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FiveM CDN vs Cache Proxy: What's the Difference?
Understand when to use a FiveM CDN, when to use a FiveM cache proxy, and when a server should use both.
Understand when to use a FiveM CDN, when to use a FiveM cache proxy, and when a server should use both.
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FiveM CDN services and FiveM cache proxies are often presented as similar products, but they solve two different problems.
A CDN is generally used to store and deliver public files such as images, videos, phone media, screenshots, and NUI assets. A FiveM cache proxy is used to distribute the game resources players download when connecting to a server.
Both can improve performance and reduce pressure on your main server, but they are not interchangeable. Choosing the wrong solution can create unnecessary complexity or leave the original problem unresolved.
This article gives the short version first, then breaks down when to use each service.
FiveM CDN: stores and delivers media and public files through permanent URLs.
FiveM cache proxy: caches and delivers the resource files downloaded when players connect to your server.
If a script needs a public URL for a photo, video, screenshot, item image, or asset, use a CDN.
If players need to download resource files during connection, use a cache proxy.
| Use case | FiveM CDN | FiveM Cache |
|---|---|---|
| Phone photos | Yes | No |
| Phone videos | Yes | No |
| Inventory images | Yes | No |
| Police evidence media | Yes | No |
| Public NUI assets | Yes | Sometimes |
| Server resource downloads | No | Yes |
| Reduce FXServer download bandwidth | No | Yes |
| Permanent public file URLs | Yes | No |
| Cache HIT and MISS tracking | No | Yes |
Public NUI assets can sit on either side depending on how they are used. If the asset needs a stable URL and is loaded by a web interface, CDN is usually the better fit. If it is part of a resource package downloaded during connection, Cache is the relevant layer.
A FiveM CDN is used for files that need to be reachable through public URLs.
Common examples include phone photos, phone videos, inventory icons, player avatars, loading screen files, mugshots, evidence media, staff screenshots, job logos, vehicle images, and static files used by NUI or web interfaces.
The important detail is that the file is not primarily being delivered as part of the FiveM resource download process. It is media or a public asset used by scripts, players, staff, or interfaces after the server is running.
CDN workflows usually focus on uploads, folders, public URLs, deletion, purge, permissions, and API access for integrations.
A FiveM cache proxy is used for resource downloads.
When a player connects, FiveM may need to download the resources required by the server. Those resources are often requested repeatedly by many players. A cache proxy can serve cached copies of unchanged files instead of forcing FXServer to serve every download directly.
Cache workflows focus on origin configuration, cache HITs, cache MISSes, purge, preload or refresh behavior, and visibility into how much resource traffic still reaches the origin.
The cache does not store phone photos for scripts. It does not give you a public media library. Its job is to sit in front of the resource download path.
Example 1: A phone script
A player takes a photo. The file is uploaded to a public media layer, and the final URL is stored in the phone script database.
Use CDN.
Example 2: A large clothing pack
Players must download the clothing pack when connecting. The same files are requested by many players after restarts or updates.
Use Cache.
Example 3: A public inventory system
The server needs item icons that can be loaded by menus, shops, and external panels.
Use CDN.
Example 4: A large roleplay server
The server has phone media, police evidence, screenshots, many clothing resources, custom maps, vehicles, and regular joins throughout the day.
Use CDN and Cache together.
Not always.
A small server with only a few public media files may only need CDN. A server with large resources and heavy connection traffic may need Cache first. A production roleplay community with player-generated media and heavy resource downloads will usually benefit from both.
The cleanest mental model is this:
CDN = public files with URLs
Cache = connection resource downloads
Once those responsibilities are separate, it becomes easier to choose the right product for each workflow.
A media CDN does not automatically cache FiveM resource downloads.
A FiveM cache proxy is not meant to store player phone photos.
Putting a generic proxy in front of a domain does not replace a secure upload architecture.
A cache does not reduce the size of your resources. It reduces repeated origin delivery when the same files are requested again.
A CDN does not fix badly optimized media, oversized textures, or unsafe upload handling by itself. It gives you a better delivery and management layer, but the files and integration still need to be designed carefully.
FiveMesh CDN and FiveMesh Cache are separate FiveMesh services with separate roles.
FiveMesh CDN is for media and public files: phone photos, videos, inventory images, screenshots, loading screen files, NUI assets, and other uploads that need stable URLs.
FiveMesh Cache is for resource downloads: the files players receive when connecting to your server, delivered through a cache URL configured with FiveM's resource delivery settings.
For deeper guides, read FiveM Downloads Slow? When a Cache Proxy Helps, How to configure fileserver_add and adhesive_cdnKey, FiveM Cache HIT vs MISS: How Resource Caching Actually Works, and How to Host FiveM Images, Videos and Phone Media.
Use FiveMesh CDN for your public media, FiveMesh Cache for resource downloads, or combine both to separate file delivery from your FXServer.