Fastly vs Akamai
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Fastly and Akamai.
Quick Verdict
4.3/5
Fastly
18 reviews
3.5/5
Akamai
375 reviews
Fastly is rated higher (4.3 vs 3.5). Fastly is a high-performance programmable CDN used by GitHub, Spotify, and the New York Times. Compute@Edge for serverless. Real-time log streaming, advanced VCL configuration, and instant cache purge. Akamai invented the CDN industry in 1998. 340,000+ servers in 130+ countries. Enterprise CDN, edge security, and media delivery at massive scale. Acquired Linode for cloud compute.
 Fastly Programmable CDN used by GitHub, New York Times |  Akamai The original CDN — 340,000 servers globally | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 4.3 (18 reviews)✓ | 3.5 (375 reviews) |
| Pricing model | freemium | paid |
| Starting price | Free tier available✓ | From €500/mo |
| Best for | Enterprises with complex CDN requirements needing instant cache purge and edge computing capabilities | Global media companies and enterprises needing the largest and most battle-tested CDN infrastructure |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tierapi accesseu datacenterus datacenterapac datacenter | ddos protectioneu datacenterus datacenterapac datacenter |
| Visit Fastly → | Visit Akamai → | |
Fastly
Pros
- + Instant global cache purge
- + Compute@Edge serverless integration
- + Advanced VCL configuration
Cons
- - Complex for simple use cases
- - Enterprise pricing model
Akamai
Pros
- + 340,000 servers — unmatched global scale
- + Enterprise security and media delivery
- + Includes Linode cloud compute
Cons
- - Enterprise-only pricing — complex procurement
- - Not for individuals or SMBs
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