Compare CDNs: the best content delivery networks
Last updated: 31 December 2025
What does a CDN do?
A Content Delivery Network (CDN) distributes your website files across servers worldwide. Visitors load content from the nearest server, resulting in faster load times.
Why use a CDN?
Faster load times
A visitor from Japan doesn't have to wait for a server in the Netherlands. The CDN delivers content from an Asian server.
Less server load
Static files (images, CSS, JavaScript) are served by the CDN, not by your server.
DDoS protection
Most CDNs filter malicious traffic before it reaches your server.
Better SEO
Google rewards fast websites. A CDN can significantly improve your Core Web Vitals.
Popular CDN providers
Cloudflare
The most well-known name with an extensive free tier.
Advantages:
- Free plan with unlimited bandwidth
- Built-in DDoS protection
- DNS management included
- Easy setup
Disadvantages:
- Advanced features only in paid plans
- Sometimes too aggressive caching
Price: Free - €20+/month
Bunny CDN
European provider with excellent price-performance.
Advantages:
- Very low costs (€0.01/GB)
- 114+ PoPs worldwide
- Fast propagation
- GDPR compliant
Disadvantages:
- Fewer features than Cloudflare
- No free tier
Price: Pay-as-you-go from €0.01/GB
KeyCDN
Swiss provider focused on performance.
Advantages:
- Real-time analytics
- Instant purge
- HTTP/2 and HTTP/3
Disadvantages:
- No free plan
- Fewer PoPs than competitors
Price: €0.04/GB
Fastly
Enterprise-level CDN for large organizations.
Advantages:
- Instant purge (<150ms)
- Edge computing capabilities
- Extensive configuration
Disadvantages:
- More complex to use
- Higher prices
Price: From €50/month
Comparison table
| CDN | Free tier | PoPs | DDoS | Price/GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | Yes | 310+ | Yes | €0 (free) |
| Bunny | No | 114+ | Yes | €0.01 |
| KeyCDN | No | 60+ | Basic | €0.04 |
| Fastly | No | 90+ | Yes | €0.12+ |
Which CDN to choose?
For beginners and small sites
Cloudflare Free - Free, easy to set up, sufficient for most sites.
For media-heavy sites
Bunny CDN - Best price per GB for sites with lots of images or video.
For enterprise
Fastly - When you need instant purge and edge computing.
Setting up a CDN
Most CDNs work via DNS:
- Create an account
- Add your domain
- Change your nameservers
- Wait for propagation (few minutes to hours)
For WordPress, plugins are available that simplify integration.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to implement this?
Implementation time varies per situation. Simple configurations can be done within an hour, more complex setups may take several hours to a day.
What are the costs?
Costs depend on your hosting provider and package. Many basic features are included for free, advanced features may incur additional costs.
Do I need technical knowledge?
You need little technical knowledge for the basics. Most hosting providers offer extensive documentation and support to help you.
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