Adding live video to an application used to require a team of specialists and months of development. You'd need to figure out streaming protocols, encoding pipelines, CDN distribution, player compatibility, and more — all before writing a single line of your actual product code.
Today, that's changed. Live streaming APIs and SDKs let you add broadcast capabilities to your app with a few API calls, so you can spend your time building features your users actually care about.
This guide covers what to look for in a live streaming solution, walks through the typical integration workflow, and compares the top providers in the space.
What is a live streaming API?
A live streaming API is a set of endpoints that handle the technical complexity of broadcasting video in real-time. Instead of building infrastructure for ingesting, encoding, and delivering live video, you send requests to an API and it handles the heavy lifting.
A live streaming SDK (software development kit) bundles client-side libraries and tools that make it easier to integrate streaming into your web or mobile application. SDKs typically include pre-built components for capturing video, uploading content, and playing back streams.
Together, APIs and SDKs abstract away the hardest parts of video: encoding, adaptive bitrate streaming, CDN delivery, and playback across devices.
How to choose a live streaming API
Not every provider is the right fit for every use case. Here's what to evaluate:
Latency options. Standard HLS streaming introduces 20+ seconds of delay — fine for one-way broadcasts, but unusable for interactive experiences like live auctions or Q&A sessions. Look for providers that offer low-latency options (under 5 seconds) when real-time interaction matters.
Protocol support. Most APIs accept RTMP for ingest, which works with broadcast software like OBS and hardware encoders. Some providers also support SRT (Secure Reliable Transport), which performs better over unreliable networks — useful if your streamers are broadcasting from mobile connections or remote locations.
Playback delivery. HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is the dominant output format because it works everywhere. Better providers use multiple CDNs and adaptive bitrate streaming to ensure smooth playback regardless of viewer location or connection quality.
SDK coverage. Check which platforms are supported. At minimum, you'll want web (JavaScript), iOS, and Android. Framework-specific SDKs for React, React Native, or Flutter can save significant integration time.
Analytics and monitoring. Debugging live streams without visibility is painful. Good providers include stream health metrics (bitrate, framerate, latency) and viewer experience data (rebuffering, startup time) so you can catch issues before your users do.
Pricing model. Most providers charge by the minute, but the specifics vary. Some charge separately for encoding, storage, and delivery. Others bundle everything together. Understand how costs scale with your expected usage.
Documentation quality. This matters more than you'd think. Clear docs, working code examples, and responsive support make the difference between a two-day integration and a two-week one.
Typical live streaming API workflow
While implementation details vary by provider, most follow a similar pattern:
- Create a live stream. Make a POST request to create a live stream resource. You'll get back a stream key and RTMP (or SRT) endpoint.
- Connect your encoder. Point your broadcast software, mobile app, or hardware encoder at the ingest endpoint using the stream key.
- Start broadcasting. When you push video to the endpoint, the API encodes it into multiple quality levels for adaptive bitrate playback.
- Get playback URLs. The API returns an HLS URL you can use in any compatible player. Some providers also generate thumbnails and preview images automatically.
- Handle the stream lifecycle. Use webhooks to respond to events: stream connected, stream started, stream ended. This lets you update your UI, trigger recordings, or notify users in real-time.
- Access recordings. Most providers automatically record live streams and make them available as video-on-demand assets once the stream ends.
Here's what that looks like with a simple API call:
curl -X POST https://api.mux.com/video/v1/live-streams \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-u ${MUX_TOKEN_ID}:${MUX_TOKEN_SECRET} \
-d '{"playback_policy": ["public"], "new_asset_settings": {"playback_policy": ["public"]}}'The response includes everything you need: stream key, ingest URL, and playback ID.
Best live streaming APIs and SDKs
Mux: best for developer experience and scaling
Mux is built for developers who want video infrastructure that works without requiring them to become video experts. The API is straightforward: create a live stream, get credentials, start broadcasting. There's no fiddling with encoding settings or CDN configuration — Mux handles that automatically.
The platform supports RTMP and SRT for ingest, with SRT particularly useful for mobile or unreliable network conditions. For output, Mux delivers HLS streams through multiple CDNs, automatically routing viewers to the best-performing option.
Latency options range from standard (20+ seconds) to low-latency mode using LL-HLS, which brings glass-to-glass delay under 5 seconds. This makes Mux suitable for both one-way broadcasts and interactive experiences.
Live simulcasting lets your users rebroadcast to platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook simultaneously — useful for creators who want to reach audiences across multiple platforms without managing separate streams.
One standout is the included analytics. Mux Data tracks quality of experience metrics (startup time, rebuffering, errors) for every viewer, giving you visibility into playback performance that many providers charge extra for.
Platform support: JavaScript, React, iOS, Android, React Native, Python, Ruby, PHP, Go, Elixir, Node.js
Pricing: Pay-as-you-go starting at $0.00096/minute for video delivery. Live streaming has no cost for creating streams — you only pay for encoding and delivery.
Best for: Teams that want to ship quickly, applications scaling from thousands to millions of viewers, and products where video is a core feature rather than an afterthought.
Agora: best for interactive video
Agora focuses on real-time communication with ultra-low latency (under 400ms), which makes it more suited for video calling and interactive scenarios than traditional broadcast streaming. If you're building something like Clubhouse, Zoom, or a live auction platform where participants need to interact in real-time, Agora's approach works well.
The SDK supports voice, video, and live interactive streaming across mobile, web, and desktop. The platform includes features like cloud recording, content moderation, and spatial audio for more immersive experiences.
Platform support: iOS, Android, Web, macOS, Windows, React Native, Flutter, Unity
Pricing: Starts at $0.99 per 1,000 minutes for audio; video pricing varies by resolution.
Best for: Interactive applications where participants communicate in real-time.
100ms: best for interactive live streams
100ms emphasizes interactive streaming with latency under 7 seconds. The platform supports features like live widgets, call-to-action buttons, and overlays during streams.
The SDK includes prebuilt UI components and supports a single API call to start streaming. Integration with YouTube Live is available for simulcasting to external platforms.
Platform support: JavaScript, React, React Native, Android, Flutter, iOS
Pricing: From $0.004/participant/minute
Best for: Interactive streams where you want to build engagement features on top of the video.
Mux live streaming: getting started
If you're ready to add live streaming to your application, here's how to get started with Mux.
Step 1: Create a live stream
Use the Mux API to create a live stream resource:
const Mux = require('@mux/mux-node');
const { Video } = new Mux(process.env.MUX_TOKEN_ID, process.env.MUX_TOKEN_SECRET);
const liveStream = await Video.LiveStreams.create({
playback_policy: ['public'],
new_asset_settings: { playback_policy: ['public'] }
});
console.log('Stream Key:', liveStream.stream_key);
console.log('Playback ID:', liveStream.playback_ids[0].id);Step 2: Connect your broadcast
Point your encoder (OBS, Streamyard, or a mobile app) at the RTMP URL with your stream key:
rtmp://global-live.mux.com:5222/app
Stream Key: [your-stream-key]For better reliability over unstable networks, use SRT instead:
srt://global-live.mux.com:5222?streamid=[your-stream-key]Step 3: Add a player
Use Mux Player for the fastest integration:
<mux-player
stream-type="live"
playback-id="[your-playback-id]"
></mux-player>Or use any HLS-compatible player with the stream URL:
https://stream.mux.com/[playback-id].m3u8Step 4: Handle events
Configure webhooks to respond to stream lifecycle events:
// Webhook payload example
{
"type": "video.live_stream.active",
"data": {
"id": "aA02skpHXoLrbQm49qIzAG6RtewFOcDEY",
"status": "active"
}
}Common events include live_stream.connected, live_stream.active, live_stream.idle, and asset.ready (when the recording is available).
Making the right choice
The right live streaming API depends on what you're building:
For general application video — whether that's a fitness app streaming classes, a platform for creators, or a media company streaming events — Mux offers the best combination of developer experience, scalability, and value. You get video infrastructure that just works, plus analytics to understand viewer experience.
For real-time interactive applications — where latency needs to be under a second — Agora's approach is better suited, though you're building something closer to video calling than traditional streaming.
The most important thing is matching the solution to your actual requirements. A fitness app streaming workout classes has different needs than a sports betting platform with millions of concurrent viewers. Start with your use case, test the developer experience, and scale from there.
Ready to add live streaming to your application? Get started with Mux for free — no credit card required.