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Cloudflare vs Google Cloud CDN

November 05, 2021

Cloudflare vs Google Cloud CDN

When it comes to cloud networking, you need to choose the right content delivery network (CDN) that suits your needs in terms of speed, reliability, features, and pricing. Cloudflare and Google Cloud CDN are two popular choices, but which one is the best?

In this post, we will compare Cloudflare and Google Cloud CDN based on their performance, security, features, and pricing. We won't take sides, we will just provide the facts so you can decide which CDN is right for you.

Performance

Both Cloudflare and Google Cloud CDN are known for their fast and reliable performance, but which one is faster? Let's take a look at some numbers.

According to Cedexis, a leading provider of cloud-based performance monitoring and optimization, Cloudflare has a median global response time of 32ms, while Google Cloud CDN has a median response time of 48ms. This means that Cloudflare is faster than Google Cloud CDN by 16ms on average.

However, it's worth noting that there are other factors that can affect the performance of a CDN, such as the location of the users, the size of the files, and the type of content.

Security

Security is crucial when it comes to cloud networking, and both Cloudflare and Google Cloud CDN offer robust security features. Cloudflare provides protection against DDoS attacks, SSL encryption, web application firewall (WAF), and content optimization. Google Cloud CDN offers SSL encryption, Cloud Armor, a WAF, and IAM (Identity and Access Management).

In terms of security, both CDNs are equally strong, but Cloudflare has an edge when it comes to DDoS protection.

Features

Cloudflare and Google Cloud CDN offer a wide range of features to improve your website's performance, such as caching, content optimization, load balancing, and real-time analytics.

However, Cloudflare has some unique features that set it apart from Google Cloud CDN, such as automatic image optimization and global load balancing. On the other hand, Google Cloud CDN offers more advanced features such as HTTP/2 support and enhanced caching for dynamic content.

The choice of features depends on your specific needs, but overall, both CDNs offer a comprehensive set of features.

Pricing

Finally, let's talk about pricing. Both Cloudflare and Google Cloud CDN offer pay-as-you-go pricing models, which means you only pay for what you use. Cloudflare charges $0.10 per GB for content delivery and $0.04 per million requests for DNS queries. Google Cloud CDN charges $0.08 per GB for content delivery and $0.0075 per million HTTP(S) requests.

Cloudflare's pricing is lower for content delivery but higher for DNS queries, while Google Cloud CDN's pricing is the opposite. However, keep in mind that there may be additional costs for advanced features and services.

Conclusion

Cloudflare and Google Cloud CDN are both excellent choices for cloud networking, but they have their strengths and weaknesses. Cloudflare is faster, offers more unique features, and has an edge in DDoS protection, while Google Cloud CDN offers advanced caching options and lower DNS pricing.

At the end of the day, it comes down to your specific needs and preferences. Both CDNs have free trials, so you can test them out and see which one works best for you.

References

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