Company snapshot
| Category | Akamai | BlazingCDN |
|---|---|---|
| Status | active | active |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | — |
| Website | — | — |
| Docs | — | — |
Overview
Akamai, founded in 1998, operates one of the largest global Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), serving high-traffic websites, media streaming, and enterprise applications. The company delivers content through its Intelligent Edge Platform, which also provides security and edge computing capabilities. Akamai serves major clients like Kuaishou Technology and iQiyi, handling up to 30% of global web traffic. Its solutions cater to industries requiring low-latency content delivery, robust cybersecurity, and scalable cloud services. While historically focused on CDN, Akamai has shifted toward security and cloud computing, with these segments now driving two-thirds of its revenue.
BlazingCDN is a content delivery network provider focused on delivering video, gaming, and large file content with global coverage. It serves businesses of various sizes, including media, gaming, and software companies, by offering solutions for video-on-demand, live streaming, and static content acceleration. The service emphasizes straightforward pricing and a user-friendly dashboard for managing CDN zones and analytics. Its infrastructure supports high-traffic projects, with a network designed to minimize latency for end users.
Network & Architecture
Akamai maintains over 325,000 servers across 4,100+ points of presence (PoPs) in more than 135 countries, offering extensive global coverage. Its network leverages advanced routing and peering for low-latency delivery, with strong presence in North America, EMEA, APAC, and a licensed operation in China. Regional limitations include the planned cessation of CDN services in mainland China by June 30, 2026, with transitions to partners like Tencent CDN and Wangsu Science & Technology. Akamai’s architecture supports high-throughput applications like gaming and video streaming, with optimized edge caching and load balancing.
BlazingCDN operates over 25 points of presence (PoPs) globally, with 50 GBps uplink per server and a total network capacity exceeding 10 Tbps. It uses Anycast routing to optimize content delivery by directing traffic to the nearest server. The network has strong coverage in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America, but lacks PoPs in Africa and the Middle East. Its architecture supports a private global backbone with 4.5 petabytes of cached files and an average latency of 27 ms in the USA and EU.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Akamai | BlazingCDN |
|---|---|---|
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
Akamai operates an enterprise-only pricing model with committed contracts tailored to large-scale deployments. No public per-GB pricing is disclosed, and there is no free tier or PAYG option for smaller users. Pricing details require contacting Akamai’s sales team for custom quotes. For more information, see https://www.akamai.com/pricing.
BlazingCDN offers pay-as-you-go pricing starting at $5 per TB, dropping to $1.5 per TB for higher usage, with a minimum monthly cost of $25 for 5 terabytes. Enterprise plans are available for projects exceeding 25 TB. A 14-day trial is provided for testing. Pricing details are available at https://blazingcdn.com/pricing/.
Integrations & DevEx
Akamai supports API-first workflows with extensive REST APIs for configuration and management. Its DataStream and Log Delivery Service provide real-time logs and analytics for monitoring. While Terraform support is not natively offered, Akamai’s CLI and SDKs (Python, Java, etc.) enable integration with CI/CD pipelines. Migration tools are available for transitions, such as from Edgio or Lumen Technologies, as seen in recent customer contract acquisitions. Real-time analytics and RUM are supported through Edge Analytics and mPulse.
BlazingCDN provides an API-first platform with a user-friendly dashboard for managing CDN zones, custom domains, and analytics. It supports integration with object storage and tools like Cyberduck for file uploads via Swift protocol. Real-time analytics and log push enable monitoring and debugging. Migration support is offered with 24/7 SLA monitoring, though Terraform and other IaC tools are not explicitly supported. Documentation is available at https://help.blazingcdn.com/.
When it fits
- Enterprises needing a global CDN for high-traffic websites, gaming, or media streaming with robust security (WAF, DDoS, bot mitigation).
- Organizations requiring edge computing for serverless functions or low-latency data processing with EdgeWorkers and EdgeKV.
- Businesses operating in China needing a licensed CDN provider (until June 2026) with established local partnerships.
- Businesses needing affordable CDN for video streaming, gaming, or large file delivery with global reach.
- Small to medium-sized companies seeking simple setup and transparent pay-as-you-go pricing.
- Projects requiring low-latency content delivery in North America, Europe, or Asia-Pacific.
When it doesn’t
- Small businesses or startups seeking pay-as-you-go or free-tier CDN options, as Akamai focuses on enterprise contracts.
- Users prioritizing China-based CDN after June 2026, as Akamai is exiting this market and transitioning to partners.
- Teams needing native Terraform support or simpler DevEx for smaller-scale deployments, as Akamai’s tools target complex enterprise needs.
- Organizations needing coverage in Africa or the Middle East due to absent PoPs.
- Users requiring advanced WAF, bot mitigation, or edge compute capabilities not offered.
- Enterprises needing extensive third-party integrations or Terraform support for infrastructure automation.
History & Notes
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