What is the Difference Between Google CDN and Akamai CDN?

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Google CDN and Akamai CDN are both well-established Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) that help improve the performance and reliability of websites. However, they cater to different users and have some key differences:

  1. Target Users: Google Cloud CDN is more suitable for small and mid-sized businesses and those who already use Google Cloud Services. Akamai, on the other hand, leans more towards enterprises that need to handle large traffic spikes, have global coverage, and can afford the price of quick content delivery.
  2. Pricing: Both CDNs offer custom pricing, but Akamai is known to be more expensive than average solutions. Google Cloud CDN is generally more affordable, making it a better option for smaller businesses.
  3. Setup and Usability: Google Cloud CDN is considered easier to set up and use compared to Akamai. Akamai can be more complicated, partly due to the lack of documentation and information available online, which may require assistance from their support team.
  4. Scalability and Flexibility: Both CDNs offer seamless scalability, allowing users to scale their services as needed without any issues. They both charge based on usage, making it easy to adjust the service to fit specific requirements.
  5. Reviews: Google Cloud CDN has a higher rating on G2 (4.3/5 stars with 80 reviews) and a similar rating on Gartner Peer Insights (rating not specified, but also higher than Akamai). Akamai has a rating of 4.1/5 stars on G2 and 4.6 stars on Gartner Peer Insights.

In summary, Google Cloud CDN is more suitable for small and mid-sized businesses and those who already use Google Cloud Services, while Akamai is better suited for enterprises that require global coverage and can afford higher costs. Both CDNs offer seamless scalability and flexibility, but Google Cloud CDN is generally easier to set up and use.

Comparative Table: Google CDN vs Akamai CDN

Here is a comparison table of Google CDN and Akamai CDN:

Feature Google CDN Akamai CDN
Servers Uses global Google edge points to deliver content Has more servers globally, delivering content faster, especially for videos and live videos
Setup and Usability Easier to set up and use, with a community for support More complicated to set up and use, with limited online content and documentation
Scalability and Flexibility Seamless scaling, charging for services Seamless scaling, charging for services
Global Reach Extensive global reach Extensive global reach
Pricing Custom pricing, known to be more expensive than average solutions Custom pricing, but less expensive than Akamai
Suitable for Small and mid-sized businesses, those who already use Google Cloud services Enterprises that need to handle big traffic spikes

Both Google CDN and Akamai CDN are well-established content delivery networks, but they cater to different user needs. Google Cloud CDN is more suitable for small and mid-sized businesses and those who already use Google Cloud services, while Akamai CDN is more focused on enterprises that need to handle significant traffic spikes.