Looking for Affordable Live Video Streaming Solutions for Next.js
Asked by
CuriousCoder88
Hey everyone! I'm trying to add a live video streaming feature to my Next.js website. After researching options like Agora.io, Amazon IVS, Vimeo, and Mux, I've found that the costs can get pretty steep—around $200 for just one stream with up to 250 viewers for about 5 hours. Plus, I noticed that Vimeo limits me to only 2 concurrent streams. My plan is to have users start streams directly on the website for their own auctions, but I don't need viewer interaction (though I can set up chat with Supabase if necessary). Is my research on the pricing accurate, or are there cheaper alternatives I might have overlooked? I would really appreciate insights from anyone who has tackled something similar!
Answers
Could you give a bit more detail on your scenario? Understanding your specific requirements can help us figure out the best approach for a WebRTC implementation. How many viewers do you expect, and what’s the stream length like for you?
Reply to this answer
You should consider your latency needs. If you can manage with high latency, HLS might be a cheap way to distribute streams since they’re essentially files served from any web server or storage like S3. Just keep in mind that HLS typically has a latency of about 10 seconds, which may not work if you need something closer to real-time. For lower latency, WebRTC is your best bet, but it usually comes at a higher cost. You might want to weigh these options based on how crucial time delay is for your streams.
CuriousCoder88: I appreciate the input! A 10-second delay probably won’t work for us. Do you think using WebRTC will still be a better deal compared to the other solutions I mentioned?
Reply to this answer
Have you looked into Whereby? It might be a good alternative worth checking out for your streaming needs!
Reply to this answer
Add your answer
Answers are reviewed before publication.
CuriousCoder88: Sure! It's nothing too fancy on the video side. I want users to start streaming directly from the website, and each stream could attract around 300 to 1000 viewers for about 3 to 5 hours. We're looking at about 10 to 20 streamers per day, often streaming at the same time.