Amazon CloudFront
FastlyAmazon CloudFront vs Fastly
Amazon CloudFront rates 4.4/5 and starts at Free. Fastly rates 4.4/5 and starts at Custom. Only Amazon CloudFront has a free tier.
Verdict
Both rate 4.4/5. Amazon CloudFront suits AWS-based teams, while Fastly is aimed at Developer-led & large sites.
Amazon CloudFront vs Fastly at a glance
| Measure | Amazon CloudFront | Fastly |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Reviews | 5,100 | 2,600 |
| Starting price | Free | Custom |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Public API | Yes | Yes |
| Integrations listed here | 5 | 4 |
Feature & pricing comparison
| Comparison | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.4 |
| Starting price | Free | Custom |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Paid |
| API available | ||
| Best for | AWS-based teams | Developer-led & large sites |
| S3/EC2 integration | ||
| Lambda@Edge | ||
| Global edge locations | ||
| Free tier (1TB/mo) | ||
| Shield DDoS | ||
| Instant purge | ||
| Edge compute (Compute@Edge) | ||
| VCL configuration | ||
| Real-time logs | ||
| Image optimizer | ||
| Visit | Visit |
Pricing side by side
Amazon CloudFront
Full pricing →| Plan | Price | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | Free | — |
| Pay-as-you-go | Custom | — |
Fastly
Full pricing →| Plan | Price | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Pay-as-you-go | Custom | — |
Which should you choose?
Pick Amazon CloudFront if you prioritize AWS-based teams
Pick Fastly if you prioritize Developer-led & large sites
Choose Amazon CloudFront if…
- Deep AWS integration matters to you.
- Generous free tier matters to you.
- Reliable & scalable matters to you.
- More technical would be a problem.
Choose Fastly if…
- Instant cache purging matters to you.
- Powerful edge control matters to you.
- Great real-time logs matters to you.
- Complex pricing would be a problem.
Amazon CloudFront
Pros
- Deep AWS integration
- Generous free tier
- Reliable & scalable
Cons
- Complex pricing
- Purging slower than Fastly
Fastly
Pros
- Instant cache purging
- Powerful edge control
- Great real-time logs
Cons
- More technical
- Usage pricing needs monitoring
Frequently asked questions
Is Amazon CloudFront better than Fastly?+
Both rate 4.4/5. Amazon CloudFront suits AWS-based teams, while Fastly is aimed at Developer-led & large sites.
Which is cheaper, Amazon CloudFront or Fastly?+
Amazon CloudFront starts at Free and Fastly starts at Custom.
Do Amazon CloudFront or Fastly have a free plan?+
Amazon CloudFront has a free tier; Fastly does not (though trials may be available).
Which is better rated, Amazon CloudFront or Fastly?+
They are tied at 4.4/5.
What is Amazon CloudFront best for, and what is Fastly best for?+
Amazon CloudFront is aimed at AWS-based teams (aws-hosted sites, video delivery). Fastly is aimed at Developer-led & large sites (high-traffic sites, dynamic content).