You may probably assume that choosing the best video platform and SDK for your project may be quite challenging. We do agree with this fact and once decided to make the analyses to find the wished platform. Here you can see the list of the most popular SDK of different platforms and compare their prices, features, and integrations.
1. Zoom
Is there anybody who didn’t hear about it? Covid-19 made it the only way to communicate with your co-workers. In April 2020, it was used by over 300 million people daily. This helped Zoom build $ 3 billion in the capital.
The Zoom platform can be a great helper if you want to speed up your product development and create a fully customizable video streaming app. Zoom provides its own SDK with support for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Web. Thanks to the integration, you can create any product that will help you make audio and video calls, broadcast video.
Zoom SDK Benefits
- Cloud-powered architecture designed for your needs;
- optimized for large projects;
- access to HD video and audio;
- individual video composition;
- up to 300 users per session;
- screen demonstration;
- third-party video streams;
- chat;
- video layout.
The SDK provides conference functionality and is compatible with a variety of languages, platforms, and frameworks. Zoom SDK usage depends on the total number of minutes per month that will be spent streaming. Both client sessions and client user sessions are counted. For example, 5 users participate in a 10-minute session, 50 minutes will be used.
Pricing plans
The prepayment includes 10 thousand minutes every day, after 1 minute — $ 0.0035.
$ 1,000 per year (includes 30 thousand minutes every month, after 1 minute — $ 0.003.
2. DACAST
Dacast Inc. is an online video platform that allows businesses to stream and host their video content on the Internet. Unlike other user-centric platforms like YouTube or Facebook Live, Dacast is b-2-b. By the end of 2020, more than 300,000 video producers had used it. These include television and radio stations, event organizations, school and university networks, and church networks.
Dacast provides complete online streaming and video hosting solutions. Users can host videos on their web hosts while maintaining 100% control over their content. Among other features, Dacast offers a built-in paywall, password restriction, and analytic model.
Possibilities:
- 24/7 technical support in all tariff plans, including email and chat;
- Video encryption;
- Access to the Player API for integration with third-party players;
- Access to video API on premium tariff plans;
- multi-bit streaming;
- analytics in real-time;
- streaming without ads.
Rates
For a session with an audience of 5000 people, 1 minute of the session will cost $ 39 per month. Overruns may incur additional charges. Data surplus is $ 0.30 per GB, additional storage is $ 0.15 per GB.
The scalable plan includes 24 TB of bandwidth per year, 1 TB of storage for $ 188 per month. These plans include support, paywall monetization, M3U8 online player for direct channels, ad integration, Cnames tags, and video API access.
Events — 6 TB of bandwidth, 50 GB of storage, $ 63 per month (or $ 750 per year).
3. TRUECONF
TrueConf SDK libraries for mobile platforms (Android and iOS) allow you to add support for video calls and group video conferencing to applications. Applications using the SDK require connection to the TrueConf Server streaming video server. To manage users, conferences, and participants, you need to use a special API for TrueConf Server.
Advantages:
- guarantee of high-quality communication in any network and on most mobile devices on the market;
- two libraries with similar functionality for Android and iOS development environments.
Supported languages: Java, Objective-C and Swift.
Possibilities:
- user authorization;
- tracking the statuses of other users (online, offline);
- make and receive calls;
- joining a user to a group video conference;
- create temporary guest accounts to log into the conference;
- pre-schedule a conference on the server;
- conference creation using TrueConf Server API;
- adding SIP and H. 323 formats to the conference of VCS-terminal subscribers;
- joining the broadcast of the RTSP conference;
- enter the conference using a link through a browser (using WebRTC) through a guest account;
- personal and group chats, file sharing, and content sharing are available on any platform.
SDK users can also view content streamed from other devices during a conference and change the position of participants on the screen as they wish.
The greatest functionality can be obtained using the SDK together with the TrueConf Server API. The SDK allows you to customize an individual user's behavior (similar to the client application), and the TrueConf Server API allows you to track the conference status and manage user profiles and rights in general. Conference licenses are purchased (maximum 36 people), which allows users to directly connect to the broadcast and participate in the conversation with the presenter. Users can be changed as speakers, but the number should not exceed 36 people. If you want to connect more people as presenters, you can purchase a license separately.
Thus, 35 users can actively participate in the video session, but when this session is broadcast on any platform, any number of people can view it.
Rates
An annual license for two speakers will cost 23,000 rubles. Annual license for 35 users — 297,500 thousand rubles.
SDK for each platform will cost 400 thousand rubles.
4. VONAGE
The Vonage Video API (formerly TokBox Opentok) makes it easy to set up streaming video in any of your mobile, web, or desktop applications. The SDK can be used for personal calls, group calls, or broadcast to thousands of people. You can use it to create your own apps for Android, iOS, Windows and Linux.
The security of using this SDK is achieved through the use of encryption standards and the GDPR regulation.
Advantages:
- video calls, group video chats, and broadcasts for thousands of viewers are available;
- screen demonstration;
- chats;
- customization for mobile devices, including the use of effects, filters, AR/VR, etc.;
- the ability to record video sessions;
- video session traffic analytics;
- video encryption using the AES-128 protocol (you can also connect AES-256);
- using the GDPR protocol;
- number of participants — up to 3 thousand;
- HLS streaming;
- Stream live sessions to FaceBook Live, YouTube, Twitch, and other RTMP services.
Rates
5. G-Core Labs
G-Core Labs is a global provider of powerful cloud and edge solutions for online businesses based in the Russian Federation. The servers are located in Moscow and throughout Russia, the nearest abroad is in Luxembourg.
Two tariffs: conferences and live broadcasts. During the conference, 10–15 speakers can be simultaneously connected to the speaker. A larger number is not recommended due to the need for correct display on viewers’ devices.
On this site, you can fully brand your services and products according to your requirements. Analogue of Zoom, only with great possibilities of customizing the project of the user. The ability to connect advertising.
Rates
Per-minute rate.
Server space licensing: minutes, license fee, and traffic are unlimited.
Payment takes place outside the system if it is not provided by the platform.
Possibilities:
- low latency streaming (by default they support up to 4 seconds latency for all Full HD video streams);
- you can record videos and stream them to any platform (Facebook, Youtube, etc.);
- the moderator has the right to turn off the camera and microphone of another speaker, but the speaker can turn on the camera only himself;
- screen sharing (in May, along with the demonstration, there will be a window with a talking speaker);
- at the moment, speakers can be 25 people, in May their number will increase to 100. Also, in May, the export of audience statistics will be added;
- broadcast protection using URL tokenization, AES and DRM encryption;
SDK for iOS, Android, Web; - broadcast in Full HD, 4K, 360 ° or 3D without delays and buffering;
- Live and VOD support. Compatible with any platform. Customization of the appearance.
Rates
So which one to choose?
All video streaming platforms have their own advantages, but the main issue is always the price and integration with your product. For convenience, we have compiled a comparative table in which you can clearly see the main differences between sites and choose the most profitable and optimal option for yourself.
