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Akamai vs Upstash

Akamai logo

Akamai

Software

Leading content delivery and security platform

From
$1000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Upstash logo

Upstash

Software

Serverless data for modern developers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Upstash 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; Upstash hTTP-based REST API only, no TCP connections means higher latency than self-hosted or connection-pooled Redis
  • They diverge on capability: Akamai covers CDN, Upstash covers Serverless Redis.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Akamai and Upstash actually diverge.

Attributes where Akamai and Upstash differ
AttributeAkamaiUpstash
Starting price$1000/monthFree
Pricing modelquoteUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiREST API, Node.js, Python, Go, Rust, Vercel Edge, Cloudflare Workers, AWS Lambda
Founded19982020

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 Upstash

  • Serverless Redis
  • Serverless Kafka
  • QStash
  • Global Replication
  • REST API
  • Edge Functions Support
  • Rate Limiting
  • Caching

Both cover

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

Upstash

  • Cachingnot Akamai
  • Session storagenot Akamai
  • Real-time messagingnot Akamai
  • Rate limitingnot Akamai
  • Serverless backendsnot 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

Upstash

  • HTTP-based REST API only, no TCP connections means higher latency than self-hosted or connection-pooled Redis
  • Rate limiting occurs when traffic exceeds configured budget cap or request limits
  • Kafka service discontinued in March 2025, requiring migration to Upstash Workflow or alternatives
  • Limited Redis feature support compared to self-hosted Redis or Redis Cloud
  • High-request-volume workloads can accumulate significant costs due to per-request pricing model

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

Upstash

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 256 MB data
    • 500K commands per month
    • 10 GB bandwidth
  • Pay-as-you-go$0.2/per 100K commands
    • Per-request billing
    • Storage at $0.25/GB
    • Unlimited commands
  • Fixed Plan$10/month
    • 250 MB Redis
    • Predictable pricing
    • Global replication available at higher tiers

Which should you pick?

Choose Akamai if

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

Choose Upstash if

  • You need serverless redis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on REST API, Node.js, Python, Go, Rust, Vercel Edge, Cloudflare Workers, AWS Lambda.
  • You also want serverless kafka.
Upstash review

Questions people ask

Is Akamai or Upstash better?
Neither clearly leads. Akamai starts at $1000/month and Upstash at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Akamai or Upstash?
Upstash has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $1000/month for Akamai and Free for Upstash.
Does Akamai or Upstash run on more platforms?
Akamai runs on Web, Api. Upstash runs on REST API, Node.js, Python, Go, Rust, Vercel Edge, Cloudflare Workers, AWS Lambda.
Can I use Upstash for free?
Yes. Upstash 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 Upstash is typically brought in for.
What can Akamai do that Upstash cannot?
Akamai covers CDN, DDoS Protection, Web Application Firewall, Bot Management. Upstash covers Serverless Redis, Serverless Kafka, QStash, Global Replication. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support, Api support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Upstash: Does Upstash have a free tier?

Yes. The free tier provides 256 MB of data and 500,000 commands per month with 10 GB of bandwidth in a single region, no credit card required.

Source
Upstash: How does Upstash work with edge platforms like Vercel and Cloudflare Workers?

Upstash uses a REST API instead of TCP connections, enabling it to work from Vercel Edge, Cloudflare Workers, and AWS Lambda without persistent connections or connection pooling.

Source
Upstash: What programming languages are supported?

Upstash provides native SDKs for Python, Node.js, Go, and Rust. Java, C#, and PHP developers can use the REST API or community libraries.

Source
Upstash: Is Upstash Kafka still available?

No. Upstash Kafka was deprecated on September 11, 2024 and fully discontinued on March 11, 2025. Upstash Workflow is now recommended for durable serverless messaging and task queuing.

Source
Upstash: How is Upstash pricing structured?

Upstash uses per-request pricing at $0.20 per 100K commands for Redis, $0.25/GB for storage, and $0.40 per 100K requests for Vector database. Idle applications cost nothing.

Source
Upstash: Can Upstash be used with AWS Lambda?

Yes. Upstash works with AWS Lambda via its REST API, eliminating the need for connection pooling and making it ideal for stateless serverless functions.

Source
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