Akamai vs Hive Streaming comparison

Akamai and Hive Streaming are both solutions in the CDN category. Akamai is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.3, while Hive Streaming is ranked #21. Akamai holds a 12.6% mindshare in CDN, compared to Hive Streaming’s 1.1% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Akamai users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Hive Streaming users who would recommend it.

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Akamai and Hive Streaming based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

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Buyer's Guide

CDN

April 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Cloudflare

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the CDN category, the mindshare of Cloudflare is 16.4%, down from 21.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Akamai is 12.6%, down from 16.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Hive Streaming is 1.1%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

CDN Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Cloudflare	16.4%
Akamai	12.6%
Hive Streaming	1.1%
Other	69.9%

CDN

Featured Reviews

M.A. Faisal

General Manager at bKash Limited

Advanced protection has secured critical web workloads and provides clear traffic visibility

From a security perspective, there remains a security loophole, as some browsers in the market can bypass the Turnstile solution, which requires approximately 40 seconds to do so. From a performance perspective, this is acceptable. We also tried Google reCAPTCHA, and that can also be bypassed. From a security perspective, I would say neither solution is completely secured. Regarding uptime, we have faced a couple of incidents due to Cloudflare in recent years, so I cannot say we receive 100% uptime for our region. We sometimes face challenges, including downtime and other issues. As a result, we are not receiving 100% uptime from Cloudflare's solution. Since most of our customers are in this region, we need alternatives. We need something more competitive than Cloudflare. Unfortunately, in Bangladesh, Cloudflare has three points of presence already, and we cannot find any other solution provider in Bangladesh as an alternative, which presents another challenge. Competitor solutions have more attack signatures, which ensure better security compared to Cloudflare's predefined configurations. Customers do not have options to modify any configuration parameters in Cloudflare, whereas other competitor solutions, such as F5 Distributed Cloud, allow customers to tune configurations according to their requirements. Cloudflare could improve in this area. Additionally, regarding visibility, Cloudflare has static visibility, but they could adopt dynamic graph features for their customers.

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VinuThomas John

Sr. Strategic Accounts Manager at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees

Improved security and faster operations with a seamless integration

They are one of the top solution vendors in the market. Premium though, but they're the best. We've worked closely with digital-native customers, not so much from the media segment. Fintechs, financial organizations, banking segment, manufacturing, these are the ones we have worked with. Not much on media because most of the media houses are already covered by Akamai. 95% of media houses are already covered by Akamai. It gives a seamless view of how your infrastructure is, from an attack perspective, from a threat perspective, how your assets are behaving. It gives a very comprehensive view. It depends on the customer's environment. Wherever the customer wants, but mostly it is on the private cloud or public cloud because it's a cloud-based SaaS solution that Akamai has to offer. Implementation is feasible anywhere. The solution is aimed at Enterprise customers because it is on a premium side. On a scale of 1-10, this solution rates at 9.5.

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reviewer2231556

R&D Manager of Momindum at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

A stable platform that maximizes the business value of video streaming

Hive Streaming is used as we work with companies that have, most of the time, bad networks. We provide video and live streaming solutions for them. It's like YouTube, but for the enterprise. When the network is not really great, Hive helps to optimize the broadcast The optimization of the network…

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Stability is great; I love their mechanisms, I love their GUI, I love their front end, I love their behind the scenes, algorithms and everything, it all makes sense."

"It is a fast and secure DNS."

"The solution offers the flexibility to control configuration rules."

"I rate its stability a ten out of ten."

"The technical support is good."

"Their free account offers an awful lot of functionality and savings alone, before you get on to the minimal $20 a month for a Pro account which comes with its own great list of features."

"The tool is user-friendly."

"The most valuable feature of Cloudflare DNS is security."

More Cloudflare pros

"If an attacker conducts an attack, we can check what query he is running and whether he wants to see our password or any other files."

"The most valuable feature of Akamai is its ease of use and simple integration. Additionally, the solution has new aspects added to it regularly."

"Akamai has been providing this service for 20 years and they have never had a substantial outage, they even have some products that have an uptime of over 20 years, the stability is very good."

"The stability and efficiency of Akamai have enhanced our network's performance significantly."

"All the policies of the CDNs are very beneficial."

"Akamai's scalability is good."

"We have received excellent support from their team; I have not worked with any other applications where they have delivered professional services as good as them."

"Akamai support is excellent because they have great debugging tools, and they are highly competent, with proactive and responsive engineers whenever we have issues, so everything is pretty smooth."

More Akamai pros

"The optimization of the network is a valuable feature."

Cons

"Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to buy Cloudflare in my country."

"It would be helpful if the solution could continue evolving to compete with the other solutions on the market."

"Access to the solution's dashboards is not intended for a service company. You are practically blind, and to validate a problem, you must view the customer's screen."

"For the free and Pro plans, Cloudflare could use a simple bot to provide information to users. This would improve support, especially for less advanced users who utilize the free components."

"Areas like how assessment, discovery, and payload are dealt with and how it all comes into your organization can be considered when trying to make suggestions to Cloudflare for improvements."

"Flexible SSL is nothing more than an illusion of security that you're presenting to your visitors."

"It should be easier to collect the logs with companies like Sumo. However, based on my discussions with the salespeople, I understand that's how they make their money. With the enterprise product, they want people doing those kinds of enterprise features to do the logging. They want them to pay a lot of money, and that's where I have an issue with them. That should be a default. You should be able to get the log no matter what. The logging should be universal."

"However, what I still fail to understand is that why aren't they offering domains themselves."

More Cloudflare cons

"The price of Akamai could be less expensive."

"The user console is quite overloaded, sometimes it's hard to find your way around."

"Akamai's configuration part is an area of concern where improvements are required to make the process easy."

"Local connectivity would be great linked to our own telecom/Cablevision CDN, as we are a key player for Internet access in Argentina for final users of mobile, DSL, cable, and FTTH users."

"The fact that it is an expensive product is its only shortcoming."

"Akamai should improve its integrations."

"While it's great for solutions with high scalability, like global e-commerce, it's not really built for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It has too many options and can be complex for SMBs to utilize."

"Local connectivity would be great linked to our own telecom/Cablevision CDN."

More Akamai cons

"Hive should let customers know about the carbon usage."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We don't have any issues with the price."

"A free version of the solution is available."

"That is one of the great features. I was able to access the majority of the features and services for free."

"I think the pricing is competitive. I think as far as licensing is concerned it's pretty straightforward because it's based on domain. It's just that sometimes domains could be tricky with some customers."

"The price of the solution is expensive."

"For Cloudflare, I recommend it heavily for small businesses with revenue under a couple of million dollars. Onboarding is easy, and they even have a free plan. This makes it simple for businesses in the $100,000-$500,000 range to try it out and see its value, allowing them to scale up their infrastructure as needed."

"It's a premium model. You can start at zero and work your way up to the enterprise model, which has a very high pricing level."

"There are no additional costs beyond the standard licensing fees."

More Cloudflare pricing and cost advice

"The price of Akamai could be less expensive."

"Akamai is an expensive tool. Moreover, we have a pay-as-you-go model for additional features."

"From the resource component, it's very costly, and Akamai's charges are also high. So, any organization with a high-tech budget can definitely afford it, but companies with 10-15% of their revenue as a technical budget probably won't be able to. That's where they have a lot of room for improvement if they want to onboard those early users."

"The price of the solution depends upon its usage."

"Quite high in price, but equivalent to other enterprise products on the market"

"The solution can be one of the more expensive options, reflecting their established market position."

"It is an expensive product. The licensing costs for the solution are based on the usage. If we need premium support, we need to buy it from Akamai."

"Price-wise, I find Akamai's pricing model's inclination to be more towards the expensive side of the spectrum, though I can't say that it is a very expensive product."

More Akamai pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

10%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

16%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Retailer

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	46
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	26

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	14

No data available

Questions from the Community

Which is the best DDoS protection solution for a big ISP for monitoring and mitigating?

Cloudflare. We are moving from Akamai prolexic to Cloudflare. Cloudflare anycast network outperforms Akamai static GR...

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Which would you choose - Cloudflare DNS or Quad9?

Cloudflare DNS is a very fast, very reliable public DNS resolver. It is an enterprise-grade authoritative DNS service...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cloudflare?

The tool's pricing is moderate. I rate the product’s pricing a five out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expens...

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What needs improvement with Akamai?

Other solutions are probably easier to set up, but you have more capability in Akamai. It would be beneficial if they...

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What is your primary use case for Akamai?

We are using many of the solutions from Akamai, with the WAF in front of it and distribution to multiple targets wher...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Akamai?

The pricing is good, with no complaints about costs, which is essential when deciding to have Akamai in your network.

See all answers

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Comparisons

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Compared 40% of the time

Imperva Application Security Platform vs Cloudflare

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Azure Front Door vs Cloudflare

Compared 2% of the time

Fastly vs Cloudflare

Compared 2% of the time

Azure DNS vs Cloudflare

Compared 2% of the time

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Fastly vs Akamai

Compared 11% of the time

Imperva Application Security Platform vs Akamai

Compared 10% of the time

Azure Front Door vs Akamai

Compared 6% of the time

Windows Azure CDN vs Akamai

Compared 5% of the time

Uplynk vs Akamai

Compared 4% of the time

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Kollective vs Hive Streaming

Compared 43% of the time

Windows Azure CDN vs Hive Streaming

Compared 36% of the time

Aryaka Unified SASE Platform vs Hive Streaming

Compared 13% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cloudflare

May 2026

Download Cloudflare product report

Buyer's Guide

Akamai

May 2026

Download Akamai product report

Buyer's Guide

CDN

April 2026

Download Hive Streaming product report

Also Known As

Cloudflare DNS

No data available

Overview

Cloudflare enhances web performance and security with features like CDN caching and DDoS mitigation while providing easy DNS management and intuitive setup through its user-friendly dashboard.

Cloudflare is recognized for its comprehensive web security and performance solutions. Speed improvements are achieved through caching mechanisms and DDoS protection, combining ease of DNS management with flexible page rules. The robust analytics and threat insight tools provide valuable data, assisted by a user-friendly dashboard allowing quick setup and configuration. An API offers dynamic DNS settings ensuring low latency and high performance across the globe.

What are Cloudflare's key features?

CDN Caching: Enhances website speed through content delivery network caching.
Web Application Firewall: Protects websites from online threats.
DDoS Mitigation: Shields against distributed denial-of-service attacks.
DNS Management: Offers easy-to-use and flexible domain management.
SSL Certificates: Ensures secure connections between users and servers.
Analytics: Provides insights with robust analytics tools.

What benefits and ROI should users evaluate?

Enhanced Security: Strengthening web security with DDoS and firewall protection.
Speed Improvement: Faster content delivery with CDN caching.
Operational Simplicity: Simplifies website optimization through a user-friendly interface.
Scalable Solutions: Scales with global reach, lowering latency for improved performance.
Cost Efficiency: Offers layers of valuable functionality with pricing options.

Cloudflare finds utility across industries for DNS management and defense mechanisms. Its content delivery network assures fast content distribution and fortified security. Businesses integrate features like web application firewalls, load balancing, end-to-end SSL, and zero trust to protect websites from cyber threats while ensuring resilience and reliable performance.

Cloudflare

Akamai enhances performance and security for web applications with features such as a robust CDN and web application firewall. It supports traffic management and improving content delivery speed through a global data center network.

Akamai, known for its web application firewall and CDN, provides comprehensive solutions catering to enterprises with advanced needs like traffic offloading, logging, security, and scalability. Its global Points of Presence network and threat intelligence capabilities, incorporating AI and machine learning, ensure strong security and traffic management. Users appreciate the ease of integration and management, despite the complexity and navigation challenges of the Akamai console. The potential improvements in API security, caching strategies, and migration processes alongside competitive pricing could broaden its appeal. Akamai primarily focuses on content delivery, video streaming, and caching, supporting sectors such as streaming, gaming, and businesses requiring rapid content delivery and cyber threat protection.

What are Akamai's key features?

Web Application Firewall: Protects against common vulnerabilities and threats.
CDN: Enhances website performance by reducing load times.
Security: Includes DDoS protection and threat intelligence.
Traffic Management: Efficient handling and scaling of web traffic.
Global Presence: Extensive data centers for faster content delivery.
Automatic Updates: Ensures security features are up-to-date.

What benefits do users find with Akamai?

Improved Performance: Faster content delivery enhances user experience.
Enhanced Security: Robust protection against cyber threats.
Scalability: Accommodates growing traffic demands seamlessly.
Integration Ease: Simplifies operational workflows.
Reliability: Ensures consistent uptime and performance quality.

In streaming and gaming industries, Akamai optimizes content delivery and security measures, meeting the demands for rapid, secure, and reliable services. Businesses leverage its CDN and monitoring capabilities to reduce load times and enhance application performance, whilst increasing protection against cyber threats.

Akamai

Hive Streaming provides intelligent video distribution tailored for enterprises, enhancing corporate communications and maximizing network performance, ensuring seamless content delivery to all end-users.

Hive Streaming integrates with existing enterprise systems to optimize video traffic by leveraging peer-to-peer technology. This minimizes network congestion and enhances video quality. It offers analytics for better insights into viewing behavior and network impact, helping organizations improve their communication strategies. Hive Streaming is widely used for live and on-demand corporate events, effectively distributing content without compromising network performance.

What are the key features of Hive Streaming?

Peer-to-Peer Distribution: Reduces network strain by enabling efficient video data sharing among peers.
Analytics: Provides detailed insights on viewer engagement and network performance.
Seamless Integration: Easily integrates with major video platforms and enterprise systems.
Security: Ensures data security with enterprise-grade encryption and compliance.

What benefits and ROI can users expect with Hive Streaming?

Cost Efficiency: Reduces the need for additional network infrastructure investment.
Enhanced Communication: Improves employee engagement through effective content delivery.
Scalability: Supports business growth with its ability to handle increased video traffic.
Informed Decision-Making: Offers actionable insights through comprehensive analytics.

Hive Streaming is applied across industries such as finance, healthcare, and technology to enhance internal communication and training. In finance, it aids in delivering secure communications during critical market updates. Healthcare utilizes it for efficient streaming in medical training, while technology companies use it to distribute global product launches.

Hive Streaming

Sample Customers

Trusted by over 9,000,000 Internet Applications and APIs, including Nasdaq, Zendesk, Crunchbase, Steve Madden, OkCupid, Cisco, Quizlet, Discord and more.

Amazon, Apple, AT&T, Bank of America, Capital One, Cisco, Coca-Cola, Delta Air Lines, Disney, Ebay, Facebook, Google, Home Depot, HP, IBM, Intel, JPMorgan Chase, LinkedIn, McDonald's, Microsoft, Netflix, Nike, Oracle, PayPal, Pinterest, Qualcomm, Rakuten, SAP, Spotify, Tesla, Toyota, Visa, Walmart, WeWork

HEXION

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