akamai or Alibaba Cloud run on more platforms?
Akamai runs on Web, Api. Alibaba Cloud runs on Linux, Windows, Api, Cli.
Can I use Alibaba Cloud for free?
Yes. Alibaba Cloud has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Akamai starts at $1000/month.
What is Akamai best used for?
Akamai is most often used for content delivery and web performance through ion and adaptive media delivery, ddos protection, bot management and api security, running compute, kubernetes and managed databases on akamai's cloud, edge compute with edgeworkers. Of those, content delivery and web performance through ion and adaptive media delivery and ddos protection, bot management and api security are not what Alibaba Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Akamai do that Alibaba Cloud cannot?
Akamai covers DDoS Protection, Web Application Firewall, Bot Management, Image Optimization. Alibaba Cloud covers Elastic Compute Service, Object Storage Service, RDS Database, MaxCompute. Both handle CDN, API Gateway, Cloud deployment, Api support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Akamai: How is Akamai pricing structured?

Akamai emphasizes straightforward pricing with no hidden fees, no egress surprises, and no vendor lock-in, but specific pricing is not published. Regional pricing pages exist for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, and other areas, with customers directed to contact sales.

Source
Akamai: Does Akamai offer a free trial?

Akamai offers a promotional trial with $100 in credits for Akamai Cloud, though conditions apply.

Source
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