A video API lets developers add video to an app without building the infrastructure: either hosting, encoding and streaming recorded or live video, or running real-time calls between people and AI agents. Those are two different jobs, so decide which one you need first. Ten APIs follow in no particular order.
The phrase video API hides two very different products. One stores and streams video people watch, like a course library or product clips. The other connects people live, like a video call or a voice agent. Pick the wrong half and you'll fight the tool every day.
The ten APIs below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from each vendor's own website or documentation, read as of Oct 2026. If your app also serves a lot of images, my guide to image CDNs covers that side of media delivery.
Video APIs at a glance: hosting and real-time
I checked the free plan column on each vendor's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the page names a free plan, a free version or an open source edition. Trial only means the page names a time-limited free trial. Not stated means the page I read named neither, so check the vendor's own site before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agora | Real-time engagement | Voice, video and chat for people and AI | Not stated |
| api.video | Hosting and streaming API | On-demand video, live streaming and AI transcription | Not stated |
| Bunny Stream | Video hosting | Encoding, storage, DRM and a player | Trial only |
| Cloudflare Stream | Video hosting | Upload, encode and stream from one API | Not stated |
| Daily | Real-time video API | WebRTC calls and voice AI agents | Not stated |
| Gumlet | Video hosting | Secure streaming for product and course videos | Not stated |
| LiveKit | Real-time video and voice | Open source framework for voice and video agents | Yes |
| Mux | Video hosting API | Streaming, analysing and transforming video | Not stated |
| Twilio Video | Real-time video SDK | Real-time video next to Twilio messaging | Trial only |
| Vonage Video API | Real-time video API | Video calls, broadcasting and recording | Not stated |
Ten video APIs for hosting and live calls
Agora
Best for: Apps needing voice, video and chat built for human-to-human calls and conversational AI agents, on a global real-time network.
api.video
Best for: Developers wanting to host, manage and deliver video through one API, with instant AI transcription and summaries for hosted videos.
Bunny Stream
Best for: Course creators and media sites wanting encoding, storage, a video player and protection options up to multi-DRM from one provider.
Cloudflare Stream
Best for: E-learning and user-generated content platforms wanting upload, encoding and delivery through a single API on Cloudflare's network.
Daily
Best for: Real-time voice and video apps, including conversational AI, from the team behind the open source Pipecat framework.
Gumlet
Best for: Ecommerce and education teams wanting an all-in-one video host that streams a first video in under 3 minutes and guards against piracy.
LiveKit
Best for: Builders of voice, video and physical AI agents who want an open source framework plus a platform to deploy and scale them.
Mux
Best for: Product teams who want to stream, moderate, search, analyse and transform video through a developer API.
Twilio Video
Best for: Twilio customers who want real-time video SDKs alongside the messaging and conversation products they already use.
Vonage Video API
Best for: Video calling apps needing screen sharing, broadcasting, encryption, recording and live captions, with a migration path for Twilio video users.
Recorded video or real-time calls: pick your half
- Recorded and live streaming. Upload, encode, store and play video, often with a player, analytics and protection. Five APIs here focus on this job.
- Real-time. Low-latency video and voice between people, or between people and AI agents, built on WebRTC-style infrastructure. The other five focus here.
Some vendors cross over, with live streaming on hosting platforms and recording on call platforms, but each one's home page makes its main job clear. Start with the half that matches your app.
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Real-time video is being rebuilt around AI agents
Here's the trend that jumped out when I read the real-time vendors' pages. Several now lead with voice and video AI agents rather than human calls. Daily is the team behind the open source Pipecat framework for conversational AI, LiveKit pitches an open source framework for voice, video and physical AI agents, and Agora sells a conversational AI engine next to its calls.
There's also a switching story worth knowing. Vonage's own documentation asks if you're interested in migrating your video solution from Twilio to Vonage. If you're on any real-time API today, ask about its long-term plans before you build more on it.
What to check before you integrate a video API
- Latency. For calls and agents, how quickly does audio and video arrive, and in which regions?
- Encoding and playback. For hosted video, which formats and quality levels are created automatically?
- Security. Can you protect content with signed links, watermarking or DRM?
- AI features. Do you need transcription, summaries, captions or moderation built in?
- SDKs. Are there SDKs for every platform your users are on?
Most video APIs are called from your own backend. My guide to API testing tools helps you check uploads, webhooks and errors before launch.
Do you make a video API? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing a video API
Decide the job first: hosting video people watch, or connecting people live. Then build a small prototype with two vendors from the right half, using your own content and your users' regions. Watch the details that hurt later, like encoding time, playback on slow connections and call quality on mobile, and choose the one that stays boring under load.
If you're exposing video features to partners or other teams, my roundup of API management platforms covers access and quotas.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What is a video API?
It's a developer service that adds video to an app, either by hosting and streaming video or by running real-time calls, without building the infrastructure yourself.
What's the difference between a video hosting API and a real-time video API?
A hosting API stores, encodes and streams video people watch. A real-time API connects people, or people and AI agents, live with low latency.
Which video API is best for AI voice agents?
Look at real-time providers that publish agent frameworks. Two here offer open source frameworks for conversational or voice AI.
Is there a free video API?
One vendor names an open source framework and two name a free trial on their own pages, shown in the free plan column.
Can I protect videos from piracy with a video API?
Several hosting APIs here offer protection such as secured playback or multi-DRM. Check the options before you upload courses or premium content.
