Top 10 Video Conferencing APIs & SDKs in 2023- ZEGOCLOUD

Video communication has become increasingly popular and so many companies and startups want to catch this trend by creating video chat apps that cater to different needs, such as business meetings, social calls, and online dating. So how to choose a video conferencing API for your business? No worries, this article will focus on the best 10 video conferencing API vendors with a features comparison.

What is a Video Conferencing SDK & API?

A Video Conferencing API is a set of protocols, routines, and tools that allow developers to integrate video conferencing functionality into their existing applications. They are commonly used in applications that require remote collaboration, online meetings, virtual classrooms, telehealth services, and other similar use cases.

It provides a way for developers to access pre-built video conferencing features and functionality without having to build them from scratch. In simple terms, a Video Conference SDK is used to build a video conferencing application from scratch, while a Video Conference API is used to add video conferencing features to an existing application.

Read more: If you are interested in going deeper on the topic, here is a deep dive into video conferencing definition.

Must-Have Video Calling API Features

The numerous options for video conferencing SDK & API available in the market might be overwhelming. It is important to scrutinize the potential solutions and ensure that they possess the following features, at the very least:

Multi-party video calling: Support multi-person video calls to meet the needs of user groups for chatting and meetings.
Screen sharing: Allow users to share screen content to facilitate remote collaboration and presentations.
Virtual background: Allow users to select virtual backgrounds to enhance the professionalism and visual effects of the conference.
Real-time messaging and whiteboard: Provide real-time text chat and whiteboard functions to facilitate user communication and collaboration.
Security and privacy protection: Protect user privacy and information security, ensuring that conference content is not stolen or leaked.
Compatibility with multiple devices: Support multiple operating systems and devices, including PC, mobile phones, and tablets.
Customizability: Allow users to customize the conference interface and functions to meet different conference needs.

10 Best Video Chat APIs & SDKs for Video Conferences

1. ZEGOCLOUD Video Call SDK

ZEGOCLOUD video conferencing SDK offers a complete suite of building blocks of a video conferencing system, including real-time voice chat, real-time video, interactive live streaming, cloud recording, screening sharing, whiteboard, etc. On top of that, the company also provides robust backend monitoring and an analytic dashboard for overall performance optimization.

ZEGOCLOUD free video conferencing API is a highly recommended video calling API for developers looking to build video conferencing applications. The ease of use, cross-platform compatibility, and range of features make it a reliable and effective solution. Moreover, they have pre-built low-code UIKits that are still an excellent choice for many developers for building a video conferencing app within only a few lines of code.

Features of ZEGOCLOUD Video Conference APIs:

A complete suite of real-time communication functions such as voice, video, and live streaming.
A unified real-time data transmission network that allows real-time communication and CDN distribution.
A rich set of add-on features, including beautification, AR stickers, voice changing, avatar, screen sharing, document sharing, in-app chat, etc.
Incredible advancements in metaverse technology allow video conferencing in a virtual world with more interactions, including 3D voice, face expression synchronization on avatars, etc.
Fantastic user experiences include less than 300 ms ultra-low latency, 4K or 1080P extra-high definition, and 60 FPS playback smoothness.

Pros:

Supports group video calls and direct calls.
Live video streaming is a possibility.
Screen sharing is possible during live video conferences.

Con:

Customer support response time is sometimes long.

Pricing:

Usage	Aggregate Resolutions	Pricing (US$/1,000 participant minutes)
Audio	–	0.99
Video HD	1280 × 720	3.99
Video Full HD	(1280 × 720) to (1920 × 1080)	8.99
Video 2K	(1920 × 1080) to (2560 × 1440)	15.99
Video 4K	(2560 × 1440) to (4096 × 2160)	35.99

2. Mirrorfly

MirrorFly is the leading SaaS and SaaP-based video call API provider among enterprises and developers. They offer SDKs with robust security features and safeguard the privacy of user data.

Their APIs and SDKs are fully customizable and offer you lifetime ownership of SDKs as well as source codes.

Moreover, their SDKs are enriched with 150+ modern communication features for chat, voice, and video, pre-built UI kits, low-code SDKs, Lite-chat apps, and so on. They do offer extended support for iOS, Android, Web, and desktop.

Features of MirrorFly APIs

Integration in < 20 mins
Topic-based chat
One-to-one or group chat and calls
Large file sharing
Video conferencing
Multi-platform compatibility

Pros

Compatible with user privacy regulation laws HIPAA, GDPR, and OWASP
End-to-end encryption
99.999% uptime SLA
On-cloud/on-premise hosting infrastructure

Cons

There is no live recording feature.

Pricing:

Essentials (5k Monthly Active Users)	Premium (5k Monthly Active Users)
$0.08/user/month	$0.2/user/month (minimum 5k active users)

3. Twilio Video Chat API

Twilio video conferencing API is fully customized and scalable. This is completely flexible for usage. This tool constructs the applications and the connectivity. It allows chats, video, and programmable chats based on real-time communication with scalability and video calling API. This is a perfect fit for enterprises from small to wide. This helps the organization engage its users in every step of the journey. This is a flexible video calling API for any channel with built-in intelligence and global infrastructure support.

Features of Twilio APIs:

It gives free trial credits for video groups and video P2P.
Cloud recording facility with workflow integration.
24-hour support through the mail and chat.
Get endless features with an intuitive interface.

Pros:

Backed with WebRTC video protocol.
Allows up to 50 participants in a video call.
APIs for both mobile and desktop applications.

Cons:

No analytical support is available.
It does not have a user-friendly interface.

Pricing:

Video P2P	Video Groups
Starting at $0.0015 per participant per minute	Starting at $0.004 per participant per minute

You may also like: Twilio API Review: Pricing, Features, Pros & Cons

4. Sinch Live Video Call API

Sinch is another best video call API that manages different video conference APIs through messaging and calling facilities. Anyone can receive video calls, SMS verification, voice calls, and other engagement platforms. Various industries receive an extensive solution from this, including health, telecommunications, retail, media, and entertainment. Through this, many operators get opportunities for monetizing the wholesale and getting rid of fraud and other activities.

This video conferencing API offers an instant messaging SDK and API to iOS, Android, and Web Applications. It gives complete freedom to the users for customization and supports SIP, VoIP, and PSTN.

Features of Sinch video conferencing APIs :

It offers high-quality videos.
Get Personalized Messaging with Voice Calling service.
Live Broadcasting.
Personalized communication with advanced setup.
600+ operators connections globally.
Amazing easy & intuitive interface with endless possibilities.

Pros

Allows live broadcasting facility.
Provides 24/7 connection availability.
Cross-platform support.

Cons

No free trial is offered.

Pricing

Need to contact the sales team.

5. Agora.io Video Conferencing API

Agora offers a complete video conference API. Meanwhile, it provides real-time voice and video chat API that can be used to build a video conference system. It works on user engagement by delivering the video call service with real-time voice, recording and messaging, and live streaming products. The company is working towards building real-time connections in the virtual world.

Features of Agora.io API for Video Conferencing:

The tool offers an intelligent network that will help to connect automatically in real-time analysis.
Select the efficient routing path with 200+ data centers.
Enterprise support Platforms.
Minimal Battery Consumption.
It can withstand even a sudden spike in traffic.
Extensive API selection with customizable UI extension.

Pro:

Monitor call quality through Agora analytics.
Call recording is a possibility.
With AI noise suppression, hear clear sounds and voices.

Cons:

Lack of API and webhooks.
The provided documentation is complex.

Pricing:

Video HD	Video Full HD
$3.99 /1,000 minutes	$8.99 /1,000 minutes

6. Enablex

Enablex live video calling API is another decent choice for free HIPAA-compliant video conferencing for integrating video conferencing capabilities into your app. Moreover, it features remarkable video chat SDKs that enable one-to-one video chats and group video calls, providing users with an extensive video chat experience. With its live interactive broadcast feature, you can broadcast diverse content through devices directly on social media platforms.

Key Features:

Up to 100 participants in collaboration mode
Over 3000 participants for webinars
Built on WebRTC
End-to-end encryption
Live annotation and screen sharing

Pros:

The video API is fully customizable.
Built-in on WebRTC protocol for a seamless call.
Add 100 participants to a video call session.

Cons:

Less learning features are available.
Difficult user interface.

Pricing:

$0.004 per participant per minute (50 participants)

7. CometoChat

Providing text, voice, and video chatting capabilities, CometoChat is a great choice for video conferencing API. Furthermore, it offers APIs and SDKs that simplify integrating video calls with rich and detailed documentation, demos, and easy-to-understand code. Moreover, CometChat’s video conferencing API supports voice and video calling, scalable in-app messaging, and cross-platform compatibility.

Key Features:

Online presence indicators
Webhooks and bots
Support for Single Sign-on (SSO)
Typing and reading indicators
Rich media attachments

Pros:

UI kits are available for extensive user interfaces.
It’s possible to send rich media attachments.
Solutions are available for multiple sectors.

Cons:

Slow customer service.
Becomes inefficient sometimes due to bugs.

Pricing:

Essentials (26 – 1000 MAUs)	Pro (26 – 1000 MAUs)
$379/month	$529/month

8. Daily.co Video Conferencing SDK & API

Daily.co offers the best scalable video conferencing API and aims to provide the best video call solution. With this live video call API, users can easily add live audio and video experiences to their products, using either the pre-built user interface or creating custom layouts. Furthermore, the tool supports high-quality 1080p HD video and screen sharing for calls on any device. Moreover, it offers flexible recording options, including transcriptions.

Key Features:

Up to 1000 active participants per video call
Live stream with up to 25 participants and 100,000 viewers
Provides Android and iOS video conferencing SDKs
Customizable video call UI/UX
Video quality auto-tuning

Pros:

The first 10,000 minutes are free per month.
Email and chat support are available for queries.
Live streaming and cloud recording are among the possibilities.

Cons:

Pricing is a bit costly for new startups.
The sound quality is not stable during the call.

Pricing

$0.0015 per participant per minute

9. Apphitect Video Chatting API

Apphitect provides video conference API for SMEs and enterprises and is considered one of the industry’s leaders. Using WebRTC APIs, Apphitect offers exceptional video-calling experiences across various devices and platforms. Moreover, it comes with 100% customization support meaning you can easily tailor it to suit your and your app’s needs.

Key Features:

White-label solution
High scalability
Interactive live broadcasting
Conference scheduling
Screen sharing

Pros:

Easy to use interface.
Offers high scalability and customization in API.
Provides interactive live broadcasting solutions.

Cons:

Call quality is not stable because of lags.

Pricing:

Contact the sales team

10. Vonage Video Chat API

Formerly known as TokBox OpenTok, Vonage Video conferencing API is another great option when it comes to choosing a video conference API. Moreover, it enables you to create a tailored video experience for any mobile, web, or desktop application with ease. Vonage’s video chat APIs offer rich features for Android, iOS, and the web. Furthermore, it leverages WebRTC standards to ensure high data streaming quality.

Key Features:

Works using WebRTC
Support AES-128 and AES-256 encryption
GDPR and HIPPA compliance
HLS and RTMP streaming
SIP Interconnect

Pros :

Video group chats and one-on-one chats are possible.
Customization of video streams can be done.
Calls are encrypted with AES-128 and AES-256.

Cons:

Free trial not available.
Call quality may not be good.

Pricing:

$0.00395/per participant/per minute

Why ZEGOCLOUD Video Conferencing SDK/API for Your Video Startup

Making applications from scratch can consume a lot of your time, as well as resources. In this regard, using ZEGOCLOUD video chat API/SDK is ideal because it provides both instant solutions to integrate video chat functions in existing applications in just 15 minutes and 100% customized video call SDK to build an Immersive video experience. Simultaneously, this shortens the time to market an application, giving it a competitive edge over competitors. Moreover, the developers don’t have to put hard effort into coding everything.

ZEGOCLOUD video calling API has essential features like push notifications, direct and group calls, camera switching, call muting, screen sharing, and more. There also exist advanced features like video frame capture, custom call metadata, P2P call connections, recording notifications, call event webhooks, call quality scoring, etc. In fact, you will also enjoy dashboard features like call logs, admin calls, automated billing, user notification settings, and call metadata retrieval.

Not to forget, ZEGOCLOUD also comes with best-in-class security features like user authentication and media stream encryption. There is also a compliance functionality of HIPAA with BAA.

Conclusion

Ready to enhance the interactions in your mobile app with the best video conference API? By leveraging an API for video conferencing, such as ZEGOCLOUD’s Video Conferencing API, you can also easily add video conferencing functionality to your app in iOS, Android, Web, React Native, and Flutter without extensive knowledge of video conferencing technology.

Sign up to start a free trial or a free developer plan today. Then, follow the steps in this guide to offer in-app video experiences that promote high levels of engagement, more sales, and positive user experiences.

FAQ about Video Conferencing API

Q1: How do I add video conferencing to my website?

To add video conferencing to your website, you need to integrate a Video Conferencing API or SDK. This process typically involves obtaining API credentials, setting up a server-side web application, and developing a client-side web application.

Q2: Can I implement screen sharing in my application?

Yes, using a Video Conferencing API, you can implement screen-sharing functionality. By making relevant API calls, you can allow participants to share their screens for real-time content sharing.

Q3: Can I manage conference participants in my application?

Yes, a Video Conferencing API provides functionality to manage conference participants. You can use API calls to invite, add, remove, and manage participants in a conference.

Q4: How do you make a video call on Flutter?

To make a video call on Flutter, you can use a video conferencing SDK that supports Flutter. These SDKs provide the necessary tools and libraries to build a video-calling feature within your Flutter application.

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