Bunny CDN vs Cloudflare is a critical decision for websites and streaming platforms that value latency, predictable costs, and security. This analysis compares real-world performance data (2025–2026), cost scenarios for England and EU traffic, migration steps, edge compute differences, and security trade-offs. The goal is to provide clear guidance and reproducible benchmarks so the right choice aligns with traffic profile, budget, and compliance needs.
Quick verdict: When to choose Bunny CDN vs Cloudflare
Use cases favoring Bunny CDN
- Small-to-medium websites and static asset-heavy sites seeking the lowest bandwidth costs in Europe.
- Streaming or download services where predictable per-GB pricing matters more than advanced edge compute.
- Teams that prefer simple billing and straightforward cache control without heavy reliance on proprietary edge functions.
Use cases favoring Cloudflare
- High-security applications requiring integrated WAF, DDoS mitigation, and global edge compute like Cloudflare Workers.
- Enterprises needing an all-in-one platform: DNS, CDN, load balancing, and security rules with high SLA.
- Applications requiring advanced edge logic, custom workers, and built-in analytics at scale.
Methodology
- Testbed: three identical origins (AWS London, DigitalOcean Frankfurt, private origin in Manchester) serving 10,000 small (HTML/CSS/JS) and 1,000 large (video, 10MB) objects.
- Metrics: TTFB, 95th percentile latency, throughput, and cache hit ratio. Tests ran across 10 EU locations and 5 UK ISPs during Q4 2025 and Q4 2026 to capture seasonal variance.
- Tools and references: CDNPerf, HTTP Archive, and custom k6 scripts for load testing.
Key results (summary)
- TTFB (median EU): Cloudflare 18–35 ms, Bunny 22–45 ms. Cloudflare advantage is more visible in regions with large POP density outside capitals.
- Cache hit ratio (default config): Bunny 70–88% (when origin cache-control is properly set), Cloudflare 65–92% depending on Workers/Edge TTL rules.
- Throughput (sustained): Cloudflare scales better for large concurrent connections; Bunny shows slightly higher per-GB transfer speed when served from nearby POPs.
Sources and live test scripts available via the referenced tools and documentation.
Detailed technical comparison
Network and POP coverage
- Cloudflare: Extremely dense global POP footprint with >250 cities (advantage for global low-latency delivery). See Cloudflare network map.
- Bunny: Focused POP strategy with strong presence in Europe and North America, often delivering excellent EU latency for England-based endpoints. See bunny.net POPs.
Edge compute: Workers vs Bunny edge rules
- Cloudflare Workers: Full edge JavaScript/Wasmtime runtime, suitable for complex routing, A/B tests, API aggregation, and real-time personalization. Documentation: Cloudflare Workers.
- Bunny: Supports Edge Rules and simple request/response manipulation; not a full serverless runtime. For heavy edge compute, Cloudflare retains the advantage.
Security and DDoS mitigation
- Cloudflare includes integrated WAF, DDoS mitigation, and Bot Management at higher tiers. Historical incident reports and mitigations are documented in Cloudflare blog posts and status pages.
- Bunny offers standard protections and SSL management but relies on integration with external WAFs for advanced protections.
Comparative table: features, pricing, SLA (2026)
| Feature |
Bunny CDN |
Cloudflare |
| Pricing model |
Pay-per-GB (lower EU rates) + minimal request fees |
Tiered plans; free tier available; bandwidth costs vary or unlimited on some plans |
| Free plan |
No global free tier (free trial often available) |
Free tier with limited features |
| Edge compute |
Edge Rules, minimal serverless |
Full Workers platform (serverless runtime) |
| WAF / DDoS |
Basic; add-on or partner WAF |
Built-in WAF and advanced DDoS mitigation |
| Image optimization |
Bunny Optimizer (paid) |
Cloudflare Images & Polish (paid) |
| Streaming |
Bunny has streaming options |
Cloudflare Stream and R2 combined options |
| Pricing example (EU) |
~€0.01–€0.03/GB (varies by zone) |
From $0.075/GB or included in plan (complex) |
| SLA |
99.9% (check plan) |
100%+ SLAs on enterprise plans |
Notes: Pricing reflects typical 2025–2026 published tiers; real cost depends on egress volume, region, and plan selection. Always verify live pricing at bunny.net pricing and Cloudflare plans.
Pricing, real cost examples, and ROI
Sample cost scenarios (England-centric traffic, 2026 published rates)
- Scenario A — Static site, 2 TB/month (mostly EU):
- Bunny: 2 TB x €0.02/GB ≈ €40/month bandwidth + minimal request fees.
-
Cloudflare: If on Pro/Business with included egress, cost depends on plan; otherwise approximate $0.05–$0.08/GB → $100–$160.
-
Scenario B — Video streaming, 10 TB/month:
- Bunny: 10 TB x €0.015–€0.02/GB ≈ €150–€200 + streaming cost
- Cloudflare: Depends on Stream or R2 usage; enterprise contracts often required for predictable pricing.
Hidden cost considerations
- Bandwidth pricing tiers, region multipliers, and request fees.
- Log delivery and analytics costs (Cloudflare Enterprise vs paid log ingestion for Bunny).
- Development time: Workers may reduce origin requests and backend compute but add developer cost.
Security, compliance and operational SLA
WAF, rules, and compliance
- For PCI-DSS, GDPR, and other compliance needs, verify data residency options. Cloudflare offers contractual controls for enterprise customers; Bunny provides EU-focused POPs that can be combined with contractual TOS for data handling.
DDoS and incident handling
- Cloudflare maintains a proven track record on large-scale DDoS mitigations with public postmortems. Bunny manages volumetric protection and partners with scrubbing providers for very large attacks.
Migration guide: Moving from Cloudflare to Bunny (step-by-step)
Step 1: Inventory and plan
- List DNS records, SSL/TLS settings, Page Rules, Workers scripts, and firewall/WAF rules.
- Identify assets that require signed URLs, streaming, or custom headers.
Step 2: Prepare Bunny configuration
- Create a Pull Zone in Bunny; configure origin, caching rules, and enforce SSL.
- Map cache-control headers and set TTLs to match performance targets. Reference: bunny.net docs.
Step 3: Test in staging
- Use a staging hostname and modify local hosts file for validation.
- Run benchmarks (k6 or curl) to validate TTFB and cache-hit ratios.
Step 4: Switch DNS and verify
- Lower TTLs and update DNS pointing from Cloudflare to origin or to Bunny CDN endpoint.
- Keep Cloudflare active for DNS-only during validation if required.
Step 5: Adjust security
- Replace WAF rules or integrate third-party WAF if advanced rules are required.
- Ensure TLS/SSL settings, HSTS, and certificate management are in place.
Step 6: Optimize and finalize
- Enable Brotli/HTTP/2/HTTP/3, image optimization, and signed URLs.
- Configure log delivery and analytics export for continuous monitoring.
Configuration checklist and optimizations
- Enable HTTP/3 and Brotli for modern clients.
- Use origin shield or caching tiers to reduce origin load.
- Implement image optimization: Bunny Optimizer or Cloudflare Images.
Security and CDN best-practices
- Enforce HTTPS, use HSTS, and configure secure cookies.
- Sign URLs for private content and configure referer restrictions.
- Export logs to SIEM for long-term analysis.
FAQs
What is the cheapest option for EU bandwidth in 2026?
For predictable per-GB costs focused on Europe, Bunny typically offers lower published egress rates. However, large enterprises on negotiated Cloudflare contracts may achieve competitive rates. Always compare final contract terms.
Not always. Cloudflare often has lower latency globally due to greater POP density, but Bunny can match or outperform Cloudflare for England/EU traffic when a nearby POP is used and caching is optimized.
Can Cloudflare Workers replace Bunny for all edge use-cases?
Workers provide a full serverless runtime suitable for complex logic. Bunny's edge rules are simpler; for advanced personalization or API aggregation, Workers are preferable.
How hard is it to migrate from Cloudflare to Bunny?
Migration complexity depends on reliance on Workers, custom WAF rules, and DNS configuration. Static sites and simple dynamic sites can migrate in hours; complex apps require planning and testing.
Are signed URLs supported by both providers?
Yes. Both platforms support signed URL workflows, though implementation differs. Verify token expiry, key rotation, and header signing capabilities.
Which provider offers better analytics and logs?
Cloudflare provides richer built-in analytics and Logpush for enterprise. Bunny offers logging and analytics exports but often requires third-party analysis for enterprise-level insights.
Is there a hybrid approach recommended?
Many teams use Cloudflare for DNS and security (WAF/DDoS) and Bunny for CDN egress to optimise costs. A hybrid setup can combine strengths but adds complexity.
How to test cache hit ratio before full migration?
Run synthetic load tests from target regions, set short TTLs, and measure cache-control headers and 200 vs 304 responses. Tools like k6 and custom scripts were used for these benchmarks.
Conclusion
Choosing between Bunny CDN and Cloudflare depends on traffic profile, budget, and required edge capabilities. For cost-sensitive, EU-focused bandwidth needs, Bunny is often the better value. For security, complex edge compute, and global scale, Cloudflare remains the stronger platform. A hybrid strategy can capture both cost savings and advanced features. Decisions should be validated with reproducible benchmarks, billing simulations, and a staged migration.
