Most common Akamai alternative for cost savings. Teams switch for free tier, transparent pricing, and simpler UI. Gain: generous free tier, easy setup, integrated platform. Trade-off: Akamai scores 40% higher on WAAP security.

Teams switch for developer-friendly VCL and instant purge. Gain: ~150ms global purge, better DX, lower enterprise costs. Trade-off: smaller network, less comprehensive security suite, still has $50/mo minimum.

AWS-heavy organizations switch for integration and cost savings. Gain: native AWS integration, no minimums, pay-as-you-go. Trade-off: less enterprise focus, weaker security than Akamai, AWS complexity.

Cost-conscious teams switch for dramatically lower pricing. Gain: $0.01-0.06/GB, no minimums, simple setup. Trade-off: much smaller network, limited security features, no enterprise support.

Security-focused enterprises consider Imperva for WAAP. Gain: strong security focus, compliance features. Trade-off: less CDN focus than Akamai, also enterprise-priced.