If your video is constantly buffering, your audience likely won’t watch much of your hard work before they click away. The best video CDN services, like Akamai, Amazon CloudFront, and KeyCDN, ensure every viewer gets a fast, consistent viewing experience whether they’re across the street or across the world.
However, it can take significant technical expertise to set up and manage a video CDN service, and you might not even need it to share high-quality videos. In this article, you’ll learn what to look for in a good CDN, which ones fit that bill, and why you might want to consider an all-in-one video platform like Vimeo instead.
What’s a video CDN and how does it work?
A content delivery network (CDN) caches your content in a global network of servers. That way, viewers won’t need to wait for a connection to travel all the way to and from your origin server. If you host on a local server in Boston, for example, a viewer in London would have to wait for their connection to cross the pond and back to load your content.
CDNs extend the “edge” of your delivery area so more people can enjoy the same viewing experience as those near your origin server. CDN services like Cloudflare, Akamai, and KeyCDN operate an edge network comprising hundreds of data centers worldwide. Anyone who clicks on your content pulls it from the server closest to them, resulting in faster load times and fewer interruptions.
Key factors to consider when choosing a video CDN
Choosing a video streaming CDN is a big decision. They’re costly and complex to manage, so consider the following criteria before you commit.
Performance and latency
Latency is the main reason you’re picking a CDN in the first place, so make it your first point of comparison between options. Look for services that use video compression and optimization to all but eliminate latency.
Global reach and edge network
The best CDN services have hundreds of thousands of servers in their global network, but reach at that scale comes at a cost. Find a service that offers the scope you need now, plus a little more so you don’t have to switch providers when your operations grow.
Adaptive bitrate streaming support
Adaptive bitrate streaming creates several versions of your video with varying frame rates and resolutions. Then, it sends the most appropriate version to viewers based on their connection speed, so everyone gets smooth video playback at the best possible quality without introducing buffering problems.
If you plan to host live streams, you’ll need a live streaming CDN provider that can handle adaptive bitrates in real time. Be aware that’s a resource-hungry service, so it can be costly.
Security features
As you store content on more servers, you increase your overall attack surface, meaning you’re more vulnerable to having your content stolen. Your CDN should act as an extension of your current video security practices. Check to make sure that they support the same DRM, access controls, and geoblocking you use, and that the provider offers a guarantee that security promises will be upheld.
Pricing and scalability
Some video CDN services use a pay-as-you-go model while others set you up on a committed plan with certain bandwidth limits. Start with a plan that’s appropriate for your current needs, but always watch your analytics to detect when you’re approaching those limits. Overage fees can get expensive, and if you notice your content is regularly heading toward them, it’s time to scale up.
Find a Vimeo plan that’s right for you →
Top 5 video CDN providers compared
Here are the five best video CDN providers, along with a table that compares them at a glance.
Provider | Pricing model | Use case | Global reach | Key features |
Akamai | Custom contract | Global enterprises | 130+ countries | Reliability, security, and live streaming |
Cloudflare | Subscription | Small to medium online businesses | 125+ countries | Affordability and one-click onboarding |
Amazon CloudFront | Subscription | Medium to large online businesses | 50+ countries | Performance at reasonable prices |
Fastly | Subscription | Businesses in the process of scaling | 35+ countries | Managed CDN |
KeyCDN | Usage based | Stopgap CDN solution | 40+ countries | No-cost customization |
1. Akamai
Akamai offers one of the largest global CDN networks with over 350,000 servers across more than 130 countries. They use compression and optimization to provide an ideal experience to all your viewers, and their security runs on Zero Trust network access to prevent unauthorized access.
Akamai is a premier option for international enterprises with distributed teams and global audiences. You’ll need to meet with their sales team to negotiate a contract that suits your needs, and it will not come cheap (up to $10/watch hour), but you’re paying for crisp content from almost anywhere.
2. Cloudflare
Cloudflare is a scalable CDN service that you can start using for as little as $5/month. They operate out of more than 125 countries worldwide, meaning they can help you cast a wide net for a reasonable cost. They’re also the easiest CDN to use, with one-click onboarding that’ll have your videos ready to reach global audiences in minutes. However, this easy access comes at the cost of some more advanced features the competition offers.
3. Amazon CloudFront
Amazon CloudFront offers an affordable worldwide CDN with flat rate pricing and no overage charges. It serves as a middle ground between several options on this list — not as pricey or complex as Akamai, but not as lightweight as Cloudflare.
When comparing CloudFront plans, pay close attention to the feature list. There’s a big difference between the $15/month Pro and $200/month Business plans, like video analytics, WAF security, and custom cache rules only available on a Business plan.
4. Fastly
Fastly is a managed CDN service, meaning their experts take over CDN management almost entirely, so you don’t need to set security or performance yourself.
Fastly offers a free plan to explore the software, but the entry-level paid Basic plan starts at $1,500/month. That sounds like a lot to spend on a CDN, but it’s far more affordable than hiring developers to handle your videos globally. So, it’s a reasonable option for small and medium-sized businesses looking to scale their video content network without hiring more people.
5. KeyCDN
KeyCDN is another middle-of-the-road option with usage-based pricing and a global network. It serves over 40 countries with a network of some 60+ data centers. It isn’t as user-friendly as other options, requiring some technical skill to set up and configure, but you get far more control than you do with more streamlined options.
For example, KeyCDN lets you customize zones, image processing, and adaptive bitrates without changing your monthly cost. There’s no pricing contract, either: You pay per use each month, starting at $0.04/GB streamed. It’s a good short-term solution you can set up and use until you find a more permanent CDN that offers more robust features and security.
Build your own streaming service with Vimeo Streaming →
Video CDN vs. all-in-one video platform
Signing up for a live streaming CDN provider is a major step for established businesses looking to expand their reach. These services can be costly and require significantly time-consuming setup and management, but some organizations will find that well worth the trade.
For everyone else, an all-in-one video platform is a far better option. Video streaming platforms partner with CDN providers to bring their expanded edge network to users without the extra setup. All you have to do is host your videos on the platform, and they’ll handle the rest. Some platforms charge extra for CDNs as an added feature, but that surcharge is typically far less expensive than signing up for a standalone CDN solution.
Simplify your video delivery with Vimeo
Expanding your reach with a global CDN is an obvious next step for any business looking to reach a wider audience. It’s a way to demonstrably improve the quality of your videos and ensures new viewers will get the same experience as your current ones. A large (and time-consuming) part of that step is comparing providers, configuring the CDN, and testing global performance, but an all-in-one solution skips that hassle completely.
Vimeo’s all-in-one video platform includes a CDN as one of many features in the overall package. With Vimeo, you’ll automatically get the benefits of our live video CDN, which reaches viewers in over 150 countries worldwide. No matter where you embed your videos, as long as they’re hosted on Vimeo, you’ll get the benefit of a CDN without any additional setup or maintenance.
Turn high-quality videos into revenue on your terms →
FAQ
How should I estimate video CDN costs for my project?
First, segment your viewer traffic data geographically and filter out all viewers within 1,000 miles of your origin server. Everyone else will likely go through a CDN.
Use those more distant viewers’ overall viewing time and bandwidth to calculate how much each CDN provider would likely charge for your project. For example, 10,000 viewers watching a 1 GB movie through KeyCDN ($0.04/GB) would cost you $400 per month.
What’s a video API, and how does it relate to a video CDN?
A video API controls the workflow for ingesting, transcoding, and storing videos. When a viewer clicks on a video, the API identifies their location and identifies the best CDN server to reach them. Then, the CDN delivers the video file to that viewer so they can watch it with the best possible speed and quality.
What limits commonly come with free video CDN options?
Free video CDNs are typically just exploratory trials that let you try the features and test performance. Often, you’re limited to a small number of uploads with small file sizes and a limited range of countries you can deploy them to. You’ll get some basic security features and some customization options, but you’ll need to buy into the service to get things like an uptime SLA, image optimization, and network prioritization.
