What Are the Disadvantages of WebRTC in 2025? Full Guide for Developers

Introduction to WebRTC and Its Growing Adoption

Understanding WebRTC Architecture

What Are the Disadvantages of WebRTC?

Scalability Issues in WebRTC

1// Example: Integrating an SFU for scalable WebRTC
2const pc = new RTCPeerConnection({
3    iceServers: [{ urls: 'stun:stun.l.google.com:19302' }]
4});
5// Connect to SFU signaling server
6const sfuSocket = new WebSocket('wss://your-sfu.example.com');
7sfuSocket.onmessage = (msg) => {
8    const data = JSON.parse(msg.data);
9    if (data.sdp) {
10        pc.setRemoteDescription(new RTCSessionDescription(data.sdp));
11        // Respond with local SDP
12        pc.createAnswer().then(answer => {
13            pc.setLocalDescription(answer);
14            sfuSocket.send(JSON.stringify({ sdp: answer }));
15        });
16    }
17};
18

Security Concerns: End-to-End Encryption and Data Privacy

1// Secure WebRTC peer connection with enforced DTLS-SRTP
2const pc = new RTCPeerConnection({
3    iceServers: [/* ... */],
4    sdpSemantics: 'unified-plan'
5});
6pc.oniceconnectionstatechange = () => {
7    if (pc.iceConnectionState === 'connected') {
8        // Media is encrypted using DTLS-SRTP
9        console.log('Secure connection established');
10    }
11};
12

Network and Connectivity Challenges

1// TURN server configuration example
2const pc = new RTCPeerConnection({
3    iceServers: [
4        {
5            urls: 'turn:turn.example.com:3478',
6            username: 'user',
7            credential: 'pass'
8        }
9    ]
10});
11

Browser Compatibility and Fragmentation

Customization and Feature Limitations

Reliability and Call Quality Issues

1// Reconnection logic for dropped WebRTC calls
2function attemptReconnection(pc, signaling) {
3    if (pc.iceConnectionState === 'disconnected' || pc.iceConnectionState === 'failed') {
4        signaling.restartIce();
5        console.log('Attempting to reconnect...');
6    }
7}
8pc.oniceconnectionstatechange = () => attemptReconnection(pc, signaling);
9

Use Cases Where WebRTC Disadvantages Are Most Impactful

• Enterprise video conferencing: Large meetings require robust scaling and enterprise-grade security, both challenging with standard WebRTC.
• Telemedicine: Privacy, compliance (HIPAA), and session continuity are non-negotiable, exposing WebRTC’s encryption and reliability gaps.
• Online education and webinars: High participant counts and varied devices make network, browser, and scaling issues more acute.

Best Practices and Workarounds for WebRTC Limitations

• Scaling with SFU/MCU: Integrate SFU or MCU infrastructure to reduce peer connections and bandwidth, balancing performance with privacy trade-offs.
• TURN server deployment: Use geographically distributed TURN servers with auto-failover to minimize latency and maximize connection success.
• Security hardening: Layer application-level encryption atop DTLS-SRTP, enforce strong authentication, and monitor SFU/TURN access logs for compliance.
• Proactive compatibility testing: Employ automated CI pipelines to test across browsers and devices, tracking feature deprecations and regressions.
• Custom resilience logic: Implement reconnection and adaptive bitrate logic to preserve session quality in fluctuating network conditions.

Conclusion: Balancing WebRTC’s Pros and Cons