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Akamai vs Cloudflare

Akamai logo

Akamai

Software

Leading content delivery and security platform

From
$1000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cloudflare logo

Cloudflare

Software

The web performance and security company

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cloudflare has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Akamai only the cloud computing services carry published rates; security and content delivery products require contacting sales for a price; Cloudflare free tier limited to basic features (no advanced analytics or premium features)
  • They diverge on capability: Akamai covers CDN, Cloudflare covers Global CDN.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akamai and Cloudflare actually diverge.

Attributes where Akamai and Cloudflare differ
AttributeAkamaiCloudflare
Starting price$1000/monthFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb
Founded19982009

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

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

  • CDN
  • Web Application Firewall
  • Image Optimization
  • Video Platform
  • API Gateway
  • Analytics
  • AWS
  • Microsoft Azure

Only in Cloudflare

  • Global CDN
  • DNS
  • Load Balancing
  • Workers (Serverless)
  • GitHub
  • GitLab
  • WordPress
  • Shopify

Both cover

  • DDoS Protection
  • Bot Management
  • WAF
  • SSL/TLS
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • 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 Cloudflare
  • DDoS protection, bot management and API securitynot Cloudflare
  • Running compute, Kubernetes and managed databases on Akamai's cloudnot Cloudflare
  • Edge compute with EdgeWorkersnot Cloudflare
  • Zero trust access for enterprise applicationsnot Cloudflare

Cloudflare

  • Global content delivery network (CDN) with 330+ data centres worldwidenot Akamai
  • DDoS protection and bot blockingnot Akamai
  • Web application security and rate limitingnot Akamai
  • DNS management and domain protectionnot Akamai
  • Static and dynamic content cachingnot Akamai
  • Serverless computing via Cloudflare Workersnot Akamai
  • Database and storage services (D1, R2)not Akamai
  • Performance optimisation for Core Web Vitalsnot Akamai

Where each one falls short

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

Akamai

  • Only the cloud computing services carry published rates; security and content delivery products require contacting sales for a price
  • Cloud pricing varies by region across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific rather than being a single rate

Cloudflare

  • Free tier limited to basic features (no advanced analytics or premium features)
  • Pro tier ($20-25/month) caps at professional websites (higher tiers needed for enterprise scale)
  • Caches only anonymous API GET responses (authenticated requests and non-GET methods not cached)
  • Geographic coverage limited to announced 330+ cities (may not cover all regions globally)

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

Cloudflare

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cloudflare review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Akamai if

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

Choose Cloudflare if

  • You need global cdn.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want dns.
Cloudflare review

Questions people ask

Is Akamai or Cloudflare better?
Neither clearly leads. Akamai starts at $1000/month and Cloudflare at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akamai or Cloudflare?
Cloudflare has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for Akamai and Free for Cloudflare.
Does Akamai or Cloudflare run on more platforms?
Akamai runs on Web, Api. Cloudflare runs on Web.
Can I use Cloudflare for free?
Yes. Cloudflare 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 Cloudflare is typically brought in for.
What can Akamai do that Cloudflare cannot?
Akamai covers CDN, Web Application Firewall, Image Optimization, Video Platform. Cloudflare covers Global CDN, DNS, Load Balancing, Workers (Serverless). Both handle DDoS Protection, Bot Management, WAF, SSL/TLS.
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