Linode was one of the original cloud VPS providers, founded in 2003 — predating both AWS and DigitalOcean. In 2022, Linode was acquired by Akamai Technologies, the world's largest CDN provider, creating a powerful combination of cloud compute and edge delivery. Linode's core philosophy has always been simplicity and transparency — clear pricing, a clean dashboard, and developer-friendly tools without enterprise bloat. Their Nanode ($5/mo, 1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM, 25 GB SSD) remains one of the best entry-level cloud instances available. Linode operates 11 global data centers across the US, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, with Akamai's integration bringing access to additional edge points of presence. The platform offers shared and dedicated CPU instances, GPU compute, managed Kubernetes (LKE), managed databases (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB), object storage, NodeBalancers, and Linode Marketplace with 100+ 1-click apps. The Akamai acquisition adds enterprise-grade DDoS protection, CDN, and edge computing capabilities. Linode's API and CLI are well-documented, and they support Terraform, Ansible, and Pulumi for infrastructure as code. Their $100 free credit for new users (valid for 60 days) makes it easy to evaluate the platform. Linode is best for developers and small businesses who want cloud infrastructure that's simpler than AWS but more powerful than shared hosting.
Add a benchmark URL in admin and run the provider benchmark cron to display measured speed, security, and availability signals here.
Akamai's global CDN, DDoS protection, and edge network add enterprise-grade capabilities to Linode's developer-friendly platform.
One of the original cloud VPS providers (since 2003) with a proven track record of reliability and stability.
Simple, predictable pricing with no hidden fees. $5/mo Nanode is one of the best entry-level cloud instances available.
Free control plane with managed Kubernetes, making container orchestration accessible without enterprise costs.
New users receive $100 in credits valid for 60 days — enough to test multiple services and configurations.
The Akamai acquisition means Linode is evolving — some features and branding are in flux during integration.
Less variety in compute options compared to AWS, with no serverless or PaaS offerings.
Free tier support is limited to documentation and community. Priority support requires a paid plan.
Pure infrastructure provider — no cPanel, WordPress hosting, or website builder options.