Cloudflare vs Fastly
type: Article
description: Cloudflare offers broader DDoS protection, more affordable pricing starting at $20/month, and integrated security features, while Fastly excels in edge computing performance with superior real-time log streaming and custom VCL programming capabilities for complex use cases.
language: en-US
date published: 2026-07-09T16:39:25.365Z
date created: 2026-07-09T16:39:25.365Z
date modified: 2026-07-09T16:39:25.402Z
content reference time: 2026-07-09T16:39:25.402Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
about: Cloudflare
about: Fastly
abstract: Cloudflare offers broader DDoS protection, more affordable pricing starting at $20/month, and integrated security features, while Fastly excels in edge computing performance with superior real-time log streaming and custom VCL programming capabilities for complex use cases.
text: Starting Monthly Price. DDoS Protection Included. Edge Computing Language. Real-Time Log Streaming Latency. Global Edge Locations. WAF Rules Management. API Rate Limiting
conclusion text: Choose Cloudflare if you prioritize affordability, integrated security features, broad DDoS protection, and ease of use for small to mid-market applications—it's the more accessible all-in-one platform. Choose Fastly if you need advanced edge computing with real-time log streaming, VCL customization for complex traffic logic, and are willing to pay premium pricing for maximum performance flexibility.
additional property: .com Domain Registration Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: $10.20 | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Annual Savings (100 domain portfolio)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: $130+ | Fastly: N/A
additional property: User Interface Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Developer-focused | Fastly: N/A
additional property: DNS Provider Flexibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Cloudflare DNS primary | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Integrated Security Services
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: DDoS, threat intelligence, WARP, Magic | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Customer Support Response
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Community & documentation | Fastly: N/A
additional property: .com Renewal Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: $10.20 (at-cost) | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Ideal for Enterprise Scale
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Excellent for enterprise | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Customer Satisfaction Rating
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 4.5 stars | Fastly: 4.8 stars
  value reference: Fastly
additional property: Review Count
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 476 reviews | Fastly: 543 reviews
  value reference: Fastly
additional property: Fortune 500 Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 30% | Fastly: Not disclosed
additional property: Performance Optimization Score
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Industry standard | Fastly: 5.0/5.0
additional property: Pricing Accessibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Highly accessible with strong freemium | Fastly: Premium-focused with higher entry cost
additional property: AI Integration Commitment
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 74% planning to expand | Fastly: Not specifically documented
additional property: Developer Tool Specialization
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Comprehensive and standardized | Fastly: Advanced and highly specialized
additional property: Global Network Coverage
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Superior and broader distribution | Fastly: Strong but more selective
additional property: Customer Satisfaction
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 4.5 stars | Fastly: 4.8 stars
  value reference: Fastly
additional property: Paying Customers
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 265,000+ | Fastly: Not publicly disclosed
additional property: Annual Revenue Growth (YoY)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 31% (Q3 2025: $562M) | Fastly: Data not available for 2025
additional property: Net Income Achievement
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Growing (not disclosed) | Fastly: $19.7 million (first full year)
additional property: AI/ML Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Workers Bindings, multimodal models, AI agents | Fastly: Compute@Edge customization, specialized tools
additional property: Security Threat Blocking
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 230+ billion threats blocked | Fastly: Not publicly disclosed
additional property: Pricing Entry Point
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Free tier + affordable paid plans | Fastly: Enterprise-focused, premium pricing
additional property: 2026 Projected Operating Profit
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Not specified | Fastly: $50-60 million (expected)
additional property: Countries with Presence
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 200+ | Fastly: N/A
additional property: DDoS Threats Blocked Annually
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 230 | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Regional Edge Caches
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 0 | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Organizations Planning AI Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 74% | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Flat-Rate Pricing Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Per-domain flat-rate plans | Fastly: N/A
additional property: AWS Service Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Limited; requires manual configuration | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Countries Covered
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 100+ countries | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Annual Threats Blocked
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 230 billion threats (2026) | Fastly: N/A
additional property: WAF Included
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Yes, included in plans | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Edge Computing
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Cloudflare Workers (lightweight functions) | Fastly: N/A
additional property: AWS Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Limited, requires manual configuration | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Setup Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Simple DNS-based setup | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Pricing Transparency
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Predictable, no hidden charges | Fastly: N/A
additional property: DDoS Protection
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Unlimited on all plans | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Starting Price (Monthly)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Free tier available | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Global Data Centers/CDN Nodes
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 310+ globally | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Average Page Load Speed Improvement
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 73% | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Automatic DDoS Protection
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Included on all plans | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Customer Support Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 24/7 community + paid support | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Domain Registration Included
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: No (requires external provider) | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Web Hosting Storage (Base Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: Not applicable | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Setup Time (minutes)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 30-60 minutes | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Free Tier Monthly Requests
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 3.8M requests/month | Fastly: N/A
additional property: DDoS Protection Capacity
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: 3.2 Tbps (free tier) | Fastly: N/A
additional property: Entry-Level VM Cost (Monthly)
  type: PropertyValue
  value: Cloudflare: No native VMs; Workers $5-200/month | Fastly: N/A
interactivity type: active
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/cloudflare
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/cloudflare
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/entity/fastly
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/alternatives/fastly
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/answer/cloudflare-vs-fastly)
significant link: https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/schema/cloudflare-vs-fastly)
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cloudflare-vs-fastly
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cloudflare-vs-porkbun
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cloudflare-vs-cloudfront
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/google-cloud-vs-cloudflare
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related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/azure-vs-cloudflare
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cloudflare-vs-zscaler
related link: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cloudflare-vs-vercel
teaches: How to choose between Cloudflare and Fastly
genre: Software

primaryImage
type: ImageObject
width: 1200
height: 630
caption: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B

A Versus B
type: Organization

Cloudflare
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: Global CDN and DNS provider specializing in security, DDoS protection, and performance optimization.
image: ImageObject
  caption: Cloudflare
subject of: Cloudflare vs Fastly
image: ImageObject
  caption: Cloudflare

Fastly
type: SoftwareApplication
language: en-US
description: High-performance edge computing platform optimized for real-time log streaming and VCL-based traffic customization.
image: ImageObject
  caption: Fastly
subject of: Cloudflare vs Fastly
image: ImageObject
  caption: Fastly

Cloudflare vs Fastly — Structured Comparison Data
type: Dataset
description: Machine-readable comparison dataset for Cloudflare vs Fastly. Contains 150 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
language: en-US
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
creator: A Versus B
distribution: JSON-LD knowledge graph
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json+ld
distribution: Raw comparison JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Structured FAQ pairs JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: AI Answer API (citation-ready)
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
distribution: Related comparisons JSON
  type: DataDownload
  encoding format: application/json
variable measured: .com Domain Registration Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Annual Savings (100 domain portfolio)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: User Interface Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Usability
variable measured: DNS Provider Flexibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Integrated Security Services
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Customer Support Response
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: .com Renewal Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Ideal for Enterprise Scale
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Use Case
variable measured: Customer Satisfaction Rating
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Reputation
variable measured: Review Count
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Validation
variable measured: Fortune 500 Adoption
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Enterprise
variable measured: Performance Optimization Score
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Pricing Accessibility
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: AI Integration Commitment
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Innovation
variable measured: Developer Tool Specialization
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Developer Experience
variable measured: Global Network Coverage
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Customer Satisfaction
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Quality
variable measured: Paying Customers
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Market Position
variable measured: Annual Revenue Growth (YoY)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Financial Health
variable measured: Net Income Achievement
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Financial Health
variable measured: AI/ML Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Feature Set
variable measured: Security Threat Blocking
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Pricing Entry Point
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Cost
variable measured: 2026 Projected Operating Profit
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Financial Health
variable measured: Countries with Presence
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Network Infrastructure
variable measured: DDoS Threats Blocked Annually
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Regional Edge Caches
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Infrastructure
variable measured: Organizations Planning AI Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: AI/ML Capability
variable measured: Flat-Rate Pricing Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: AWS Service Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Countries Covered
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Network
variable measured: Annual Threats Blocked
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: WAF Included
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Edge Computing
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: AWS Integration
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Integration
variable measured: Setup Complexity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Pricing Transparency
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: DDoS Protection
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Starting Price (Monthly)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Global Data Centers/CDN Nodes
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Average Page Load Speed Improvement
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Automatic DDoS Protection
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Customer Support Availability
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: Domain Registration Included
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Features
variable measured: Web Hosting Storage (Base Plan)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Hosting
variable measured: Setup Time (minutes)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Ease of Use
variable measured: Free Tier Monthly Requests
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: DDoS Protection Capacity
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Entry-Level VM Cost (Monthly)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Pro Plan Monthly Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Average DNS Query Response Time
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Supported Programming Languages (Workers/Serverless)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Development
variable measured: Enterprise Support Response SLA
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Support
variable measured: .com Domain First Year Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: .com Domain Renewal Cost
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: Global CDN Edge Locations
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: DNS Query Response Time (Global Average)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Performance
variable measured: Entry-Level Web Hosting Price
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Pricing
variable measured: DDoS Mitigation Capacity (Included)
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Security
variable measured: Free Plan Tier
  type: PropertyValue
  value reference: Availability
variable measured: Serverless Computing (Edge Workers)
variable measured: Domain Registration Cost (First Year)
variable measured: Shared Hosting Starting Price
variable measured: CDN Edge Locations
variable measured: Free Plan Available
variable measured: Average Page Load Time Improvement
variable measured: DDoS Protection Tier
variable measured: SSL/TLS Certificates
variable measured: Renewal Domain Price
is based on: https://www.aversusb.net/compare/cloudflare-vs-fastly)

Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary
type: DefinedTermSet
language: en-US
description: Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Cloudflare vs Fastly.
has defined term: Pricing
has defined term: Usability
has defined term: Features
has defined term: Support
has defined term: Use Case
has defined term: Reputation
has defined term: Market Validation
has defined term: Enterprise
has defined term: Performance
has defined term: Innovation
has defined term: Developer Experience
has defined term: Infrastructure
has defined term: Quality
has defined term: Market Position
has defined term: Financial Health
has defined term: Feature Set
has defined term: Security
has defined term: Cost
has defined term: Network Infrastructure
has defined term: AI/ML Capability
has defined term: Integration
has defined term: Network
has defined term: Ease of Use
has defined term: Hosting
has defined term: Development
has defined term: Availability
has defined term: Scalability
has defined term: Security Model
has defined term: Developer Features
has defined term: Capabilities
has defined term: Data
has defined term: Advanced Features
has defined term: Compute Pricing
has defined term: Container Orchestration
has defined term: Platform Scope
has defined term: Reliability
has defined term: User Experience
has defined term: Architecture
has defined term: Ecosystem
has defined term: Accessibility
has defined term: AI & Machine Learning
has defined term: Company Scale
has defined term: Traffic Management

Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: pricing
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Usability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: usability
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: features
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Support
type: DefinedTerm
term code: support
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Use Case
type: DefinedTerm
term code: use-case
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Reputation
type: DefinedTerm
term code: reputation
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market Validation
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market-validation
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Enterprise
type: DefinedTerm
term code: enterprise
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Performance
type: DefinedTerm
term code: performance
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Innovation
type: DefinedTerm
term code: innovation
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Developer Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: developer-experience
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Infrastructure
type: DefinedTerm
term code: infrastructure
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Quality
type: DefinedTerm
term code: quality
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Market Position
type: DefinedTerm
term code: market-position
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Financial Health
type: DefinedTerm
term code: financial-health
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Feature Set
type: DefinedTerm
term code: feature-set
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Security
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Cost
type: DefinedTerm
term code: cost
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Network Infrastructure
type: DefinedTerm
term code: network-infrastructure
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

AI/ML Capability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ai/ml-capability
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Integration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: integration
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Network
type: DefinedTerm
term code: network
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ease of Use
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ease-of-use
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Hosting
type: DefinedTerm
term code: hosting
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Development
type: DefinedTerm
term code: development
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Availability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: availability
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Scalability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: scalability
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Security Model
type: DefinedTerm
term code: security-model
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Developer Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: developer-features
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Capabilities
type: DefinedTerm
term code: capabilities
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Data
type: DefinedTerm
term code: data
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Advanced Features
type: DefinedTerm
term code: advanced-features
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Compute Pricing
type: DefinedTerm
term code: compute-pricing
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Container Orchestration
type: DefinedTerm
term code: container-orchestration
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Platform Scope
type: DefinedTerm
term code: platform-scope
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Reliability
type: DefinedTerm
term code: reliability
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

User Experience
type: DefinedTerm
term code: user-experience
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Architecture
type: DefinedTerm
term code: architecture
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Ecosystem
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ecosystem
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Accessibility
type: DefinedTerm
term code: accessibility
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

AI & Machine Learning
type: DefinedTerm
term code: ai-&-machine-learning
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Company Scale
type: DefinedTerm
term code: company-scale
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

Traffic Management
type: DefinedTerm
term code: traffic-management
in defined term set: Cloudflare vs Fastly — Attribute Category Vocabulary

faq
type: FAQPage
language: en-US
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
date modified: 2026-07-09T16:39:25.402Z
author: A Versus B
publisher: A Versus B
is part of: cloudflare-vs-fastly)
main entity: Which is better for DDoS protection?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Cloudflare provides stronger DDoS protection as a standard feature on all pricing tiers, with automated mitigation and 275+ edge locations providing geographic redundancy. Fastly requires a separate DDoS add-on, making it more expensive for comprehensive protection. Cloudflare's approach is better for businesses without specialized DDoS expertise.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which has better edge computing capabilities?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Fastly offers more granular control through VCL (Varnish Configuration Language), allowing developers to write custom traffic logic with millisecond-level precision. Cloudflare Workers uses JavaScript/WebAssembly, which is easier to learn but less powerful for complex routing scenarios. For advanced traffic manipulation, Fastly wins; for simplicity, Cloudflare wins.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which platform is cheaper overall?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Cloudflare is significantly cheaper, starting at $20/month with DDoS protection included. Fastly's base tier starts at $50/month with DDoS as an optional paid add-on. For a typical mid-market business, Cloudflare costs 40-60% less while still providing comprehensive CDN and security features.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which has better real-time visibility?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Fastly delivers near real-time log streaming with sub-second latency, enabling immediate incident response and security alerts. Cloudflare's logs have up to 30 seconds of delay, which is acceptable for most use cases but insufficient for high-frequency trading, live video delivery, or critical security monitoring. Fastly is superior for real-time observability.
    language: en-US
main entity: Which is better for video streaming and media delivery?
  type: Question
  accepted answer: Answer
    text: Fastly is purpose-built for high-bandwidth content like video and large-file delivery, with optimized edge algorithms and instant purge capabilities. Cloudflare handles video adequately but is more general-purpose. For media companies with strict latency and quality requirements, Fastly is the better choice despite higher costs.
    language: en-US

How to Choose Between Cloudflare and Fastly
type: HowTo
description: Cloudflare offers broader DDoS protection, more affordable pricing starting at $20/month, and integrated security features, while Fastly excels in edge computing performance with superior real-time log streaming and custom VCL programming capabilities for complex use cases.
language: en-US
total time: PT3M
step: Consider: Starting Monthly Price
step: Consider: DDoS Protection Included
step: Consider: Edge Computing Language
step: Consider: Real-Time Log Streaming Latency
step: Consider: Global Edge Locations
step: Consider: WAF Rules Management
step: Consider: API Rate Limiting
tool: A Versus B Comparison Guide
tip: HowToTip
  text: Choose Cloudflare if you prioritize affordability, integrated security features, broad DDoS protection, and ease of use for small to mid-market applications—it's the more accessible all-in-one platform. Choose Fastly if you need advanced edge computing with real-time log streaming, VCL customization for complex traffic logic, and are willing to pay premium pricing for maximum performance flexibility.

Consider: Starting Monthly Price
type: HowToStep
position: 1
text: Starting Monthly Price: Cloudflare has $20/month, while Fastly has $50/month.

Consider: DDoS Protection Included
type: HowToStep
position: 2
text: DDoS Protection Included: Cloudflare has Yes, all plans, while Fastly has Optional add-on.

Consider: Edge Computing Language
type: HowToStep
position: 3
text: Edge Computing Language: Cloudflare has Cloudflare Workers (JavaScript/WebAssembly), while Fastly has Fastly VCL (Varnish Configuration Language).

Consider: Real-Time Log Streaming Latency
type: HowToStep
position: 4
text: Real-Time Log Streaming Latency: Cloudflare has Up to 30 seconds delay, while Fastly has Near real-time (sub-second).

Consider: Global Edge Locations
type: HowToStep
position: 5
text: Global Edge Locations: Cloudflare has 275+ data centers, while Fastly has 60+ PoPs (Points of Presence).

Consider: WAF Rules Management
type: HowToStep
position: 6
text: WAF Rules Management: Cloudflare has Managed rules included, while Fastly has VCL-based custom rules.

Consider: API Rate Limiting
type: HowToStep
position: 7
text: API Rate Limiting: Cloudflare has Automatic, included, while Fastly has VCL-configured.

claimreview
type: ClaimReview
is accessible for free: true
conditions of access: Free
claim reviewed: Cloudflare vs Fastly
review body: Cloudflare offers broader DDoS protection, more affordable pricing starting at $20/month, and integrated security features, while Fastly excels in edge computing performance with superior real-time log streaming and custom VCL programming capabilities for complex use cases.
review rating: Rating
  rating: 5
  worst rating: 1
  best rating: 5
  alternate name: Verified Comparison
author: A Versus B
item reviewed: Cloudflare vs Fastly

Pro Plan Monthly Price
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: $20/month Pro plan | Fastly: N/A

Average DNS Query Response Time
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: 23ms (fastest DNS globally) | Fastly: N/A

Supported Programming Languages (Workers/Serverless)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: JavaScript/TypeScript, Rust, C, C++ (WebAssembly) | Fastly: N/A

Enterprise Support Response SLA
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: 15 minutes (Enterprise) | Fastly: N/A

.com Domain First Year Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: $9.00 | Fastly: N/A

.com Domain Renewal Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: $12.00 | Fastly: N/A

Global CDN Edge Locations
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: 300+ across 100+ countries | Fastly: N/A

DNS Query Response Time (Global Average)
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value: Cloudflare: ~65-85ms | Fastly: N/A

Entry-Level Web Hosting Price
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value: Cloudflare: Not applicable | Fastly: N/A

DDoS Mitigation Capacity (Included)
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value: Cloudflare: 3.2 Tbps | Fastly: N/A

Free Plan Tier
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value: Cloudflare: Yes - full CDN, DNS, DDoS protection | Fastly: N/A

Serverless Computing (Edge Workers)
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value: Cloudflare: Cloudflare Workers - included | Fastly: N/A

Domain Registration Cost (First Year)
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value: Cloudflare: N/A | Fastly: N/A

Shared Hosting Starting Price
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value: Cloudflare: N/A | Fastly: N/A

CDN Edge Locations
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value: Cloudflare: 275+ | Fastly: N/A

Free Plan Available
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value: Cloudflare: Yes - full-featured | Fastly: N/A

Average Page Load Time Improvement
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value: Cloudflare: 37% average | Fastly: N/A

DDoS Protection Tier
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value: Cloudflare: Advanced (free tier + enterprise) | Fastly: N/A

SSL/TLS Certificates
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value: Cloudflare: Free Universal SSL all plans | Fastly: N/A

Renewal Domain Price
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value: Cloudflare: N/A | Fastly: N/A

Maximum Concurrent Users Supported
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value: Cloudflare: Unlimited (CDN-based) | Fastly: N/A

DDoS Mitigation Capacity
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value: Cloudflare: 71 Tbps | Fastly: N/A

Zero Trust Architecture (Native)
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WAF Managed Rules
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value: Cloudflare: 10-15 minutes | Fastly: N/A

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value: Cloudflare: $20 | Fastly: N/A

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value: Cloudflare: Unlimited | Fastly: N/A

Next.js Build Optimization
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DDoS Protection on Free Plan
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Time to First Deploy
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API Rate Limit (Free)
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value: Cloudflare: 120 | Fastly: N/A

Backend Function Support
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value: Cloudflare: Cloudflare Workers (full serverless) | Fastly: N/A

Available Services
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value: Cloudflare: 25+ core services | Fastly: N/A

Starting Monthly Cost
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value: Cloudflare: $20 (Pro plan) | Fastly: N/A

DDoS Protection Included
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value: Cloudflare: Yes, all plans | Fastly: N/A

Setup Time (Minutes)
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value: Cloudflare: 5 minutes (DNS change) | Fastly: N/A

Dedicated Database Services
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value: Cloudflare: 1 (Cloudflare D1 beta) | Fastly: N/A

Typical Edge Response Time
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value: Cloudflare: ~30ms (median global) | Fastly: N/A

Entry-Level Monthly Price
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value: Cloudflare: $20 | Fastly: N/A

Maximum DDoS Mitigation Capacity
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value: Cloudflare: 150 Tbps (Pro plan) | Fastly: N/A

Average Deployment Time
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value: Cloudflare: 5-15 minutes | Fastly: N/A

WAF Included at Entry Level
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value: Cloudflare: Yes ($20/month plan) | Fastly: N/A

API-First Architecture
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value: Cloudflare: Native REST + GraphQL APIs | Fastly: N/A

Minimum Monthly Cost (Production Setup)
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value: Cloudflare: $20 (Pro plan) | Fastly: N/A

Managed Database Services
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value: Cloudflare: 1 (D1 SQLite) | Fastly: N/A

Machine Learning Services
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value: Cloudflare: Workers AI (beta), limited models | Fastly: N/A

Serverless Function Cost (1M executions/month)
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value: Cloudflare: $1.50 (Workers) | Fastly: N/A

Kubernetes Support
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value: Cloudflare: Not offered (Kubernetes at edge via Workers) | Fastly: N/A

Domain Registration Cost (First Year)
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value: Cloudflare: N/A | Fastly: N/A

CDN Edge Locations
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value: Cloudflare: 300+ | Fastly: N/A

Free Plan Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: Yes (with core features) | Fastly: N/A

Shared Hosting Entry Price (Monthly)
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value: Cloudflare: N/A | Fastly: N/A

Global Website Speed Improvement (Average)
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value: Cloudflare: 30-35% | Fastly: N/A

DDoS Protection (Free Plan)
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value: Cloudflare: L3/L4 included | Fastly: N/A

Annual Renewal Cost (Domain)
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value: Cloudflare: N/A | Fastly: N/A

Free Tier Cost
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value: Cloudflare: $0/month | Fastly: N/A

.com Domain First-Year Price
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value: Cloudflare: N/A (not a registrar) | Fastly: N/A

.com Domain Renewal Price
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: N/A (not a registrar) | Fastly: N/A

SSL Certificate Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: $0 (included) | Fastly: N/A

WAF (Web Application Firewall)
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value: Cloudflare: Yes (Pro plan+) | Fastly: N/A

Available Services/Features
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value: Cloudflare: 15-20 core services | Fastly: N/A

Average Global Latency
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value: Cloudflare: 30-60ms | Fastly: N/A

Basic DDoS Protection Included
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value: Cloudflare: Full DDoS protection included | Fastly: N/A

Starting Monthly Price
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value: Cloudflare: Fixed plans from $20/month | Fastly: N/A

Uptime SLA Guarantee
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value: Cloudflare: 99.99% | Fastly: N/A

Setup Time
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value: Cloudflare: 5 minutes via DNS change | Fastly: N/A

Cloud Market Share
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value: Cloudflare: 21% of top 10K websites (not IaaS competitor) | Fastly: N/A

Entry-Level Pricing
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value: Cloudflare: $20 (Pro plan) | Fastly: N/A

Advanced DLP Policies
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value: Cloudflare: Basic content filtering | Fastly: N/A

Zero Trust Native Architecture
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value: Cloudflare: Secondary feature | Fastly: N/A

Average Edge Response Time
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value: Cloudflare: 56ms global average | Fastly: N/A

Platform Uptime SLA
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value: Cloudflare: 99.99% | Fastly: N/A

MDM Platform Integrations
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value: Cloudflare: Limited support | Fastly: N/A

Base Monthly Cost (Starter Tier)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: $20/month | Fastly: N/A

Data Transfer Cost at 100GB/month
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: $20 fixed (Pro plan) | Fastly: N/A

Global Edge Locations
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value: Cloudflare: 275+ data centers | Fastly: 60+ PoPs
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Average Latency (US-West to Origin)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: ~75ms median | Fastly: N/A

DDoS Protection Cost (Standalone)
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value: Cloudflare: Included (all plans) | Fastly: N/A

WAF Monthly Cost (Enterprise Features)
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value: Cloudflare: $200 (Pro plan) | Fastly: N/A

Global Data Center Locations
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: 300+ edge cities | Fastly: N/A

Average Latency to End Users
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: <50ms (99% of internet users) | Fastly: N/A

Free Tier Availability
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: Generous free tier ($0; includes basic CDN, DDoS, SSL/TLS) | Fastly: N/A

AI/ML Model Count Available
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: Limited; Workers AI in beta with emerging model support | Fastly: N/A

Setup Time for Basic Deployment
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: 5-15 minutes (DNS change + proxy setup) | Fastly: N/A

Cloudflare Market Valuation (2025)
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value: Cloudflare: $34.2 billion (as of March 2025) | Fastly: N/A

Supported Programming Languages
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Setup Complexity (1-10 scale)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: 3/10 (DNS change only) | Fastly: N/A

Lambda@Edge / Serverless Edge Support
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value: Cloudflare: Limited (Cloudflare Workers, separate cost) | Fastly: N/A

Starting Price (Monthly)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: $20 | Fastly: $50
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Real-Time Log Streaming Latency
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value: Cloudflare: Up to 30 seconds | Fastly: Sub-second (<1 second)
value reference: Fastly

DDoS Protection Base Tier
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value: Cloudflare: Included in all plans | Fastly: Paid add-on

Edge Computing Language
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value: Cloudflare: JavaScript/WebAssembly (Workers) | Fastly: VCL (Varnish Configuration Language)

Cache Purge Speed
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value: Cloudflare: Eventual consistency (varies) | Fastly: Instant (<100ms globally)

WAF Rules Update Frequency
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value: Cloudflare: Automated daily updates | Fastly: Manual VCL configuration

API Rate Limit Configuration
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Cheapest Domain Registration Price (annual)
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value: Cloudflare: $12.99 (via partner registrar) | Fastly: N/A

Free Tier Monthly Cost
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: $0 | Fastly: N/A

Global Data Centers
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: 200+ data centers | Fastly: N/A

Free SSL Certificate
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: Included (free tier) | Fastly: N/A

Email Hosting Included
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: No | Fastly: N/A

Pro Plan Monthly Cost (entry-level paid)
type: PropertyValue
value: Cloudflare: $20/month (Pro plan) | Fastly: N/A

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Cloudflare — Wikipedia
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Fastly — Wikipedia
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Serverless Computing (Edge Workers)
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Domain Registration Cost (First Year)
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Shared Hosting Starting Price
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CDN Edge Locations
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Free Plan Available
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Average Page Load Time Improvement
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DDoS Protection Tier
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SSL/TLS Certificates
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Renewal Domain Price
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DDoS Mitigation Capacity
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Zero Trust Architecture (Native)
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WAF Managed Rules
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Next.js Build Optimization
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Backend Function Support
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API-First Architecture
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Kubernetes Support
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Domain Registration Cost (First Year)
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CDN Edge Locations
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Free Plan Available
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Shared Hosting Entry Price (Monthly)
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Free Tier Cost
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.com Domain First-Year Price
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.com Domain Renewal Price
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SSL Certificate Cost
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WAF (Web Application Firewall)
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Available Services/Features
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Cloud Market Share
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Zero Trust Native Architecture
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Average Edge Response Time
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MDM Platform Integrations
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Data Transfer Cost at 100GB/month
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Setup Time for Basic Deployment
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Cloudflare Market Valuation (2025)
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Supported Programming Languages
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Free Tier Monthly Cost
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