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Akamai vs Grafana

Akamai logo

Akamai

Software

Leading content delivery and security platform

From
$1000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Grafana logo

Grafana

Software

Observability and Data Visualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Grafana 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; Grafana the free tier retains metrics, logs and traces for 14 days only
  • They diverge on capability: Akamai covers CDN, Grafana covers Dashboard creation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akamai and Grafana actually diverge.

Attributes where Akamai and Grafana differ
AttributeAkamaiGrafana
Starting price$1000/monthFree
Pricing modelquoteopen-source
Free tierNoYes
Founded19982014

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Api), 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
  • DDoS Protection
  • Web Application Firewall
  • Bot Management
  • Image Optimization
  • Video Platform
  • API Gateway
  • Analytics

Only in Grafana

  • Dashboard creation
  • Alerting
  • Data source integration
  • Visualization plugins
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST

Both cover

  • 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 Grafana
  • DDoS protection, bot management and API securitynot Grafana
  • Running compute, Kubernetes and managed databases on Akamai's cloudnot Grafana
  • Edge compute with EdgeWorkersnot Grafana
  • Zero trust access for enterprise applicationsnot Grafana

Grafana

  • Dashboards and visualisation over metrics, logs and tracesnot Akamai
  • Running observability across infrastructure and applicationsnot 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

Grafana

  • The free tier retains metrics, logs and traces for 14 days only
  • Free is capped at 10,000 active metric series and 50 GB each of logs and traces a month
  • The Pro plan carries a $19 a month platform fee before any usage charges
  • Logs and traces are billed on three separate meters, at $0.050 per GB processed, $0.400 per GB written and $0.100 per GB retained
  • Retaining data is an ongoing charge rather than a one off, so historical data costs every month it exists

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

Grafana

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Dashboard creation
    • Alerting
    • Data source integration

Which should you pick?

Choose Akamai if

  • You need cdn.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want ddos protection.
Akamai review

Choose Grafana if

  • You need dashboard creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want alerting.
Grafana review

Questions people ask

Is Akamai or Grafana better?
Neither clearly leads. Akamai starts at $1000/month and Grafana at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akamai or Grafana?
Grafana has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for Akamai and Free for Grafana.
Does Akamai or Grafana run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Grafana for free?
Yes. Grafana 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 Grafana is typically brought in for.
What can Akamai do that Grafana cannot?
Akamai covers CDN, DDoS Protection, Web Application Firewall, Bot Management. Grafana covers Dashboard creation, Alerting, Data source integration, Visualization plugins. Both handle Web support, Api support.
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