Cloudflare vs Fastly (vs CDNsun): Which CDN Fits Your Business Reality in 2026?

Choosing between Cloudflare vs Fastly for your CDN needs often comes down to answering these fundamental questions:

• Do you need a comprehensive security and performance platform, or reliable content delivery with personalized support?
• Are you prepared to pay enterprise prices for features you might never use?
• Do you need the absolute fastest cache purging, or is standard instant purging sufficient?
• Do you want granular control over which specific cities serve your content, or are you happy with basic configuration options?
• Are you building complex edge applications, or trying to stream events and deliver content globally?

In short, here’s what we recommend:

Cloudflare is the everything platform, offering a comprehensive suite of security, performance, and edge computing services that go far beyond traditional CDN. With its generous free tier and massive global network of over 330 cities, it’s ideal for businesses that want an all-in-one solution for web infrastructure. While Cloudflare’s free CDN provides basic features, it requires domain DNS server migration, while advanced controls and individual location selection require enterprise plans. Its customer support for free-tier users also heavily relies on community forums.

Fastly is the developer’s CDN, built for companies that need programmable edge computing and the fastest cache purging available. Its instant purge capability (~150ms globally) and Compute platform make it perfect for dynamic content and real-time applications. However, this power comes at a price, with a $50/month minimum and costs that can escalate quickly for high-traffic sites, plus the need for technical expertise to fully leverage VCL capabilities.

Both platforms are undeniably powerful, but they’re designed for enterprises with enterprise budgets and enterprise complexity. What if you need reliable, fast content delivery with the personalized support that only a specialized provider can offer?

CDNsun brings 12 years of proven reliability to the CDN market, specializing in streaming and high-bandwidth content delivery. Our unique pay-as-you-go model works like cell phone credit—buy what you need, use it when you need it, with no monthly fees or subscriptions. This makes us perfect for streaming companies with irregular events, software distributors, and image-heavy websites. With servers in every major city worldwide, granular control over specific delivery locations for all users, and our strategy of fewer clients with more tailored solutions, CDNsun provides enterprise-grade performance with the personalized support that giants can’t match.

If you’re looking for a CDN that combines 12 years of reliability with the flexibility and support your business actually needs, try CDNsun with our 15-day free trial.

 

Table of contents:

• Cloudflare vs Fastly vs CDNsun at a glance
• The fundamental disconnect: Platform vs service vs specialized solution
• Cloudflare wins on breadth, but basic CDN features require upgrades
• Fastly excels at edge computing, but at what cost?
• CDNsun: 12 years of specialized CDN excellence
• Pricing models reveal each platform’s true priorities
• Cache purging: Speed is now table stakes
• Geographic coverage and granular control
• Support quality reflects business models
• Integration complexity varies wildly
• Cloudflare vs Fastly vs CDNsun: Which should you choose?

 

Cloudflare vs Fastly vs CDNsun at a glance

Let’s cut through the marketing and look at what each platform actually delivers:

	Cloudflare	Fastly	CDNsun
Primary Focus	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Complete web infrastructure platform	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Programmable edge CDN	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Specialized CDN with 12 years experience
Network Size	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 330+ cities worldwide	⭐⭐⭐ Fewer but more powerful POPs	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 50+ POPs globally
Service Types	General CDN + many other services	General programmable CDN	Streaming CDN, Software/Game CDN, Website CDN
Pricing Model	⭐⭐⭐ Tiered plans + usage charges	⭐⭐ Complex usage-based + packages	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Pay-as-you-go like cell phone credit
Minimum Cost	Free tier available (basic features and DNS migration required)	$50/month minimum	$0 – buy credit as needed
Cache Purge Speed	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ~150ms globally	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ~150ms globally	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Instant purge
Ease of Use	⭐⭐⭐ Feature-rich but complex	⭐⭐ Powerful but technical	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Easy to understand and use
Customer Support	⭐⭐ Limited for free/Pro users	⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good but varies by tier	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Personalized support for all users
Location Control	❌ Enterprise only	❌ No	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Choose specific cities for all users
Best For	Enterprises needing everything	Dynamic content and edge computing	Streaming events, software delivery, image-heavy sites

 

The fundamental disconnect: Platform vs service vs specialized solution

The CDN market has split into distinct philosophies, and understanding this helps explain why comparing these three is like comparing a department store, a custom workshop, and a specialized boutique with 12 years of expertise.

Cloudflare has evolved far beyond CDN into a complete internet infrastructure company. When you sign up for Cloudflare, you’re not just getting content delivery. You’re getting DDoS protection, a Web Application Firewall, DNS services, Workers for edge computing, Zero Trust networking, and dozens of other services. It’s comprehensive, but their free CDN tier only provides basic features—advanced CDN controls require paid plans.

Fastly takes a different approach, positioning itself as the programmable CDN for developers. Everything about Fastly emphasizes high performance and technical control. Their Varnish Configuration Language (VCL) gives developers fine-grained control, and their instant purge delivers on its promise. But this power comes with complexity and cost that many businesses simply don’t need.

CDNsun represents 12 years of focused CDN expertise, specializing in three core services: streaming CDN for live events and video content, software/game delivery CDN for distributing large files globally, and website CDN for accelerating image-heavy sites. Our proven track record means reliability without outages—the most important factor for enterprise clients. As a smaller, specialized company, we’ve chosen to have fewer, bigger clients and provide everything tailored to their specific needs.

 

Cloudflare wins on breadth, but basic CDN features require upgrades

There’s no denying Cloudflare’s impressive scope. Their platform includes CDN services, DDoS mitigation, Web Application Firewall, Bot Management, DNS services, Workers for serverless computing, Images for optimization, Stream for video, R2 for storage, and countless other features.

But here’s what matters for CDN users: Cloudflare’s free tier provides only basic CDN features. You can’t choose which specific cities serve your content unless you’re an Enterprise customer with Regional Services. Advanced cache controls and many CDN optimizations are reserved for higher tiers. You also need to migrate your DNS server to CloudFlare’s, which generally isn’t a quick and easy process. And if you need help? Free-tier users rely on community forums, while Pro users get email support but without guaranteed response times.

When you need more than basic features, you jump from free to $25/month per site for Pro, with additional usage charges for many features. For businesses that just need reliable CDN with granular control, you’re paying for a platform when you need a focused solution.

 

Fastly excels at edge computing, but at what cost?

Fastly has built its reputation on two key capabilities: extremely fast cache purging and edge computing. Their ~150ms global purge time enables truly dynamic content delivery. And their Compute platform lets developers run WebAssembly code at the edge.

For companies building real-time applications or dealing with frequently changing content, these features can be valuable. Media companies use Fastly because breaking news can be updated instantly. E-commerce sites leverage it for real-time inventory updates.

But this sophistication comes at a premium. Fastly’s pricing starts with a $50/month minimum charge, and their Network Services packages start at $1,500/month for 100M requests. While powerful, it’s overkill for streaming events, distributing software updates, or accelerating websites—use cases where CDNsun’s specialized services excel.

 

CDNsun: 12 years of specialized CDN excellence

With 12 years in the business, CDNsun has proven one thing: reliability matters most. CDNsun’s track record of stable service without outages gives enterprise clients the confidence they need. But reliability alone isn’t enough—CDNsun’s business structure makes the difference.

CDNsun’s pay-as-you-go model works like cell phone credit: buy credit when needed, use it when needed. There are no monthly fees and no subscriptions. This structure is ideal for streaming companies running intermittent events like TEDx talks, educational webinars, etc. Why pay monthly fees for services used sporadically, right?

CDNsun offers three specialized CDN services:

• Streaming CDN: Optimized for live events and video delivery, handling thousands of concurrent viewers.
• Software/Game Delivery CDN: Built for distributing updates to millions of users globally.
• Website CDN: Accelerating image-heavy sites like dating platforms or social media applications.

With servers in every major city worldwide, from Australia to America and everywhere in between, CDNsun delivers content quickly regardless of location. More importantly, CDNsun gives all users granular control to choose which specific cities to enable or disable. This level of control, typically reserved for enterprise customers elsewhere, helps optimize both performance and costs.

CDNsun’s strategy of having fewer, bigger clients means it can provide tailored solutions and personalized support that giants like CloudFlare, with 10,000 clients, simply cannot match. When customization or specific requirements are needed, CDNsun can accommodate them.

 

Pricing models reveal each platform’s true priorities

The way each company structures its pricing tells you everything about who they’re targeting.

Cloudflare‘s model combines flat monthly fees with usage charges for additional services. The free tier provides basic CDN features. Pro at $25/month adds more capabilities. Business at $250/month unlocks additional features. Enterprise requires contacting sales. This tiered approach works for their platform strategy but means paying for features beyond CDN.

Fastly‘s pricing reflects their enterprise focus: $50/month minimum, plus bandwidth charges varying by region, with Network Services packages starting at $1,500/month. It’s built for companies with predictable, high-volume needs and deep pockets.

CDNsun keeps it simple: $0.03 per GB for Europe and North America traffic, $0.06 for APAC, South America, and Africa. Buy credit like you would for a cell phone, use it as needed. No monthly fees, no request charges, no hidden costs. Your bill is predictable and directly tied to actual usage. For businesses watching budgets or with irregular usage patterns—like event streaming companies—this flexibility is invaluable.

We match the lowest prices in the market without going below them, offering significant savings compared to providers like Fastly, Akamai, and CloudFront while maintaining comparable performance.

 

Cache purging: Speed is now table stakes

All three CDNs now offer fast cache purging, making this less of a differentiator than it once was.

Fastly’s instant purge clears cached content globally in ~150ms. Cloudflare now matches this performance with their instant purge averaging under 150ms globally. CDNsun also provides instant purge capabilities, ensuring content updates propagate quickly across the network.

With all three platforms offering instant or near-instant purging, the question shifts from “who’s fastest?” to “what else matters?” For streaming events, software updates, or website content changes, any of these purge speeds is more than adequate. The differentiators now lie in pricing flexibility, ease of use, support quality, and specialized services.

 

Geographic coverage and granular control

All three CDNs offer global coverage, but control and flexibility vary dramatically.

Cloudflare‘s 330+ locations provide extensive geographic reach. By default, their anycast routing automatically selects the nearest POP, though only Enterprise customers can purchase Regional Services to restrict which locations serve their content. For everyone else, it’s all or nothing.

Fastly uses fewer but more powerful POPs (95 POPs across 71 markets), arguing that their architecture delivers better performance through higher capacity per location. However, they don’t offer individual location control at any tier.

CDNsun has servers in every major city worldwide, ensuring fast delivery whether your users are in Sydney, San Francisco, or São Paulo. But here’s the key differentiator: we give all users the ability to choose which specific cities to enable or disable. This granular control—typically an enterprise-only feature elsewhere—lets you optimize your network footprint for your specific audience. Running a webinar for Australian universities? Enable only Australian cities. Distributing software in North America? Focus your CDN there and save on costs.

 

Support quality reflects business models

The support experience varies dramatically between providers and directly reflects their business models.

Cloudflare‘s support is tiered by plan. Free users rely on community forums. Pro users can open support tickets via email without guaranteed response times. Business users get chat support. Only Enterprise customers receive phone support and dedicated account managers. With thousands of clients, personalized support isn’t their model.

Fastly provides Standard support free for all users via tickets. However, Gold and Enterprise tiers offer faster response times, with phone support at Enterprise level only. Again, the quality of support correlates with spending.

CDNsun‘s approach is different. As a smaller company with a strategy of fewer, bigger clients, we can provide personalized support to everyone. Our 24/7 support via email, phone, and live chat isn’t tiered—every customer gets the attention they deserve. We can offer tailored solutions and customized configurations that companies with 10,000 clients simply can’t provide. When you need something specific for your streaming event or software distribution, we can accommodate it.

 

Integration complexity varies wildly

Getting your CDN working shouldn’t require extensive technical expertise.

Cloudflare‘s integration can be simple for basic use but grows complex as you need more features. Basic CDN setup involves changing nameservers, which is straightforward. But leveraging advanced features requires understanding Workers, Page Rules, Cache Rules, and various Cloudflare-specific concepts.

Fastly‘s integration assumes technical expertise. Advanced customization uses VCL and command-line tools. While powerful for developers, there’s a significant learning curve for others.

CDNsun prioritizes ease of use. Our dashboard is designed to be easy to understand and navigate, requiring minimal technical expertise. We provide nearly 40 integration tutorials for platforms like WordPress, Magento, and Drupal. Whether you’re setting up streaming for an educational webinar or configuring CDN for your image-heavy dating site, the process is straightforward.

 

Cloudflare vs Fastly vs CDNsun: Which should you choose?

The best CDN isn’t the one with the most features or the biggest network. It’s the one that fits your actual needs, usage patterns, and budget.

Choose Cloudflare if:

• You need a complete web infrastructure platform beyond CDN
• You’re satisfied with basic CDN features in the free tier
• You don’t need granular control over delivery locations
• You’re comfortable with community support on lower tiers
• You’re an enterprise that needs their full platform capabilities

Start with Cloudflare’s free tier to test their platform

Choose Fastly if:

• You need programmable edge computing capabilities
• You’re building dynamic applications requiring real-time updates
• Your team has technical expertise to leverage VCL
• You have consistent high-volume traffic justifying the minimums
• Budget isn’t a primary concern

Explore Fastly’s edge computing capabilities

Choose CDNsun if:

• You need specialized CDN for streaming events, software delivery, or image-heavy websites
• You want pay-as-you-go pricing that works like cell phone credit—no monthly fees
• You have irregular usage patterns (event streaming, periodic software updates)
• You need granular control to choose specific cities without enterprise pricing
• You value personalized support and tailored solutions
• You want 12 years of proven reliability without the enterprise complexity
• You need comparable performance to giants like Akamai at significantly lower cost

Start your 15-day free trial with CDNsun and experience personalized CDN service

 

Conclusion

The CDN market has room for all three platforms, but they serve very different needs. Cloudflare is building the next internet infrastructure company. Fastly is pushing the boundaries of edge computing. CDNsun has spent 12 years perfecting specialized CDN services with the personalized support and flexibility that only a focused provider can deliver.

For streaming companies running events, software distributors pushing updates globally, and websites serving image-heavy content worldwide, the choice is clear. Sometimes the best choice isn’t the platform with the most features or the biggest network. It’s the one with 12 years of proven reliability that understands your specific needs and delivers exactly what you need, when you need it, without monthly commitments.