A live streaming API takes one live feed from a broadcaster (usually RTMP, SRT or WebRTC), encodes it and delivers it to many viewers with a delay of a few seconds. In October 2026 the main options are Mux, Amazon IVS and Cloudflare Stream. Mux and Cloudflare charge per minute (input and delivery), while Amazon IVS charges per hour of input and per viewer-hour of output, from $0.036 for SD to $0.144 for Full HD.
This guide explains how live streaming differs from video calls, compares the providers (prices checked on each vendor's page on 18 October 2026), works through the cost of a weekly stream to 500 viewers and shows how to choose. It is one of the six kinds of video API.
Live streaming vs video calls
| Live streaming API | Video conferencing API | |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | One to many: viewers watch | Many to many: everyone can speak |
| Delay | A few seconds (low-latency modes go lower) | Under half a second |
| Audience size | Thousands, at CDN scale | Usually a few to a few dozen participants per room |
| Typical uses | Events, webinars, shopping streams, sports, classes | Telehealth, tutoring, interviews, AI voice and video agents |
| Billed by | Minutes or hours in, minutes or viewer-hours out | Participant-minutes |
If viewers only watch, use streaming: it is much cheaper per person. If they need to talk back in real time, use a video conferencing API. Many products combine both: a call with a few speakers that is also streamed to a large audience.
Live streaming APIs compared
| Provider | Pricing | Free tier |
|---|---|---|
| Mux Live | Input $0.03125 per minute (1080p Plus); delivery $0.001 per minute watched (first 500,000 minutes a month); simulcast $0.02 per minute per target; up to 1080p | 100,000 delivered minutes a month; $20 monthly usage credit |
| Amazon IVS (low latency) | Input per hour: Basic $0.20, Advanced SD $0.50, Advanced HD $0.85, Standard $2.00. Output per viewer-hour: SD $0.036, HD $0.072, Full HD $0.144 (North America, first 10,000 hours a month) | First 12 months: 5 hours of input, 100 hours of SD output a month |
| Cloudflare Stream | Same meters as on demand: $5 per 1,000 minutes of recordings stored, $1 per 1,000 minutes delivered. A live broadcast with no viewers has no delivery cost. WebRTC delivery has been billed since 15 October 2026 | None listed |
| Daily (live streaming from a call) | RTMP $0.015 and HLS $0.03 per encoded minute | 10,000 participant minutes a month for calls |
Checked on 18 October 2026. Sources: Mux video pricing, Amazon IVS pricing, Cloudflare Stream pricing, Daily pricing.
api.video also offers live streaming (24/7 streaming, DVR, RTMPS and SRT input) but publishes no separate per-minute live rate on its pricing page, so we have not priced it. See also video hosting APIs for its on-demand rates.
AI agents. Mux publishes an official MCP server (https://mcp.mux.com). We found no official MCP server for Amazon IVS, Daily or Cloudflare Stream (Cloudflare has only its general MCP server). Checked 18 October 2026.
What the prices mean: a worked example
Take a 2-hour stream every week to 500 viewers who stay for the whole stream, counted as 4 streams a month. That is 8 hours (480 minutes) of input and 500 × 120 = 60,000 viewer-minutes per stream, so 240,000 viewer-minutes (4,000 viewer-hours) a month. All figures are list prices, before free allowances unless stated, and use one quality level.
| Provider | Input (4 × 2 h) | Delivery (240,000 viewer-minutes) | Total a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mux (1080p Plus) | 480 min × $0.03125 = $15.00 | 240,000 − 100,000 free = 140,000 × $0.001 = $140.00 | $155.00 |
| Amazon IVS, Basic channel, SD output | 8 h × $0.20 = $1.60 | 4,000 viewer-hours × $0.036 = $144.00 | $145.60 |
| Amazon IVS, Advanced HD | 8 h × $0.85 = $6.80 | 4,000 viewer-hours × $0.072 = $288.00 | $294.80 |
| Cloudflare Stream | Included | 240,000 ÷ 1,000 × $1 = $240.00 | $240.00, plus up to $5 if you keep the recordings (480 minutes) |
Viewing is the big cost, not the broadcast: input is 1% to 10% of the bill. That is why per-viewer rates and free delivery allowances matter more than the input price. Mux's 100,000 free minutes are subtracted above; IVS's free tier is for the first 12 months only and is not included. Simulcasting to other platforms is extra on Mux ($0.02 per minute per target: sending these 480 minutes to two targets adds $19.20). The IVS Basic channel is limited to lower quality; Advanced HD is the like-for-like choice for HD.
How to choose
- Developer-friendly, live plus on demand in one account, with free delivery minutes: Mux.
- You already run on AWS, or you need interactive features (chat, timed metadata, real-time stages): Amazon IVS. It has the most levers and the most to configure.
- You already use Cloudflare, and want simple per-minute pricing: Cloudflare Stream.
- Viewers must talk back: a video conferencing API instead.
- You only need to broadcast to YouTube, Twitch or Facebook: you do not need a streaming API; use their own live tools or a simulcast service.
After the event, the recording is a normal video: see video hosting APIs for where to keep it, and a video editing API if you want to cut highlights or add captions to the replay.
Frequently asked questions
What is a live streaming API?
A live streaming API takes a live video feed from a broadcaster, usually over RTMP, SRT or WebRTC, encodes it and delivers it to many viewers with a few seconds of delay. Mux, Amazon IVS and Cloudflare Stream are the main options in 2026.
How much does live streaming cost?
Input is cheap and viewing is the main cost. Mux charges $0.03125 per minute of 1080p input and $0.001 per minute watched; Amazon IVS charges from $0.20 an hour of input and $0.036 to $0.144 per viewer-hour; Cloudflare Stream charges $1 per 1,000 minutes delivered. A 2-hour weekly stream to 500 viewers (four a month) costs about $155 on Mux, $145.60 on IVS (SD) or $294.80 (HD) and $240 on Cloudflare. Prices checked on 18 October 2026.
What is the difference between a live streaming API and a video call API?
A live streaming API broadcasts one feed to many viewers who only watch, with a delay of a few seconds. A video call API connects participants who all send and receive video with under half a second of delay. Streaming scales to thousands of viewers more cheaply; calls cost more per person and suit small groups.
Is there a free live streaming API?
Not a fully free one, but there are allowances. Mux includes 100,000 delivered minutes a month and a $20 monthly usage credit on pay as you go, and Amazon IVS gives new accounts 5 hours of input and 100 hours of SD output a month for 12 months. Checked on 18 October 2026.
Which live streaming APIs work with AI agents?
Mux publishes an official MCP server. We found none for Amazon IVS, Daily or Cloudflare Stream (checked 18 October 2026).
Is a video streaming API the same as a video hosting API?
They overlap. A hosting API serves videos that already exist (on demand); a live streaming API serves a feed as it happens and usually saves the recording afterwards. Mux and Cloudflare Stream do both under one account.
More in this section: video APIs: the six types and how to choose, video hosting API, video conferencing API.
Published on October 18th, 2026
