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Akamai vs Nginx

Akamai logo

Akamai

Software

Leading content delivery and security platform

From
$1000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nginx logo

Nginx

Software

High-performance web server and reverse proxy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Nginx 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; Nginx open-source nginx has no admin API for changing arbitrary config at runtime; dynamic reconfiguration requires editing the config file and reloading via 'nginx -s reload'
  • They diverge on capability: Akamai covers CDN, Nginx covers High-performance web server.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akamai and Nginx actually diverge.

Attributes where Akamai and Nginx differ
AttributeAkamaiNginx
Starting price$1000/monthFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiWindows, macOS, Linux
Founded19982011

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
  • DDoS Protection
  • Web Application Firewall
  • Bot Management
  • Image Optimization
  • Video Platform
  • API Gateway
  • Analytics

Only in Nginx

  • High-performance web server
  • Reverse proxy
  • Load balancing
  • HTTP caching
  • SSL/TLS termination
  • Gzip compression
  • Rate limiting
  • Static file serving

Both cover

  • AWS
  • DDoS protection
  • SSL/TLS

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

Nginx

  • HTTP web server and static file servingnot Akamai
  • Reverse proxy and load balancernot Akamai
  • TLS/SSL termination (SNI, HTTP/2, HTTP/3)not Akamai
  • Content cachingnot Akamai
  • Kubernetes Ingress Controller backendnot Akamai
  • TCP/UDP stream proxyingnot 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

Nginx

  • Open-source nginx has no admin API for changing arbitrary config at runtime; dynamic reconfiguration requires editing the config file and reloading via 'nginx -s reload'
  • No official built-in GUI or dashboard for management or live metrics in the open-source edition
  • Advanced capabilities such as active health checks, dynamic upstream reconfiguration without reload, and a full API gateway feature set are exclusive to the paid NGINX Plus product, not open-source nginx
  • No published list price for NGINX Plus on the current F5 product page; pricing requires contacting sales

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

Nginx

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Web server
    • Reverse proxy
    • Load balancing

Which should you pick?

Choose Akamai if

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

Choose Nginx if

  • You need high-performance web server.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want reverse proxy.
Nginx review

Questions people ask

Is Akamai or Nginx better?
Neither clearly leads. Akamai starts at $1000/month and Nginx at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akamai or Nginx?
Nginx has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for Akamai and Free for Nginx.
Does Akamai or Nginx run on more platforms?
Akamai runs on Web, Api. Nginx runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Nginx for free?
Yes. Nginx 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 Nginx is typically brought in for.
What can Akamai do that Nginx cannot?
Akamai covers CDN, DDoS Protection, Web Application Firewall, Bot Management. Nginx covers High-performance web server, Reverse proxy, Load balancing, HTTP caching. Both handle AWS, DDoS protection, SSL/TLS.
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