Hetzner DDoS Protection vs Akamai
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Hetzner DDoS Protection and Akamai.
Quick Verdict
4.9/5
Hetzner DDoS Protection
245 reviews
3.5/5
Akamai
375 reviews
Hetzner DDoS Protection is rated higher (4.9 vs 3.5). Hetzner's DDoS Protection filters volumetric and application-layer attacks at network edge. Designed for cloud users and hosting providers managing large traffic volumes. 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.
Hetzner DDoS Protection Hardware-backed DDoS mitigation for high-traffic infrastructure |  Akamai The original CDN — 340,000 servers globally | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 4.9 (245 reviews)✓ | 3.5 (375 reviews) |
| Pricing model | free | paid |
| Starting price | Free✓ | From €500/mo |
| Best for | Organizations running high-traffic applications on Hetzner infrastructure who need native, straightforward DDoS mitigation without multi-vendor complexity. | Global media companies and enterprises needing the largest and most battle-tested CDN infrastructure |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tierddos protectioneu datacenter | ddos protectioneu datacenterus datacenterapac datacenter |
| Visit Hetzner DDoS Protection → | Visit Akamai → | |
Hetzner DDoS Protection
Pros
- + Deploy without external vendor lock-in or third-party dependencies
- + Handle multi-gigabit attacks via Hetzner's own infrastructure
- + Activate automatically or manually via API and console
- + Protect both Cloud and bare-metal servers in one service
Cons
- - Limited to Hetzner infrastructure; cannot protect non-Hetzner targets
- - Requires understanding of traffic baseline for effective tuning
- - Fewer advanced customization options versus specialized DDoS providers
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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