Ava AbbottCloudflare is a web security company that provides a content delivery network (CDN) and DDoS solutions and services. The company was founded in 2009 by Matthew Prince, Lee Holloway, and Michelle Zatlyn in San Francisco, California, where it’s currently based.
Its web infrastructure and Internet security solutions protect against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. In 2014, Cloudflare mitigated two of the largest ever recorded DDoS attacks at 400 Gbit/s and 500 Gbit/s.
The security firm went public in a $525 million IPO in Sep 2019. In 2021, Cloudflare had 2,432 employees and served over 100,000 DNS customers. Its full-year revenue increased by 52% to $656.4 million in 2021. [1]
Cloudflare network spans more than 250 cities across over 100 countries and supports TLS and HTTP/3. Both solutions are the latest security protocols introduced in 2021. Its Web Application Firewall (WAF) protects more than 25 million internet properties from bots, DDoS attacks, and other network threats.
Cloudflare stopped a DDoS attack that peaked at 754 million packets/s in Jun 2020 and mitigated another DDoS attack in Jul 2021. In Mar 2022, Cloudflare expanded its partnership with CrowdStrike to provide zero-trust security to devices, apps, and networks.
The firm now offers cybersecurity, DNS, CDN, and web security services. However, Cloudflare faces stiff competition from AWS, Akamai, Fastly, Google, Microsoft, and Imperva. [2]
Here is an in-depth analysis of Cloudflare’s top 15 competitors and alternatives:
1. Amazon CloudFront
Year founded: 1994
Headquarter: Seattle, Washington
Amazon CloudFront is a content delivery network (CDN) offered by AWS. This CDN provides a globally-distributed network of proxy servers that boosts content delivery and downloading speed. In 2021, Amazon Web Services (AWS) generated $62.2 billion in revenue. Amazon‘s total annual sales were $386 billion. [3]
Amazon CloudFront competes against Cloudflare’s CDN platform. However, Amazon CloudFront has data centers in 140 locations, while Cloudflare has about 150. The main difference between the two CDNs is in data delivery.
Cloudflare uses a reverse-proxy architecture that allows configured websites and apps to leverage its nameservers. On the other hand, Amazon CloudFront users set up copies of the data they want to distribute with unique URLs. Amazon CloudFront is the best alternative to Cloudflare CDN for IT teams. [4]
2. Akamai Technologies
Year founded: 1998
Headquarter: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Akamai Technologies is a web and Internet security service provider. It operates the world’s largest content delivery network, serving around 30% of global web traffic. In 2021, Akamai had 8,800 employees and accumulated $3.461 billion in revenue.
Both Cloudflare and Akamai offer a content delivery network, cybersecurity, and cloud services. According to CDNPerf, Cloudflare and Akamai are the fastest services globally. Both have impressive server coverage. Cloudflare has data centers in more than 150 countries, while Akamai has around 275,000 servers in over 135 countries.
In Mar 2022, Akamai was named a Customers’ Choice in the Gartner Peer Insights Voice of the Customer. The company also offers Akamai Intelligent platform, P2P networking, and visualization tools. As one of the oldest providers, Akamai has more CDN experience than Cloudflare. [5]
3. Fastly
Year founded: 2011
Headquarter: San Francisco, California
Fastly CDN is a cloud-based content delivery service. Innovative companies such as Shopify and Slack use this platform for e-commerce, streaming, and cloud security. In 2021, Fastly had around 1000 employees and generated $354 million in revenue.
The main competitive advantage for Fastly over Cloudflare is its fully programmable products. Its Deliver@Edge products are flexible enough to support custom APIs and integrate with CI/CD toolchains.
Both Fastly and Cloudflare offer scalable options and an API-first approach to CDN. However, Fastly also provides flexible TLS and WAF. Users can scale Fastly’s products based on their bandwidth needs and geographical coverage. Fastly is one of the top Cloudflare competitors. [6]
4. Google Public DNS
Year founded: 1998
Headquarter: Mountain View, California
Google offers a public Domain Name System (DNS). This network protocol connects websites by linking human-readable domain names with servers’ unique identifier addresses. In 2021, Google had around 119,000 employees and generated $160.7 billion in revenues.
Google and Cloudflare are the leading DNS providers globally. Both have servers in over 250 cities worldwide, but Google public DNS is user-friendly and more reliable than Cloudflare. Its advanced network of data servers delivers high-quality performance.
However, Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1) is the fastest DNS service globally and outperforms Google public DNS in lookup times and user privacy. Google Public DNS is the best alternative to Cloudflare DNS. [7]
5. Microsoft Azure CDN
Year founded: 1975
Headquarter: Redmond, Washington
Microsoft Azure is a cloud computing service operated by Microsoft. The platform offers CDN and cybersecurity solutions that compete against Cloudflare’s products. In 2021, Microsoft had 182,268 employees and accumulated $168 billion in revenue.
Azure is a comprehensive stack of integrated cloud tools for developing and managing apps and services. Both Azure and Cloudflare offer CDN. In Mar 2022, Microsoft Azure introduced its “reimagined” Azure Front Door content delivery network (CDN).
This new version has a modern architecture with fast global delivery and intelligent security to take on Cloudflare. The Premium package attaches to Azure’s WAF, providing robust threat protection for Front Door CDN. Microsoft Azure CDN is a worthy Cloudflare competitor in the CDN market. [8]
6. Imperva
Year founded: 2002
Headquarter: San Mateo, California
Imperva is a cybersecurity software and services company that offers solutions to help businesses protect their data and applications. Its cybersecurity tool secures all digital experiences, from APIs to business logic, microservices, and the data layer. In 2021, Imperva had around 1,500 employees and accumulated $321 million in revenues.
Imperva’s integrated approach combines edge, app security, and data security to protect cloud-first organizations and companies with vulnerable, legacy environments from cyberattacks.
In Mar 2022, Imperva introduced Imperva API Security with continuous API discovery. Businesses can deploy this product to provide data visibility and protection across legacy and cloud-native applications. Imperva Cloud WAF customers can enable this service offering to visualize all API traffic. Imperva is one of the top Cloudflare competitors. [9]
7. Alibaba Cloud
Year founded: 1999
Headquarter: Zhejiang, China
Alibaba Cloud is a cloud computing service operated by Alibaba Group. Its parent company is one of the largest firms globally, with a $657.5 billion valuation. In May 2021, Alibaba was fined $2.8 billion for anti-competitive practices. The company’s 2021 revenue was $93.8 billion, over 100 times more than Cloudflare’s $656.4 million. [10]
Both Alibaba Cloud and Cloudflare offer cybersecurity solutions. But Alibaba also provides elastic computing, database, storage, big data analytics, and e-commerce. Thousands of companies use these solutions.
They are more likely to choose Alibaba’s security products over Cloudflare’s offerings. Alibaba Cloud is a formidable Cloudflare competitor.
8. Lumen Technologies
Year founded: 1968
Headquarter: Monroe, Louisiana
Lumen is a technology company that offers networking, edge cloud, security, communication, and collaboration solutions. Its products simplify how people live and work. In 2021, Lumen reported $19.687 billion in revenue with a net income of $2.033 billion. [11]
Lumen has 450,000 route fiber miles and serves customers in more than 60 countries. It offers the fastest and secure platform for managing applications and data. Businesses and governments rely on its solutions to deliver seamless experiences organization-wide. Lumen is a worthy Cloudflare competitor.
9. Zscaler
Year founded: 2007
Headquarter: San Jose, California
Zscaler is a cloud security company renowned for its airtight “Zero Trust Exchange” approach. The software assumes everyone is a threat and establishes trust after determining the user’s identity. In 2021, Zscaler had 4,000 employees and recorded a 56% increase in revenue to $673 million.
Both Zscaler and Cloudflare use the zero-trust approach. Zscaler only offers security solutions, while Cloudflare provides DNS, CDN, edge computing services, and security for devices, apps, and networks. Although Zscaler is not as comprehensive as Cloudflare, its industry leading “Zero Trust Exchange” has attracted 450 companies on the Forbes Global 2000 list.
It has a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of around 60, while Cloudflare sells for more than 100 times sales. So, Zscaler is cheaper than Cloudflare. Overall, Zscaler is one of the best alternatives to Cloudflare for zero-trust security. [12]
10. KeyCDN
Year founded: 2012
Headquarter: Wollerau, Switzerland
KeyCDN is a content delivery service with customized offerings for beginners and veterans. The platform features a user-friendly web dashboard and simplifies integration with WordPress and other apps. In 2021, KeyCDN had a network of 34 servers; 9 in North America, 14 in Europe, and 11 spread globally.
KeyCDN offers an easy-to-use CDN, ideal for first-time users. Experienced users can acquire advanced options like Origin Shield and Block Referrer. Origin Shield reduces server load by delivering updates via a designated KeyCDN server rather than the origin.
It provides reporting tools for monitoring CDN performance in real-time. And supports IPv6 and Origin Pull and Push. But KeyCDN’s main competitive advantage is its budget-friendly offering. Its bandwidth fees start at $0.04/GB, less than half Cloudflare’s price. Users get shared SSL, Let’s Encrypt SSL certificates, and other extras for free. KeyCDN is a budget-friendly alternative to Cloudflare. [13]
11. StackPath
Year founded: 2012
Headquarter: Wollerau, Switzerland
StackPath is a leading cloud computing and edge applications, provider. The company offers CDN with 50 points of presence (PoPs) globally, with 14 PoPs in North America and 9 PoPs in Europe. In 2021, StackPath had 250 employees and was available in more than 35 locations worldwide.
Both StackPath and Cloudflare offer CDN, anti-DDoS technology, and Web App Firewall. The main benefit of using StackPath is its user-friendly features. Beginners can use its web console to manage settings or seek technical support via live chat or phone. StackPath caters to companies in North America and Europe. And Cloudflare operates globally.
In Nov 2021, StackPath was named a “strong performer” in The Forrester New Wave Edge Development Platforms. The platform offers free shared SSL, with the option to use their own SSL certificate. StackPath is a worthy Cloudflare competitor in North America and Europe. [14]
12. CDN77
Year founded: 2011
Headquarter: London, UK
CDN77 is a leading content delivery network with over 35 data centers globally. The company has a strong market presence in Europe and the US, but it also operates in South America, Asia, and Australia. In 2021, CDN77 had 68 employees and generated around $14 million in revenue.
CDN77 caters to innovative companies and organizations, such as the European Space Agency, ESET, Avast, Plesk, and Santander. It isn’t the fastest CDN network and doesn’t offer advanced features.
However, CDN77 is cheaper than Cloudflare and provides HTTP/2 optimization and TSL 1.3 to reduce overheads. Users get a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate, increasing value for money. Overall, CDN77 is one of the best alternatives to Cloudflare for beginners in the CDN world. [15]
13. Palo Alto Networks
Year founded: 2005
Headquarter: Santa Clara, California
Palo Alto Networks offers cloud-centric cybersecurity solutions. Its integrated platform empowers tens of thousands of organizations across clouds, networks, and mobile devices. In 2021, Palo Alto’s revenue increased by 25% to $5.325 billion. [16]
The main benefit of using Palo Alto is its innovative adoption of AI and cutting-edge technologies. The platform leverages advanced AI, analytics, automation, and orchestration to help users address complex security challenges.
Palo Alto is cheaper than Cloudflare. It supports sales multiples of 12, while Cloudflare has a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of more than 100. Overall, Palo Alto Networks is one of the top Cloudflare competitors in the cybersecurity sector.
14. Sucuri
Year founded: 2010
Headquarter: Menifee, California
Sucuri is an all-in-one website security platform that helps organizations mitigate online threats and cyberattacks. The platform offers a CDN, malware scanning, DNS monitoring, brute force protection, file change detection, and hack repairs. In 2021, Sucuri had around 55 employees.
The ever-increasing bot traffic online has increased demand for the Sucuri Web Application Firewall (WAF).
This cloud-based WAF can help businesses filter out or block sophisticated bots which evade detection. It provides airtight protection against DDoS attacks, excessive bots, and proxy traffic. Sucuri WAF is the best alternative to Cloudflare WAF. [17]
15. Netlify
Year founded: 2014
Headquarter: San Francisco, California
Netlify is a cloud computing company that offers a platform for web developers. Users can host their sites in the cloud and leverage serverless backend services for web apps and static websites. In 2021, Netlify had around 200 employees.
Netlify’s hosting and serverless backend services eliminate the need to manage any backend servers where app logic and database run. The platform allows developers to automate updates to the Web applications by integrating a supported git-based Version Control System.
It also offers one-of-a-kind file storage and management system that distributes updates to the content across the servers in the CDN. To reduce the loading time, Netlify delivers the pre-loaded version of the site to the users from a geographically nearest server. This approach enhances file optimization and responsiveness for static pages. Netlify is the best Cloudflare alternative for website developers. [18]
References & more information
- Greig, J. (2022, Feb 10). Cloudflare reports $656 million in revenue in 2021. ZDNet
- Noonan, K. (2022, Mar 18). Why Cloudflare Stock Is Soaring This Week. The Motley Fool
- Sujay, L. V. (2022, Mar 22). Amazon Web Services: Annual revenue 2013-2021. Statista
- Tozzi, C. (2021, Mar 15). Cloudflare vs. Amazon CloudFront: Which CDN is right for you? Tech Target
- Akamai Technologies Inc. (2022, Mar 24). Akamai Recognized as a 2022 Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice for Web Application and API Protection. PRNewswire
- Hansen, L. (2021, Nov 4). Fastly vs. Cloudflare. Technology Advice
- Chauhan, R. (2022, Mar 10). Google DNS vs. Cloudflare DNS: What’s the Fastest DNS? MUO
- Fadilpašić, S. (2022, Mar 30). Microsoft Azure to take on Cloudflare, Akamai with new-look CDN service. TechRadar
- Imperva (2022, Mar 7). Imperva API Security Makes It Easier to Monitor and Discover APIs to Eliminate Data Leakage and API Abuses. Business Wire
- Mehta, C. (2021, May 13). Anti-monopoly fine pushes Alibaba to its first operating loss as a public company. Reuters
- Lumen Technologies (2022, Feb 09). Lumen reports fourth-quarter 2021 results. PRNewswire
- Healy, W. (2021, Oct 22). Better Buy: Zscaler vs. Cloudflare. The Motley Fool
- Williams M. (2021, Feb 23). KeyCDN review. TechRadar
- StackPath (2021, Nov 2). StackPath Named Strong Performer in Edge Development Platforms. Globe Newswire
- Williams, M. (2021, Feb 19). CDN77 review. TechRadar
- Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (2021, Aug 23). Palo Alto Networks Reports Fiscal Fourth Quarter 2021 Financial Results. PRNewswire
- Jackson, B. (2022, Mar 24). How to Set up Sucuri Firewall (WAF) on Your WordPress Site. Kinsta Blog
- Dev Team (2021, Mar 1). Netlify. Devopedia
- Feature image by Taylor Vick
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Kevin Johnson
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