Twilio vs LiveKit
How do Twilio and LiveKit compare? And what does Video SDK offer?
Twilio originally started by helping developers automate traditional phone calls and SMS text messages. But today, developers can use it to build business communication ( in-app and otherwise) across the customer journey.
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.
How Video SDK make a difference
LiveKit and Twilio are both prominent live video platforms, each offering unique packages, features, and benefits. However, they are considered legacy SDK providers, with their user experiences remaining unchanged for over half a decade and requiring several months of integration into your application.
Video SDK disrupts this status quo. Its single SDK provides comprehensive video/voice calls, live streams, and collaborative features, all of which can be effortlessly integrated into your app in as little as a few minutes.
This page compares LiveKit and Twilio, and it explains why Video SDK is worthy of your consideration. By reviewing this information, you can make an informed decision and opt for a platform that provides modern solutions and easy integration for your video needs.
Features comparison : Twilio vs LiveKit vs Video SDK
features | Twilio | LiveKit | Video SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
No. of participants (Including hosts) | ✕ 50 participants only | ✕ Limited | ✓ Up to millions of viewers |
Ease of SDK Integration | ✕ Requires high coding effort | ✕ Development is moderately tough | ✓ Avg. integration takes only 2 weeks |
Adpative audio/video quality | ✕ Not available | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Works behind the Firewall, Private Network | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Role Management, Permissions, Policy and Templates | ✕ Limited | ✕ Limited to host & participant roles | ✓ Available |
Automatic video and audio track degrade due to bandwidth in-consistency | ✕ Not available | ✓ Available | ✓ Available |
Dynamic Layout for Studio and RTMP Live Streaming | ✕ Manual configuration needed | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Build collaborative features like chat, poll, Q & A, whiteboard etc. | ✕ Not available or Separate SDK | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Virtual Background, Live Transcription & ML Middleware | ✕ Complex integration | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Webhooks | ✕ Only for recording states | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Pricing Model | ✓ Usage based | ✕ Subscription based | ✓ Usage based |
Interactive Live Streaming | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Cloud Recording | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Interactive Whiteboard | ✕ Not available or Separate SDK | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Multi-platform | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Interactive Participant Support | ✕ Limited support | ✕ Limited | ✓ Up to 5,000 |
Mobile browser support | ✕ Limited | ✕ Limited | ✓ 90% |
Automatic audio / video degrade, re-connectivity | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ 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 | ✕ Limited | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
API to build social features such as merging rooms, battles, coins, gifts sending etc | ✕ Limited | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Full HD recording | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Open source templates | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Full Custom roles | ✕ Limited | ✕ Limited | ✓ Yes |
HLS Streaming | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Cost-effective | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Prebuilt SDK | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Fully customizable UI | ✕ Limited | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Metaverse platform support | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Session analytics | ✕ Separate charges | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Data Tracks | ✕ Separate charges | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
features | Twilio | LiveKit | Video SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
No. of participants (Including hosts) | ✕ 50 participants only | ✕ Limited | ✓ Up to millions of viewers |
Ease of SDK Integration | ✕ Requires high coding effort | ✕ Development is moderately tough | ✓ Avg. integration takes only 2 weeks |
Adpative audio/video quality | ✕ Not available | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Works behind the Firewall, Private Network | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Role Management, Permissions, Policy and Templates | ✕ Limited | ✕ Limited to host & participant roles | ✓ Available |
Automatic video and audio track degrade due to bandwidth in-consistency | ✕ Not available | ✓ Available | ✓ Available |
Dynamic Layout for Studio and RTMP Live Streaming | ✕ Manual configuration needed | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Build collaborative features like chat, poll, Q & A, whiteboard etc. | ✕ Not available or Separate SDK | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Virtual Background, Live Transcription & ML Middleware | ✕ Complex integration | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Webhooks | ✕ Only for recording states | ✕ Not Available | ✓ Available |
Pricing Model | ✓ Usage based | ✕ Subscription based | ✓ Usage based |
Interactive Live Streaming | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Cloud Recording | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Interactive Whiteboard | ✕ Not available or Separate SDK | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Multi-platform | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Interactive Participant Support | ✕ Limited support | ✕ Limited | ✓ Up to 5,000 |
Mobile browser support | ✕ Limited | ✕ Limited | ✓ 90% |
Automatic audio / video degrade, re-connectivity | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ 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 | ✕ Limited | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
API to build social features such as merging rooms, battles, coins, gifts sending etc | ✕ Limited | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Full HD recording | ✓ Yes | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Open source templates | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Full Custom roles | ✕ Limited | ✕ Limited | ✓ Yes |
HLS Streaming | ✕ No | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Cost-effective | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Prebuilt SDK | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Fully customizable UI | ✕ Limited | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Metaverse platform support | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Session analytics | ✕ Separate charges | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Data Tracks | ✕ Separate charges | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Cost comparison : Twilio vs LiveKit vs Video SDK
features | Twilio | LiveKit | Video SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
Volume Discount | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Video Conferencing |
|
|
|
Analytics | ✕ Separate charges | ✓ Free | ✓ Free |
Separate pricing for video and audio | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Free 10,000 minutes every month | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Minimum price for video calls | $0.004 per participant minute | $0.02 per participant minute | $0.002 per participant minute |
Minimum price for audio-only calls | $0.004 per participant per minute | $0.005 per participant minute | $0.0006 per participant min |
Advanced Firewall Control | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Free |
Cloud recording pricing |
| No accurate data available |
|
RTMP pricing | NA | No accurate data available |
|
ILS pricing | NA |
|
|
Storage pricing |
| No accurate data available |
|
features | Twilio | LiveKit | Video SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
Volume Discount | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Video Conferencing |
|
|
|
Analytics | ✕ Separate charges | ✓ Free | ✓ Free |
Separate pricing for video and audio | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Free 10,000 minutes every month | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Yes |
Minimum price for video calls | $0.004 per participant minute | $0.02 per participant minute | $0.002 per participant minute |
Minimum price for audio-only calls | $0.004 per participant per minute | $0.005 per participant minute | $0.0006 per participant min |
Advanced Firewall Control | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Free |
Cloud recording pricing |
| No accurate data available |
|
RTMP pricing | NA | No accurate data available |
|
ILS pricing | NA |
|
|
Storage pricing |
| No accurate data available |
|
Support comparison : Twilio vs LiveKit vs Video SDK
features | Twilio | LiveKit | Video SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
Support | ✕ Paid | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Cost |
| Only accounts having Standard or Enterprise plan | Free |
Access to Testing | ✕ No explicit support for testing, quality measurements and reports. | ✕ No | ✓ All paid accounts get access to testing support from Video SDK. |
Access to TAM / CS Engineer | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Dedicated CS & Solution Engineers |
SLAs | ✕ No | ✕ Only accounts having Enterprise plan | ✓ Inexpensive SLA with 99.9% uptime |
features | Twilio | LiveKit | Video SDK |
|---|---|---|---|
Support | ✕ Paid | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Cost |
| Only accounts having Standard or Enterprise plan | Free |
Access to Testing | ✕ No explicit support for testing, quality measurements and reports. | ✕ No | ✓ All paid accounts get access to testing support from Video SDK. |
Access to TAM / CS Engineer | ✕ No | ✕ No | ✓ Dedicated CS & Solution Engineers |
SLAs | ✕ No | ✕ Only accounts having Enterprise plan | ✓ Inexpensive SLA with 99.9% uptime |
See why customers love Video SDK
“I still remember when I was trying out the product and connected over discord with Arjun Kava, and he immediately responded. It is one of the things that we found less often. The team is super enthusiastic to make the product as next big thing. Easy integration is the beauty of it. Few lines of code and it's done.”
Ankur Chandra ,
Engineering Manager at Fynd
FAQ
