Fastly is a top-tier programmable CDN, and its Image Optimizer does real-time transforms at the edge — excellent if you're already an enterprise Fastly customer. swiftimg targets everyone else: built-in hosting plus on-the-fly transforms, signed URLs, and global delivery, with flat self-serve pricing and a free tier instead of enterprise commitments.
swiftimg vs Fastly Image Optimizer at a glance
| Feature | swiftimg | Fastly Image Optimizer |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Self-serve, any size | Enterprise CDN customers |
| Built-in hosting | Yes (upload & store) | Optimizes your origin |
| Real-time transforms | Yes (signed) | Yes |
| Pricing | Flat plan, free to start | CDN contract + usage |
| Setup | Upload and go | Configure service + origin |
| Free, no-account uploads | Yes | No |
List prices as of 2026 for context — directional, not apples-to-apples. Check each provider for current pricing.
When Fastly Image Optimizer is the better choice
Fastly if you're already on their CDN at scale and want image optimization integrated with their programmable edge (VCL/Compute) and SLAs.
swiftimg vs Fastly Image Optimizer — FAQ
Is swiftimg as fast as Fastly?
For image delivery, swiftimg serves globally with immutable caching — fast worldwide. Fastly is a phenomenal general-purpose CDN; swiftimg focuses specifically on hosting and delivering images well.
Do I need my own origin?
No. swiftimg is the origin and the CDN — upload an image and it's hosted and served. Fastly's optimizer sits in front of storage you provide.
Switching from Fastly Image Optimizer?
Image hosting for Next.js
Use swiftimg as the remote image source for next/image. Permanent URLs, automatic WebP, on-the-fly resize via the loader, and flat, predictable pricing.
Image hosting for Astro
Reference swiftimg URLs from Astro's <Image /> component. Permanent URLs, automatic WebP variants, on-the-fly resize, and global delivery.
Image hosting for Static sites (Hugo, Jekyll, Eleventy)
Offload images from your static-site repo to swiftimg. Smaller repo, faster builds, automatic WebP variants, and on-the-fly resizing — no plugin required.
Choosing an image CDN in 2026: what actually matters
Egress fees, on-the-fly transforms, modern formats, signed URLs, and pricing models — a no-nonsense checklist for picking an image CDN.
What is an image CDN, and when do you actually need one?
Plain-language explanation of an image CDN: what it does, why it's different from a regular CDN, when it's worth the cost, and how to spot a bad one.
Weigh it up before you migrate: swiftimg pricing and plan limits next to Fastly Image Optimizer, and the image hosting API documentation covering uploads, transforms and signed URLs.
Ready to switch from Fastly Image Optimizer?
Start free, then unlock the full API, transforms, signed URLs, and a custom domain on the Developer plan.