Amazon CloudFront Review
Verdict: Amazon CloudFront earns 4.4/5 from 5,100 reviews, ranking #4 of 5 CDN tools we track. It suits AWS-based teams best. Deep AWS integration is its standout strength, while complex pricing is the main trade-off to weigh.
Our take on Amazon CloudFront
Amazon CloudFront is AWS's CDN, integrating tightly with S3, EC2, and Lambda@Edge. The natural CDN choice for teams already on AWS, with pay-as-you-go pricing and a free tier.
Key features
- S3/EC2 integration
- Lambda@Edge
- Global edge locations
- Free tier (1TB/mo)
- Shield DDoS
Pros & cons
Pros
- Deep AWS integration
- Generous free tier
- Reliable & scalable
Cons
- Complex pricing
- Purging slower than Fastly
Who Amazon CloudFront is for
A good fit if…
- • You are aws-based teams.
- • Your use case is aws-hosted sites.
- • Your use case is video delivery.
- • Your use case is static asset caching.
- • Deep AWS integration matters to you.
Look elsewhere if…
- • Complex pricing would be a dealbreaker.
- • Purging slower than Fastly would be a dealbreaker.
Amazon CloudFront pricing
Full pricing breakdown →| Plan | Price | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | Free | — |
| Pay-as-you-goPopular | Custom | — |
How Amazon CloudFront compares
| Measure | Amazon CloudFront | Category average |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Starting price | Free | — |
| Rank by rating | #4 of 5 | — |
| Public API | Yes | 4 of 4 offer one |
Integrations
Alternatives to consider
All Amazon CloudFront alternatives →
Bottom line on Amazon CloudFront
4.4/5 · Freemium · best for AWS-based teams
Frequently asked questions
Is Amazon CloudFront worth it?+
Amazon CloudFront is rated 4.4/5 across 5,100 reviews and is best suited to AWS-based teams. Deep AWS integration is the standout strength; the main trade-off is complex pricing.
What do users like most about Amazon CloudFront?+
Deep AWS integration, Generous free tier, Reliable & scalable.
What are the downsides of Amazon CloudFront?+
Complex pricing, Purging slower than Fastly. Whether these matter depends on your use case — see who it is and isn't for above.
How much does Amazon CloudFront cost?+
Amazon CloudFront offers a free plan.
How does Amazon CloudFront compare with other CDN tools?+
Among the 5 CDN tools we track, Amazon CloudFront ranks #4 by rating (4.4/5 vs a 4.6/5 category average).
What is Amazon CloudFront best used for?+
AWS-hosted sites, Video delivery, Static asset caching.