Cloud & Infrastructure · head to head
AWS (Amazon Web Services) vs Akamai
AWS (Amazon Web Services)
Cloud & Infrastructure
The leading cloud computing platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Akamai
Cloud & Infrastructure
Leading content delivery and security platform
- From
- $1000/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only AWS (Amazon Web Services) has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: AWS (Amazon Web Services) data transfer in is free and data transfer out is charged, which is the standard source of unexpected bills; Akamai only the cloud computing services carry published rates; security and content delivery products require contacting sales for a price
- They diverge on capability: AWS (Amazon Web Services) covers EC2 - Virtual Servers, Akamai covers CDN.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which AWS (Amazon Web Services) and Akamai actually diverge.
| Attribute | AWS (Amazon Web Services) | Akamai |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $1000/month |
| Pricing model | usage-based | quote |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Api, Cli, Mobile | Web, Api |
| Founded | 2006 | 1998 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud & Infrastructure).
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 AWS (Amazon Web Services)
- EC2 - Virtual Servers
- S3 - Object Storage
- RDS - Managed Database
- Lambda - Serverless Computing
- CloudFront - CDN
- VPC - Virtual Network
- IAM - Access Management
- CloudWatch - Monitoring
Only in Akamai
- CDN
- DDoS Protection
- Web Application Firewall
- Bot Management
- Image Optimization
- Video Platform
- API Gateway
- Analytics
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
AWS (Amazon Web Services)
- Web hostingnot Akamai
- Data storagenot Akamai
- Machine learningnot Akamai
- Big data analyticsnot Akamai
- Application developmentnot Akamai
Akamai
- Content delivery and web performance through Ion and adaptive media deliverynot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
- DDoS protection, bot management and API securitynot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
- Running compute, Kubernetes and managed databases on Akamai's cloudnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
- Edge compute with EdgeWorkersnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
- Zero trust access for enterprise applicationsnot AWS (Amazon Web Services)
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
AWS (Amazon Web Services)
- Data transfer in is free and data transfer out is charged, which is the standard source of unexpected bills
- Discounts require one or three year Savings Plan commitments rather than being automatic
- Every service is priced separately, so a working architecture has no single published cost
- The free tier is a promotional allowance rather than an ongoing free plan
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
Pricing, plan by plan
AWS (Amazon Web Services)
Free- AWS Free TierFree
- EC2 750 hours/month
- 5GB S3 storage
- 20GB data transfer
- Pay-As-You-GoFree
- No upfront payment
- No long-term commitments
- Pay only for what you use
Akamai
$1000/month- CDN$1000/month
- Content delivery
- Global edge network
- Real-time analytics
- Security Suite$2000/month
- DDoS protection
- WAF
- Bot management
Which should you pick?
Choose AWS (Amazon Web Services) if
- You need ec2 - virtual servers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api, Cli, Mobile.
- You also want s3 - object storage.
Questions people ask
- Is AWS (Amazon Web Services) or Akamai better?
- Neither clearly leads. AWS (Amazon Web Services) starts at Free and Akamai at $1000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, AWS (Amazon Web Services) or Akamai?
- AWS (Amazon Web Services) has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for AWS (Amazon Web Services) and $1000/month for Akamai.
- Does AWS (Amazon Web Services) or Akamai run on more platforms?
- AWS (Amazon Web Services) runs on Web, Api, Cli, Mobile. Akamai runs on Web, Api.
- Can I use AWS (Amazon Web Services) for free?
- Yes. AWS (Amazon Web Services) has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Akamai starts at $1000/month.
- What is AWS (Amazon Web Services) best used for?
- AWS (Amazon Web Services) is most often used for web hosting, data storage, machine learning, big data analytics. Of those, web hosting and data storage are not what Akamai is typically brought in for.
- What can AWS (Amazon Web Services) do that Akamai cannot?
- AWS (Amazon Web Services) covers EC2 - Virtual Servers, S3 - Object Storage, RDS - Managed Database, Lambda - Serverless Computing. Akamai covers CDN, DDoS Protection, Web Application Firewall, Bot Management.