# What is a CDN, and do I need one for offloaded media?

A CDN, or content delivery network, keeps copies of your files on servers around the world and answers each visitor from a nearby one. You don't need one to offload media, because your bucket can serve files by itself. It helps most when your visitors are far from your bucket's region.

## How it differs from storage

A bucket stores the original files in one region. A CDN sits in front of it and caches copies. When a visitor asks for an image, the CDN answers from its cache if it can, and fetches it from the bucket if it can't.

## When it's worth it

- Your visitors are spread across the world.
- Your site sends a lot of traffic, and your provider charges for downloads.
- You want your media on your own domain, and your provider needs a CDN for that.

If most visitors are near one region, a bucket in that region may be enough.

## Some providers include one

Some storage comes with a CDN, or with a way to connect one at little cost. The [storage comparison](/storage) shows what each offers.

## How Offloft handles this

Offloft works with or without a CDN: set your address in [Settings → Delivery](/docs/custom-domain-or-cdn), and the delivery check tests it. Changed files get a new address, so the CDN can't keep showing an old version.

Updated 2026-11-06.

Source: https://www.offloft.com/docs/glossary/cdn