Agora Alternatives - Agora Video vs. Competitors

In this comprehensive comparison, we delve into the advantages and disadvantages of Agora and its competitors for video calling, live streaming, and open-source solutions.

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Whether you're a developer building real-time features into your app or a business evaluating communication platforms, this in-depth analysis will help you navigate the intricate landscape of communication APIs.

Agora Video Overview

Agora is a cloud communications platform that provides APIs and SDKs for developers to embed real-time voice, video, and messaging capabilities into their applications. It enables low-latency, scalable, and cross-platform communication, making it suitable for various applications like virtual events, online meetings, e-learning, and telehealth.

Agora offers features such as screen sharing, whiteboarding, and security measures to protect user data and communications, allowing developers to create customized, interactive applications that require real-time communication.

Advantages of Agora

Global Edge Network: Agora is one of two providers in the space that offers a global edge network; the other is Stream.
AI Noise Suppression: Agora supports AI-based noise suppression.
Extension System: Agora has an extension system that builds upon its video and voice products.
Software-Defined Real-Time Network (SD-RTN™): The backbone of Agora's offering is its Software-Defined Real-Time Network. This global network is engineered to deliver sub-second latency by routing data through the most efficient paths using intelligent algorithms. Agora reports that this network powers over 60 billion minutes of real-time voice and video each month, with reach across 200+ countries and regions.
Metaverse and IoT Solutions: Agora has expanded its focus beyond traditional use cases. It now provides dedicated features for the Metaverse, including 3D Spatial Audio for positional sound, AR facial masks, and voice effects, as well as SDKs tailored for real-time engagement on smart devices in the IoT space.

Drawbacks of Agora

Integration: Many in the developer community and forums have pointed out the difficulty of integrating Agora Voice and Video into their application. Agora offers developers two ways to integrate their SDKs: the Agora App Build, a low code tool to quickly add basic video with limited customizations, and modular front-end SDKs for most major platforms. For developers integrating with Stream, we opted to only provide client-side SDKs since it allows our team to focus on optimizing for the best possible product and developer experience by ensuring our SDKs are always kept up-to-date and well-documented.
Pricing: Agora's pricing is not only higher than competitors like Stream, but also complex and unpredictable. Billing is based on aggregate video resolution, meaning costs rise with the number and quality of streams a user subscribes to during a call. For instance, viewing three HD participants could trigger 2K+ billing rates, up to $35.99 per 1,000 minutes. Add-on features and premium support further inflate the total cost, making Agora significantly more expensive when compared to Stream.

Main Agora Features

Agora's API offers a rich feature set, including the following:

Ultra Low Latency and Interactive Livestreaming: Real-time live streaming is typically preferred when the audience is meant to engage with the content. If you want to build a platform like Twitch, where there is an exchange of engagement between the host and the audience, low latency is a priority. For streaming a soccer match, an additional 10 - 20 seconds of latency is acceptable.
HLS Live Streaming: Agora also offers a slower version of live streaming with the benefit of better buffering under poor network conditions.
Video Calling: Agora supports building video calling and Zoom-style applications.

Agora Pricing

Agora offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model, where customers only pay for what they use. The first 10,000 minutes are free each month.

Pricing breakdown:

Conversational AI Engine: Starts at $0.0099/ per minute
ConvoAI Device Kit: Contact sales for pricing
Video Calling: Starts at $3.99/ per 1,000 minutes
Voice Calling: Starts at $0.99/ per 1,000 minutes
Interactive Live Streaming: Starts at $0.99/ per 1,000 minutes
Chat: Starts at $345/ per month
Interactive Whiteboard: Starts at $1.40/ per 1,000 minutes

What to Consider: Agora vs. Competitors

Most video and audio APIs have seemingly endless nice-to-have feature sets. While it may seem like they have everything you need to build the perfect experience at a glance, be sure that they offer the following must-haves at a high level of proficiency:

Developer Experience: Engineering time tends to be the most expensive part of a video solution, whether it be launching, iterating, or maintaining it. It's critical that the video and audio provider you choose offers robust documentation, an easy-to-use product, and adequate customer support.
Global Edge Network: The speed of light only goes so fast. Establishing servers within close proximity to your end users lowers the risk of losing packets and makes recovery faster if there are stability issues. If a video and audio vendor has a global edge network, that means they have servers around the world to ensure the quality of video calls on your platform is high.
SDK Quality: It's easy for SDKs to have bugs—especially regarding camera access or codec support. The quality of your solution provider's SDKs can have a large impact on the stability of your end user's experience.
Privacy and Security: Video data can often be sensitive. Be sure to vet your potential provider's privacy, data, safety features, and security policies before integrating to confidently deliver a safe experience.
Chat: While it can depend on the nature of your app, for many video and audio use cases, solid chat functionality is just as important. A reliable, scalable chat experience to accompany live streams, video calls, and audio rooms that store messages and have reactions, replies, typing indicators, message previews, URL previews, etc., is more than just the icing on the cake—it is a vital part of your app's overall UX.
Moderation: If your use case involves user-generated content or public participation, like in live streams, audio rooms, or virtual events, real-time moderation tools are essential. Look for built-in controls to remove users, mute participants, or manage abusive behavior proactively through integrations or admin tooling.

Agora Versus Top Video Calling Alternatives

The competitive landscape varies from video calling to livestreaming to open-source solutions. In the section below, we'll compare Agora's video calling solution against those of the top five competitors in the space.

1. Agora vs. Stream

Advantages of Stream

The biggest differentiator between Stream and Agora is the level of customization. While Agora offers an App Builder that lets you modify basic elements and override some components, it can be limiting if your app requires a truly bespoke UI. Stream's SDKs offer far more flexibility and control, making it easier to build tailored experiences for video calling, live streaming, and audio rooms.

Beyond customization, Stream stands out with modern SDKs and an intuitive dashboard that simplifies implementation and day-to-day use. Developers benefit from automatic connection recovery and a streamlined integration process. For Enterprise customers, Stream offers an average support response time of 30 minutes or less, which can make a major difference during critical moments.

Stream also allows you to integrate a single SDK for multiple video and audio use cases, including live streaming, audio rooms, and video calling, giving your team the flexibility to build and evolve your app as needed. The platform is compliant with strict privacy and security laws in both the EU and USA, which is especially important for regulated industries.

Additional features include backstage mode for setting up calls with co-hosts before going live, live stream previews, participant counts and thumbnails, and a robust permission system for managing audio, video, and screen sharing. Stream also supports custom data on users, members, and calls, giving developers the tools to build rich, dynamic user experiences.

Real-time AI moderation is also available, enabling automated detection and flagging of inappropriate content in chat, audio, and video streams, which is essential for public or community-driven apps.

All of this comes at a significantly lower price point compared to Agora, making Stream an attractive option for teams prioritizing flexibility, performance, and cost-efficiency.

Agora Advantages Over Stream

Agora has a rich extension system when compared to Stream. This includes support for AI-powered noise suppression, virtual and blurred video backgrounds, and other media effects that improve call quality and user experience.

These features are available out of the box and can be activated with minimal configuration, making it easier to add polish to real-time interactions without building or integrating third-party tools.

2. Agora vs. 100ms

100MS Advantages

In terms of developer experience, 100MS ranks among the top three in the market, surpassing Agora by a significant margin. Both platforms have limitations in terms of chat support.

However, 100MS, much like Stream, provides a single SDK that caters to both video calling and live streaming. This streamlined approach simplifies the development process, making it easier to create diverse experiences such as all-hands meetings or audio rooms compared to Agora. Additionally, 100MS offers robust custom data support for both peer and session, enhancing flexibility and customization options for developers.

Agora Advantages Over 100ms

Agora boasts a robust extension system, notably excelling in AI noise suppression and video background support. Their infrastructure, on par with major players like Stream, spans a global edge network. In contrast, 100ms, being a smaller company, may pose vendor risk due to its size. Additionally, it's worth noting that 100ms does not support ringing calls.

3. Agora vs. Daily

Advantages of Daily

Daily is built on AWS and allows customers to select data center regions in the US, Europe, and Asia (excluding China), helping ensure data residency and compliance with local regulations. Daily is also SOC 2 Type 2 compliant, supports HIPAA compliance, and is certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, offering peace of mind for teams operating in regulated environments.

Another aspect to consider is Daily's support for Cross-platform Adaptive HEVC (H.265) encoding, which can be advantageous primarily for users engaged in iOS to iOS calls, as it may not be as compatible or efficient when participants join from web browsers or Android devices. Daily also excels in the realm of programmable HD compositing, offering excellent recording options for users.

However, the claim of a peer-to-peer media routing mode as an advantage should be approached with caution, as in most scenarios, connecting peer-to-peer can lead to a suboptimal user experience. This approach differs from popular solutions like Zoom and Google Meet, which prioritize centralized routing for better performance.

Daily, much like Stream, offers automatic discounts at higher usage tiers, while Agora follows a more enterprise-oriented sales approach. These factors should be carefully weighed when choosing the right platform for your specific needs, taking into account your priorities regarding privacy, functionality, and user experience.

Agora Advantages Over Daily

Agora has a robust extension system, notably featuring support for AI noise suppression and customizable video backgrounds. While Daily now offers support for ringing calls, there have been customer reports indicating that the process of joining and transitioning between calls on the Daily platform may suffer from slower speeds, which is an important consideration when evaluating these communication tools.

4. Agora vs. Jitsi 8X8

Jitsi 8X8 Advantages

One of the key benefits of Jitsi 8x8 is its simplicity. It can be used with minimal development effort, making it an appealing option for teams that want to get up and running quickly without building a fully custom solution.

In that sense, it's closer to Zoom in terms of user experience and implementation, offering prebuilt interfaces and a straightforward setup. For use cases that prioritize ease of use over deep customization, this can be a strength. However, for more complex applications or platforms that require granular control over UI, permissions, or integrations, this simplicity can become a constraint.

Agora Advantages Over Jitsi 8X8

When it comes to pricing, Agora offers a more appealing structure as it charges on a per-minute basis, in contrast to the per-user approach employed by 8x8.

Additionally, Agora stands out for its superior customizability compared to Jitsi. Many users have found themselves drawn to Agora due to its flexibility and granular control, especially compared to Jitsi. In fact, limitations around customization, along with pricing concerns, have often been the driving factors for individuals considering a switch away from Jitsi.

5. Agora vs. Vonage

Vonage Advantages

While Vonage does not specialize in video, its Video API is capable and may be sufficient for many standard use cases.

The company's real strength lies in its broad portfolio of communication and customer engagement tools, ranging from SMS and voice to contact center solutions. For enterprises already using Vonage for these services, the ability to consolidate vendors and bundle the Video API into a single contract can be a compelling strategic advantage.

This vendor consolidation can simplify procurement, reduce overhead, and streamline support, even if the video product itself isn't considered best-in-class. For organizations prioritizing operational efficiency and unified billing over deep customization or cutting-edge video features, Vonage may be a practical choice.

Advantages of Agora Over Vonage

While Vonage offers broad communication capabilities, its video SDKs are relatively outdated and lack the modern tooling and flexibility found in more specialized platforms. Developers often report that the integration experience with Vonage is clunky, with limited documentation, slower iteration cycles, and fewer options for customization.

In contrast, Agora provides more robust SDKs, a richer set of real-time engagement features, and a more extensible architecture, especially through its support for AI noise suppression, virtual backgrounds, and real-time effects via its extension system.

Comparing Agora to the Top Live Stream API Providers

When building a live streaming app, there are specific features you will need versus an on-demand streaming app, video conferencing platform, or audio room solution. Evaluate the four Agora alternatives below to see which one is the right fit for your live streaming app.