Agora vs Zoom: Selecting the Ideal Communication API - Video SDK - VideoSDK
Agora vs Zoom
A head-to-head comparison of Agora and Zoom, and what features and value Video SDK offers.
Agora is a real-time communication solution that allows developers to integrate live audio, video, and messaging capabilities into their applications. Agora's SDK solution provides low-latency, high-quality communication services that enable seamless interaction across various devices and platforms.
The Zoom Video SDK provides a reliable video conferencing experience similar to the original Client, but with added flexibility. It encompasses a wide range of services, including audio, video, chat, screen sharing, data streams, server-side APIs, and webhooks. This extensive set of features allows developers to create customized and immersive video communication experiences within their applications.
How Video SDK makes a difference?
When evaluating Video SDK options, Agora and Zoom are two of the most popular real-time engagement platforms (RTEPs), but they have some key differences. Agora is a cloud platform that provides developers with the tools to build customized video, voice, and messaging features into their own applications. Zoom is a more user-friendly platform that is designed for businesses and individuals to host video conferences and meetings.
However, it's essential to note that both SDKs might be considered legacy platforms, lacking some modern features like built-in collaborative tools, a low-code UI builder, and 24/7 support.
And here comes Video SDK. It’s quite easy and quick SDK that helps you deal with multiple features, such as chat, polls, breakout rooms, streaming capability, and RTMP out — all in a single SDK.
Let’s compare Video SDK along with Agora and Zoom and understand why Video SDK is a much better choice for all your needs.
Features Comparison: Agora vs Zoom vs Video SDK
| features | Agora |
Zoom Video SDK |
VideoSDK |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. of Participants (Including Hosts) | ✓ Upto million per channel |
✕ Zoom Video SDK supports limited participants. - Basic: 100 participants - Pro: 100 participants - Business: 300 participants - Enterprise: 500 participants |
✓ VideoSDK supports upto million participants |
| Ease of SDK Integration | ✕ Average Integration takes 3 to 6 months (depends on developer efficiency) |
✕ Avg. integration takes 3+ to 6 months. |
✓ VideoSDK requires less than 2 weeks for SDK integration |
| Adaptive Audio/Video Quality | ✓ Yes |
✓ Yes - 720p on Basic plan - 1080p available for Business, Education, and Enterprise plan |
✓ VideoSDK provides best adaptive audio/video quality. |
| Works behind the Firewall/Private-Network | ✕ Not Supported in: - Video SDK (Native, third-party frameworks) - On-Premise Recording SDK - Interactive Gaming SDK |
✕ No |
✓ Yes |
| Role Management, Permissions, Policy and Templates | ✓ Available |
✕ Zoom Video SDK offers limited Role Management, Permissions, Policy & Templates. |
✓ VideoSDK offers Role management, Permissions, Policy, and Templates |
| Automatic video and audio track degrade due to bandwidth inconsistency | ✓ Yes |
✕ Not available |
✓ Available |
| Dynamic Layout for Studio and RTMP Live Streaming | ✓ Available |
✓ Yes with custom RTMP streams configuration |
✓ Available ( No need for manual config.) |
| Build collaborative features like chat, poll, Q & A, whiteboard etc. | ✓ Available |
✓ Only Whiteboard Available - Need to integrate external SDKs for other collaborative features |
✓ VideoSDK offers a range of collaborative features |
| Virtual Background, Live Transcription & ML Middleware | ✕ Complex Integration |
✕ Yes - Transcription only available in English |
✓ Easy Integration |
| Webhooks | ✕ Available for Advanced Use case |
✓ Available |
✓ Available |
| Pricing Model | ✓ Usage-Based |
✓ Usage based |
✓ Pay-as-You-Go Plan |
| Interactive Live Streaming | ✓ Yes |
✕ No |
✓ VideoSDK supports Interactive Live Streaming |
| Cloud Recording | ✓ Available |
✓ Available |
✓ VideoSDK offers Cloud Recording Capabilities |
| Interactive Whiteboard | ✕ At $1.40 per 1,000 minutes |
✓ Available from $2.49/month |
✓ VideoSDK provides Interactive Whiteboard Feature |
| Multi-platform | ✓ Yes |
✕ Zoom Video SDK does not support multiple platforms for a wider reach. |
✓ VideoSDK compatible with Multi-Platforms for greater reach |
| Interactive Participant Support | ✓ Yes |
✕ Up to 300 |
✓ Upto 5,000 |
| Mobile Browser Support | ✕ Limited (do not support iOS safari) |
✕ Limited (iOS users can't join using their phone or tablet internet browser) |
✓ Video supports 91% mobile browsers |
| Automatic Audio/Video Degrade, Re-connectivity | ✕ Yes |
✕ Zoom Video SDK does not support automatic audio/video quality adjustments. |
✓ VideoSDK supports Reconnectivity with Audio/Video Quality adjustments. |
| Audio & Video powered by AI | ✓ Yes |
✕ No |
✓ Yes |
| Independent of Open Source Dependency | ✕ No |
✓ Zoom Video SDK is dependent on open source. |
✕ VideoSDK is not dependent on open source. |
| Customized RTMP, Cloud Recording, HLS | ✓ Yes |
✕ No |
✓ Yes |
| API for Specific Features (Collaborative Games, Polls, etc.) | ✓ Yes |
✕ No |
✓ Yes |
| API for Social Features (Merging Rooms, Battles, Coins, Gifts Sending etc.) | ✕ No |
✕ No |
✓ Yes |
| Full HD Recording | ✓ Yes |
✕ Zoom Video SDK does not support full HD recording. |
✓ VideoSDK supports full HD recording |
| Open Source Templates | ✕ Yes, Limited |
✕ Zoom Video SDK does not heavily rely on open source templates. |
✓ VideoSDK relies on open source templates |
| Full Custom roles | ✕ Limited |
✕ Zoom Video SDK does not support for custom roles. |
✓ VideoSDK offer support for full custom roles |
| HLS Streaming | ✓ Yes |
✕ Zoom Video SDK does not support HLS streaming. |
✓ VideoSDK supports HLS streaming |
| Cost-effective | ✕ No |
✕ Zoom Video SDK is not cost effective. |
✓ VideoSDK is Cost Effective |
| Prebuilt SDK | ✕ No |
✕ Zoom Video SDK does not provide prebuilt SDKs for easier integration. |
✓ VideoSDK provides Prebuilt SDKs for easier integration |
| Fully Customizable UI | ✓ Yes |
✕ Zoom Video SDK does not have customizable UI. |
✓ VideoSDK allows for limited customizable UI |
| Metaverse Platform Support | ✓ Yes |
✕ Zoom Video SDK does not support Metaverse platform. |
✓ VideoSDK supports Metaverse platform |
| Session Analytics | ✓ Yes |
✓ Yes |
✓ VideoSDK offer session analytics option |
| Data Tracks | ✕ No |
✕ Zoom Video SDK does not offer track data option. |
✓ VideoSDK offers track data option |
Price Comparison: Agora vs Zoom vs Video SDK
| features | Agora |
Zoom Video SDK |
VideoSDK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volume Discount | ✓ Yes, based on minutes volume - 100k to 499k: 5% - 500k to 999k: 7% - 1 million to 3 million: 10% |
✕ No |
✓ VideoSDK offers the Volume Discount |
| Video Conferencing | Pricing based on per 1000 participant minutes: - Audio: $0.99 - Video SD: $3.99 - Video HD: $3.99 - Video Full HD: $8.99 - Video 2K: $15.99 - Video 2K+: $35.99 |
- $3.5 per 1,000 minutes | - Video HD: $4.00 - Video Full HD: $8.00 - Video 2K: $16.00 - Video 2K+: $36.00 |
| Analytics | - Standard Plan: $449/month - Premium Plan: $999/month - Enterprise Plan $1599/month |
✓ Available |
✓ VideoSDK offer Free Analytics with Dashboard |
| Separate Pricing for Video and Audio | ✓ Yes |
✓ Yes |
✓ Yes |
| Free 10,000 Minutes Every Month | ✓ Yes |
✓ Yes |
✓ Yes |
| Minimum Price for Video Calls | $3.99 per 1,000 participant minutes | $3.5 per 1,000 participant minutes | $0.004 per participant minutes |
| Minimum Price for Audio-only Calls | $0.99 per 1,000 participant minutes | Starting at $1,200 per year | $0.001 per participant minutes |
| Advanced Firewall Control | ✕ No |
✓ Yes |
✓ VideoSDK offers Free Firewall Control |
| Compliance & Privacy | ✓ Yes (Charges associate with Support plans) |
✕ Zoom provides robust support for Only SOC 2 Type 2 compliance. |
✓ Provide Compliance Standards and Privacy Regulations: - HIPPA compliant - GDPR compliant - Data Localization - SOC2: Type 2 - ISO:27001 - VAPT (Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing) - CERT-in (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) |
| Cloud Recording Pricing | Recording Audio: - $1.49 per 1,000 minutes Recording Video: - HD Video: $5.99 per 1,000 minutes - Full HD Video: $13.49 per 1,000 minutes |
✓ $15 per participant per 1,000 minutes |
- Video SD: $15.00 1,000 minutes (No limit on participants) - Video HD: $15.00 1,000 minutes (No limit on participants) |
| RTMP Pricing | - H.264 Full HD Output Video: $15.99 per 1000 mins - H.265 HD Output Video: $19.99 per 1000 mins - H.265 Full HD Output Video: $39.99 per 1000 mins |
$15 for 1,000 minutes of HD audio. | - $30 per 1,000 minutes |
| ILS Pricing | - Audio only: $0.99 per 1,000 minutes - Video HD: $3.99 per 1,000 minutes - Video Full HD: $8.99 per 1,000 minutes |
- Zoom Webinars: $79/month - Zoom Sessions: $99.00/month - Zoom Events: $149.00/month |
- $0.002 per participant minute (Support Full HD) |
| Storage Pricing | Recording Audio: - $0.99/1,000 minutes Recording Video: - HD Video: $3.99/1,000 minutes - Full HD Video: $8.99/1,000 minutes |
- $0.5/GB/month | - $3 per 1000 minutes per month |
Support Comparison: Agora vs Zoom vs Video SDK
| features | Agora |
Zoom Video SDK |
VideoSDK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support | ✕ Paid |
✕ Live chat support - $50 USD/month subscription plans Live phone support - $200 USD/month subscription plans |
✓ Yes |
| Cost | - Standard Plan: $1200/month - Premium Plan: $2900/month - Enterprise Plan: $4900/month |
- Plans up to $1900 per month | Free |
| Access to Testing | ✕ Not Specified |
✓ Yes, All paid plans have access to testing support from Video SDK. |
✓ All paid accounts get access to testing support from Video SDK |
| Access to TAM / CS Engineer | - Premium Plan: Access to CS engineer, Code Review - Enterprise Plan: Everything in the Premium plan plus access to SA Engineer & Live Developer Consultation and Training |
✓ In the Premier and Premier+ Plan Only |
✓ Dedicated CS & Solution Engineers |
| SLAs | - Standard Plan: $1200/month - Premium Plan: $2900/month - Enterprise Plan: $4900/month |
✓ In the Premier+ Plan Only |
✓ Affordable SLA with 99.9% Uptime |
SUCCESS STORY
How Immigo empowered personalized language learning experience with Video SDK
See why customers love Video SDK
“We switched from a major international player to Video SDK due to their responsiveness to feedback, superior product, and better service. They outshine bigger players in the market and have been excellent in resolving issues promptly.”
Shilpa Jain,
CEO & Co-Founder at Talk Your Heart Out
FAQ
What is the difference between Zoom and Agora?+
Which platform is better suited for hosting virtual events or webinars?+