SteadyLink vs Cloudinary
Cloudinary is a media pipeline built around transforming and optimizing images and video. SteadyLink is file hosting built around links that never change when the file does. If you serve many renditions of product imagery or video, Cloudinary goes further. If you publish files of any type that people and sites link to, SteadyLink is the simpler fit and costs a lot less.
At a glance
| Feature | SteadyLink | Cloudinary |
|---|---|---|
| Built around | Stable links for files that change | Image and video transformation and optimization |
| File types | Any file, delivered as-is | Strongest for images and video |
| Replace a file, keep the link | Built in, from the dashboard, API, CLI and S3 | Possible by overwriting an asset, with cache invalidation to manage |
| Revision history | Every replacement kept, with restore | Depends on plan and setup |
| Image transforms | Resize, crop and convert by URL | Extensive, with effects, overlays and automatic optimization |
| Video | Conversion jobs, not streaming | Encoding, streaming and video transforms |
| Client galleries and proofing | Collections with picks and watermarks | Not a focus |
| How usage is billed | Storage and delivery set per plan | Monthly credits shared across storage, bandwidth and transforms |
Pricing
SteadyLink
- Free$0
10 GB storage, 50 GB / month delivery, 1 member
- Personal$9 a month, or $7.50 billed yearly
50 GB storage, 100 GB / month delivery, 1 member
- Pro$39 a month, or $32.50 billed yearly
100 GB storage, 1 TB / month delivery, 5 members
- Business$129 a month, or $107.50 billed yearly
500 GB storage, 3 TB / month delivery, 20 members
Cloudinary
- Free$0
25 credits a month
- Plus$99 a month, or $89 billed yearly
225 credits a month
- Advanced$249 a month, or $224 billed yearly
600 credits a month
Where Cloudinary is the better choice
Transformation depth
Effects, overlays, text, smart cropping and far more than resizing and format conversion.
Automatic optimization
It picks a format and quality per request to shrink files. SteadyLink's transforms are explicit.
Video delivery
Encoding, adaptive streaming and video transforms. SteadyLink converts video as separate jobs but isn't a streaming platform.
Large media libraries
Tagging, search and review workflows for brand and product media go further than SteadyLink's.
Where SteadyLink is the better choice
Replacing a file is the main workflow
Open the file, choose Replace, and the link stays the same. The same works from the CLI with steadylink replace, from the API and SDKs, and over the S3-compatible API.
Any file type, delivered directly
A price list PDF, an installer, a CSV export and a hero image all get a permanent link that serves the file itself, with revision history behind it.
Every revision kept and linkable
Each replacement is a numbered revision you can restore. A pinned link like ?v=3 keeps serving one exact revision and is cached for a year.
Far more delivery for the money
Pro includes 1 TB of delivery a month for $39. On Cloudinary's $99 plan, 225 credits are shared between storage, bandwidth and transforms.
Which one to pick
Pick Cloudinary if
- Your product serves many sizes, crops and formats of images or video
- You want automatic format and quality per device
- You need video streaming
- You manage a large media library with DAM workflows
Pick SteadyLink if
- The files you publish change, and the links to them must not
- You publish documents and downloads, not only images
- You want revision history, rollback and pinned links for every file
- Basic resizing and format conversion is all the image processing you need
Questions
Is SteadyLink a Cloudinary alternative?
For some uses. If you need deep image and video transformation, automatic optimization or video streaming, Cloudinary is the more complete tool. If you need files of any type to keep the same link while you replace them, SteadyLink is the more direct fit.
Does SteadyLink transform images?
Yes, with query parameters for width, height, fit and format. It isn't a full media pipeline like Cloudinary.
Is SteadyLink cheaper than Cloudinary?
For most file hosting and delivery, yes. SteadyLink Pro is $39 a month with 100 GB of storage and 1 TB of delivery, while Cloudinary Plus is $99 a month with 225 credits shared across storage, bandwidth and transforms.
Can I use both?
Yes. Some teams use Cloudinary for product imagery inside an app and SteadyLink for documents and assets linked from places that can't be edited.
More comparisons
All comparisonsTry SteadyLink with one file you update often.
Free plan with 10 GB. No card required.