Company snapshot

CategoryAmazon CloudFrontCDN77
Statusactiveactive
Founded
Headquarters
Website
Docs

Overview

Amazon CloudFront is a content delivery network (CDN) provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS), designed to deliver web content, APIs, and streaming media with low latency and high availability. It integrates with other AWS services like S3, EC2, and Lambda for seamless content storage and compute capabilities. CloudFront serves a wide range of users, from startups to large enterprises, particularly those already using AWS infrastructure. It supports static and dynamic content, video streaming, and edge computing through Lambda@Edge. The service is known for its global reach and integration with AWS’s security and monitoring tools.
CDN77 is a global content delivery network (CDN) provider based in London, founded in 2011. It operates a network with over 200 Tbps capacity across six continents, delivering approximately 175 petabytes of data daily, with a primary focus on video content, which constitutes about 90% of its traffic. The company serves a range of clients, including websites, gaming platforms, and streaming services, offering features like DDoS protection and real-time analytics. CDN77 is noted for its infrastructure services and content delivery, supporting major websites and applications worldwide.

Network & Architecture

CloudFront operates over 600 points of presence (PoPs) across 100+ cities in 50+ countries, with regional edge caches for improved performance. It leverages AWS’s global backbone for efficient routing and peering with major ISPs. The service has a strong presence in North America, EMEA, and APAC, with growing coverage in LATAM, India, and the Middle East. Its architecture supports tiered caching and origin shielding to reduce origin load. Limitations include less penetration in Africa and certain APAC regions compared to competitors like Cloudflare.
CDN77 maintains a global network with over 20,000 servers and points of presence (PoPs) across Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. Its infrastructure supports a capacity of 200 Tbps, with robust peering and routing optimized for low latency. The network is particularly strong in Europe and North America, with recent expansions in Asia through partnerships like Exa Infrastructure for 400G and 100G wavelengths. While it has comprehensive global coverage, its presence in Africa and certain parts of APAC may be less dense compared to competitors like Cloudflare or Akamai.

Feature comparison

FeatureAmazon CloudFrontCDN77
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

CloudFront uses a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model with no upfront commitments. A free tier includes 1 TB of data transfer and 10 million HTTP/HTTPS requests per month for the first year. Pricing varies by region, with per-GB rates starting at $0.085 in the US and Europe, higher in regions like India ($0.109). Enterprise plans are available for high-volume users with custom pricing. Full details: https://aws.amazon.com/cloudfront/pricing/.
CDN77 operates on a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model with no long-term commitments, making it accessible for various business sizes. Pricing is traffic-based, with per-GB rates available but not publicly detailed; for example, high-volume plans are tailored for enterprise clients. A free trial is offered for testing services. Full pricing details are available at https://www.cdn77.com/pricing.

Integrations & DevEx

CloudFront supports Terraform for infrastructure-as-code deployments. SDKs are available in multiple languages (Python, Java, Node.js, etc.) for API integration. It integrates with AWS CI/CD tools like CodePipeline and offers real-time logs via CloudWatch and log push via Kinesis. Migration tools include S3 transfer acceleration and origin failover configurations. Analytics are real-time through CloudWatch dashboards, though RUM is not natively supported.
CDN77 supports an API-first approach with comprehensive APIs for managing services, including content purging and analytics. Real-time logs and analytics are available, with log-push capabilities for integration with external systems. While Terraform support is not explicitly documented, the platform offers SDKs and tools for developers to automate configurations. Migration tools are available to assist with onboarding from other CDNs, and the client portal provides detailed analytics for monitoring performance.

When it fits

  • Organizations already using AWS services (S3, EC2, Lambda) needing tight integration with a CDN.
  • Applications requiring global content delivery with strong support for video streaming and edge computing.
  • Enterprises needing robust security (WAF, DDoS) and customizable caching policies.
  • Suitable for video-heavy workloads, such as streaming platforms or VOD services, due to its robust video delivery features.
  • Ideal for gaming companies needing low-latency content delivery and DDoS protection for global audiences.
  • Fits businesses seeking a PAYG model with flexible scaling and no long-term contracts.

When it doesn’t

  • Small businesses or startups looking for simpler, non-AWS-integrated solutions with lower complexity.
  • Users prioritizing deep coverage in Africa or specific APAC regions where PoP density is lower.
  • Budget-conscious buyers seeking predictable pricing without regional rate variations.
  • May not be the best choice for organizations requiring advanced WAF or bot mitigation, as these features are not currently offered.
  • Less optimal for users needing extensive edge compute functions or key-value storage, which are limited compared to competitors like Fastly.
  • Smaller presence in Africa or niche APAC regions may limit performance for highly localized traffic.

History & Notes