Softwr

Cloud · head to head

Akamai vs Rev

Akamai logo

Akamai

Cloud

Leading content delivery and security platform

From
$1000/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Rev logo

Rev

AI

Human and AI transcription, captions and subtitles priced per minute

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Rev has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Akamai no public pricing available; custom quotes required; Rev human transcription at 1.99 US dollars a minute means roughly 120 dollars an hour of audio, so a long-form interview series costs more in transcription than most teams assume before they run the arithmetic.
  • They diverge on capability: Akamai covers CDN, Rev covers Human transcription.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akamai and Rev actually diverge.

Attributes where Akamai and Rev differ
AttributeAkamaiRev
Starting price$1000/monthFree
Pricing modelquotePer minute for human work, per seat per month for AI
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, iOS, Android, API
CategoryCloudAI
Founded1998Unknown

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

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 Rev

  • Human transcription
  • AI transcription
  • Captions and subtitles
  • Legal transcripts
  • File analysis
  • Clio integration
  • Rev API
  • Speaker identification

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

Rev

  • A law firm that needs a deposition transcript in a court-acceptable page format with a fixed turnaround and a published per-page price it can bill to a matter.not Akamai
  • A documentary or podcast producer costing a project in advance, because human transcription at a published per-minute rate makes the transcription line item a known number.not Akamai
  • A broadcaster needing compliant human captions rather than machine captions, where accuracy is a regulatory requirement and not a convenience.not Akamai
  • A team with high AI volume and occasional high-stakes files, using the subscription for the bulk and paying the discounted human rate only where accuracy matters.not 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

Rev

  • Human transcription at 1.99 US dollars a minute means roughly 120 dollars an hour of audio, so a long-form interview series costs more in transcription than most teams assume before they run the arithmetic.
  • AI minutes are allocated per seat per month and do not roll over, so bursty workloads, which is how most media production actually behaves, waste allowance in quiet months and run out in busy ones.
  • The product direction has moved towards legal and investigative use, so a newsroom or media buyer is choosing a tool whose roadmap priority sits elsewhere.
  • Foreign-language subtitles are priced from 6.49 to 15.99 US dollars per minute, an order of magnitude above transcription, which makes multi-language localisation of any volume of video expensive enough to change the plan.
  • Human turnaround is stated in hours rather than guaranteed contractually on the published plans, so a hard broadcast or filing deadline needs an agreement beyond the standard terms.

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

Rev

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 45 AI transcription and caption minutes per month
    • Up to 5 files analysed
    • No human transcription included
  • Essentials$25.49/month
    • 5,000 AI minutes per seat per month
    • Up to 3 seats
    • 10 per cent discount on human transcription, captions and subtitles
  • Pro$47.99/month
    • 10,000 AI minutes per seat per month
    • Up to 5 seats
    • 15 per cent discount on human work
  • Unlimited$undefined/month
    • Unlimited AI minutes
    • Up to 500 files analysed at once
    • Dedicated account specialist

Which should you pick?

Choose Akamai if

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

Choose Rev if

  • You need human transcription.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want ai transcription.
Rev review

Questions people ask

Is Akamai or Rev better?
Neither clearly leads. Akamai starts at $1000/month and Rev at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akamai or Rev?
Rev has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for Akamai and Free for Rev.
Does Akamai or Rev run on more platforms?
Akamai runs on Web, Api. Rev runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
Can I use Rev for free?
Yes. Rev 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 Rev is typically brought in for.
What can Akamai do that Rev cannot?
Akamai covers CDN, DDoS Protection, Web Application Firewall, Bot Management. Rev covers Human transcription, AI transcription, Captions and subtitles, Legal transcripts.

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
Rev: How much is human transcription?

1.99 US dollars per minute with a stated accuracy target above 99 per cent, typically returned within 12 hours. Subscribers get 10 to 15 per cent off.

Akamai: Does Akamai offer a free trial?

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

Source
Rev: Is there a free tier?

Yes, 45 AI minutes per month and up to 5 files analysed, with no human transcription included.

Rev: Do unused AI minutes roll over?

No. The allowance is per seat per month and resets, which penalises irregular workloads.

Rev: Can it do subtitles in other languages?

Yes, across seventeen languages, priced from 6.49 to 15.99 US dollars per minute, considerably more than transcription.

Rev: Is Rev still a good choice for newsrooms?

It works, but the subscription tiers are now positioned around legal and investigative workflows, so a newsroom should compare it against a tool built specifically for journalism.

Share

Related pages

More on Akamai

More on Rev

Keep looking

Other head to heads