A Detailed Analysis of the Top Video Calling APIs for 2024

Table of Contents

1. What is a video calling API
2. What are the benefits of using a video calling API in your mobile app or website?
3. Top video calling APIs in 2024
   • Agora
   • CometChat
   • Quickblox
   • Sinch
   • MirrorFly
   • Sendbird
   • Stream
   • Zegocloud
   • Jitsi
4. Conclusion

As we step into 2024, the demand for high-quality, reliable, and feature-rich video calling experiences continues to soar, driving developers to explore and implement cutting-edge APIs. Video calling APIs are the unsung heroes, powering the seamless communication that fuels remote work, virtual classrooms, and personal connections across continents. But with a growing landscape of options, choosing the right API can be daunting. Fear not, intrepid developer! This updated 2024 analysis dives deep into the top 9 contenders, dissecting their strengths, weaknesses, and unique features. From enhanced audio-visual capabilities to robust security measures, each API has been scrutinized to provide an up-to-date and discerning guide for developers, businesses, and tech enthusiasts alike. Whether you prioritize scalability, security, or bells and whistles, we’ll equip you to select the API that perfectly aligns with your project’s needs.

As the world becomes more interconnected, understanding the nuances of these APIs becomes paramount for creating applications that redefine the way we communicate. Join us on this exploration of the latest advancements, key features, and potential use cases of the leading video conferencing APIs that are poised to shape the digital communication landscape in 2024.

What is a video calling API?

A video chat API (Application Programming Interface) is a set of tools, protocols, and functions that enables developers to integrate video calling functionality into their applications, websites, or services. This technology allows users to initiate and participate in real-time video conversations over the internet. A video call API handle the complexities of establishing and maintaining audio-visual communication between two or more users, providing a streamlined and standardized interface for developers to incorporate video calling features without having to build the entire infrastructure from scratch.

These APIs typically offer a range of functionalities, including video and audio transmission, real-time data sharing, chat features, and sometimes additional services like screen sharing or recording. They play a crucial role in the development of applications such as video conferencing platforms, messaging apps, virtual meetings, and collaborative tools, enhancing the user experience by facilitating face-to-face communication regardless of geographical distances.

Developers leverage video calling APIs to save time, resources, and ensure a reliable and secure video calling experience for end-users, freeing them to focus on the unique aspects of their applications rather than the intricacies of video communication protocols.

What are the benefits of using a video calling API in your mobile app or website?

Integrating a video conferencing API into your app or website offers a multitude of benefits, enhancing user engagement, communication capabilities, and overall user experience. Here are some key advantages:

Efficiency and Time-Saving:

Using a pre-built video call sdks significantly reduces development time. Developers can leverage the existing infrastructure and functionalities provided by the API, saving valuable time and resources that would otherwise be spent on developing complex video communication features from scratch.

Reliability and Quality:

Video Calling APIs are often developed and maintained by specialized teams with a focus on performance and reliability. By integrating a trusted API, you inherit their expertise, ensuring a stable and high-quality video calling experience for your users.These APIs areoptimized to handle various network conditions, ensuring a smoother communication experience.

Scalability:

A video conferencing API is designed to handle varying levels of user load and traffic. This scalability is crucial as your app or website grows in popularity. The API provider manages the backend infrastructure, allowing your application to seamlessly accommodate an increasing number of users without compromising performance.

Cross-Platform Compatibility:

Many Video Calling APIs are designed to be cross-platform, supporting different operating systems and devices. This ensures that your app or website can offer video calling features to a wide audience, regardless of the device or platform they are using.

Security and Compliance:

Reputable video chat APIs often come with built-in security features, including encryption protocols and compliance with industry standards. This helps in safeguarding sensitive user data and ensuring that your application complies with data protection regulations.

Focus on Core Features:

By utilizing a Video Calling API, your development team can concentrate on the unique and distinguishing features of your application rather than dealing with the complexities of video communication protocols. This allows for a more efficient and streamlined development process.

Customization:

While providing a ready-made solution, Video Calling APIs also offer customization options. Developers can tailor the user interface, integrate specific features, and align the video calling experience with the overall design and branding of the application.

In summary, integrating a video chat API empowers developers to incorporate robust and reliable video communication features into their applications without the burden of building and maintaining the underlying infrastructure, ultimately leading to a more efficient, scalable, and feature-rich user experience.

Top video calling APIs in 2024

In conducting thorough research to identify the top video conferencing APIs, our team embarked on an exhaustive analysis encompassing performance, features, user feedback, and industry trends. We scrutinized technical documentation, explored real-world applications, and considered scalability, security, and ease of integration. Rigorous testing evaluated the APIs’ reliability and adaptability to diverse use cases. User reviews and community discussions provided valuable insights into practical experiences. This meticulous process enabled us to curate a list of the top video chat APIs for 2024, ensuring developers and businesses can make informed decisions based on a comprehensive understanding of each API’s strengths and capabilities.

Agora

Agora video chat API is a strong contender with a vast feature set, scalability, and competitive pricing. The free tier makes it attractive for startups and small projects, while its customization options and global network cater to enterprise-level needs. However, some competitors might offer lower base prices or specific features you might prioritize.

Best Features:

1. Global Network: Agora boasts a robust global network, ensuring low latency and high-quality video calls even with international participants.
2. Scalability: Handles large scale events and concurrent users seamlessly, making it ideal for growing applications.
3. Customization: Offers a wide range of SDKs and tools for various platforms and needs, allowing for deep customization of the video calling experience.
4. Security: Prioritizes security with AES-256 encryption, data masking, and other measures to protect user privacy.
5. Rich Features: Supports various functionalities like screen sharing, recording, noise cancellation, real-time messaging, and more.
6. Free Tier: Offers a generous free tier with 10,000 minutes per month, ideal for testing and small projects.

How much does Agora Video Calling API costs?

Agora uses a Pay-as-you-go model with separate pricing for audio and video minutes. The good thing is that the first 10,000 minutes are free and that too every month. Here’s a breakdown:

Video

• HD Video: $3.99 per 1,000 minutes
• Full HD Video: $8.99 per 1,000 minutes
• Audio: $0.12 per 1,000 minutes

Minutes used	Discount level
100,000 to 499,999	5%
500,000 to 999,999	7%
1,000,000 to 3,000,000	10%

Volume discounts are available for high-usage accounts. Also, custom pricing plans are offered for enterprises with specific needs. You can find a detailed pricing chart and calculator here: https://www.agora.io/en/pricing/

CometChat

CometChat video conferencing API is a good choice for developers who prioritize ease of integration, security, and a range of basic video calling features. The free tier and Essentials plan make it appealing for startups and small projects, while the Pro plan offers advanced functionalities for larger applications. However, its pricing becomes higher for high-usage scenarios compared to some competitors.

Best Features:

1. Easy Integration: Offers multiple integration options, including pre-built UI Kits, SDKs, and APIs, making it quick and simple to add video calling to your app.
2. Security: Employs robust security measures like end-to-end encryption, data security policies, and infrastructure redundancy to protect user data.
3. Flexibility: Supports one-on-one, group, and conference calls with various media formats like audio, video, and screen sharing.
4. Customization: Allows for customization of the video calling experience through branding, UI adjustments, and white labelling options.
5. Compliance: Cometchat boasts of compliance with GDPR, SOC2 and HIPP. It also holds ISO 27001 certification.
6. Additional Features: Includes other functionalities like call recording, moderator tools, live whiteboards, and real-time messaging.

How much does Cometchat Video Calling API costs?

CometChat follows a tiered pricing model with three options:

1. Free: This plan allows up to 25 monthly active users (MAU) and includes core chat features with limited calling functionalities.
2. Essentials: Starts at $109 per month and offers unlimited MAU, advanced chat features, and basic video calling functionalities.
3. Pro: Starts at $529 per month and unlocks all features, including unlimited video minutes, screen sharing, moderator tools, and custom branding.

They also offer custom pricing plans for enterprise-level needs.

You can find a detailed pricing chart and feature comparison at: https://www.cometchat.com/pricing/

Quickblox

Quickblox video conferencing API is a good option for developers looking for a cost-effective solution with peer-to-peer calling and essential features. The free tier and Growth plan cater to startups and small projects, while the Enterprise plan offers flexibility for larger needs. However, some competitors might offer a wider range of features or lower base pricing depending on your requirements.

Best Features:

1. Peer-to-peer calling: Offers direct peer-to-peer connections, minimizing latency and improving video quality, especially for smaller calls.
2. Cross-platform support: Provides SDKs for iOS, Android, and Web, allowing video calling integration into various applications.
3. Security: Utilizes AES-256 encryption and secure signaling to protect user data and privacy.
4. Customization: Enables customization of the video calling experience with UI options and branding tools.
5. Additional features: Supports functionalities like screen sharing, recording, and chat integration for enhanced communication.
6. Low-Latency Communication: Focus on minimizing communication latency for a more natural and real-time user experience.

How much does Quickblox Video Calling API costs?

Quickblox video calling is an add-on to their main pricing plans. Here’s an overview:

1. Basic Plan: This is the free tier with 500 total users with peer to peer video calling. Data retention is for 1 month only.
2. Starter Plan: Targeted at early stage startups this plan starts at $107 per month with a limit of 10,000 users. It has a 3-month data retention limit
3. Growth Plan: Starts at $269 per month with 25,000 total users and includes core chat features and video calling functionalities with data retention of 6 months.
4. Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing for higher user capacity and specific enterprise needs.

Please note that the free tier includes signalling messages as part of the “Storage and traffic” limit. Video calling minutes have separate pricing for exceeding free tier limits.

You can find a detailed pricing chart and feature comparison here at: https://quickblox.com/pricing/

Sinch

Sinch Video Calling API is a good option for developers who need a flexible and scalable solution with a wide range of features. The consumption-based pricing model makes it cost-effective for both small and large projects. However, it may not be the most affordable option for low-usage scenarios.

Best Features:

1. Cross-platform support: Works on iOS, Android, and Javascript, allowing you to add video calling to your app regardless of the platform.
2. Peer-to-peer and server-based calling: Provides both options for optimal performance and flexibility.
3. Codec support: Supports the WebRTC standards of VP8, VP9, and H.264 codecs.
4. Dynamic Resource Allocation: Optimize resource allocation dynamically to ensure efficient usage and performance.
5. Network Quality API: Provide tools for monitoring and assessing network quality to enhance the overall call experience.

How much does Sinch video chat API costs?

Sinch provides different prices for different countries or regions. There is no free tier available. It uses a consumption-based pricing model, where you only pay for the minutes you use. They have not openly displayed the pricing on their website. Instead they ask you to get in touch with them and then based on your requirements they provide the pricing. 

You can find more about their pricing by getting in touch with them at https://www.sinch.com/pricing/

MirrorFly

MirrorFly Video Calling API is a strong contender for its rich feature set, scalability, and flexible pricing options. The free tier and Starter plan make it attractive for startups and small projects, while its advanced features and customization options cater to enterprise-level needs. It is based in India and offers great customer support too.

Best Features:

1. Prebuilt UI kits: Quickly customize the calling interface with your corporate colors and logo and even fonts.
2. No file size restrictions: Boasts of an any size file exchange over a video call feature.
3. Adaptive Bitrate: Auto sets the video quality scanning the network conditions of the connected users.
4. Multiple Solutions: Provides both SaaS and self-hosted deployment options for flexibility and control.
5. Recording and Playback: Enable the recording of video calls for later review, analysis, or archival purposes.

How much does MirrorFly Video Calling API costs?

MirrorFly’s pricing plans are based on monthly active users or MAUs. 

1. 5K users: For 5000 active users MirrorFly charges around $900 per month for all features for up to 7500 minutes. Beyond that they charge $0.0010/minute
2. 10K users: For 10000 active users MirrorFly charges around $1200 per month for all features for up to 7500 minutes. Beyond that they charge $0.0010/minute
3. 20K users: For 20000 active users MirrorFly charges around $1500 per month for all features for up to 7500 minutes. Beyond that they charge $0.0010/minute
4. 30K users: For up to 30000 active users MirrorFly charges around $1800 per month for all features for up to 7500 minutes. Beyond that they charge $0.0010/minute
5. More than 30K users: Custom pricing for high-volume usage and specific enterprise needs. They also offer on-premises solutions with custom pricing.

You can find a detailed pricing chart at: https://www.mirrorfly.com/pricing.php 

Sendbird

SendBird is known for offering a comprehensive suite of communication APIs, including a video chat API. With clients such as Hinge, Reddit and Paytm they have credibility among the industry for providing reliable and scalable services.

Best Features:

1. Worldwide Infrastrucure: Sendbird has multi-region and low-latency cloud infrastructure which ensures clear calls with no lag. 
2. Manageable Metadata: The custom architecture of Sendbird’s APIs allows for custom subject lines, labels, tags or ticket numbers to calls. 
3. Call setup: Allows one to one calling as well as room creation for voice and video calls.
4. Multi feature API: Supports various functionalities like screen sharing, recording, real-time messaging, and noise cancellation.
5. Comprehensive Dashboard: This feature allows for seeing all services in one place, fastens up the integration and analyse call data.

How much does Sendbird Video Calling API costs?

Sendbird uses a tiered pricing model with separate charges for video and chat functionalities. Here’s a breakdown:

Video calling: There is no free tier for video calling. It is all pay as you go. They charge $0.0014 per minute per user for peer to peer sessions. If the video is server-relayed the price is calculated as $0.0035 per minute. If you want cloud recording then you have to pay $0.0059 per minute. For high-volume usage Sendbird offers special discounts.

Chat features:

1. Starter Plan: Starts at $399 per month with basic chat features and up to 100,000 MAUs.
2. Pro Plan: Starts at $599 per month with advanced chat features and up to 100,000 MAUs.
3. Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing for higher user capacity and specific enterprise needs.

You can find a detailed pricing chart and feature comparison at https://www.sendbird.com/pricing 

Stream

GetStream’s video conferencing API offers a robust set of features, security, and compliance, but its pricing might be higher than some alternatives. The custom enterprise plans cater to high-volume needs and specific requirements.

Best Features:

1. Security & Compliance: Meets various regulations like HIPAA, GDPR, and SOC2 for secure interactions.
2. Flexible Permissions: Enables custom roles and moderation tools for managing call experience.
3. Live Audio Transcription: Automatically creates written records of meetings for note-taking.
4. High-Quality SDKs: Provides pre-built UI kits and components for quick integration.
5. DynaScale Optimization: Optimizes video quality automatically based on network conditions.

How much does Getstream Video Calling API costs?

GetStream offers a pay-as-you-go pricing model for their video conferencing API. These are further bifurcated as per the video quality:

• HD: $3.00 per 1,000 minutes
• Full HD: $6.00 per 1,000 minutes
• 2K: $12.00 per 1,000 minutes
• 4K: $24.00 per 1,000 minutes

Pricing is metered per participant, meaning you pay based on the total number of participants in each call, not just the total call duration.

There is a free tier available that includes 66,000 minutes of Full HD video calling per month. Further all tiers get a free credit of $200 per month.

Stream automatically applies a discount on the total amount of usage. Here is a simple table depicting the discounts as per volume.

Minute Volume / Month	List Price Discount
< 100,000	0%
100,000 to 499,999	5%
500,000 to 999,999	10%
1,000,000 to 9,999,999	15%
10,000,000 to 24,999,999	25%
25,000,000 to 49,999,999	35%
50,000,000+	50%

You can find a detailed pricing at https://getstream.io/pricing/ 

Zegocloud

Zegocloud is a recent but powerful player that provides an advanced video calls sdks. Designed to facilitate seamless and immersive real-time communication experiences, Zegocloud’s API is a robust solution for developers and businesses aiming to integrate high-quality video calling functionality into their applications. The API leverages cutting-edge video compression technologies to transmit high-resolution video streams efficiently.

Best Features:

1. Virtual Background: Enhance user privacy and aesthetics by allowing the addition of virtual or blurred backgrounds during video calls.
2. Face Beautification: Offer users the ability to enhance their appearance with skin smoothing and face retouching features, ensuring a polished and professional look.
3. Super-Resolution: Elevate the video streaming experience by dynamically enhancing live videos from low resolution to high resolution, providing users with a superior visual quality.
4. Recording: Enable users to record video streams during calls, facilitating archiving, review, and distribution of important conversations.
5. Call Quality Monitoring: Real-time monitoring of call quality, allowing for immediate identification and resolution of any issues to ensure a smooth communication experience.

How much does Zegocloud Video Calling API costs?

Zegocloud calculates video usage for each user based on aggregate resolution. So it is important to note that they calculate minutes by the number of users rather than by the number of streams. Here is a table that explains their video chat API

Usage Type	Aggregate resolution(px)	Pricing (US$/1,000 participant minutes)
Audio	–	0.99
Video HD	Less than or equal to 921,600 (1280 × 720)	3.99
Video Full HD	From greater than 921,600 (1280 × 720) to 2,073,600 (1920 × 1080)	8.99
Video 2K	From greater than 2,073,600 (1920 × 1080) to 3,686,400 (2560 × 1440)	15.99
Video 4K	From greater than 3,686,400 (2560 × 1440) to 8,847,360 (4096 × 2160)	35.99

For more information on their pricing structure visit: https://www.zegocloud.com/pricing/product-list#video-call and here is a simple price calculator to estimate your costs for Zegocloud

Jitsi

Jitsi stands as a collection of open-source initiatives designed to streamline the creation and deployment of secure video conferencing solutions. Central to the Jitsi suite are Jitsi Videobridge and Jitsi Meet, pivotal components facilitating seamless online conferences. Beyond these core elements, the collaborative efforts within the Jitsi community encompass additional projects, extending functionalities such as audio management, dial-in capabilities, recording, and simulcasting, thereby providing a comprehensive and versatile platform for various conferencing needs.

Jitsi offers two ways to integrate video calling into your application:

1. Jitsi Meet API: An iframe-based solution ideal for simple integration. Embed a pre-built video conferencing experience directly into your app with minimal coding.
2. Jitsi Videobridge2 (JVB2) API: A more customizable, RESTful API allowing deeper integration and control over the video calling experience.

Best Features:

1. Open-source: Free and transparent codebase for customization and trust.
2. Scalable: Can handle large-scale meetings with thousands of participants.
3. Secure: Uses WebRTC with encryption for secure communication.
4. Cross-platform: Works on web, mobile, and desktop devices.

Jitsi Meet API:

• Easy integration: Just add a script and configure options.
• Pre-built features: Includes screen sharing, chat, recording, and more.
• Limited customization: UI and branding adjustments are restricted.

JVB2 API:

• Highly customizable: Design your own UI and branding.
• Advanced features: Access lower-level functionalities like participant management and media control.
• More complex integration: Requires additional development effort.

Pricing:

• Jitsi Meet API: Free to use with no hidden costs.
• JVB2 API: Technically free as open-source, but you might need to set up and maintain your own server infrastructure, incurring potential costs. Cloud-based deployments are also available from third-party providers, which may charge fees.

Jitsi as a Service:

JaaS is a managed service offering built on top of the open-source Jitsi Videobridge2 (JVB2) API. It handles server infrastructure, scalability, security, and maintenance, allowing you to focus on building your custom video conferencing experiences. JaaS is ideal for businesses seeking a managed, scalable, and feature-rich video conferencing solution. However, if you have limited budget, technical expertise, and require basic functionality, the free Jitsi Meet API might suffice.  

Pricing:

JaaS offers three pre-defined pricing plans with varying monthly costs and included features:

1. Dev: Free plan with limited user base (25 monthly active users) and basic features like screen sharing, recording, and chat.
2. Basic: Starts at $99 per month for 300 monthly active users and includes additional features like breakout rooms, live streaming, and vanity URLs.
3. Standard: Starts at $499 per month for 1,500 monthly active users and offers advanced features like custom branding, API access, and priority support.
4. Business: Custom pricing for high-volume usage (3,000+ monthly active users) with tailored features and dedicated account management.

All plans include unlimited meeting minutes and global data centers for high availability. Pay-as-you-go options are available for exceeding included minutes in paid plans. Additional features like dial-out calls, white-labeling, and enterprise-grade security require custom quotes.

Comparison to JITSI Meet API:

Benefits of JaaS:

• Managed service eliminates server management and maintenance needs.
• Advanced features and customization options not available in Jitsi Meet API.
• Scalability and security tailored for business use cases.

Conclusion

The world of video call APIs is brimming with possibilities, promising seamless integration into your app or website. Selecting the “right” API hinges on understanding your specific needs and evaluating key factors like ease of use, future-proofing, and live streaming capabilities. At the same time the evolution of video conferencing APIs is relentless. Expect advancements in artificial intelligence, like real-time translation and sentiment analysis, to reshape communication further. Additionally, interoperability between APIs will facilitate seamless transitions between platforms, fostering a more connected ecosystem. Choosing the right video conferencing API is an investment in the future of your application. By prioritising ease of use, embracing collaborative features, and exploring live streaming possibilities, you can ensure your solution remains relevant and adaptable in the ever-evolving landscape of video communication. Remember, careful consideration of your specific needs and a forward-thinking approach are key to unlocking the full potential of video calling APIs.