LiveKit vs Red5

A head-to-head comparison of LiveKit and Red5, And what features does Video SDK offer?

LiveKit

Livekit is a collection of SDKs that enables the integration of live video and audio into your native applications. It offers various notable features, including live streaming, in-game communication, video calls, and more. Livekit utilizes a modern, end-to-end WebRTC stack to deliver seamless and high-quality real-time communication experiences.

Red5

Red5 is a free and open-source media server that enables real-time streaming of video and audio over the internet. It is a flexible platform that can be used to build a wide variety of streaming applications on demand. However, RED5 is expensive to run for large-scale streaming due to high computing resource requirements and lack of pre-built applications.

How Video SDK make a difference?

LiveKit and Red5 are both live streaming platforms that offer a variety of features and options. LiveKit is WebRTC platforms that leverages the Web Real-Time protocol for communication, while Red5 is an open-source media server that supports various protocols, including RTMP and WebRTC. but there are some key differences between the two that may make one a better fit for your needs than the other. It's essential to be aware of their limitations.

Presenting the Video SDK - a robust and user-friendly video conferencing SDK that offers an extensive array of features, including chat, polls, break-out rooms, streaming capabilities, and RTMP out. It's the perfect solution for businesses and organizations of any size that require creating top-notch and captivating real-time communication experiences.

Here is a comparison of Video SDK with LiveKit vs Red5, and understand why Video SDK emerges as a much better choice for all your requirements.

Features Comparison : LiveKit vs Red5 vs Video SDK

LiveKit
Red5
Video SDK

No. of participants (Including hosts)

Limited

Upto 250 Participants

Up to millions of viewers

Ease of SDK Integration

Development is moderately tough

Complex Integration

Avg. integration takes only 2 weeks

Adpative audio/video quality

Not Available

Available

Available

Works behind the Firewall, Private Network

No

No

Yes

Role Management, Permissions, Policy and Templates

Limited to host & participant roles

Yes

Available

Automatic video and audio track degrade due to bandwidth in-consistency

Available

Not Available

Available

Dynamic Layout for Studio and RTMP Live Streaming

Not Available

Not Available

Available

Build collaborative features like chat, poll, Q & A, whiteboard etc.

Not Available

Not Available

Available

Virtual Background, Live Transcription & ML Middleware

Not Available

Not Available

Available

Webhooks

Not Available

Available

Available

Pricing Model

Subscription based

Subscription Based

Usage based

Interactive Live Streaming

Yes

Yes

Yes

Cloud Recording

Yes

No

Yes

Interactive Whiteboard

No

No

Yes

Multi-platform

No

No

Yes

Interactive Participant Support

Limited

Upto 1000

Up to 5,000

Mobile browser support

Limited

Limited (25%)

90%

Automatic audio / video degrade, re-connectivity

Yes

No

Yes

Audio & Video powered by AI

No

No

Yes

Independent of Open Source Dependency

No

No

Yes

Customised RTMP, Cloud Recording, HLS

No

No

Yes

API for building specific features such as collaborative games, polls etc

No

Yes

Yes

API to build social features such as merging rooms, battles, coins, gifts sending etc

No

No

Yes

Full HD recording

No

No

Yes

Open source templates

No

No

Yes

Full Custom roles

Limited

No

Yes

HLS Streaming

Yes

Yes

Yes

Cost-effective

No

No

Yes

Prebuilt SDK

No

Separate SDK

Yes

Fully customizable UI

No

No

Yes

Metaverse platform support

No

No

Yes

Legacy Solution

No

No

Session analytics

No

No

Yes

Data Tracks

No

No

Yes

Price Comparison : LiveKit vs Red5 vs Video SDK

LiveKit
Red5
Video SDK

Volume Discount

No

No

Yes

Video Conferencing

  • $20 per 1,000 minutes

Developer Pro: $29.99 per month Small- to medium-sized companies: $7,500 per year Enterprise services: $57,000 High volume: Custom pricing Startup Pro: $109

  • Video SD: $2.00
  • Video HD: $3.00
  • Video Full HD: $7.00
  • Video 2K: $7.00
  • Video 2K+: $7.00

Analytics

Free

No

Free

Separate pricing for video and audio

Yes

No

Yes

Free 10,000 minutes every month

No

No

Yes

Minimum price for video calls

$0.02 per participant minute

Not Available

$0.002 per participant minute

Minimum price for audio-only calls

$0.005 per participant minute

Not Available

$0.0006 per participant min

Advanced Firewall Control

No

No

Free

Cloud recording pricing

No accurate data available

On $3,399 per month Plan

  • Video SD: $15.00 1,000 minutes, No limit on participants
  • Video HD: $15.00 1,000 minutes,No limit on participants

RTMP pricing

No accurate data available

On $3,399 per month Plan

  • $15 per 1,000 minutes

ILS pricing

  • $69 per hour (upto 500 viewers only and doesn't support Full HD)

Basic live streaming: $29.99 per month Growth Pro: $89 per year or $99 per month Bulk discounts: Available for large enterprise installations"

  • $0.001 per participant minute (Also supports Full HD)

Storage pricing

No accurate data available

Developer Pro: $29.99 per month Small- to medium-sized companies: $7,500 per year Enterprise services: $57,000 High volume: Custom pricing Startup Pro: $109

  • $3 per 1000 minutes per month

Support Comparison : LiveKit vs Red5 vs Video SDK

LiveKit
Red5
Video SDK

Support

Yes

Yes

Yes

Cost

Only accounts having Standard or Enterprise plan

Basic live streaming: $29.99 per month Growth Pro: $89 per year or $99 per month Small- to medium-sized companies: $7,500 per year Enterprise services: $57,000 per year High volume: Custom pricing

Free

Access to Testing

No

Yes

All paid accounts get access to testing support from Video SDK.

Access to TAM / CS Engineer

No

No

Dedicated CS & Solution Engineers

SLAs

Only accounts having Enterprise plan

Yes

Inexpensive SLA with 99.9% uptime

SUCCESS STORY

How ForagerOne built interactive learning platform with Video SDK

Discover why Video SDK is the top choice for customers

Shilpa Jain-CEO & Co-Founder at Talk Your Heart Out
Company Logo

“We switched from a major international player to Video SDK due to their responsiveness to feedback, superior product, and better service. They outshine bigger players in the market and have been excellent in resolving issues promptly.”

Shilpa Jain ,

CEO & Co-Founder at Talk Your Heart Out

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