AbrahamIf your website loads slowly, a lot of users might leave and visit another website because they are impatient and can’t wait for the page to load. Therefore, you must ensure that your website loads more quickly to prevent people from leaving due to it.
Using a CDN is one of the ways to increase speed. Your website will load much faster when you use a CDN and you can effortlessly make all of the content accessible to users.
In this post, we’ll mention some of the best free CDNs to speed up your website. You should read this post to the end to discover all we have packed for you.
Table of Contents
WHAT IS A CDN?
A CDN (Content Delivery Network) is a collection of servers that maintains a cached version of your website across several servers. When you use a CDN, your Flash, JavaScript, CSS, and other static content files are cached and saved on multiple servers located across the globe. This aids in image optimization as well, which plays a major role in boosting site speed.
A CDN also stores that copy on servers spread across several different countries, directing site users to the server nearest to them to provide that copy as quickly as possible. This lowers latency for visitors from all across the world.
You should be aware that, to save your website files, you still require a web hosting account. Instead of hosting your original website files, the CDN provider’s responsibility is to maintain your website’s static resources.
WHY YOU MUST USE CDN ON YOUR WEBSITES
Besides speeding up load times, CDNs offer numerous other benefits for a website’s functionality. They can significantly lessen the burden on the origin server by caching and delivering material from the network’s edge. It increases the scalability of the website and frees up resources. Below are some reasons you should use CDN.
1. Increased Safety
CDNs can help improve the security of a website. They use methods like rate limitation, IP blocking, and geoblocking to defend your website against DDoS attacks. By using these strategies, malicious communications can’t reach the source server.
2. Smart Networking
Smart networking functions like load balancing and smart routing can be provided by CDNs. These characteristics aid a CDN in directing traffic to the most effective server. CDNs use a variety of metrics, including server load, network latency, and geographic location, to achieve this.
3. Website Optimization
Certain CDNs offer real-time website optimization functions, such as caching, minification, and image and video compression. These capabilities assist website owners in decreasing bandwidth usage and improving website speed even further.
4. Crash Resistant
A CDN is essential if your traffic volume is big. Instead of having all traffic traveling to one server, you can spread the load across servers via a CDN.
5. Improved User Experience
A quicker website results in a better user experience. Your visitors will leave if a website takes more than a few seconds to load. Users of CDNs have reported higher page views and lower bounce rates since implementing a CDN provider.
11 BEST FREE CDN TO SPEED UP YOUR WEBSITE
Below, we’ll list some of the best free CDNs you can install to improve the speed of your website. They include:
1. Gcore
Beginning our list of best free CDN is Gcore. Gcore offers a robust CDN along with a plethora of helpful management hosting products. The network spans more than 140 PoPs and over 130 locations worldwide, which is a significant increase over competitors.
When Gcore needs files, it can automatically download them from servers. Gcore has an average latency of as low as 30 ms across the globe. For optimal efficiency, it also provides a prefetching function that loads material before users even ask for it. Gcore provides free shared SSL and Let’s Encrypt certificates, among other security features and it has numerous content protection and access control settings.
2. Amazon CloudFront
Next on our list of best free CDNs is Amazon CloudFront. The free CDN is linked with the cloud computing platform Amazon Web Services (AWS) and it offers services like Amazon Route 53, Amazon S3, and Amazon EC2 which can be accessed through the Web Services API.
The CDN’s flexible Amazon backbone network and high server density make high performance and availability possible. To safeguard users and manage SSL certificates, CloudFront provides security tools like the AWS Shield Standard and the AWS Certificate Manager.
When it comes to assistance, Amazon CloudFront isn’t the greatest choice available. And you need to know that the costs are based on the volume of data transferred.
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3. Cloudflare CDN
Next on our list of best free CDNs is Cloudflare CDN. Cloudflare CDN is a free CDN that you can quickly and easily use to speed up your WordPress website. Visitors will experience faster load times when you use its Automatic Platform Optimization (APO) technology, which delivers your website to end users via its global server network.
When you make changes to the text, graphics, or other information on your website, Cloudflare automatically creates a cache of it and then removes the older copies. You can operate this user-friendly WordPress plugin directly from your WordPress dashboard. If you like, you can apply default settings with a single click and let the plugin take care of the rest, making it easy to activate without any additional adjustments.
You also get access to performance data that displays the number of people who have visited your website, the amount of bandwidth you have spared, and the number of threats that the service has stopped.
This free CDN service is a suitable fit for long-term website owners who have a well-established blog or online store and can eventually benefit from a paid Cloudflare plan. Because of its focus on reducing security threats, this free CDN is something you should take into consideration if you allow users to share confidential information.
4. StackPath
Another free CDN that made our list is StackPath. StackPath is an excellent free CDN that provides a user-friendly management interface for beginners and their servers are equipped with lightning-fast SSD disks. StackPath also boasts a vast global server network spanning numerous nations.
With StackPath, getting started is simple. You can also use this free CDN with popular WordPress caching plugins like W3 Total Cache and WP Super Cache. You can examine reports, set up locations, clear your cache, and do a lot more using StackPath. To ensure that your cached information is served through a secure site, you can additionally add SSL certificates or use a shared SSL certificate.
Your website is further protected from DDoS assaults by StackPath’s free CDN through the use of load balancing and blocking technologies. Furthermore, a firewall is included with every subscription to further lessen server stress.
With the developer-friendly tools and APIs that StackPath offers, developers can easily integrate their websites or web applications into the StackPath API and benefit from its robust interface.
5. Google Cloud CDN
Next on our list of best free CDNs is the very popular Google Cloud CDN. Google Cloud CDN is just one of the more than 90 IT services provided by the Google Cloud platform. The free CDN comes with a lot of functions. Customers can receive a free global IP address, for instance. The SSL protocols can also be generated for free.
Because the service is supported by Google’s infrastructure, it can support faster speeds than those of other free CDNs. The encryption and consumer security are provided via SSL/TLS. Businesses that already use Google as their cloud provider would find this platform ideal, despite the extremely complex setup process.
The primary factors influencing the cost of using Google Cloud CDN are the area and the monthly data usage.
6. SmartVideo
SmartVideo is next on our list of best free CDNs. SmartVideo is a free CDN service developed by Swarmify that enables you to embed videos on your website without depending on YouTube’s embed code. Because it specializes in video, this CDN is unlike any other. If you’re a vlogger, content creator, or educator, you should put this CDN at the top of your list.
With the help of this free CDN, you can provide viewers with buffer-free viewing, turn embed codes from Vimeo and YouTube into SmartVideo videos, and customize the video player with your colors and branding. It works with Beaver Builder, Divi, Elementor, and the built-in Gutenberg block editor in WordPress, among other page builders.
Because of this plugin’s emphasis on video material, you won’t find many other functions useful. An extra plugin will be required for caching, image optimization, and JS and CSS minification.
Website owners, whether new or seasoned, who predominantly post video content (tutorials, courses, travelogs, vlogs, and more) would benefit greatly from this free CDN service. Your website can get noticeably slower if it contains video material, but this free CDN’s lightweight video player will make sure that doesn’t happen. Conveniently, the player also blocks out annoying elements like advertisements and suggestions.
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7. Sucuri
Sucuri is another very popular free CDN. It is known to provide website security; nevertheless, Sucuri also has a potent WordPress firewall and a free CDN that guards your site against malware, DDoS assaults, and other security risks.
All user searches on your website are scanned by Sucuri’s website application firewall before they even reach your hosting server. The well-regarded security mechanisms of Sucuri will then take care of anything that manages to get past the firewall.
8. Jetpack Site Accelerator
Jetpack Site Accelerator is also another great free CDN that can speed up your website. It is a WordPress plugin that provides speed, security, and backup features. It has a CDN service called “Site Accelerator” that speeds up the loading of your website.
Jetpack does more than just let you backup, clone, and migrate your website regularly. It also optimizes your photos automatically, stores your CSS and JS files on its worldwide server network, and offers free video hosting on its servers. That way, your video content won’t be overshadowed by YouTube’s suggestions and advertisements.
This plugin’s only flaw is that it lacks built-in caching functionality. To specifically recommend a plugin to cache your website files, Jetpack suggests WP Super Cache.
New website owners with a modest or expanding website would benefit from this free CDN. JetPack is an easy-to-use solution for individuals who have recently launched a new website because it automatically comes with numerous WordPress hosting providers.
9. KeyCDN
Another excellent free CDN service to help your website load faster is KeyCDN. They have a strong server network spanning Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America.
KeyCDN is also simple to set up on a variety of popular platforms like WordPress. Plans come with SSD servers, HTTP/2 support, HTTP/2 protection, DDoS prevention, free and bespoke SSL, and a robust management interface.
The Pay-as-you-go plans from KeyCDN let you just pay for the services you use, releasing you from the obligation of making a set monthly payment. While some websites may see a price reduction as a result, unanticipated traffic growth could result in higher expenses, making budgeting challenging.
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10. Bunny
The next free CDN on our list is Bunny. This free CDN helps people visiting your site to connect to the closest place through the 121 points of presence, or PoPs, located all around the world. This improves user experience by decreasing latency and increasing performance.
Bunny is quite easy to set up and can be done within five minutes. All you need to do is connect a Pull Zone or upload your files to Bunny’s website to configure your CDN resources after registering your account. The plugin can be used independently or with other products you already own to ensure a smooth workflow.
One of its best features is Perma-Cache, which uses Edge Storage to save your data globally and minimize load times. Another notable feature is its DDoS protection feature which lets you concentrate on running your business while Bunny manages any attacks.
11. W3 Total Cache
The last free CDN on our list is W3 Total Cache. It is a cache plugin that also provides a free CDN service. With its plugin integration, your theme files and Media Library can load from one of its worldwide servers.
SSL-encrypted websites and Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMPs) are supported by this plugin. It provides “local Disk, Redis, Memcached, APC, APCu, eAccelerator, XCache, and WinCache” among many other caching techniques.
Its support staff is extremely active, so you can expect a response in one to three days if you have any suggestions for new features or problems to fix. Website owners, whether new or old, who seek a comprehensive, customizable solution should consider this free CDN service. Although its main focus isn’t on CDNs, its code minification features and significant caching can greatly aid in site speed optimization.
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DOES EVERYONE NEED A CDN?
Yes, every website owner should use CDN. Some people mistakenly believe that CDNs are exclusively helpful for international websites, however, local websites can also benefit from CDN features including faster page loads, better security, and more scalability.
The good news is that small websites can benefit from a wide range of inexpensive or free CDNs. No website owner should be reluctant to use these technologies to improve user experience and boost website speed because the entry threshold for these CDNs is quite low.
FAQS
What types of content can a CDN serve?
Static and dynamic files can be cached and delivered using CDNs. Images, documents, CSS, and JavaScript are all included in this.
Is using a free CDN proper?
A free CDN may generally suffice if your website is small. However, a premium CDN is preferable if your website is bigger or a business website.
Will using a CDN speed up my whole site?
CDNs accelerate the delivery of cached resources. Although it matters in that regard, dynamic page requests are still handled by your server. In case you are uncertain about optimizing your site’s speed, you can get assistance from WordPress maintenance services.
What is the Best CDN Provider for Me?
You may be wondering which of the top CDN providers on the market best suits the requirements of your website now that you are aware of them. You should first assess your website’s size, bandwidth requirements, and primary source of traffic to determine.
Next, look up the provider’s network coverage area and size. Faster speeds are offered by those with more servers and a larger service area. For more precise decision-making, you should also review the service’s characteristics, which include cost, ease of use, picture optimization, and more.
FINAL WORDS
In choosing the most appropriate CDN for your website, starting with a free CDN service can be a wise decision. We have listed some of the best free CDN services for your website. However, you’ll need to start looking for paid CDN services as soon as your data traffic starts to expand.
We hope you found our list of the best free CDNs very helpful. Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
REFERENCE
- https://www.supermonitoring.com
- https://optinmonster.com
- https://blog.hubspot.com
- https://googiehost.com
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