Looking for something exciting on “Best Video Chat SDK providers in 2023”? This is your time! Here’s your ultimate guide with my research and reviews. Let’s take the journey across with no delay and explore the market beyond the core!
Given the virtual environment due to pandemic conditions, almost all people are relying on video communications to stay connected with each other.
Most of the businesses are working towards establishing a robust video communication system to enhance customer experience and facilitate smooth collaborations.
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Have you been Planning to Build a Video Chat App of Your Own?
That’s great! We have got your back. In this article, we are going to discuss the best video API providers that you can leverage to develop your own video chat app. Stay with us and read on!
Fun Fact: As per a Statista Study, in the second quarter of 2021, the video calling app, Zoom, alone witnessed over 28 million downloads in India.
What is Video Chat SDK?
Well-structured video meeting API and SDK are the keys to strengthening your business communication. Let us closely look at their definitions one by one.
API stands for Application Programming Interface. It involves a set of programs that can be leveraged to develop an application. It also tends to allow data exchange and smooth communication between different types of software tools.
On the other hand, SDK stands for Software Development Kit. It includes a multitude of software development tools that can help you build an efficient application.
How Live Video Call API and SDK are Helpful in Building Video Chat Applications?
Building video chat applications from scratch consumes a lot of time, money, and resources. A good video-calling API can work wonders for you if you want to launch your video communication system real quick. In this section, we are going to discuss some of the best advantages of utilizing video call APIs and SDKs. Let us learn about them one by one.
Enables Faster Software Delivery
In today’s fast-paced digital environment, people want quick interactions. It is indispensable for your video app to be flexible and adaptable. While some businesses prefer desktops and laptops for holding conversations, some prefer mobile devices.
A well-functioning video chat app can take care of all kinds of requirements like live streaming, screen sharing, and real-time conversations. It is super quick to integrate and comes with a very few bugs.
Saves Business Resources
The best part about using a video call service API is that it allows developers to focus more on the app development process rather than creating chat solutions. Moreover, by using efficient APIs, you can save a lot of expenditure incurred on hiring and training new resources.
Well, there’s no denying that video chat APIs help in boosting business productivity. It smoothens the app development process and helps you focus better on core business functionalities.
Best Features of Video Chat API & SDK Providers
A good web video call API comes with a comprehensive suite of many advantageous functionalities. In this section, we’ll be talking about the same. Let’s look at them one by one.
Different Video Chat Formats
One of the best aspects about video APIs is that it supports different formats of video chats such as one-to-one chats, group conferencing, and large scale broadcast sessions as well.
Screen Share functionality
Most of the video call service APIs come with the screen sharing feature. It helps you make smooth and professional presentations while conducting video conferences. You can effectively collaborate with your team members at any given point of time.
Quick Messaging
A well-structured video call API also has an element of a good SMS messaging API. During an ongoing video session, it enables the participants to share data and important messages.
Chat Recording
One of the top things about modern-day video API providers is that they offer screen recording features. You can record important conferences for future reference.
Voice Calling Feature
A well-defined video chat API also provides you with an audio calling capacity. The voice calling quality is crystal clear. Well, a good API would also provide you with the mute functionality to control unnecessary background noise and carefully listen to what other participants have to say.
3 Key Points that you Shouldn’t Miss Out While Choosing Your Video Chat API
Every business is unique and has a different set of business requirements. Wondering how you can choose the best video API for your business? We are here to help. In this section, we are going to discuss some of the best points that you need to keep in mind while making a choice.
Types of Capabilities
The first thing that you need to check is the different types of functionalities that the API has to offer and whether it matches your requirement or not. Grab some free trial opportunities of the platform to perform necessary testing and validation.
Pricing Structure
The pricing structure is also one of the primary factors that needs to be taken care of. All businesses have different budgets. We recommend you to choose a video call API that best suits your requirements and lies within your budget.
Technical Support
This is also one of the most crucial factors that you need to consider. It is essential that the video API provider is there for your support in case their SDK involves some bugs. They should be able to fix all your issues.
Well, you should not limit your selection decision to the three factors mentioned above. There are many other points that you might want to consider. Some of them are end-to-end encryption and security, bandwidth management capacities, browser complexity, UI/UX layout, and many more.
Top 10+ Video Calling/Conferencing APIs and SDKs in 2023
There are various video conferencing API providers in the market. Before you choose any API for your app development, we would like to cover the top 5 video API providers that you should be aware of. Let us discuss them one by one.
1. MirrorFly
Leading SaaS & SaaP In-App Video SDK Providers
MirrorFly is a renowned in-app chat SDK provider that is trusted by some of the leading brands. It is known greatly for its high scalability, ultra-low latencies, and on-cloud/on-premise hosting solutions.
Below is a quick walkthrough of MirrorFly’s highlights.
MirrorFly – Cloud-based Video Chat SDKs
Its cloud-based solution offers a wide range of real-time messaging features like online presence indicators, 1-1 and group video calls, push notifications, and others for a monthly subscription fee. With these, our APIs also deliver an industry-best average response time of 3s even during unstable network conditions.
Other notable features include:
- Integrate SDK in <20 mins
- Low-code Strategy
- End-to-end security
- Multi-tenancy infrastructure
MirrorFly – Self-hosted Video Chat SDKs
If you are looking for a provider that offers 100% customizable chat solutions, then MirrorFly’s self-hosted SDKs can be your wise option. Because, apart from this, you also get the following benefits:
- Complete customizations
- White-label chat solution
- One-time license cost
- On-premise hosting
- Dedicated integration support
HIPAA Compliance Status: Compatible
Pricing: Paid subscription
Use cases: Fitness & Workout, Delivery, Banking, E-commerce, Social Community
2. Digital Samba
The Best In-App Video API Provider
Digital Samba specializes in offering video calling APIs designed for seamless integration into web apps and websites. Their API enables developers to leverage a range of out-of-the-box features from Digital Samba’s flagship product.
If you’re a developer looking for in-depth customization, Digital Samba’s video call SDK offers you the flexibility to dissect the core functionalities of real-time communication features and craft your own tailored implementation.
Key Features:
- Deep customization
- Top-down flexibility
- Branding and UI
- AI captions
- Full screen & pinning
- Cloud recordings
- Roles and permissions
- CNAME / White-labelling
HIPAA/GDPR compliance status: Compatible
Pricing:
Free Tier: 3,000 free service minutes per month, up to 100 concurrent users.
Create Plan: €99/month for 25,000 service minutes per month, up to 100 concurrent users.
Enterprise-Level: Custom pricing and per-client service plans are available upon request.
3. QuickBlox
Enhanced Video API Provider With Ai
QuickBlox Q-Consultation is an AI-enhanced video calling solution designed for various industries and use cases. It offers a secure and customizable virtual room application with private messaging and file-sharing capabilities. The platform allows for easy sharing of photos, videos, and documents, enabling seamless collaboration.
Other notable features include:
- Operator Driven Chat
- Highly Customizable
- Screen‑sharing
- Integration with EHR system
- Virtual queue management
- Retrieve and access all data by API
HIPAA Compliance Status: Compatible
Price: Free trial and paid subscription
4. ApphiTect
Fully Customizable In-App Communication Provider
ApphiTect is a fully customizable in-app video, voice, and chat SDK provider for developers and enterprises. They offer white-label solutions in your in-app video that help you maintain your brand identity.
It offers robust security features with end-to-end encryption and AES-128 security standards.
Key features of ApphiTect
- One-to-one and group video calls
- Push notifications
- On-cloud or on-premise hosting
- Hire a dedicated development team.
- File sharing
- In-app chat during video calls
- One-time license cost
HIPAA compliance status: Compatible
Pricing: A free demo is available and an affordable one-time license fee
5. Twilio
The Best In-App Video SDK Provider For Web & Mobile Apps
Twilio helps you build memorable video experiences between friends and family. It helps you create bespoke video experiences with customized layouts and virtual backgrounds using APIs and SDKs that tend to work across all major browsers and devices.
Also Read: Best Twilio Alternatives in 2023
Key Features of Twilio Video Chat SDK
- Record video for future reference
- Secure media storage
- GDPR compliant
- Supports peer-to-peer communication for upto 4 participants
- Group conferencing for upto 50 participants
- Screen sharing
HIPAA Compliance Status: Compatible
Pricing: Both free trial and paid subscription
6. Vonage
Feature-Rich Video Calling API Provider
Vonage offers an efficient video API that helps in conducting live interactive video calls. The best part about Vonage API platform is that it provides global performance and scale for video, voice, SMS, and social messaging communications channels. It was released on January 20, 2014.
Key Features of Vonage Video Chat SDK
- Supports one-to-one, group video call, and large-scale broadcast sessions
- Screen sharing and large scale broadcast sessions
- Secured data exchange
- SIP interconnect
HIPAA Compliance Status: Compatible
Pricing: Free trial and paid subscription
7. Agora
Developer-Friendly Video Calling SDK Provider
Agora is a great live video calling and chat SDK. Its video SDK makes it really easy to embed real-time video chat into web, mobile, and native apps. Be it dating apps or online gaming, Agora video SDK has got it all covered.
Key Features of Agora Video Chat SDK
- High-quality video
- Intelligent video resolution
- AI-powered noise cancellation
- Screen sharing
- End-to-end encryption
HIPAA Compliance Status: Compatible
Pricing: First 10,000 minutes free every month
8. EnableX
Secure Video Chat Solution Provider
EnableX offers flexible and scalable video chat APIs. It helps you build live video solutions that scale. Also, it enables you to create a contextual in-app video calling experience with programmable communication building blocks.
Key Features of EnableX Video Chat SDK
- Unsurpassed quality
- Supports any platform, any browser, and any coding language
- Breakout rooms
- Enhanced security
HIPAA Compliance Status: Compatible
Pricing: Paid – Customized pricing
9. CometChat
The Most User-Friendly Video API Provider
Several businesses across the world use these APIs and SDKs to connect its users via video calls. This platform is popularly known to provide video solutions to healthcare companies, banking and financial sectors and social media communities.
It offers white label chat solutions including video conferencing along with real-time message translation. Apart from this, Cometchat is also popularly known to provide in app messaging with high scalability and cross-platform compatibility.
Above all, Cometchat provides the real-time video calling solutions using the WebRTC technology. The added perk from is this provider is that, Cometchat offers free access to its features with limitations to get an idea of how their features will work on your app.
Key Features Of Cometchat Video Chat SDK
- One-on-one chat
- Group chat
- Voice calling & video calling
- Group Video Conferencing
- indicators
- Online Presence Indicators.
- Chat widgets
- Message translation
HIPAA Compliance Status: Compatible
Pricing: Free and Paid Pricing Plans
10. PubNub
The Best In-App Chat, Voice, And Video SDK Provider
Real-time engagement is one of the key features that Pubnub is popularly known for. The chat APIs and SDK offered by PubNub is that it offers complete control of customization. It offers complete support for the integration process along with flexible pricing for its in-app chat integrations.
With Pubnub, you will be able to add video conferences, video meetings, and enterprise entities to your app. The easy-to-use API drastically cuts off the cost of building a video chat app in-house.
Key Features Of Pubnub Video Chat SDK
- All-in-one hub for Video Conferencing Plugins
- Push Notifications
- End to End Encryption
- Easy Integration and Migration facilities
- Open source UI Kit
- Flexible transfer of Metadata
HIPAA Compliance Status: Compatible
Pricing: Plans available for Free, Monthly, and Yearly packages
11. Sinch
The Best In-App Chat, Voice, And Video SDK Provider
Sinch is flexible API that allows you to add in-app messaging and calls to your apps. These APIs help you add SMS verification, voice and video calls with optimal quality. It can provide extensive communication solutions to different industries like healthcare, media and entertainment, telecommunications and retail.
These APIs help you easliy monetize your business with interactive features. You can implement video calls into any of the platforms including iOS, Android and web apps. This gives users a scalable range of options to communicate with your brand and retain them as long term customers. Besides, it gives full support and customization for SIP, VoIP, and PSTN.
Key Features Of Sinch Video Chat SDK
- High quality video calls
- Complete customization
- Intuitive UI
- Easy implementation
- Live Broadcasting
HIPAA Compliance Status: Compatible
Pricing: Offers both Monthly and Annual packages with a Free trial
Conclusion
We hope our article helped you gain a fair understanding of some of the top video API providers and all the relevant aspects revolving around efficient video chat SDK and APIs.
If you’ve been planning to build a chat messaging app, you can take the help of a good API that is best suited to your business requirements.
So, delay no more! Perform market research, select your favorite API, and start your app development process today. We wish you all the good luck for your future endeavors.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
A video calling API (application programming interface) is a set of predefined protocols that allows you to integrate video calling functionalities into your web or mobile apps. They provide certain features like one-to-one and group video calls, video conferencing, file sharing, push notifications, join calls via links, team meetings, etc.
Video APIs, or SDKs, allow you to integrate video calling functionalities easily with your web and mobile apps instead of developing them from scratch. They provide specific benefits like low latency, 99.999% uptime SLA, robust security features, privacy regulation compatibility, and so on.
Video APIs work based on a predefined set of protocols that interact with video-related services, platforms, and libraries. When a user gives a command, video APIs take that command to the specified video-related functionality and pass those commands. Authentication, API documentation, requests, error handling, etc. are some of the processes involved in the work of the video API.
MirrorFly video APIs provide a user-friendly communication experience for almost all industries. Yet here are some famous use cases of MirrorFly video APIs: healthcare, banking & finance, telecommunication, fitness & wellness, recruitment, media & entertainment, social & dating, matrimony, and so on.
MirrorFly video call offers special features over other real-time communication video products, like ultra-low latencies, easy integration in 20 minutes, low-code strategy, 99.999% uptime SLA, ironclad security features, and compatibility with HIPAA, GDPR, and OWASP.
Dear Mirrorfly Team: I need to build live video chat app to run in iOS and android with voice and text messages. I would live to know about your product and pricing
Hi Maya! I recommend you talk to our Sales team to get more clarity on the MirrorFly Video API, call features and pricing list that best fit your startup’s needs. Wish the best to you!
We are currently developing a leverage on a hometown bidirectional messaging tool with video chat in our platform and we are evaluating a move to a third party. Found and got good view on MirrorFly’s video chat sdk.
Thanks, Matilda for the valuable feedback. It is great to know that my article turned out to be an informative one. Please keep coming back for more insights. MirrorFly can be your best choice as its video SDKs are highly secure, and scalable, If you’d like to know more about the benefits you could avail yourself of, talk to our team of experts.
Hello we are a e-learning company and We would like to make use of your 1 0n 1 chat feature, group video call feature, and your group chat features. So i would like to know more about video chat sdk’s and api’s.
Hi Hallie, thanks for your valuable feedback on my article. It’s great to hear that you are building your app with a one-on-one, group video call API feature using WebRTC. And if you are looking to build a fully customizable white-label video chat solution, MirrorFly can be your great option. Because its video SDKs offer low latency, high scalability and security to help developers like you build engaging video chat apps. If you’d like to know more about the benefits you could avail yourself of, talk to our team of experts.
Good and Informative post @Krishishivasangaran! I like the suggestions you made in the video sdk providers comparison. That gives more ideas to buy one for my business:).
Very great of you Clara! Hope you found the best calling and video conferencing API for your app development. My best wishes to you.
This is an AMAZING. Gr8 explanation on video chat sdks providers. Really useful for sharing all the insights and direction on what we can do, both for my own business and my clients as well.
Hi Lexi, thanks for your response. It’s great to hear that my article has helped you choose the best video chat SDK providers for your video chat app development. My best wishes!
Its one the great list of Video calling API providers in this world. I got it more details from this blog. keep it up.
Hi Kalyani, thanks for your feedback. Very grateful for your response. Hope you found the best Video API & SDK providers for your Android, iOS & web app development.