If you’ve ever navigated Fastly’s multi-layered pricing structure, trying to decode the difference between usage tiers and packages, while calculating whether you need Network Services at $1,500 monthly or additional security packages, you know that enterprise CDN pricing can feel like assembling a tech stack where every component has its own complex pricing matrix.
Fastly has established itself as a powerful edge cloud platform, processing over 400 Tbps of data across its global network. The platform promises near-zero cold start times for edge computing, instant cache purging, and a comprehensive suite of services from content delivery to advanced security. But as Fastly has evolved from a CDN provider to a full edge cloud platform, its pricing has become increasingly complex with trial credits, usage-based options, and multiple product packages that can quickly escalate your monthly investment.
We’ve spent time analyzing Fastly’s pricing tiers, package structures, and hidden costs. We believe it’s the ideal choice if:
- You need a comprehensive edge cloud platform beyond just content delivery
- Your applications require edge computing with WebAssembly support
- You want integrated security features including Next-Gen WAF and DDoS protection
- Your team has the technical expertise to leverage advanced API capabilities
- You can commit to minimum monthly spends starting at $50 or package pricing from $1,500
However, Fastly’s pricing is not a good choice if:
- You want simple, transparent CDN pricing without complex calculations
- You need reliable streaming CDN for events that happen irregularly
- Your monthly CDN usage is unpredictable or minimal
- You prefer true pay-as-you-go without monthly fees or subscriptions
- You’re looking for personalized support rather than dealing with a massive corporation
In this case, you should consider CDNsun: a proven CDN service with 12 years of reliability that specializes in streaming delivery, offers true pay-as-you-go pricing at $0.030 per GB with no monthly fees, and provides personalized support that larger providers can’t match.
Because of that, we have included a detailed pricing comparison with CDNsun in this review, as the best choice for streaming companies, software distributors, and image-heavy websites seeking transparent CDN pricing without sacrificing performance. With that said, if you’re eager to jump into the CDNsun pricing breakdown, go ahead and do so with this link.
Table of contents
- Fastly Pricing Summary
- Fastly Pricing: In-Depth Overview
- Where Fastly Falls Short
- Best Fastly Alternative: CDNsun
- Fastly Feature Value Breakdown (vs CDNsun)
- Fastly Pricing FAQ
- Final Verdict: Fastly vs CDNsun
Fastly Pricing Summary
| Fastly | CDNsun | |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | • $50 CDN traffic credit • 30-day trial period • 2 free domains | • 15-day free trial • 5GB free storage |
| Entry Level | • Usage: $50/mo minimum + usage • Bandwidth: $0.08-$0.28/GB • Requests: $0.0075 per 10,000 | • Business: $0.030/GB pay-as-you-go • No monthly fees or subscriptions • No setup fees |
| Mid-Tier | • Network Services: $1,500-$6,000/mo • Security: Contact for pricing • Compute: Contact for pricing | • Custom: Contact for pricing • $200 minimum monthly • Unlimited websites |
| Enterprise | • Custom pricing • Negotiated contracts • Dedicated support | • Volume discounts available • Custom SLA • Personalized 24/7 support |
| Best For | Enterprises needing edge computing, advanced security, and global scale | Streaming companies, software distributors, and image-heavy sites wanting enterprise performance without complexity |
Fastly Pricing: In-Depth Overview
Fastly operates on a multi-faceted pricing model that includes a trial period, usage-based pay-as-you-go options, and structured packages for different product lines. The platform targets everyone from developers testing edge computing to enterprises requiring comprehensive security and observability. Beyond base subscriptions, Fastly charges for bandwidth, requests, and various add-ons, creating a pricing ecosystem that requires careful calculation. Let’s examine each tier to understand the true cost of running your infrastructure on Fastly.
Fastly Trial Period: $50 CDN Credit
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| CDN Traffic | $50 credit (30 days) |
| TLS Domains | 2 free |
| Request Throttling | None |
| Edge Locations | Full network access |
| Instant Purge | 150ms globally |
The trial period provides a $50 credit for CDN traffic valid for 30 days. This includes access to Fastly’s core features like instant cache purging in 150 milliseconds and two free domains for TLS. The credit translates to roughly 400-600GB of bandwidth depending on your traffic regions (at $0.08-$0.12 per GB rates), which allows meaningful testing but will be exceeded quickly by production applications.
| Trial Period | |
|---|---|
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅ $50 credit for testing | ❌ Limited to 30 days |
| ✅ Full feature access | ❌ No support beyond community |
| ✅ Instant purge included | ❌ Credit applies to CDN traffic only |
| ✅ 2 free domains | ❌ Production use requires paid plan |
The Bottom Line The trial period works for development and testing, but production applications will need to transition to paid plans after 30 days.
Fastly Usage Tier: $50/month + Usage
| Component | Pricing | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Base Fee | $50/month | Minimum monthly charge |
| Bandwidth | $0.12/GB (first 10TB) $0.08/GB (next 10TB) | North America & Europe |
| Requests | $0.0075/10,000 | North America & Europe |
| TLS Certificates | 5 included | $20/month per additional |
| Support | Standard | Email, portal, forum, docs |
The Usage tier represents Fastly’s pay-as-you-go model with a $50 monthly minimum. Bandwidth starts at $0.12 per GB for the first 10TB in North America and Europe, dropping to $0.08 per GB for the next tier. Other regions range up to $0.28 per GB. This tier includes 5 TLS domains, mutual TLS, SSO authentication, and standard support through multiple channels. The variable regional pricing can make cost prediction challenging for global applications.
| Usage Tier | |
|---|---|
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅ Flexible usage-based pricing | ❌ $50 monthly minimum |
| ✅ 5 TLS domains included | ❌ Regional pricing complexity |
| ✅ SSO authentication | ❌ Tiered bandwidth pricing |
| ✅ Unrestricted bandwidth | ❌ Costs unpredictable at scale |
The Bottom Line Usage tier suits growing applications with predictable traffic patterns, but regional and volume-based pricing variations complicate budgeting.
Fastly Network Services Packages
| Package | Monthly Price | Requests | Image Optimizer | Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $1,500 | 100M | 30M | Standard |
| Starter | $6,000 | 500M | 150M | Gold |
| Advantage | Contact | 2B | 800M | Gold |
| Ultimate | Contact | 5B | 2.5B | Enterprise |
Network Services packages bundle CDN, load balancing, and optimization features. The Basic package at $1,500 monthly includes 100 million requests and 30 million image optimization requests. Packages are designed for web pages and APIs, with a restriction that no more than 10% of traffic may originate from Africa, India, or South Korea.
| Network Services | |
|---|---|
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅ Predictable monthly pricing | ❌ High entry price at $1,500 |
| ✅ Image optimizer included | ❌ Geographic traffic restrictions |
| ✅ WebSockets support | ❌ Not suitable for streaming |
| ✅ Instant purge and full features | ❌ May include overage charges |
The Bottom Line Network Services packages provide predictable costs for high-volume websites, but the $1,500 entry point excludes smaller businesses.
Fastly Security, Compute, and Observability Packages
Fastly offers specialized packages for different use cases:
Security (Next-Gen WAF):
- Starter: Contact for pricing (25 RPS)
- Advantage: Contact for pricing (150 RPS)
- Ultimate: Contact for pricing (250 RPS)
Compute:
- Starter: Contact for pricing (500M requests)
- Advantage: Contact for pricing (2B requests)
- Ultimate: Contact for pricing (5B requests)
Observability:
- Starter: Contact for pricing (500M requests)
- Advantage: Contact for pricing (2B requests)
- Ultimate: Contact for pricing (5B requests)
Each package includes specific features and support levels, with Gold or Enterprise support on higher tiers. Pricing for these packages requires contacting Fastly’s sales team.
Where Fastly Falls Short
While Fastly excels as a comprehensive edge cloud platform with advanced features, its pricing structure creates significant barriers for many businesses seeking straightforward CDN services:
Complex Multi-Tier Pricing Structure
- Multiple pricing models (usage, packages, custom) create confusion
- Separate packages for Network, Security, Compute, and Observability may require multiple purchases
- Regional bandwidth pricing varies from $0.08 to $0.28 per GB
- Package restrictions limit traffic from certain regions to 10%
High Minimum Costs and Entry Barriers
- $50 monthly minimum even for usage-based pricing
- Network Services packages start at $1,500 monthly
- Security and other specialized packages require sales contact
- These minimums exclude streaming companies with irregular events and businesses with variable traffic
Lack of Pricing Transparency
- Many packages show “Contact for pricing” without clear rates
- The pricing page doesn’t explicitly detail contract lengths or cancellation policies
- Add-on costs for certificates, storage, and additional features aren’t always clear
- Potential for overage charges on packages
Overkill for Core CDN Needs
- Edge computing, WebAssembly support, and advanced features unnecessary for streaming events, software delivery, or website acceleration
- Complex API and configuration options require technical expertise
- Many businesses just need reliable CDN with granular control, not a full edge platform
Impersonal Support from Corporate Giant
- As a massive corporation, Fastly can’t provide the personalized, tailored support that smaller providers offer
- Support feels transactional rather than partnership-focused
- Limited customization options for specific business needs
These limitations have led many streaming companies, software distributors, and image-heavy websites to explore proven alternatives that focus on core CDN functionality with transparent pricing and personalized service…
Best Fastly Alternative: CDNsun
CDNsun brings 12 years of proven reliability to content delivery, specializing in streaming CDN while offering comprehensive services for software distribution and website acceleration, all with true pay-as-you-go pricing and personalized support.
For businesses that find Fastly’s multi-tier pricing confusing, monthly fees restrictive, and support impersonal, CDNsun offers a compelling solution with straightforward pricing at $0.030 per GB, no monthly fees or subscriptions, and a 15-day free trial.
Founded in 2012 with a mission to provide affordable yet powerful CDN services, CDNsun has built a 12-year track record of reliability serving over 2,000 customers worldwide through servers in every major city globally. The platform specializes in three core services: streaming CDN for live events and video content (their primary focus), software/game delivery CDN for distributing large files and updates globally, and website CDN for accelerating image-heavy sites.
What sets CDNsun apart is its combination of enterprise-level performance with personalized support. While giants like Amazon CloudFront or Fastly treat you as one of thousands, CDNsun provides tailored solutions and customized support for each client. Users consistently report that they experience the same performance as with Akamai or Fastly, they just pay significantly less and receive better support.
CDNsun excels for streaming companies handling events like TEDx talks or educational webinars, software companies distributing updates to millions of users, and image-heavy platforms like dating sites or social media applications especially those with irregular usage patterns who benefit from true pay-as-you-go pricing.
CDNsun Business Plan: True Pay-As-You-Go CDN
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Bandwidth Pricing | $0.030/GB (Europe & North America) |
| Regional Pricing | $0.060/GB (APAC, South America, Africa) |
| Monthly Fees | $0 – True pay-as-you-go |
| Websites | Up to 20 |
| Features | All core CDN features included |
| Control | Granular city-level selection |
Unlike Fastly’s $50 minimum, CDNsun’s Business plan has no monthly fees or subscriptions, you buy credit and use it as needed, similar to prepaid phone credit. This is particularly valuable for streaming companies that don’t broadcast every month. You only pay for the bandwidth you use at a simple rate of $0.030 per GB in primary regions. This includes unlimited requests, SSL certificates, API access, HTTP/2, streaming capabilities, and raw logs access.
CDNsun provides extensive granular control, including the ability to choose which specific cities to enable or disable for content delivery far more control than basic CDN services offer.
| Business Plan | |
|---|---|
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅ No monthly fees or minimums | ❌ Higher rates in some regions |
| ✅ All core features included | ❌ Limited to 20 websites |
| ✅ True pay-as-you-go model | ❌ No advanced security features (WAF, bot mitigation) |
| ✅ Granular city-level control | ❌ No edge computing |
| ✅ 12 years of proven reliability |
The Bottom Line The Business plan delivers enterprise-level CDN performance without commitments, perfect for streaming events, software distribution, and websites with variable or irregular traffic.
CDNsun Custom Plan: Volume Pricing with Personalized Support
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimum Spending | $200/month |
| Bandwidth Rate | Negotiated volume pricing |
| Websites | Unlimited |
| Support | 24/7 personalized support |
| SLA | 100% |
| Customization | Tailored solutions |
The Custom plan is designed for businesses with consistent higher usage who want personalized service. While it introduces a $200 monthly minimum, this is still significantly lower than Fastly’s package pricing. Custom plans include unlimited websites, 24/7 support, and negotiated rates based on your specific needs.
Most importantly, CDNsun’s smaller size means they can provide focused, customized support and tailored solutions that giants like Fastly or Amazon can’t match. Your business isn’t just another account number, you receive personalized attention and solutions designed for your specific requirements.
| Custom Plan | |
|---|---|
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅ Personalized, tailored support | ❌ $200 monthly commitment |
| ✅ Unlimited websites | ❌ Requires sales negotiation |
| ✅ Custom solutions for your needs | ❌ Still focused on core CDN |
| ✅ 100% SLA guarantee | ❌ No edge computing features |
| ✅ Volume pricing discounts |
The Bottom Line Custom plans suit growing businesses needing better rates and personalized support while maintaining pricing simplicity.
CDNsun Storage: Integrated CDN Storage
| Tier | Price |
|---|---|
| Up to 5GB | Free |
| 10GB-2TB | Monthly pricing |
| Features | Daily backups, FTP/SFTP access |
| Traffic | Free to CDN edges |
CDNsun includes 5GB of free storage with every account, integrated directly with the CDN. Larger storage tiers are available with monthly pricing. All storage includes daily backups, multiple upload protocols, and free traffic between storage and CDN edges.
Fastly Feature Value Breakdown (vs CDNsun)
Pricing Model Complexity
Fastly’s Approach: Fastly employs multiple pricing models simultaneously: trial credits, usage-based pricing with minimums, and various package options across different product lines. Calculating total costs requires understanding bandwidth rates by region (with tiered pricing), request pricing, and which features require which packages. A typical setup might need Network Services ($1,500) plus additional bandwidth charges and potentially other packages. The interface itself can be overwhelming, similar to Akamai’s dashboard that “needs a college degree” to navigate effectively.
CDNsun’s Approach: CDNsun uses a single, transparent model: true pay-as-you-go pricing where you buy credit and use it as needed. Pay $0.030 per GB for bandwidth in primary regions with no monthly fees or subscriptions. All core CDN features are included, there are no packages to choose between, and the user-friendly dashboard is designed to be easy to understand without requiring extensive technical expertise.
Value Verdict: CDNsun is better for businesses wanting predictable, simple pricing without monthly commitments, especially streaming companies with irregular events.
Feature Set and Capabilities
Fastly’s Approach: Fastly provides a comprehensive edge cloud platform including CDN, edge computing with WebAssembly, Next-Gen WAF, DDoS protection, image optimization, video streaming, and observability tools. These advanced capabilities support complex applications running at the edge with near-zero cold starts and instant global purging.
CDNsun’s Approach: CDNsun focuses on three core CDN services: streaming CDN (their specialty), software/game delivery CDN, and website CDN for image-heavy sites. The platform provides extensive granular control including city-level CDN selection, video streaming, storage, and all essential CDN features. While it lacks edge computing and advanced security features like WAF, CDNsun delivers the same end-user performance as major providers, users won’t notice any difference in speed compared to Akamai or Fastly.
Value Verdict: Fastly is better for enterprises needing edge computing and advanced security, while CDNsun is better for businesses wanting powerful CDN with granular control, proven reliability, and the same performance at a fraction of the cost.
Support and Customization
Fastly’s Approach: As a massive corporation, Fastly provides standard support tiers ranging from community forums to enterprise support. With thousands of clients, they can’t offer much customization or personalized attention. Support interactions tend to be transactional, following standard procedures and documentation.
CDNsun’s Approach: CDNsun’s strategy is to have fewer, bigger clients and provide everything tailored to their specific needs. As a smaller company, they can provide focused, customized support and solutions that larger providers can’t match. This personalized approach means your specific requirements are heard and addressed, not just routed through a standard support process.
Value Verdict: CDNsun is better for businesses that value personalized support and customized solutions over impersonal corporate service.
Global Coverage and Performance
Fastly’s Approach: Fastly operates a modern architecture with fewer, more powerful POPs equipped with SSDs and delivering over 400 Tbps of capacity. Their instant purge (150ms globally) and edge computing capabilities provide exceptional performance for complex applications.
CDNsun’s Approach: CDNsun maintains servers in every major city worldwide with SSD-equipped infrastructure. While built differently than Fastly’s architecture, CDNsun provides the same end-user performance, websites and streams load just as fast. The platform offers granular control with the ability to enable or disable specific cities for cost optimization. With 12 years of reliable service, CDNsun has proven it can deliver stable, consistent performance without outages.
Value Verdict: Both deliver equivalent end-user performance. Fastly is better for applications requiring instant purging and edge computing, while CDNsun is better for straightforward content delivery with geographic flexibility and proven reliability.
Fastly Pricing FAQ
Does Fastly offer a free trial?
Fastly provides a 30-day trial period with $50 worth of CDN traffic credit. This lets you test the platform’s features, though most production applications will exceed this amount and need to transition to paid plans after the trial period.
What’s the minimum cost for Fastly?
The minimum cost depends on your needs. The usage-based tier requires at least $50 monthly, while packages start at $1,500 monthly for Network Services. In contrast, CDNsun has no monthly fees for its pay-as-you-go Business plan, ideal for streaming companies with irregular events.
How does Fastly calculate bandwidth costs?
Fastly charges between $0.08 and $0.28 per GB depending on the region and volume. North America and Europe start at $0.12/GB for the first 10TB, dropping to $0.08/GB for the next tier, while other regions can reach $0.28/GB. CDNsun offers simpler pricing at $0.030 per GB for primary regions and $0.060 for others.
Can I use Fastly for just basic CDN or streaming?
Yes, but you’ll pay for capabilities you might not need. The $50 monthly minimum and complex pricing structure make Fastly expensive for basic CDN or streaming events. CDNsun’s specialized streaming CDN service and true pay-as-you-go model better suits companies that need reliable streaming without monthly commitments.
Which is more cost-effective: Fastly or CDNsun?
For streaming CDN, software distribution, and website acceleration, CDNsun typically offers better value with its $0.030 per GB pricing and no monthly fees. Users report getting the same performance as Fastly but paying significantly less. Fastly becomes more cost-effective only when you specifically need its advanced features like edge computing or Next-Gen WAF.
Does Fastly charge for SSL certificates?
Fastly includes 2 free domains on the trial period and 5 on paid plans. Additional domains cost $20 monthly. CDNsun includes basic SSL certificates at no additional charge, though some premium certificate types may have fees.
Why do streaming companies prefer CDNsun over Fastly?
Streaming companies, especially those running events like TEDx talks or educational webinars that don’t happen every month, prefer CDNsun’s true pay-as-you-go model. They avoid monthly fees during inactive periods and only pay for bandwidth when they actually stream. Combined with CDNsun’s streaming CDN specialization and 12-year reliability track record, it’s the smarter choice for irregular streaming patterns.
Final Verdict: Fastly vs CDNsun
The choice between Fastly and CDNsun depends on your infrastructure needs and whether you value advanced features or personalized service:
Fastly is an edge cloud platform designed for enterprises and developers who need more than just content delivery. With pricing from $50 monthly minimums to multi-thousand dollar packages, it enables organizations to run complex applications at the edge, implement advanced security, and achieve exceptional performance through instant purging and WebAssembly compute. This pricing model works best for companies with technical teams, applications requiring edge computing, consistent high-volume traffic, and budgets that can accommodate enterprise pricing.
CDNsun is a proven CDN service with 12 years of reliability, built on the principle that enterprise-level CDN performance shouldn’t require enterprise complexity or pricing. By offering true pay-as-you-go pricing at $0.030 per GB with no monthly fees or subscriptions, plus personalized support that larger providers can’t match, CDNsun removes the barriers that make enterprise CDNs inaccessible to many businesses. This straightforward approach, combined with their specialization in streaming CDN, makes it ideal for streaming companies with irregular events (TEDx, webinars, church ceremonies), software companies distributing updates globally, image-heavy websites like dating platforms, and any business that values personalized service and proven reliability over unnecessary features.
The fundamental difference isn’t just features; it’s philosophy. While Fastly asks “How can we push the boundaries of edge computing?”, CDNsun asks “How can we deliver the same performance as the giants, but with simpler pricing and better support?” After 12 years of focusing on that mission, CDNsun has proven that you don’t need to pay enterprise prices to get enterprise performance.