Company snapshot
| Category | G-Core | Pipe Network |
|---|---|---|
| Status | active | active |
| Founded | — | — |
| Headquarters | — | — |
| Website | — | — |
| Docs | — | — |
Overview
G-Core, founded in 2011 and headquartered in Luxembourg, operates a global content delivery network (CDN) with a focus on low-latency delivery for video, gaming, and web content. The company serves a range of customers, including gaming platforms, media providers, and enterprises, leveraging its extensive network to optimize performance. Its CDN is designed to handle dynamic and static content, with additional services like cloud hosting and DDoS protection. G-Core targets businesses needing robust global reach and specialized video/gaming delivery.
Pipe Network is a decentralized content delivery network (CDN) built on the Solana blockchain, designed to provide low-latency, high-quality media streaming. Founded in 2020 by David Rhodus, it leverages a network of over 280,000 permissionless Points of Presence (PoPs) operated by community contributors. The platform targets developers, content providers, and operators needing scalable, secure content delivery. It integrates with Solana’s high-throughput blockchain for efficient transaction handling and uses hyper-local nodes to reduce latency. Pipe Network’s Firestarter Storage, launched in July 2025, enhances its offerings by hosting Solana’s 1-petabyte Proof of History archive. Customers include decentralized storage platforms like Walrus Protocol, which uses Pipe for last-mile content delivery.
Network & Architecture
G-Core operates over 150 points of presence (PoPs) across Tier III/IV data centers globally, with a network capacity exceeding 110 Tbps and over 11,000 peering partners. The network spans regions including North America, EMEA, APAC, LATAM, Africa, India, and the Middle East, with an average latency of 30 ms. It uses intelligent routing and TCP/TLS optimization for performance. The company is particularly strong in gaming and video delivery but may have less coverage in certain emerging markets compared to larger providers like Cloudflare or Akamai.
Pipe Network operates a global network of over 280,000 hyper-local PoP nodes, deployable on any Linux-capable device, significantly reducing latency to single-digit milliseconds by placing nodes within 20–50 miles of end-users. Unlike traditional CDNs like Cloudflare or Akamai, which rely on centralized data centers, Pipe’s decentralized model uses residential, regional, and core aggregator nodes for tiered caching. It employs Solana’s blockchain for node coordination and zero-knowledge proofs (zkTCP/zkQUIC) for secure, verifiable delivery. The network excels in underserved regions, with strong coverage in rural areas like Mauritius. However, its decentralized nature may pose challenges for enterprise-grade SLAs in highly regulated markets.
Feature comparison
| Feature | G-Core | Pipe Network |
|---|---|---|
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
G-Core uses a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model with a free tier offering limited usage. Pricing varies by region and traffic volume, with per-GB rates available on their pricing page. Enterprise plans are available for high-volume customers, and premium support is offered for migrations. No public per-GB pricing examples are disclosed without signup. See https://gcore.com/cdn/pricing for details.
Pipe Network uses a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model, with pricing tied to its $PIPE token. Firestarter Storage costs 1 $PIPE per gigabyte for the basic tier at token launch. A token sale from June 26 to July 3, 2025, offered 15,000,000 $PIPE tokens at $0.20 each. No free tier or committed contract details are publicly specified, but the burn-mint equilibrium model incentivizes node operators with rewards based on bandwidth served. Pricing details are available at https://pipe.network/pricing.[](https://web3.bitget.com/en/dapp/pipe-network-27065)[](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/pipe-firestarter-storage-launches-making-200500271.html)
Integrations & DevEx
G-Core supports Terraform for programmatic CDN management, enabling versioning and replication across environments. Its API-first approach includes comprehensive documentation for resource configuration. Real-time logs and customizable log exports (5–60 minute latency) via Logs Uploader enhance observability. Migration tools and plugins simplify transitions from deprecated CDNs like StackPath or Lumen Technologies. SDKs and CI/CD integrations are not extensively documented.
Pipe Network supports Terraform for infrastructure-as-code (IaC) deployments and provides a public SDK with REST, gRPC APIs, and CLI helpers, set for release in summer 2025. Pipe-Box, a server rack appliance, enables network communication behind secure firewalls. Real-time logs are available, aiding developers in monitoring performance. Integration with Solana ensures efficient transaction handling, while partnerships with platforms like Shelby and Walrus Protocol enhance decentralized storage and content delivery. Migration tools are not explicitly documented, but the platform mimics Akamai APIs for easier integration.
When it fits
- Businesses needing low-latency video or gaming content delivery with global reach.
- Enterprises seeking integrated DDoS protection and WAF for secure content delivery.
- Developers using Terraform or APIs for automated CDN management.
- Ideal for decentralized apps (dApps) and blockchain-based projects needing low-latency content delivery on Solana.
- Suits video streaming and AI inference workloads requiring hyper-local nodes and scalable storage, like Firestarter Storage.
- Fits developers seeking cost-effective, API-first CDN solutions with Terraform support and edge compute capabilities.
When it doesn’t
- Organizations requiring extensive edge compute or serverless functions, which G-Core lacks.
- Small businesses needing highly competitive pricing compared to BunnyCDN or Cloudflare.
- Users in regions with sparse PoP coverage, where latency may not match larger providers.
- Less suitable for enterprises requiring strict regulatory compliance or guaranteed SLAs, due to its decentralized model.
- Not ideal for regions with limited Solana blockchain adoption or where node operator density is low.
- May not meet needs of users prioritizing traditional CDN features like advanced WAF or DRM, which Pipe lacks.
History & Notes
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