Over the years, we’ve learned just how important a content delivery network (CDN) and security solution are for keeping our high-traffic websites running.

While we use Cloudflare Enterprise on WPBeginner, we understand that not everyone can afford enterprise-level pricing. And sometimes, the Cloudflare free plan just isn’t the right fit.

That’s why we’ve spent a lot of time thoroughly testing and comparing different Cloudflare alternatives. We’ve evaluated over 20 different providers, looking at everything from performance metrics and security features to pricing and ease of use.

Our team has looked at performance, security, and real-world usage scenarios to make sure that our recommendations are both practical and reliable.

In this guide, we’ll share the best Cloudflare alternatives that can help you secure and speed up your website without breaking the bank.

Whether you’re looking for better pricing, specific features, or simply want to explore other options, we’ve got you covered with solutions for businesses of all sizes.

Discover the best alternatives to Cloudflare CDN and WAF

Quick Pick – The Best Cloudflare Alternatives

If you’re looking for a quick overview, then here are our picks for the best Cloudflare alternatives for website owners and businesses:

# Cloudflare Alternative Best For Pricing
🥇 Sucuri Security and website firewall Starts at $229/yr
🥈 Bunny.net Affordable, high-speed CDN Pay-as-you-go
🥉 Quic.Cloud LiteSpeed-powered websites Pay-as-you-go (Free plan available)
4 Amazon CloudFront Scalability and AWS integration Pay-as-you-go (Free-tier available)
5 KeyCDN Simple and cost-effective CDN Pay-as-you-go
5 Fastly Real-time caching and enterprise performance Starts at $50/month
7 Imperva Enterprise-grade security and DDoS protection Custom pricing

How We Test and Review Cloudflare Alternatives

At WPBeginner, we’ve tested dozens of CDN and security services over the years. When reviewing Cloudflare alternatives, we focused on real-world performance, security features, ease of use, and pricing.

To ensure an accurate comparison, we set up test websites and configured each service under different conditions. We evaluated speed improvements, uptime consistency, and security. Our experience with these services helps us understand which alternatives truly stand out.

Here are the key factors we used in our testing process:

  • Performance & Speed: We measured CDN response times and global latency improvements.
  • Security Features: We checked for DDoS protection, web application firewalls (WAF), SSL, and bot mitigation.
  • Ease of Use: We tested dashboard interfaces, setup difficulty, and user-friendly controls.
  • Pricing & Value: We compared free vs. paid features, scalability, and whether the service is cost-effective.
  • Unique Features: We examined what sets each service apart, such as real-time caching, custom rules, or origin shielding.

Here’s what Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner’s founder, has to say about choosing the right CDN:

A good CDN isn’t just about speed—it’s about reliability, security, and ease of use. The right choice depends on your website’s needs, traffic, and budget.

Syed Balkhi - Founder of WPBeginner - Profile PhotoSyed Balkhi – CEO of WPBeginner

By following this rigorous testing process, we can confidently recommend the best Cloudflare alternatives for different types of websites.

Why Trust WPBeginner?

WPBeginner is the largest free WordPress resource site, helping millions of website owners make informed decisions. Our recommendations are based on real-world experience, thorough testing, and years of expertise in website performance and security.

Over the years, we have used several popular CDN and WAF services on different types of websites, including eCommerce stores and massively popular blogs like WPBeginner. This first-hand experience has given us incredible insights into what’s really important when choosing a CDN and security solution.

For this article, our team set up these comparable Cloudflare alternatives on real websites, evaluated their speed, security, and usability, and then shared insights based on real usage.

We follow a strict editorial process to ensure accuracy and transparency in our reviews. Our goal is to provide honest, data-backed recommendations so you can choose the best solution for your website.

1. Sucuri – Best for Security and Website Firewall

Sucuri's homepage

We used Sucuri for several years before switching to Cloudflare Enterprise, and it remained a reliable security solution throughout our experience. For WordPress users looking for a dedicated security suite with easy integration, Sucuri is one of the best Cloudflare alternatives.

For more details, please see our detailed Sucuri review.

Sucuri specializes in malware removal, firewall protection, and performance optimization. It also offers a WordPress-specific security scanner that actively monitors websites for vulnerabilities, making it ideal for WordPress-powered sites.

One of the standout features is the free malware removal service. If your website gets hacked, the Sucuri team will clean it up at no extra cost. This makes it a cost-effective choice compared to other premium security services.

Key Features

  • Website Firewall (WAF) – Protects against DDoS attacks, SQL injections, and other threats.
  • Free Malware Removal – Includes unlimited cleanup requests.
  • WordPress Security Scanner – Detects vulnerabilities specific to WordPress.
  • Performance Optimization – Built-in CDN improves page speed.
  • Easy WordPress Integration – Simple plugin setup and configuration.

Pros of Sucuri

  • Easy to set up with WordPress.
  • Free malware removal is included.
  • Cost-effective compared to other premium security providers.
  • Comprehensive security monitoring and firewall protection.

Cons of Sucuri:

  • The CDN and WAF are not as advanced as what you get with Cloudflare Enterprise.

If you’re wondering how Sucuri compares to Cloudflare, we’ve also written a detailed comparison here: Sucuri vs CloudFlare (Pros and Cons) – Which One is Better?

Why We Recommend Sucuri

Sucuri is a great Cloudflare alternative for users who want a simple, all-in-one WordPress security solution. Its free malware removal, security scanner, and cost-effective pricing make it a strong choice for small—to medium-sized website owners.

Pricing: Sucuri pricing starts at $229 per year for the basic website security plan. This includes the firewall, malware scanning, and cleanup services.

2. Bunny.net – Best for an Affordable, High-Speed CDN

Bunny.net's homepage

Bunny.net is one of the best Cloudflare alternatives for users looking for a fast and affordable CDN solution. It offers a simple pay-as-you-go pricing model, making it a great choice for budget-conscious website owners.

We have been using Bunny.net on some of our websites for a while, including OptinMonster, and our experience has been excellent. It delivers a noticeable performance boost, improving website speed and reducing latency.

One major advantage of Bunny.net is its flexibility. Users can choose between different storage zones, edge rules, and bandwidth limits to optimize performance. It also integrates easily with WordPress caching plugins like WP Rocket.

Key Features

  • Global CDN Network – 114+ edge locations for fast content delivery.
  • Real-Time Caching – Instantly purge and update cached content.
  • DDoS Protection – Includes built-in security features.
  • Affordable Pricing – Pay-as-you-go model, starting at $0.01/GB.
  • Easy Integration – Works with WordPress caching plugins like WP Rocket.

Pros of Bunny.net

  • Low-cost, pay-as-you-go pricing.
  • Super fast global content delivery.
  • Easy setup and WordPress integration.
  • Instant cache purging for real-time updates.

Cons of Bunny.net

  • No free plan is available.
  • Limited security features compared to Cloudflare.

Why We Recommend Bunny.net

We use Bunny.net on OptinMonster and love the performance boost it provides. It is an excellent Cloudflare alternative for users who want an affordable, high-speed CDN with real-time caching. It’s easy to use, integrates well with WordPress, and delivers excellent value for money.

Pricing: Bunny.net uses a pay-as-you-go pricing model, starting at $0.01/GB, making it one of the most cost-effective CDN solutions available.

3. QUIC.cloud – Best for LiteSpeed-Powered Websites

Quic.cloud

We have tested QUIC.cloud on some of our websites hosted on LiteSpeed servers, and the performance improvements have been impressive. If your website is hosted with Hostinger or other hosting providers that use LiteSpeed, then you will find it incredibly powerful.

QUIC.cloud is the only CDN explicitly designed for LiteSpeed web servers, making it an excellent Cloudflare alternative for users in that ecosystem. It works seamlessly with the LiteSpeed Cache WordPress plugin, offering easy integration and advanced cache management features.

Unlike traditional CDNs, QUIC.cloud provides full-page caching and dynamic content acceleration. This means it can cache entire web pages, not just static assets, significantly improving load times.

QUIC.cloud also includes essential security features such as DDoS protection, web application firewall (WAF) integration, bad bot mitigation, and SSL support to help keep your websites secure.

Key Features

  • Full-Page Caching – Caches entire web pages for faster performance.
  • Seamless Integration – Works perfectly with the LiteSpeed Cache WordPress plugin.
  • Dynamic Content Acceleration – Speeds up both static and dynamic content.
  • DDoS Protection – Helps mitigate traffic-based attacks.
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF) Integration – Works with LiteSpeed’s security rules to block threats.
  • Global CDN – Provides worldwide content delivery.

Pros of QUIC.cloud

  • Best CDN for LiteSpeed-powered websites.
  • Full-page caching improves load speed.
  • Easy WordPress integration with LiteSpeed Cache plugin.
  • Includes DDoS protection and bad bot mitigation.
  • Offers both free and premium plans.

Cons of QUIC.cloud

  • Not ideal for websites not using LiteSpeed servers.
  • The free plan has limited bandwidth.
  • Security features are not as advanced as Cloudflare’s WAF.

Why We Recommend QUIC.cloud

QUIC.cloud is the best Cloudflare alternative for websites running on LiteSpeed servers. If you use Hostinger or any other LiteSpeed-based hosting provider, then this CDN can dramatically improve your site’s performance.

Pricing: QUIC.cloud offers a free plan with limited bandwidth. Paid plans provide additional bandwidth and premium routing options with a pay-as-you-go model.

4. Amazon CloudFront – Best for Scalability

Amazon Cloudfront

Amazon CloudFront is one of the most powerful and scalable CDN solutions available, making it a great alternative to Cloudflare for those already using Amazon Web Services (AWS).

We also recommend it for sites offloading media files to the Amazon Cloud. If images and videos are a big part of your business, then Amazon CloudFront is a perfect companion for Amazon cloud storage services.

It is designed for speed, security, and deep integration with AWS services. It provides ultra-low latency performance, making it ideal for high-traffic websites, video streaming, and API distribution. The pay-as-you-go pricing ensures flexibility, but it can get expensive for heavy usage.

Amazon CloudFront also offers strong security features, including AWS Shield for DDoS protection, a web application firewall (WAF), and SSL/TLS encryption to secure data transfer.

Key Features

  • Ultra-Fast Content Delivery – Optimized for low-latency content distribution.
  • AWS Integration – Works seamlessly with Amazon S3, EC2, and other AWS services.
  • AWS Shield DDoS Protection – Defends against distributed denial-of-service attacks.
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF) – Protects against common web threats.
  • Edge Locations Worldwide – Large global network for fast delivery.
  • Pay-As-You-Go Pricing – No upfront costs, pricing based on usage.

Pros of Amazon CloudFront

  • Excellent speed and global reach.
  • Deep integration with AWS ecosystem.
  • Advanced security features, including DDoS protection and WAF.
  • Flexible, usage-based pricing.

Cons of Amazon CloudFront

  • Pricing can become expensive with high traffic.
  • Complex setup that requires AWS experience.
  • There is no free plan, only a free tier with limits.

Why We Recommend Amazon CloudFront

Amazon CloudFront is an ideal Cloudflare alternative for developers, enterprises, and AWS users who need a high-performance CDN with advanced security and deep AWS integration.

Pricing: Pay-as-you-go pricing based on data transfer and requests. AWS Free Tier includes 1 TB of free data transfer for 12 months.

5. KeyCDN – Best for a Simple & Cost-Effective CDN

KeyCDN's homepage

KeyCDN is a budget-friendly Cloudflare alternative that offers a simple and effective content delivery network. It is an excellent choice for website owners who need a low-cost CDN with global reach and easy website integration.

One of the best things about KeyCDN is its ease of use with the CDN Enabler plugin. This allows WordPress users to set up KeyCDN quickly without complicated configurations, making it accessible even for beginners.

KeyCDN uses a pay-as-you-go pricing model, which means you only pay for what you use. This makes it a cost-effective option for websites that need a reliable CDN without the commitment of a monthly subscription.

It also gives security a high priority, with features like free SSL, secure token authentication, and DDoS protection.

Key Features

  • Global CDN Network – Multiple edge locations for fast content delivery.
  • Easy Integration with CDN Enabler – Quick WordPress setup using the CDN Enabler plugin.
  • Pay-As-You-Go Pricing – No fixed monthly fees; pay only for what you use.
  • Free SSL Support – Ensures secure HTTPS delivery.
  • DDoS Protection – Helps defend against cyber threats.
  • Instant Cache Purging – Quickly updates content across all edge locations.

Pros of KeyCDN

  • Offers cost-effective, pay-as-you-go pricing.
  • Easy WordPress setup with the CDN Enabler plugin.
  • Fast global content delivery.
  • Reliable security features, including secure token authentication.

Cons of KeyCDN:

  • Limited advanced security features compared to Cloudflare.
  • No free plan, only a free trial.
  • Pricing can add up for high-traffic websites.

Why We Recommend KeyCDN

KeyCDN is a great Cloudflare alternative for users who want a simple, cost-effective CDN with easy WordPress integration. Since you can use it with the CDN Enabler plugin, it’s a user-friendly option for website owners who need better performance without a steep learning curve.

Pricing: KeyCDN has a pay-as-you-go pricing model, starting at $0.04/GB and with no fixed monthly fees.

6. Fastly – Best for Real-Time Caching and Enterprise Performance

Fastly

We tried out Fastly and were very impressed to find a powerful CDN with real-time caching and high-speed content delivery. It is designed for businesses that need instant updates and a highly customizable CDN solution.

One key advantage of Fastly that we liked is its real-time caching and instant purge capabilities. This allows businesses to update their content across the network within milliseconds. Unlike traditional CDNs, Fastly operates on an edge-compute model, which makes for faster response times and lower latency.

Fastly also strongly focuses on security, with features such as DDoS protection, a Web Application Firewall (WAF), and TLS encryption to protect websites from threats.

Key Features

  • Real-Time Caching – Delivers instant content updates with low latency.
  • Edge Computing – Processes requests at the network edge for better speed.
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF) – Protects against security vulnerabilities.
  • DDoS Protection – Defends against distributed denial-of-service attacks.
  • Advanced Analytics – Provides real-time traffic insights.
  • Customizable Edge Rules – Allows businesses to fine-tune delivery settings.

Pros of Fastly

  • Ultra-fast real-time content delivery.
  • Edge computing for lower latency.
  • Powerful security features, including WAF and DDoS protection.
  • Highly customizable for enterprise needs.

Cons of Fastly

  • A higher learning curve for new users.
  • Expensive compared to budget CDNs.
  • No free plan, only a free trial available.

Why We Recommend Fastly

We found Fastly to be a reliable Cloudflare alternative for enterprises and high-traffic websites because of its real-time caching, edge computing, and advanced security features. Its instant cache purging and customization options make it a great choice for large-scale applications.

Pricing: Fastly offers a $50/mo + pay-as-you-go model, with pricing based on bandwidth usage. A free trial with limited bandwidth is available.

7. Imperva – Best for Enterprise-Grade Security and DDoS Protection

Imperva

Imperva is a premium Cloudflare alternative focused on enterprise-grade security and DDoS protection. In our opinion, it is best suited for businesses that need advanced web application security, threat intelligence, and compliance solutions.

Imperva’s Web Application Firewall (WAF) is one of the best in the industry. It provides real-time threat detection, bot protection, and automatic mitigation against cyberattacks. Overall, it is designed to safeguard websites, APIs, and applications from hackers and automated threats.

It also includes DDoS protection, CDN acceleration, and API security, making it a comprehensive solution for businesses that require powerful security alongside performance improvements.

Key Features

  • Enterprise-Grade Web Application Firewall (WAF) – Protects against OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities.
  • Advanced DDoS Protection – Defends against large-scale attacks.
  • Global CDN – Optimizes website performance with caching and acceleration.
  • API Security – Protects APIs from data breaches and abuse.
  • Threat Intelligence – Uses AI-driven analytics to detect and stop threats in real time.
  • Compliance & Data Protection – Helps your website meet GDPR, PCI-DSS, and other regulatory requirements.

Pros of Imperva

  • Best-in-class web application firewall (WAF).
  • Advanced security features, including bot protection and API security.
  • Reliable DDoS mitigation for enterprise applications.
  • Integrated CDN for speed and performance.

Cons of Imperva

  • Expensive compared to other Cloudflare alternatives.
  • Primarily designed for large businesses and enterprises.
  • More complex setup compared to plug-and-play CDNs.

Why We Recommend Imperva

Imperva is the best Cloudflare alternative for businesses that need enterprise-level security, API protection, and a compliance solution. It is ideal for high-risk websites that require real-time threat detection and strong mitigation strategies.

Pricing: Imperva offers custom pricing based on business requirements. A free trial is available for testing.

Our Verdict 🏆: Which Cloudflare Alternative Is the Best?

The best Cloudflare alternative depends on what features matter most for your website. It will come down to whether you need stronger security, a budget-friendly CDN, or a solution optimized for your hosting environment.

Here’s our recommendations based on different use cases:

  • Best for WordPress Security 🛡️: Sucuri – Offers firewall protection, malware removal, and an easy WordPress integration.
  • Best for Budget Users 🎯: Bunny.net – A cost-effective pay-as-you-go CDN with great performance.
  • Best for LiteSpeed Users ⚙️: QUIC.cloud – The best choice for Hostinger and other LiteSpeed hosting users.

Similarly, if you are already using Amazon Cloud services, then Amazon CloudFront would be our recommendation.

Each of these Cloudflare alternatives has its strengths, and the best choice depends on your website’s specific needs.

We recommend reviewing each service’s individual features to find the best fit for your site. Our detailed reviews above provide more insights into how each service performs.

FAQs About Cloudflare Alternatives

We’ve worked with different CDN providers for our own sites and client projects, and each Cloudflare alternative offers something unique.

To help, we’ve answered some of the most common questions users ask when switching from Cloudflare.

Why should I use a Cloudflare alternative?

Cloudflare is a popular CDN and security provider, but it may not be the best fit for everyone. Some users prefer alternatives due to pricing, advanced security needs, or better integration with specific hosting providers.

Which Cloudflare alternative is best for WordPress?

If security is your main concern, then Sucuri is an excellent choice because it offers a website firewall and malware removal. If you need a budget-friendly CDN, then Bunny.net provides great performance at a low cost.

Are there free Cloudflare alternatives?

Some services, like QUIC.cloud and Amazon CloudFront, offer free tiers with limited usage. However, most alternatives have premium plans for better features and performance.

Which Cloudflare alternative has the best DDoS protection?

Sucuri provides one of the best DDoS protection services. For enterprise-level: Imperva and Fastly both offer great protection.

Can I switch from Cloudflare to another CDN easily?

Yes, most Cloudflare alternatives allow for an easy transition. You’ll need to update your domain’s DNS settings and configure the new CDN provider according to their documentation.

Bonus Resources 🔗: Improve Your Site’s Security and Performance

Choosing the right Cloudflare alternative is just one step in optimizing your website. Here are some additional resources that cover WordPress security, caching, and fixing common CDN-related errors.

These guides will walk you through best practices, troubleshooting steps, and optimizations to ensure your site runs smoothly:

We hope this article helped you find a suitable Cloudflare alternative for your website. You may also wish to see our article on why you need a CDN for your WordPress blog or our expert pick of the best WordPress security plugins.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.