Cloudflare CDN vs Fastly: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Cloudflare CDN and Fastly? Both are popular cdn & edge caching tools. Below we compare them on pricing, free tiers, features, and pros & cons so you can pick the right fit for your stack.
Quick verdict
Both are solid cdn & edge caching options. Cloudflare CDN is cheaper to start, but the right choice depends on the specific features and integrations you need.
Cloudflare CDN vs Fastly — Side by Side
| Cloudflare CDN | Fastly | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | CDN & Edge Caching | CDN & Edge Caching |
| Pricing | Free · paid from $25/mo | Free · paid from $1500/mo |
| Starting price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| Free tier | ||
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Best for | CDN & Edge Caching — edge, ddos | CDN & Edge Caching — edge-compute, wasm |
Pros & Cons
- Bandwidth is not metered on any plan, including Free
- DNS, DDoS protection and WAF come with the CDN
- Largest free tier in the category by a wide margin
- Proxying through Cloudflare means handing it your DNS
- Large video or file delivery on lower plans can breach the terms of service
- Per-domain pricing adds up across many sites
- Global purges in roughly 150 ms
- Fine-grained cache control with VCL and edge compute
- Real-time logs and metrics streaming
- Per-GB rates are several times Bunny's
- Packages start at $1,500/month
- VCL is a learning curve of its own
Key Features Compared
Cloudflare CDN
- Managed WAF rules
- Image optimisation (Polish)
- Cache analytics
Fastly
- Instant purge
- Fastly Compute (Wasm)
- Real-time logging
Choose Cloudflare CDN if…
- You want a free tier to validate before paying.
- Budget is tight — paid plans start lower ($25/mo vs $1500/mo).
- Bandwidth is not metered on any plan, including Free
- DNS, DDoS protection and WAF come with the CDN
Choose Fastly if…
- You want a free tier to validate before paying.
- Global purges in roughly 150 ms
- Fine-grained cache control with VCL and edge compute
- Real-time logs and metrics streaming
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cloudflare CDN better than Fastly?⌄
Both are solid cdn & edge caching options. Cloudflare CDN is cheaper to start, but the right choice depends on the specific features and integrations you need.
What is the difference between Cloudflare CDN and Fastly?⌄
Cloudflare CDN — The default CDN for most of the web: a free plan with unmetered bandwidth, plus DNS, DDoS protection and a WAF on the same network. Fastly — Programmable edge cloud with instant cache purges and Compute at the edge, used by large publishers and commerce sites. Both are cdn & edge caching tools; the comparison table above breaks down pricing, free tiers, and what each is best for.
Cloudflare CDN vs Fastly: which is cheaper?⌄
Cloudflare CDN pricing: Free · paid from $25/mo. Fastly pricing: Free · paid from $1500/mo. Confirm current pricing on each tool's official site, as plans change.
Which is rated higher, Cloudflare CDN or Fastly?⌄
In our catalog, Cloudflare CDN rates 4.5 out of 5 and Fastly rates 4.5 out of 5 — they are evenly matched.
See more options in our guide to the best cdn & edge caching tools for startups.
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