Company snapshot
| Category | 5 Cents CDN | Streamroot |
|---|---|---|
| Status | active | defunct |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | — |
| Website | — | — |
| Docs | — | — |
Overview
5 Cents CDN provides a content delivery network focused on affordability and scalability for video streaming, web acceleration, and cloud storage. It serves enterprises, broadcasters, and OTT providers, with a client base including government agencies and TV channels across North America, Europe, Asia, and other regions. The platform emphasizes low-cost plans starting at $2.5/TB and a global network of over 70 points of presence (PoPs). Features include live streaming, video-on-demand, and multistreaming to social platforms. It supports businesses prioritizing cost-effective content delivery with minimal setup complexity.
Streamroot was a provider of peer-to-peer video content delivery network (CDN) solutions, specializing in optimizing over-the-top (OTT) video streaming for broadcasters and content providers. Founded in 2013, the company developed Streamroot DNA™, a WebRTC-based technology that leveraged end-user devices to reduce bandwidth costs and improve streaming quality. It served clients like France Télévisions, Canal+, and Dailymotion, handling millions of daily video sessions globally. Streamroot was acquired by Lumen Technologies (formerly CenturyLink) in September 2019 and is no longer an independent entity, with its operations integrated or discontinued.
Network & Architecture
5 Cents CDN operates over 70 PoPs globally, with data centers in North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and India. Its infrastructure supports high availability for video streaming and web acceleration, leveraging modern server setups for low-latency delivery. The network offers 2+ Tbps capacity, with strong presence in North America and Europe, though some users report inconsistent speeds in certain global regions. The platform includes SimpleDNS for cost-effective domain management and Traffic Director for multi-CDN traffic steering based on geography or network conditions.
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Feature comparison
| Feature | 5 Cents CDN | Streamroot |
|---|---|---|
waf | ✓ | ✗ |
bot_mitigation | ✗ | ✗ |
ddos | ✓ | ✗ |
rate_limit | ✗ | ✗ |
http3_quic | ✗ | ✗ |
tls13 | ✓ | ✗ |
tiered_cache | ✗ | ✗ |
origin_shield | ✗ | ✗ |
instant_purge | ✗ | ✓ |
stale_while_revalidate | ✗ | ✗ |
stale_if_error | ✗ | ✗ |
image_optimization | ✓ | ✗ |
video_vod | ✓ | ✓ |
video_live | ✓ | ✓ |
drm | ✗ | ✗ |
hls_dash_packaging | ✗ | ✗ |
websockets | ✗ | ✗ |
signed_urls | ✗ | ✗ |
edge_compute | ✗ | ✗ |
functions | ✗ | ✗ |
kv_storage | ✓ | ✗ |
api_first | ✓ | ✓ |
realtime_logs | ✓ | ✓ |
log_push | ✗ | ✗ |
terraform | ✗ | ✗ |
Legend: ✓ = Supported, ✗ = Not supported, — = Not listed
Pricing
5 Cents CDN offers pay-as-you-go (PAYG) pricing starting at $2.5/TB for North America and Europe delivery. Plans include Standard ($2.5/TB, 10+ PoPs) and Enterprise ($10/TB, 20+ PoPs) with unlimited zones and streams. A 15-day trial is available with no long-term contracts, though nominal setup fees apply. Custom pricing is offered for high-bandwidth needs (100+ TB/month). Full details at https://www.5centscdn.net/pricing/.
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Integrations & DevEx
The platform provides an API-first interface for managing CDN services, including stream setup and analytics. It integrates with vMix for live streaming and supports OpenStack Swift and S3 APIs for cloud storage. Realtime logs and analytics are available via the V5 dashboard, offering insights into traffic and performance. No public documentation confirms Terraform or CI/CD pipeline support. The control panel is noted for ease of use but has received feedback for needing a more intuitive interface.
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When it fits
- Small to medium businesses needing affordable CDN services with flexible PAYG plans.
- Broadcasters and OTT providers requiring live streaming and multistreaming to social platforms.
- Enterprises targeting North America and Europe with video-heavy workloads.
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When it doesn’t
- Organizations needing advanced edge compute or serverless functions, which are not supported.
- Users requiring consistent high-speed delivery in underrepresented regions like parts of APAC or Africa.
- Businesses seeking extensive IaC support (e.g., Terraform) or complex multi-CDN orchestration.
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History & Notes
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Streamroot’s technology was notable for its hybrid approach, combining peer-to-peer delivery with traditional CDN infrastructure to reduce buffering and improve quality in bandwidth-constrained regions. Its acquisition by Lumen Technologies aimed to enhance video delivery in challenging markets like Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. Some sources suggest Streamroot’s technology may still be integrated into Lumen’s CDN offerings, but no clear evidence confirms active use. Conflicting reports exist about its revenue and status at the time of acquisition, with estimates of sub-$5M in annual revenue in 2019.