25 Best CDN Providers 2021
A content delivery network also referred to as a content distribution network (CDN), is a geographically distributed network of data centers containing proxy servers. CDN providers serve internet content, including web objects (text, graphics, and scripts), downloadable objects (media files, software, documents), applications (e-commerce, portals), live streaming media, to name closer to and thus faster, to end-users. Some of the main advantages of using a CDN are improved load times, reduced bandwidth costs, increased availability, and improved security. Also, see Cache Everything (Full Page Cache) to global CDN Locations.
Before we get to the 25 Best CDN Providers 2021 list, I wanted to highlight a few CDNs, sorted into four categories:
Best Budget CDNs, Best Free CDNs, Best Enterprise CDNs, and Best Small Business CDNs.
Best of the best CDN Providers 2021 – Summary
Image: Fastest worldwide CDNs – October 2020. (Source: CDNPerf)
Best Budget CDN Providers
- BelugaCDN – 28 global POPs. Get 500GB global traffic for $5. ($0.01 /GB all locations)
- BunnyCDN – 40 global POPs. Europe & North America traffic is $0.01 /GB.
- KeyCDN – 34 global POPs. Competitive pay-as-you-go pricing.
Best Free CDN Providers
- Cloudflare – 165 data centers around the world. (Requires NS change/reverse proxy for entire domain)
- Cloudinary – Full end-to-end image management solution for your website and mobile apps.
- Hostry Free CDN – Free CDN packages for startups and beginning webmasters.
Best Small to Medium Business CDN Providers
- Cachefly – 50+ global PoPs using innovative TCP Anycast routing.
- Fastly CDN – 52 global POPs. Built-in image optimization. Powered by Varnish Cache.
- Verizon Edgecast CDN – 130 global POPs. Also offering front-end optimization and DNS services.
Best Enterprise CDN Providers
- Akamai CDN – The CDN king! Responsible for serving 20% to 30% of all web traffic.
- Amazon Cloudfront – operates from well over 100 edge locations in five continents.
- Google Cloud CDN – around 100 interconnection facilities around the world.
25 Best CDN providers in 2021 (unranked, sorted in alphabetical order)
1. Akamai Content Delivery Network
Akamai Technologies, Inc. is an American content delivery network (CDN) and cloud service provider with one of the world’s largest distributed computing platforms, responsible for serving between 15% and 30% of all web traffic. The company operates a network of servers worldwide and rents out capacity on these servers to customers who want their websites to work faster by distributing content from locations close to the user. When a user navigates to the URL of an Akamai customer, their browser is redirected to one of Akamai’s copies of the website.
2. Alibaba Cloud Content Delivery Service
Alibaba Cloud develops highly scalable cloud computing and data management services. As the cloud computing arm and a business unit of Alibaba Group, It provides a comprehensive suite of global cloud computing services to power both our international customers’ online businesses and Alibaba Group’s e-commerce ecosystem. Its services are available on a pay-as-you-go basis and include data storage, relational databases, big-data processing, Anti-DDoS protection, and content delivery networks (CDN).
3. Amazon Cloudfront
Amazon CloudFront is a content delivery network (CDN) offered by Amazon Web Services. CloudFront has servers located in Europe (United Kingdom, Ireland, The Netherlands, Germany, Spain), Asia (Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Taiwan, and India), Australia, South America, and several major cities in the United States. The service operates from well over 100 edge locations in five continents. CloudFront works on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Free Tier for one year or pay as you go.
4. Aryaka Global SD-WAN and SmartCDN
Aryaka’s Global SD-WAN provides optimized, software-defined network connectivity and application acceleration to globally distributed enterprises. Aryaka’s services have over 10 million users across more than 4,000 sites. Leading brands such as Skullcandy, Air China, Freescale Semiconductor, and ThoughtWorks, as well as partners such as Microsoft Azure, AWS, Intelisys, and SK Broadband, have all chosen Aryaka for their enterprise-grade networking needs.
5. BelugaCDN | High-Performance IPv6 Content Delivery
BelugaCDN works similar to Amazon CloudFront or MaxCDN, allowing you to accelerate the delivery of your site’s content (images, videos, etc.) by leveraging the power of a global cloud.
6. Bootstrapcdn
BootstrapCDN is a public content delivery network. Users of BootstrapCDN can load CSS, JavaScript, and images remotely from its servers, and it’s been used by more than 7.9 million websites worldwide (including 30% of the top-10k websites). It delivers more than 70 billion requests a month. Bootstrap uses StackPath’s global content delivery network, making websites using its service resilient to unexpected surges in web traffic.
7. BunnyCDN – Simple, Powerful, Fast CDN
BunnyCDN is a simple and powerful CDN, offering lightning-fast performance for a fraction of the cost with free SSL, Brotli, HTTP/2, and 100% Pay As You Go pricing. This blog uses BunnyCDN.
Free 14 day trial, then from $0.01 /GB.
8. CDN77 Content Delivery Network
CDN77 is a privately held company based in London, UK. The company launched its CDN service in early 2012. The CDN77 network consists of 30+ global edge locations. CDN77 provides Website Acceleration, Software Distribution, Gaming, Video Delivery, and a tailored platform for Live Streaming. Latest technologies such as HTTP/2, free instant SSL, or Brotli compression offer a complete feature set. All features come at no additional costs and are available via API for every client.
Free 14-day trial, then pay as you go or from $199/mo.
9. CacheFly – global throughput CDN
CacheFly Content Delivery Network (CDN) delivers rich-media content up to 10x faster than single-hosting delivery. Launched in 2002 as the first TCP anycast-based CDN, CacheFly pioneered delivering rich-media content quicker and more reliably than traditional delivery methods. With a proven track record, a decade’s worth of experience, and over 2,000 clients in over 80 countries, organizations consistently choose CacheFly for scalability, reliability, and unbeatable performance.
It starts at $295/mo.
10. cdnjs – FOSS CDN for web related libraries
CDNJS is a freely available CDN for common Javascript and CSS libraries.
11. CDNetworks
CDNetworks enables Global Cloud Acceleration. They help transform the Internet into a secure, reliable, scalable, and high performing Application Delivery Network. CDNetworks’ unique position as the only multinational CDN with expertise and infrastructure in China, Russia, and other emerging markets, enables them to be trusted partners in local markets while serving as foremost experts on extending into global markets. Accelerating more than 40,000 international websites and cloud services over our 140 PoPs, CDNetworks serves e-business customers across industries like finance, travel, eCommerce, learning management, high tech, manufacturing, and media. CDNetworks has offices in the U.S., Korea, China, Japan, and the UK.
12. Centerserv – International Cloud and Web Server Solutions
CenterServ is a cloud services company managing an association of more than 2000 ethical certified system administrators and experts worldwide. CenterServ has two primary business lines, Cloud Servers and Dedicated Servers, offered globally, with over 200 locations! CenterServ helps design, build, and implement personalized services and offers cloud computing consulting services as part of their service agreements.
13. Cloudinary – Image and Video Upload, Storage, Optimization, and CDN
With Cloudinary, all images are seamlessly delivered through a fast CDN, optimized, and using industry best practices. Cloudinary is a cloud-based service that answers a website or mobile application’s entire image management needs – uploads, storage, manipulations, optimizations, and delivery. Cloudinary’s users can easily move all their website’s images to the cloud. Automatically perform smart image resizing, cropping, merging, overlay, watermark, apply effects, rotations, and perform format conversions.
Free forever plan (25 credits) or from $89/mo.
14. Cloudflare
Cloudflare is a web performance and security company that provides online services to protect and accelerate websites online. Its online platforms include Cloudflare CDN that distributes content around the world to speed up websites, Cloudflare optimizer that enables web pages with ad servers and third-party widgets to download Snappy software on mobiles and computers, CloudFlare security that protects websites from a range of online threats, including spam, SQL injection, and DDOS, Cloudflare analytics that gives insight into website’s traffic including threats and search engine crawlers, Keyless SSL that allows organizations to keep secure sockets layer (SSL) keys private, and Cloudflare applications that help its users install web applications on their websites.
Plans start at $0 per month (free).
15. Edgecast CDN: Verizon Digital Media Services
Verizon Digital Media Services (VDMS) is an American company known for its content delivery network (CDN). The company was founded in 2006 as EdgeCast Networks, Inc and was funded by the venture arm of The Walt Disney Company, Steamboat Ventures. Edgecast is notable for being a self-provisioning CDN technology used by telecommunication and hosting industries.
16. Fastly – Edge Cloud Platform
Fastly describes its network as an edge cloud platform designed to help developers extend their core cloud infrastructure to the edge of the network, closer to users. The Fastly edge cloud platform includes its content delivery network, image optimization, video & streaming, cloud security, and load balancing services. Fastly was founded in 2011.
17. G-Core Labs content delivery network
G-Core Labs is a content delivery network (CDN) and cloud services provider focusing on the media business and entertainment industries. The company was founded in 2011. G-Core Labs is borne out of strong roots in the online gaming industry and the success in building the infrastructure for Wargaming. “G-Core” is “Gaming-Core.” This infrastructure was awarded by the Guinness Book of Records for the most simultaneous online players on a single MOG server (190,541 users). In 2014 another record was set with its content delivery network sustaining a load of 1,114,000 simultaneous players. The company is headquartered in Luxembourg and supported by R&D offices in Minsk, Moscow, and Perm.
Try for free. It starts at $15/mo.
18. Google Cloud CDN
Content Delivery Network based on Google’s globally distributed edge points of presence. As of June 2018, the service is in Beta. Highly-scalable and reliable infrastructure. By operating an extensive global network of interconnection points, we can bring Google traffic closer to our peers, reducing their costs and providing users with a better experience. Present on over 90 internet exchanges and at over 100 interconnection facilities around the world.
19. Hostry Free CDN
The free CDN package ensures a lifetime free CDN for startups and beginning webmasters. Free up to 10GB EU+USA or up to 5GB free for world traffic. Up to 48 PoPs (points of presence) located in 5 continents.
Free plans available or from $5 /mo or pay-as-you-go.
20. Imperva CDN
Imperva delivers an enterprise-grade Web Application Firewall to safeguard your site from the latest threats, and intelligent and instantly effective 360-degree anti-DDoS solutions (layers 3-4 and 7), a global CDN to speed up your website’s load speed and minimize bandwidth usage, and an array of performance monitoring and analytic services to provide insights about your website’s security and performance.
21. jsdelivr
JSDelivr (stylized as jsDelivr) is a free public CDN for open-source projects. It currently takes 3rd place as one of the most popular public CDNs globally (that hosts multiple projects). Currently, it can serve web files directly from the npm registry and Github repositories without any configuration.
22. KeyCDN – Content delivery made easy
KeyCDN is a high-performance Content Delivery Network (CDN). KeyCDN is a global CDN with its own infrastructure and POPs in the US, Europe, Asia, South-America, and Australia. They offer a pay-as-you-go pricing model with a competitive global flat-rate.
23. Microsoft Azure CDN
Microsoft Azure CDN is a global content delivery network (CDN) for audio, video, applications, images, and other static files. It can be used to cache static assets of websites geographically closer to users to increase performance. Azure has 54 point-of-presence locations worldwide (also known as Edge locations) as of August 2018.
24. StackPath – CDN
StackPath is an intelligent Web services platform for security, speed, and scale. More than 30,000 customers, ranging from Fortune 100 companies to early-stage startups, already use StackPath technology. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, StackPath has offices across the U.S. and internationally.
It starts at $10 per month, First Month Free.
25. Uploadcare – Smart CDN combining cloud storage
Uploadcare handles file uploading, storage, and processing for any website or app. Service provides convenient file uploading dialog for any website or mobile app. Users can upload files directly from the web, Facebook, Instagram, Dropbox, or Google Drive. Files are stored on virtually infinite storage, backed by Amazon S3, and back up to the user’s own bucket for extra security and flexibility. The service has on-the-fly image processing to fit any image to the user’s own website or mobile app, allowing enjoyable flexibility in design. Their CDN provides content delivery.
Other user-submitted solutions…
cdn.net, INAP, Onapp, Quantil, and Swarmify. Suggest others in the comments section below.
Also, see:
100 Server and Application Performance Monitoring Tools
Cache Everything (Full Page Cache) to global CDN Locations
Disclosure:
This blog uses BunnyCDN, and that listing includes an affiliate link that adds account credit.
Last updated: January 18th, 2021