Company snapshot
| Category | CacheFly | Transparent CDN |
|---|---|---|
| Status | active | active |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | — |
| Website | — | — |
| Docs | — | — |
Overview
CacheFly, founded in 2002 and based in Chicago, IL, is a content delivery network (CDN) provider specializing in high-performance delivery of static and dynamic content. It serves businesses in video streaming, gaming, software distribution, and e-commerce, emphasizing speed and reliability. CacheFly pioneered TCP Anycast routing in 2002, which optimizes traffic delivery to the nearest point of presence (PoP). Its customers range from startups to enterprises seeking efficient content delivery. The company has gained attention for capitalizing on recent CDN industry consolidation, positioning itself as an alternative to providers like StackPath and Lumen Technologies.
Transparent CDN, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Madrid, Spain, offers content delivery and web optimization services tailored for e-businesses. The provider focuses on accelerating website performance, optimizing images, and providing detailed analytics through real-time logs. Its services are designed to be accessible via an API-first approach, enabling seamless integration for developers. Transparent CDN serves a range of clients, from small businesses to larger enterprises, with a global network presence. The company emphasizes straightforward pricing and ease of use for performance-focused content delivery.
Network & Architecture
CacheFly operates over 75 points of presence (PoPs) across all seven continents, with a strong presence in North America, Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, Africa, and the Middle East. Its network uses TCP Anycast for efficient routing, ensuring low-latency delivery. CacheFly reports a 98% cache hit ratio, with 100% availability for its S.O.S. (Storage Optimization Service) customers. The network is optimized for high-throughput use cases like large file downloads and media streaming. It has a notable footprint in Latin America compared to some competitors but may have fewer PoPs in certain regions compared to larger providers like Cloudflare or Akamai.
Transparent CDN operates a global network with points of presence (POPs) across North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America, though specific POP counts are not publicly disclosed. The provider leverages HTTP/3 and TLS 1.3 for efficient and secure content delivery. Its architecture supports real-time traffic analytics, which aids in performance monitoring. The network is optimized for general web content and image delivery but lacks specialized capabilities for video streaming or edge computing. Regional strengths include Europe and North America, with growing coverage in Asia and Latin America.
Feature comparison
| Feature | CacheFly | Transparent CDN |
|---|---|---|
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
CacheFly offers pay-as-you-go (PAYG) and enterprise plans, with a free tier providing 5TB of monthly usage. Pricing is flexible with month-to-month billing and no long-term contracts. A special offer for former StackPath customers includes 64TB for $595. New users can access a free month of service. Detailed pricing is available at https://www.cachefly.com/pricing/.
Transparent CDN uses a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model with no minimum commitments, making it accessible for small to medium-sized businesses. Pricing is based on data transfer and requests, though specific per-GB rates are not publicly listed. A free trial is available for testing the service. For detailed pricing, visit https://www.transparentcdn.com/pricing.
Integrations & DevEx
CacheFly provides an API-first platform for configuration and management, with comprehensive documentation at https://www.cachefly.com/docs/. Realtime logs and analytics support performance monitoring, and log push enables integration with external systems. A dedicated Slack channel is available for enterprise accounts to ensure responsive support. Migration guides are provided for customers transitioning from StackPath and Lumen Technologies, including self-service setup and white-glove onboarding for accounts using over 150TB monthly. Terraform support is not documented.
The API-first design supports integration with developer workflows, offering programmatic access to configuration and analytics. Real-time logs are available through the Transparent Edge dashboard, aiding in performance monitoring. The provider does not support Terraform or other Infrastructure-as-Code tools, and no SDKs or CI/CD integrations are documented. Migration tools are not explicitly offered, but the API simplifies onboarding for developers familiar with programmatic setups.
When it fits
- Businesses needing high-throughput CDN for video streaming, gaming, or large file downloads, particularly with global audiences.
- Companies migrating from StackPath or Lumen Technologies, leveraging CacheFly’s dedicated transition support.
- Developers seeking an API-first CDN with flexible pricing and a free tier for testing or small-scale projects.
- Small to medium-sized e-businesses needing cost-effective CDN services with simple integration.
- Websites prioritizing image optimization and real-time analytics for performance monitoring.
- Developers seeking an API-first CDN for programmatic control and global content delivery.
When it doesn’t
- Organizations requiring advanced edge compute or serverless functions, which CacheFly does not currently offer.
- Users needing robust WAF, bot mitigation, or rate-limiting features, as these are not publicly documented.
- Companies focused on China-specific delivery, where CacheFly lacks a specialized license compared to providers like Tencent CDN.
- Enterprises requiring advanced edge computing, serverless functions, or key-value storage.
- Businesses focused on video streaming, needing VOD, live streaming, or HLS/DASH packaging.
- Organizations needing robust security features like WAF, bot mitigation, or rate limiting.
History & Notes
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