Linode (Akamai) vs Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun)
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Linode (Akamai) and Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun).
Quick Verdict
4.4/5
Linode (Akamai)
316 reviews
4.0/5
Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun)
400 reviews
Linode (Akamai) is rated higher (4.4 vs 4.0). Linode provides managed VPS instances on SSD storage with data centers across North America, Europe, and Asia. Built for developers and small-to-medium businesses needing reliable cloud infrastructure. Alibaba Cloud is the dominant cloud in China and largest cloud in Asia-Pacific. Essential for any application targeting Chinese users. Compliant with Chinese regulations.
Linode (Akamai) High-performance Linux VPS hosting with predictable pricing. | Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun) Asia-Pacific and China cloud by Alibaba | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 4.4 (316 reviews)✓ | 4.0 (400 reviews) |
| Pricing model | paid | freemium |
| Starting price | From €5/mo | Free tier available✓ |
| Best for | Developers and SysAdmins who want straightforward VPS hosting with API-first management and transparent pricing. | Businesses needing cloud infrastructure in mainland China or the Asia-Pacific region |
| Specifications (entry plan) | ||
| CPU cores | 1 vCPU | — |
| RAM | 1 GB | — |
| Storage | 25 GB | — |
| Bandwidth | 1 TB/mo | — |
| SLA uptime | 99.99% | — |
| Data-center count | 11 | — |
| €/vCPU/mo | €5.00 | — |
| €/GB RAM/mo | €5.00 | — |
| Performance | ||
| CPU score (sysbench) | 1,800 | — |
| Disk read (fio) | 800 MB/s | — |
| Disk IOPS (4K random) | 14,000 | — |
| Network out | 0.5 Gbps | — |
| Latency (TTFB) | 30 ms | — |
| Features | ||
| IPv6 | ✓ | |
| DDoS protection | ✓ | |
| Automated backups | ✓ | |
| Snapshots | ✓ | |
| Managed option | ||
| Bare metal | ||
| GPU available | ||
| S3-compatible | ||
| Hourly billing | ✓ | |
| Free tier | ✓ | |
| Data-center locations | ||
| Regions | United StatesUnited KingdomGermanyIndiaSingaporeJapan+3 | — |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tierhourly billingnvme storageipv6ddos protectionbackups includedsnapshotsmanaged optioneu datacenterus datacenterapac datacenterapi accesskubernetes support | free tierhourly billinggpu availableeu datacenterus datacenterapac datacenterapi access |
| Visit Linode (Akamai) → | Visit Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun) → | |
Linode (Akamai)
Pros
- + Start deploying VPS instances in seconds with one-click app marketplace
- + Manage infrastructure programmatically via REST API with comprehensive documentation
- + Scale resources vertically within the same instance without migration
- + Access 11+ global data centers with consistent pricing regardless of region
Cons
- - Smaller ecosystem compared to AWS or DigitalOcean for managed services
- - Storage scaling limited without migrating to larger instance plans
Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun)
Pros
- + Only viable cloud for China market
- + Largest APAC cloud
- + $450 free credits for new accounts
Cons
- - Requires Chinese registration for China regions
- - Complex compliance for non-Chinese companies
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