20 Best Zoom SDK Alternatives for 2024

Prasad Lingawar -

If there is anything that resembles a SaaS fairytale, Zoom’s growth probably is.

During the pandemic, when people stopped going outside, Zoom offered a way to stay connected with family, friends, and colleagues. The daily Zoom users exploded to 300M daily users in 2020 (from 10M in 2019). But the classic Zoom client — the one where you need to download the Zoom app to join a meeting couldn’t serve all the incoming use cases. In comes Zoom Video SDK.

The SDK offered a way for application developers to add live video to their app powered by Zoom’s servers without the classic Zoom client’s user interface.

While the SDK offers great reliability, it is not without some serious shortcomings. Let's look at some of the shortcomings of Zoom SDK.

Shortcomings of Zoom

Let’s give the credit where it is due. Zoom is a user-friendly video calling application SDK that does the job decently. This is designed for business meetings, and if you use it for that purpose, you will have most of the “must-have” features you need. The audio/video quality is not bad either.

However, in the case of Zoom, being good enough stops it from being great. On top of that, there are some serious shortcomings.

  • Zoom is specifically designed for business communication. Therefore you may miss out on some important features if you are using it for a different purpose. For example, Zoom’s whiteboard doesn’t expand. During Zoom classes, that can become an annoying distraction.
  • There are simply no ways to integrate interactivity into the live experience. Yes, you get screen share, chat, and whiteboard [chargable], but that's it. No polls, no reactions, and no AR/VR features.
  • Based on user reviews, audio/video quality dwindles as the number of participants increases.
  • Zoom SDK on mobile and web is extremely resource intensive compared to any other SDK available in the market. It eats up a huge amount of CPU, memory, and bandwidth. It can be a big problem if your/ one of your attendee’s devices doesn’t have great hardware configuration or fast internet.
  • Oh, and did we mention the lackluster support? You’re in for a surprise if you’re an agile development team. Expect slow replies and the expectation to pay hefty amounts to get a basic level of support.

What to look for in an ideal Zoom SDK alternative

If any of Zoom’s flaws prove to be deal breakers for you, you need an alternative. Consider the following factors to find the best SDK for you. Please note this is not an exhaustive list but something to get you started.

  • Integration: Consider exploring SDKs that offer open APIs, extensive documentation, and reference code. In this way, you will be able to embed it in your app quickly.
  • Security: Do you intend to exchange trade secrets/ confidential organizational information via video calls? Check if the live video SDK abides by SoC 2 certification. Also, read the user agreement to know how the SDK company handles user data.
  • Customizability: You should be able to build completely custom live experiences using the SDK. But don’t be okay with that. Expect the SDK provider to offer pre-build UI components and sample code to make building the user experience easier [and faster].
  • Collaborative features: Waiting rooms, chat, polling, embedded browser, whiteboards – some features are “must-haves” for a seamless video calling experience. Ideally, any SDK worth consideration should offer all the necessary features.
  • Support: Building live inside your app is a complicated endeavor — you should be able to get in touch with the SDK maker to get your doubts clarified at a moment's notice. Expect multi-channel, 24*7 support.
  • Light-weight SDK: Look for the SDK that doesn’t significantly add to the download size of your application or web app — making it easy for users with any data connection speed to interact with it.

The Top 20 best Zoom SDK Alternatives

If you are reading this article, you may have lost hope on Zoom. Or maybe you want to explore other video conferencing SDK alternatives.

Either way, this article will provide you features, limitations and pricing for Top 20 Zoom SDK Alternatives like Dyte, Mux, Agora, Vonage Video, Twilio Video, EnableX, Whereby, Jitsi, Daily, AWS Chime, ApiRTC, MirrorFly, 100ms, Be.Live, PubNub, Sinch, Digital Samba, Sendbird, Vidyo and Mesibo

  1. Dyte
  2. Mux
  3. Agora
  4. Vonage Video
  5. Twilio Video
  6. EnableX
  7. Whereby
  8. Jitsi
  9. Daily
  10. AWS Chime
  11. ApiRTC
  12. MirrorFly
  13. 100ms
  14. Be.Live
  15. PubNub
  16. Sinch
  17. Digital Samba
  18. Sendbird
  19. Vidyo
  20. Mesibo

Let's dive into the world of live video-calling experiences and explore some of the top-notch Zoom SDK alternatives.

Dyte

“We wanted to bring a video-based interaction with users on our platform. Dyte checked all the right boxes for us!” –Sairee Chahal, Founder & CEO, Mahila Money

Let's talk about Dyte, another great replacement for Zoom SDK. Dyte offers high customizability, all the required collaborative features, and a low-code experience.

However, two of its biggest advantages are:

It makes live video integration into your application too easy. Just a few lines of code and you can enjoy the full potential of Dyte's Video calling and live streaming tech.

Dyte SDK has smart bandwidth Switching and auto-track management. With these, the Dyte SDK automatically maintains video/audio quality even when the connection is poor or different devices are used during the streaming.

It can be a game changer for many users looking for video calling /live streaming SDKs. You don't have to write/modify walls of code, and neither have to worry in case some of your app users have poor connectivity.

With that said, if you are really fond of taking this in your hand, Dyte has flexible options.

Dyte in short:

Dyte SDK automatically handles audio and video management. Even in the case of poor connection, Dyte SDK adjusts to ensure the viewers/attendees enjoy a great experience. You don't have to temper the code to make necessary changes.

  • The prebuilt UI kit components allow you to determine how the video would look or feel. You can change colors, add brand icons and make any UI changes.
  • You can stream to 10k viewers with ease on Dyte-powered web apps.
  • Dyte analytics offer detailed reports on participant engagement and interaction, helping you improve your streaming experience.
  • Dyte arms with all the interactive features you can think of - Expandable whiteboards, chat, polling, embedded browser, Screenshare, and many more. On top of that, you can add more features (or connect to other applications) with Dyte's integration gallery. Dyte SDK fits your daily to daily app eco-systems easily because of these integrations.
  • Dyte SDK supports:
    Mobile: Flutter, Android (Java/Kotlin), iOS (Objective-C/Swift), React Native
    Web: Javascript Core SDK + UI Kit for React JS, Angular, Web Components for everything else
    Desktop: Electron

Dyte pricing:

With Dyte, you can enjoy 10,000 free minutes per month. Afterward, the product price starts at $0.004 per user per minute, recording costs $0.010 per minute, and RTMP stands at $0.015 per minute.

Here's a detailed comparison between Zoom and Dyte SDKs.

MUX

Mux is a Zoom SDK alternative used to add a live video experience to your application. Mux offers separate SDKs for video, data (read performance analytics), and Mux web video player.

As you can guess, having separate APIs for different functions offers high flexibility [but makes it that much harder to integrate].

However, one big downside of MUX is that it doesn’t offer any collaborative tools out of the box — meaning you’ll have to integrate even more services into your app to get things like chat, screen share, and more running.

Mux in short:

  • Mux API makes going live pretty convenient. Embed MUX API give your users a reusable stream key, and they can go live at any time.
  • Faster encoding converts live videos while streaming. It slashes the time required for transcoding. Your videos are ready for watching almost right after you end streaming.
  • The support is pretty slow, and you can expect delays in replies – which hurts the most when starting to build live.
  • The SDK offers no in-built support to help you manage video call disruptions or to manage the publish-subscribe logic of meeting users.

Mux pricing:

Mux's "Pay as you go" strategy starts you off with $20. Then you pay:

  • $32 per 1,000 minutes for encoding.
  • $0.240 per 1,000 minutes for storage.
  • 0.96 per 1,000 minutes for live streaming.

Custom plans are available for large-volume consumption.

Agora

Video calling/live streaming features can increase your app engagement. And Agora is an option to consider while searching for the right video-streaming SDK.

First and foremost, Agora offers separate SDKs for video calling, voice, chat, interactive live streaming, and real-time messaging—meaning you need to sit and integrate 10s of SDKs and services to build a basic live video in your app.

Agora in short:

  • Agora offers separate SDKs for video calling, audio calling, text messaging, and whiteboard.
  • Video calling SDK comes with a basic UI kit. With this UI kit, you can customize your app interface, add logos and play with colors.
  • Android, iOS, Windows, Web, Electron, React Native, Unity, and Flutter – all are supported by Agora SDKs. However, the UI kit isn’t available on windows and Electron.
  • Some users complain about Agora’s documentation. It doesn’t cover everything a developer needs, and sometimes the Dev has to do some improvisation.
  • Lackluster support is another point of pain. Support improves with high-tier plans, but those are expensive (starting from $1200/month)
  • Adding to the fire: the tool doesn’t automatically manage user bandwidth in case their network goes bust—leaving them with a blank screen.

Agora Pricing:

Agora offers 10,000 free minutes per month.

After that, an audio call costs $0.99/1000 user minutes, a full HD video call comes at $8.99/1000 user minutes, and $1.40/1000 user minutes for the Whiteboard feature.

Advanced features are billed separately, such as the standard Agora analytics plan that costs $149/month.

Agora support has four plans: starter (free), standard ($1200/month), premium ($2999/month), and enterprise ($4900/month). However, the starter plan may feel underwhelming compared to the paid plans.

If you're interested in delving deeper, we've written a comprehensive article on Agora pricing that provides an in-depth analysis.

Vonage

The next entry on this list is Vonage (previously known as OpenTok) video SDK. It's built based on WebRTC standards and comes with a couple of interactive features. If your needs involve fewer people calls but high-priority audio calls/audio conferences, Vonage SDK is a great option.

Vonage in short:

  • With your app built on Vonage video SDK, you can add up to 25 users. So if you’re planning large video conferences (medium size classes, for example), Vonage isn’t the choice you pick.
  • Vonage stacks up pretty well when it comes to collaborative features. It offers chat, a whiteboard, Google calendar compatibility, emojis, and many other features. You can also access performance data through the "Detailed Meeting Log" feature.
  • You can store records for up to 15 hours of meetings only.
  • And each live video room can only support 55 participants per call.
  • Some video conferencing applications annoyingly ask attendees to download the application first. Thankfully, Vonage isn’t one of them. Your attendees can join by clicking on the meeting link.

Vonage Video Pricing:

So, the basic plan starts at $9.99 per month and includes 2000 free minutes. Once you cross the usage limit, it'll cost you $0.00395 per minute per user.

If you want to save your video recordings, you pay $0.0125 per minute at minimum.

You also pay extra for advanced features like the Advanced Insights API or an Allowed IP list. This extra cost can go in the $1500-$5000 per month range.

Learn more about Vonage Video pricing here.

Twilio Video

When it comes to VoIP calls and SmS, Twilio shines bright. However, the brand is no slouch either when it comes to offering video calling tech.

Twilio offers multiple SDKs for voice, Video, the Internet of things, and other functions. You can pick SDKs of your choice and build your app with them or add extra communication channels to existing apps.

Twilio in short:

  • Twilio SDKs are compatible with iOS, Android, and Web platforms. Therefore video/audio quality would be the same across various devices and browsers.
  • You need to manually code in user publish-subscribe logic inside the application when setting up Twilio. This may require 100s of lines of code.
  • The Twilio video SDK supports up to 50 people.
  • Twilio has limited plugin options, so integrating with other applications may require some extra work. However, this is to be expected from a developer-focused platform like Twilio.
  • Currently, Twilio no longer offers any live-streaming SDK.

Twilio Video pricing:

Twilio offers a free plan for 1-to-1 video applications. For anything more than 1-to-1 video calling, you need to purchase the "standard plan".The standard plan costs $0.004 per participant per minute and $0.01 per composed minute for recording composition. Standard plan users receive 10GB of free storage and pay $0.00167 per GB per day for additional space.

Twilio provides various support plans. The basic plan is free but has limited support. The Business Plan costs $1500/month or 6% of total spending, and the "Personalized" Plan is priced at $5000/month, the highest tier.

Read more about Twilio Video pricing and checkout this feature wise comparision between Twilio vs Zoom.
In December 2023, Twilio announced that it's sunsetting Twilio Video, so if you are looking for a replacement, here's a handy list of Twilio Video alternatives. Also compare Dyte vs Twilio and experience better features, capabilities, and faster development cycles. You can Migrate from Tiwlio Video and go live with a week

EnableX

Enablex offers multiple SDKs for video conferencing, voice, video UI, SMS, virtual numbers, and Face AI. You can use video SDK for adding video conferencing and use custom UI SDK for customizing. Other SDKs can be included based on your requirements. Again—this is good and bad depending on your team size and the time left to get your product out to the market.

EnableX in short:

  • Video API has tons of features to make your video meetings more engaging and productive. You can use Whiteboard, Live recording, Co-browsing, Screen-share, and Live analytics. Plus, up to 500 people can join during the video meetings.
  • You can control user access and, by extension, security with features like Moderated Entry, Room lock, Floor access control, and viewer role. All video/audio signals are also encrypted.
  • The SDK supports only a couple of coding languages - Javascript, PHP, Python — leaving you hanging dry if you don’t use these.
  • The support team can take upto 72 hours to respond to your help request.
  • The SDK doesn’t optimize users’ video incase they face device or network issues.

EnableX pricing:

EnableX charges $0.004 per participant per minute for a room of up to 50 people. If your video meetings have more than 50+ attendees, you'll need to ask for a custom price.

Recording and storage will cost you $0.01 per participant per minute and $0.05 per GB per month for storage. If you want your video to be encrypted, there's an additional $500 per month charge.

Whereby

If you are tired of Zoom’s limitations and potential security issues, Whereby can be another alternative to try. It’s simple to use, reliable, and, most importantly, doesn’t store user data.

Whereby in short:

Whereby offers basic collaborative features: Whiteboards (powered by Miro), Live chat, user roles (host, participants, viewers), waiting rooms, live streaming, and many more.

  • Video conferencing sessions can support up to only 200 participants. And you can’t stream the video out to other channels via RTMP or HLS output.
  • Whereby allows you basic customization options to modify the user interface.
  • iOS, Android, React Native, and Web- Whereby API covers a wide range of platforms.
  • Whereby is too simple. Leading power users and developers wanting for more. Plus it’s super limited in the free plan.

Whereby pricing:

The Explore plan is available for free, but it comes with limited features. The Build plan, however, costs $9.99 per month and includes 2000 participant minutes every month. You need to purchase them at the rate of $0.004 per minute once the 2000 participant minute limit is crossed. Also, cloud recording is priced at $0.01 per minute.

Jitsi

Jitsi, hands down, is one of the most polarizing entries on this list. It’s basically a collection of multiple open-source projects for different aspects of video conferencing. Therefore, Jitsi is perfect for skilled Devs who love to build applications from scratch. For other user segments, it might feel a bit complicated.

Two of the most prominent projects of the Jitsi are:

Jitsi Meet: A WebRTC-based javascript application that relies on the Jitsi videobridge to make video conferences possible. Without Jitsi videobridge, all Jitsi Meet streams are peer-to-peer. Therefore the more participants you have, the more each client has to work.

Jitsi videobridge: Jitsi videobridge is a WebRTC-supported, XMPP server component that bundles and then runs very high numbers of video streams from a single server.

In other words, Jitsi Videobridge ensures participants with lower-end devices still get good video quality. However, it also consumes a lot of bandwidth though.

Jitsi in short:

  • Jitsi is open-source. You are free to modify, change and use it in any way you want.
  • You will get essential features like text sharing via Etherpad, Locking a room, text chatting (web only), Raising hands, Youtube video access during the call, audio-only calls, and third-party app integrations.
  • Some Features like screen sharing, video/audio call recording, and telephone dial-in to a conference are not available in Jitsi meet. However, you can get those by setting up Jibri and JIgsai (other projects under Jitsi).
  • Jitsi, simply put, isn’t for users looking for low-code, instant-deployment-ready SDKs. You need to write codes while setting up.
  • Video calls are end-to-end encrypted, but chat or polls are not.
  • As mentioned before, the SFU architecture of Jitsi Videobridge reduces resource strain on client devices. However, it can consume a high amount of data.
  • The absence of some features, such as “raising hand” and “file sharing,” disappoints many Jitsi users.
  • Jitsi has received 4.3 stars out of 5 on G2.

Jitsi Pricing:

Jitsi is free. You can use any project under Jitsi at any time. However, there is no dedicated tech support. You need to rely on community support.

Daily

Daily is another Zoom SDK alternative if you want a video calling solution with live streaming capabilities. The Daily SDK gets you the basic features for video calling.

The Daily SDK is for building any custom application from zero and/or adding video streaming capacity to the application. It supports Flutter, iOS, Android, Web, and React Native platforms.

Daily in short:

  • Breakout rooms, Live transcriptions, audio/video recordings, whiteboard, and chat– Daily Prebuilt hands you the basic set of features to get video calling experiences going.
  • APIs are available for Javascript, Flutter, iOS, and Android platforms.
  • You can keep a tab on call performance and user engagement by examining logs and analytics.
  • Pricing is one of the downsides of Daily. It is not a great option for businesses with limited cash to pour on a video calling SDK. If video calling is just a “nice-to-have” addition to your app, there are other affordable alternatives available.
  • Support can take upto 72 hours to resolve your issues. Leaving you hanging dry.
  • The tool can’t manage users’ live video interactions on its own. You need to manually code publish-subscribe logic to it.

Daily pricing:

The first 10000 mins are free. Once you spend it, you pay :

  1. $.004/per min per user for video.
  2. $0.0012/per min per user for interactive live streaming.
  3. $0.01349/per min per user for cloud recordings.
  4. $0.0099/per min per user for audio-only.

There are several support packages available:

  1. The free package comes with only email and chat support. You might have to wait sometime before your issues get resolved.
  2. Advanced support comes at $250/month.
  3. Premium support costs $1900/month
  4. Enterprise support is $3900/month.

Amazon Chime SDK

Amazon Chime is Amazon’s answer to Zoom’s domination in the video conferencing industry. To put it in an over-simplified way, it allows users to connect with others via video calls, audio calls, and text messaging.

Amazon Chime SDK is the tech behind Amazon Chime but without its shell. By adding this SDK, you add all the features and benefits to your application.

Amazon Chime SDK in short:

Amazon Chime SDK allows just 25 participants (if participants are on mobile, then 50) to join a video meeting.

  • Your application can upload multiple versions of the video stream thanks to the simulcast. In other words, your video quality remains consistent across various devices and networks.
  • Amazon Chime SDK encrypts all calls, videos, and chats.
  • It lacks some useful features like polling, auto-sync with Google Calendar, and background blur effects.
  • It doesn’t work well in a Linux environment.
  • Based on user reviews, Chime faces some difficulties if the participants use the Safari browser.

Amazon Chime SDK pricing:

Amazon Chime SDK comes with three different pricing plans:

  1. The Basic plan is free. But it is limited to one-to-one video meetings and some basic chat options.
  2. With the Plus plan, you unlock some more useful features, such as screen sharing and remote desktop control. It comes at $2.5/month per user.
  3. The pro plan is the highest-tier plan. You unlock everything Amazon Chime has to offer with this one. Price: $15/month.

ApiRTC

ApiRTC is a cloud-based WebRTC API platform that provides real-time communication features for application developers. It allows for the integration of video, voice, and chat functionalities into applications. Its capabilities are standard and good for a company looking for a basic solution.

ApiRTC in short

  • Real-time communication: video, audio, and text
  • Screen sharing capability
  • File transfer
  • Whiteboard functionality
  • Multi-party conference calls
  • May require technical expertise to integrate
  • Limited customization options compared to some competitors
  • No built-in analytics features

ApiRTC Pricing

ApiRTC offers a range of pricing plans starting from $71 per month, with a 20% discount for annual subscriptions. They also have a free version and offer a free trial for potential users to explore their features. Their paid plans typically include 1,000 minutes per month, 10K chat messages, and the capacity for 50 simultaneous connected users. The features offered include voice, video, and chat API, as well as conferencing API. Additional storage can also be purchased according to user needs.

MirrorFly

Mirrorfly is a chat and messaging SDK and API provider. It offers a range of basic features including one-on-one messaging, group chats, and push notifications. While it does provide the essentials for in-app communication, it doesn't offer much in the way of advanced or standout features. The platform does include some customization options and is a fairly standard option that serves its purpose.

MirrorFly in short

  • Real-time chat
  • Video and voice calls
  • Screen sharing
  • File sharing
  • Push notifications
  • Customization may require a learning curve
  • Not as straightforward to implement as some competitors

MirrorFly pricing

Mirrorfly's video SDK pricing varies based on the chosen plan, starting around $299 per month, making it premium pricing for a basic solution. However, they also offer lifetime free chat SDKs, providing a cost-effective solution for businesses focusing on chat functionalities. The final cost may depend on specific requirements, usage, and additional features needed. Users should consider their needs and budget before choosing Mirrorfly.

100ms

100ms is a provider of video communication SDKs and APIs. It offers basic functionalities such as live video, screen sharing, and real-time messaging. While it does cover the essentials for in-app communication, it doesn't necessarily stand out with any unique or advanced features. It's a straightforward solution that gets the job done, but doesn't necessarily exceed expectations.

100ms in short

  • Low latency live video
  • Interactive video
  • Recording and playback
  • Screen sharing
  • Background noise cancellation
  • Limited third-party integrations
  • Limited advanced features: 100ms provides basic video communication capabilities, but may lack more advanced or innovative features that other platforms offer.
  • Customization restrictions: While some level of customization is possible, it might not be as flexible or extensive as what other platforms provide.
  • Learning curve: Users may find the platform somewhat complex to navigate initially.
  • Integrations: It may not integrate seamlessly with all types of software or systems.
  • There could be limitations in the level of customer support or technical assistance provided.

100ms Pricing

100ms has a unique pricing model based on usage, with costs incurred per participant and minute. For conferencing, after the initial 10,000 minutes included, the price is $0.004 per minute per participant. As for recording, after the first 300 minutes included, it's $0.0135 per minute. They also offer two different pricing editions, starting from $99. However, the exact cost may vary depending on the specific requirements and usage of the customer. It's also worth noting that they do offer a free trial, allowing potential users to test out the platform before committing to a paid plan.

Be.Live

Be.Live is a live streaming platform, a rather basic alternative to Zoom SDK. It's designed for users who prefer simplicity over advanced features. With Be.Live, you can broadcast directly to social media platforms, but don't expect much in terms of customization or advanced conferencing capabilities. It's more about casual live streaming and less about complex video solutions. So, if you're looking for a tool that's more about engaging with your audience on social media, Be.Live could be an option.

Be.Live in short

  • Live streaming on multiple platforms
  • On-screen comments
  • Custom branding
  • Multi-camera support
  • Screen sharing
  • Lack of Advanced Customization: Be.Live doesn't offer the same level of customization options that some other Video SDKs do. This can limit its use in more complex applications.
  • Limited Video Conferencing Features: Be.Live may not have all the advanced video conferencing features that are typically found in comprehensive Video SDKs like Zoom or Agora.
  • Integration Limitations: While Be.Live allows streaming to multiple social media platforms, it might not offer the seamless integration capabilities of some dedicated Video SDKs.
  • Quality Variations: The quality of streaming and video resolution with Be.Live can vary based on factors such as internet speed and hardware capabilities.

Be.Live Pricing

Be.Live video SDK offers a variety of pricing plans to meet diverse needs. There are four editions from a free trial to $55 per month. Each plan comes with its own set of features and benefits, allowing users to choose what best fits their budget and requirements. The service also provides free storage up to 200 GB, free streaming minutes up to 100,000 per month, and free short video views up to 500,000 per month. Be.Live's basic live stream software plan is approximately 23% cheaper than the average cost in the market, coming in at roughly $15.46 per month. A 7-day free trial is available with no credit card required.

PubNub

PubNub Video SDK is a software development kit designed for incorporating real-time video into applications. It offers features such as multi-party calls, video recording, and screen sharing, which can be utilized in various sectors like telehealth, education, and social media. Known for its scalability, it provides low latency and reliable connections. However, like any technology, it's essential to evaluate whether its encryption and compliance features meet your specific security needs. As with all such tools, its suitability will depend on the specific requirements of your project.

PubNub in short

  • Real-time messaging
  • Presence detection
  • Push notifications
  • Access control
  • Data stream network
  • API requests can be throttled if Requests Per Second (RPS) exceed 25. This could limit the speed of data transfer in high-demand situations.
  • The file-sharing capability is capped at 5 MB, which might be insufficient for larger files or high-resolution video content.
  • It does not guarantee that messages will be delivered to subscribers in the order they were sent, which might cause issues in certain applications.
  • There are limitations in fetching historical messages from one channel using the getHistory() method.
  • There's a queue limit of 100 messages. Some messages may be lost if more than 100 messages are published while a device is disconnected.
  • It has limited language support and lacks certain advanced features, which might limit its usability for complex projects.

PubNub Pricing

PubNub operates on a pay-as-you-go model, with prices varying based on usage. PubNub has a free tier that supports up to 200 Monthly Active Users (MAU) or 1 million total transactions per month. Paid plans start at $49 per month for users who need more MAUs or transactions. For sharing files and images over the PubNub network, the company charges $0.50 per GB after the first 10 gigabytes.

Sinch

The Sinch Video SDK offers developers a comprehensive toolkit for integrating high-quality video capabilities into their applications. Providing features like real-time video calling, screen sharing, and multimedia messaging. While Sinch Video SDK boasts impressive functionality, developers should carefully evaluate its suitability for their specific project requirements and consider alternative solutions to ensure the best fit for their development needs.

Sinch in short

  1. Facilitates real-time app-to-app and app-to-phone communication.
  2. Is compatible across different devices and operating systems.
  3. Adjusts quality based on network conditions for optimal performance.
  4. Enables calls to regular phone numbers, extending reach beyond app users.
  5. Supports communication across multiple channels for enhanced engagement.
  6. Offers resources for easy integration and effective utilization of SDK features.
  7. Offers limited customization options, which might not meet the needs of all projects or businesses looking for a more tailored solution.
  8. There are reports of poor customer support experiences, with some users finding the support team unhelpful.
  9. While offering cross-platform support, there may be stricter limitations and requirements imposed by certain platforms, affecting functionality.

Sinch Pricing

Sinch SDK pricing options include a free tier for lower usage levels, like 0-2500 minutes/month, ideal for startups. For pricing above that, it is recommended to get in touch with their sales team.

Digital Samba

Digital Samba provides a Video SDK designed for incorporating video conferencing capabilities into applications and websites. This toolkit is suitable for developers and businesses looking to enrich their digital offerings with real-time communication functions. It allows for customizable and scalable video conferencing solutions for virtual meetings, webinars, telehealth, and online education.

Digital Samba in Short

  • The SDK is designed to work across various platforms and devices, offering a consistent user experience whether on desktop, tablet, or mobile.
  • Whiteboard is available
  • Users can screen-sharing
  • Digital Samba's customization options have limits in aligning the video conferencing interface with specific business identities, affecting user experience consistency.
  • Some industries may find Digital Samba features irrelevant, leading to underutilization of capabilities.
  • Businesses operating in highly regulated sectors (such as healthcare or finance) might find that achieving compliance with industry-specific privacy and security regulations requires extra effort when implementing Digital Samba's solutions, adding layers of complexity to deployment.
  • The performance of Digital Samba's video conferencing can vary by location, impacting international operations.
  • Timely support from Digital Samba is crucial for businesses relying on real-time communication.

Digital Samba Pricing

Digital Samba's Video SDK offers a simple pricing structure. The Create plan, at €99/month, is ideal for large video conferences and provides flexibility. Users get 10,000 free minutes monthly to test features before subscribing. Customized pricing is available for tailored needs.

Sendbird

Sendbird offers an SDK for adding video calling functionality to your app. It competes with established players in the space and provides features like one-on-one calls and potential integration with live streaming. While marketed for ease of use, a thorough evaluation is recommended to assess its fit for your project's specific needs.

Sendbird in short

  • Positive remarks about customer service suggest that users can expect reliable support when needed
  • It claims to handle large number of concurrent users
  • Sendbird currently lacks the ability to display avatars during video calls, which can feel impersonal compared to competitors offering this feature.
  • User documentation might be less intuitive than ideal, potentially leading to a more complex integration process.

Sendbird Pricing

The Starter plan starts at $399/month for businesses with up to 5,000 monthly active users, offering essential messaging features, basic moderation, and ticketed support. API costs increase with user numbers, ranging from $0.05 per active user. Voice calls start at $0.0010 and video calls at $0.0014. Livestreaming plans range from $0.0037 to $0.0059. Apps with under 200 MAUs can use the API for free, while custom plans are an option for specific requirements.

Vidyo

Vidyo Video SDK provides developers with tools to integrate video communication into their applications across different devices and network conditions. It claims to prioritizes adaptability for smooth video calls in varying bandwidth situations.

Vidyo in short

  1. The VidyoClient SDK offers the same APIs across all supported platforms, which streamlines the development process and shortens the learning curve for developers working on different device types
  2. Clams to deliver custom, high-quality, real-time video communication
  3. Features such as multi-party audio and video conferencing, group chat, and application sharing are highlighted, supporting a variety of collaborative work scenarios
  4. Despite consistent APIs across platforms, integrating and leveraging all features effectively may take significant time.
  5. While scalable in design, the actual performance and costs of scaling up for a large number of users may not meet project expectations or budget constraints.
  6. In global deployments with participants from diverse locations, managing latency for synchronous communication can be challenging, impacting real-time interaction.
  7. This analysis provides a balanced view of Vidyo's video SDK capabilities using information from various online sources.

Vidyo Pricing

The Vidyo Video SDK costs ranges from $0.0006 per minute for audio to $0.003 to $0.007 per minute for various video quality. For comprehensive details on packages or volume discounts, direct consultation with the provider is recommended.

Mesibo

Mesibo offers a video calling SDK for embedding real-time video chat into your application. It positions itself as a secure and reliable solution with features like group calls and data encryption. While user-friendly, consider evaluating Mesibo against established players to assess if it aligns with your project's specific needs and security requirements.

Mesibo Pricing

  • Supports multiple languages
  • Offers plugins like whiteboard
  • Claims have ease of integration
  • Offers Voice and Video call functionality
  • Limited features and advanced capabilities
  • Customer support depends on the usage and plan that you are on
  • Complex documentation
  • Depending on the use case and deployment, performance experiences can vary, affecting real-time communication quality.

Mesibo Pricing

Mesibo Video SDK has a pay-as-you-go pricing model, starting with $50 free credits upon sign-up Beyond that, it is depending on the usage. It's best to get in touch with their team for detailed and specific pricing

In conclusion

Zoom’s notorious reputation as a “not-so” secure application, questionable privacy policies, and lack of features that you want– if you don’t want to use zoom anymore, you always have options.

Dyte is one of those options that can never go wrong. First, it lets you build your live video applications with a few lines of code. It also automatically manages bandwidth and other resources so that your users always get the best video/audio quality. And it’s secure (SoC2 compliant).

If you want to give it a go, book a demo here.

In case you are fed up with Zoom's video conferencing and want to explore better alternatives out there - do check out Zoom alternatives.