In 2023, global video traffic accounted for more than 82% of total Internet traffic. That’s more than email, social, or any other digital format combined. But here’s the kicker: delivering that content can cost streaming platforms tens of millions of dollars annually—unless they rethink delivery.
As bandwidth usage grows, so do delivery expenses. Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime—they all operate at massive scales, but the pressure is mounting for smaller and mid-tier platforms trying to keep up while keeping costs lean.
So the big question arises: How can video platforms drive down data delivery costs to the coveted $2 per terabyte mark, especially with increasing demand for UHD and 4K content?
Ready to explore how you can get there?
Streaming is more than just bandwidth; it's about consistency, performance, and uptime. Here are a few core challenges platforms face:
Every second matters in video; every dollar saved adds up. Not convinced? Think of Twitch, which reportedly delivers petabytes of video daily. Even a $0.005 saving per GB could translate to millions in annual savings.
How much is inefficiency costing your business right now?
Many assume CDN pricing is straightforward—just pay per GB—but hidden costs creep in:
| Cost Component | Description | Pitfalls |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth | Data transfer from edge to end user | Charged by volume, varies by region |
| Requests | Per asset request (e.g., video chunk) | Can skyrocket with high user counts |
| Storage | Keeping media on CDN edge | Often priced separately by GB/month |
| Origin Fetches | Pulling data from source server | High cost if cache hit rate is low |
It’s these nuanced layers that make true cost per TB a moving target.
Want to simplify all of this without losing quality or experience? Keep reading.
The more requests your CDN can serve directly from its edge nodes (cache hit), the lower your origin load and bandwidth use. High-performance video CDNs aim for cache hit ratios above 95%.
Delivering lower bitrates when user bandwidth is limited minimizes wasted data. Platforms using smart ABR algorithms save up to 38% in bandwidth, according to YouTube's own research.
Smart CDNs dynamically route traffic through the fastest, most cost-effective path, reducing latency and packet loss while optimizing expenses.
Leveraging direct peering with ISPs slashes transit costs while improving reliability.
Can your current CDN do all of the above while staying under $2/TB?
Let’s look at how prices stack up across leading CDN providers. For streaming businesses delivering over 100TB/month, here's a ballpark overview:
| Provider | Estimated Price/TB (100TB+) | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS CloudFront | $22–$40 | Seamless AWS integration | Expensive beyond free tier |
| Cloudflare | $10–$15 | Developer-friendly, DDoS protection | Poor control over video-specific tuning |
| Fastly | $8–$12 | Quick purging, scalable | Not video-optimized by default |
| BlazingCDN | $4 (as low as $2 at high volumes) | Optimized for performance, flexible billing, transparent pricing | N/A at this tier |
With rates as low as $2 per TB, BlazingCDN's pricing makes it a sharp choice for enterprise streaming strategies.
Can your bottom line afford anything else?
Here are the most effective actions companies use to drive prices down without affecting stream quality:
Implementing just two of the strategies above can push companies closer to the $2 mark.
Do you have the tools in place to manage this seamlessly?
Meeting demanding delivery goals without compromising performance requires partners that are built for scale.
BlazingCDN stands out for:
BlazingCDN rivals the reliability of Amazon CloudFront but delivers superior cost-efficiency, which makes it a pragmatic pick for corporations prioritizing ROI. It’s already recognized as a top-tier choice for firms that handle large-scale data streaming and can’t afford service breaks.
Wouldn’t it be smart to build stability and affordability into your delivery stack?
At $2 per terabyte, delivering high-quality video content becomes a viable business model for more than just tech giants. But beating inefficiency requires better tooling, better infrastructure, and smart decisions.
Are you ready to make your video delivery infrastructure lean, agile, and endlessly scalable?
Contact our CDN experts today for a free strategy consultation and discover how much you can save with BlazingCDN.