A CDN (content delivery network) is a set of servers in different locations that store cached copies of your site. When someone visits, they’re served from the nearest server, so pages and assets load faster.

Why a CDN helps

Faster load times: Visitors get your site from a nearby node instead of a single origin server.
Better SEO: Speed is a ranking factor. Faster delivery can support better visibility. See [Hosting and SEO](/insights/hosting/hosting-and-seo-what-matters/).
Less load on your server: Static and cached content is served by the CDN, so your main server handles fewer requests.
Wider reach: Useful if your audience is spread across regions; everyone gets a closer copy of the site.

Do you need one?

Worth having if: You have (or want) visitors in more than one region, you use a lot of images or media, or you care about speed and Core Web Vitals.

Often included – Many managed hosts (including xCloud and similar platforms) offer or integrate CDN. You may not need to set one up separately.

For more on how hosting affects speed, see How hosting affects website speed.

Need help choosing or moving hosting? Get in touch →