CircleCI vs Fastly: Full Comparison (2026)
Pricing, features, scores, and a clear verdict on which one is right for you.
The bottom line
CircleCI positions itself as "ci/cd platform for fast, flexible pipelines" while Fastly goes after "real-time cdn and edge computing for high-performance apps" — so the right pick depends on which problem you're actually solving. They take different commercial approaches — CircleCI uses a freemium approach and Fastly a usage-based-based model, which affects how costs scale as your team grows. CircleCI lets you start for free, which means you can validate the fit before committing budget. Fastly requires a paid commitment upfront, so make sure it matches your workflow before signing.
At a glance
| CircleCI | Fastly | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 74/100 | 76/100 |
| Starting price | $15/mo | $50/mo |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Best for | CI/CD platform for fast, flexible pipelines | Real-time CDN and edge computing for high-performance apps |
Pricing comparison
Calculate your cost
Feature comparison
core
| Feature | CircleCI | Fastly |
|---|---|---|
| Docker support | Yes | No |
| Pipeline configuration (YAML) | Yes | No |
| Parallelism | Yes | No |
| Caching | Yes | No |
| Test splitting | Yes | No |
| CDN | No | Yes |
| DDoS protection | No | Yes |
| Instant cache purge | No | Yes |
| WAF | No | Yes |
| Real-time analytics | No | Yes |
Ratings breakdown
What the data tells us
Key capabilities you'd miss
Choosing CircleCI means going without CDN, DDoS protection, Instant cache purge (which Fastly offers). Choosing Fastly means losing Docker support, Pipeline configuration (YAML), Parallelism. These are the features that typically drive the final decision — check whether your workflow depends on any of them before committing.
Choose CircleCI if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value powerful features over simplicity
- You need enterprise-grade capabilities
Choose Fastly if...
- You're ready to invest from $50/mo
- You value powerful features over simplicity
- You need enterprise-grade capabilities
Frequently asked questions
Is CircleCI or Fastly better?
Fastly scores 76/100 compared to CircleCI's 74/100 on VendorVS. However, the best choice depends on your needs — CircleCI excels at ease of use (7/10) while Fastly scores 6/10.
How much does CircleCI cost compared to Fastly?
CircleCI starts at $15/mo (free tier available). Fastly starts at $50/mo. CircleCI is the more affordable option.
Does CircleCI or Fastly have a free plan?
CircleCI offers a free tier. Fastly does not — its cheapest plan starts at $50/mo.
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