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Agora alternatives: 7 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll video and voice APIs

Top picks

  • LiveKit logo

    Best overall

    LiveKit

    Free plan: $0/month Build plan

  • 100ms logo

    Best free option

    100ms

    Conferencing price: $0.004 per participant minute

  • LiveKit logo

    Best open source

    LiveKit

    Free plan: $0/month Build plan

Common reasons people leave Agora: proprietary network with no self-hosted option, and many products and SKUs make costs hard to estimate. We ranked 7 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Agora, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. LiveKit currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1LiveKit logoLiveKitOpen sourceFrom $50/monthYesWeb, iOS, Android +14 of 468.8
2CometChat logoCometChatPaid$239/month billed annuallyNoWeb, iOS, Android5 of 566.2
3100ms logo100msFree plan + paid$0.004 per participant minuteNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 464.8
4DaDailyFree plan + paid$0.004 per participant minute after free minutesNoWeb, iOS, Android8 of 861.8
5Stream logoStreamFree plan + paid$399 a month billed annually, or $499 monthly (Chat Start)NoWeb, iOS, Android5 of 554.4
6Sendbird logoSendbirdPaid$349/month billed annuallyNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 452.6
7Twilio logoTwilioPaidFrom $0.0083 per messageNoWeb7 of 750.0
  1. LiveKit logo

    1. LiveKitTop pick

    Best for: Teams building voice AI agents or video apps who want an open-source stack with an optional managed cloud

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Agora

    Open-source and self-hostable, with a strong agents framework for voice AI.

    Pros

    • Apache-2.0 server you can self-host
    • Agents framework with turn detection and telephony
    • SDKs for most web, mobile and game platforms
    • Free cloud tier with no credit card

    Cons

    • Product focus has moved strongly towards voice AI agents
    • Self-hosting at scale means running your own WebRTC infrastructure
    • Cloud costs stack several per-minute charges per session
    Visit LiveKit Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is LiveKit a good Agora alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    $0/month Build plan
    Checked Nov 8, 2026livekit.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Paid plans
    From $50/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026livekit.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud regions
    19+
    Checked Nov 8, 2026livekit.io(opens source in a new tab)
  2. CometChat logo

    2. CometChat

    Best for: Teams that want in-app chat and calling with prebuilt UI or a no-code website widget

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Agora

    Bundles chat and calling with prebuilt UI and a no-code website widget.

    Pros

    • No-code widget option alongside full SDKs and UI kits
    • Lower entry price than several chat API rivals
    • Compliance coverage including HIPAA, SOC 2 and ISO 27001

    Cons

    • Free Build plan is for development only, capped at 100 users
    • MAU and concurrent connection overages on Basic and Advanced plans
    • Email and SMS notification fallbacks need the Advanced plan
    Visit CometChat Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.341
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.15100
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is CometChat a good Agora alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    Development only, up to 100 users
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cometchat.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $239/month billed annually
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cometchat.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    React, iOS, Android, Flutter and more
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cometchat.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Compliance
    GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO 27001
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cometchat.com(opens source in a new tab)
    MAU overage
    $0.10 per MAU
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cometchat.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. 100ms logo

    3. 100ms

    Best for: Product teams adding branded video calls or live classes to an app without running media servers

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    64.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Agora

    Simpler pricing and a prebuilt UI for teams that mainly need video calls and live classes.

    Pros

    • Generous free monthly minutes for conferencing and streaming
    • Prebuilt UI speeds up a first integration
    • Recording, RTMP out and transcription in the same platform
    • Cheaper rates for audio-only sessions

    Cons

    • HIPAA compliance costs extra on the self-serve tier
    • Paid SLA support packages start at a high monthly minimum
    • Cloud-only: no self-hosted media server option
    Visit 100ms Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is 100ms a good Agora alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    10,000 conferencing minutes/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026100ms.live(opens source in a new tab)
    Conferencing price
    $0.004 per participant minute
    Checked Nov 8, 2026100ms.live(opens source in a new tab)
    Audio-only discount
    75% off
    Checked Nov 8, 2026100ms.live(opens source in a new tab)
    HIPAA BAA
    $500/month add-on on self-serve
    Checked Nov 8, 2026100ms.live(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Da

    4. DailyAcquired

    Best for: Developers building telehealth video or voice AI agents who want WebRTC infrastructure and Pipecat together

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Agora

    WebRTC platform with HIPAA BAAs, popular for telehealth and Pipecat voice agents.

    Pros

    • Signs HIPAA BAAs and offers end-to-end encryption
    • Maintains Pipecat, a popular open-source voice AI framework
    • Free monthly minutes on the video SDK

    Cons

    • Joining Deepgram, so the roadmap may change
    • The core media platform is cloud-only, with no self-hosted server
    • Pricing details sit behind separate product pages
    Visit Daily Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Daily a good Agora alternative?

    Verified facts

    8 of 8 verified
    Free allowance
    10,000 minutes/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026daily.co(opens source in a new tab)
    HIPAA
    Signed BAAs
    Checked Nov 8, 2026daily.co(opens source in a new tab)
    Founded
    Infrastructure since 2016
    Checked Nov 8, 2026daily.co(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Joining Deepgram
    Checked Nov 8, 2026daily.co(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $0.004 per participant minute after free minutes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026daily.co(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes, 10,000 participant minutes/month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026daily.co(opens source in a new tab)
    Audio-only rate
    $0.00099 per participant minute
    Checked Nov 8, 2026daily.co(opens source in a new tab)
    HIPAA add-on
    $500 a month
    Checked Nov 8, 2026daily.co(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Stream logo

    5. Stream

    Best for: App teams adding chat, video or feeds who want ready-made UI kits for many frameworks

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    54.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Agora

    Combines video calling with richer chat, feeds and moderation products.

    Pros

    • Chat, video, feeds and moderation from one vendor
    • UI kits for most mobile, web and game frameworks
    • Free tier for small apps and a Maker programme for small companies

    Cons

    • Paid chat plans start in the hundreds of dollars per month
    • Separate overage meters for users, connections, API calls and storage
    • Not self-hostable
    Visit Stream Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.352
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Stream a good Agora alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, Build plan with 10K MAU
    Checked Nov 8, 2026getstream.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $399 a month billed annually, or $499 monthly (Chat Start)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026getstream.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Products
    Chat, video, feeds, moderation
    Checked Nov 8, 2026getstream.io(opens source in a new tab)
    MAU overage
    $0.09 per user
    Checked Nov 8, 2026getstream.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Elevate plan
    $599 a month billed annually, or $675 monthly
    Checked Nov 8, 2026getstream.io(opens source in a new tab)
  6. Sendbird logo

    6. Sendbird

    Best for: Mid-size and enterprise apps that need mature in-app chat with moderation and support tooling

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    52.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Agora

    Chat-first platform with calling, better if messaging is the core feature.

    Pros

    • Mature chat feature set including moderation dashboard and translation
    • Voice and video calling and business messaging from the same vendor
    • Dedicated server option on enterprise plans

    Cons

    • No free production tier; paid plans start in the hundreds per month
    • Translation and image moderation require the Pro plan
    • Company focus has shifted toward AI customer service products
    Visit Sendbird Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.346
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Sendbird a good Agora alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free trial
    Yes, up to 1,000 MAU
    Checked Nov 8, 2026sendbird.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    $349/month billed annually
    Checked Nov 8, 2026sendbird.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $499/month billed annually
    Checked Nov 8, 2026sendbird.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Voice and video
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026sendbird.com(opens source in a new tab)
  7. Twilio logo

    7. Twilio

    Best for: Developers adding SMS, calls, WhatsApp or 2FA codes to an app who want the widest set of features

    PaidWeb

    50.0

    score / 100

    Why switch from Agora

    Pick it if you also need phone numbers, SMS and voice calls to regular phones.

    Pros

    • Covers SMS, voice, WhatsApp, RCS, verification and email in one account
    • Pay as you go with no contract
    • Free trial with no credit card
    • Mature docs and SDKs for most languages

    Cons

    • Per-message rates are higher than some carrier-owned rivals
    • Carrier fees and US 10DLC registration add cost and setup work
    • The product range is large and can be hard to navigate
    Visit Twilio Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.338
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Twilio a good Agora alternative?

    Verified facts

    7 of 7 verified
    Pricing
    Pay as you go
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twilio.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    Yes, no credit card required
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twilio.com(opens source in a new tab)
    SMS price
    From $0.0083 per message
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twilio.com(opens source in a new tab)
    WhatsApp
    From $0.005 per message
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twilio.com(opens source in a new tab)
    WhatsApp price
    From $0.005 per message
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twilio.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Voice price
    From $0.014/min to make a call, $0.0085/min to receive
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twilio.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Email price
    From $0.0013 per email
    Checked Nov 8, 2026twilio.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Agora alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

LiveKit logo

Best Agora alternative for most people

LiveKit

Open-source and self-hostable, with a strong agents framework for voice AI.

LiveKit logo

Best Agora alternative for a free option

LiveKit

Open-source and self-hostable, with a strong agents framework for voice AI.

100ms logo

Best Agora alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

100ms

Simpler pricing and a prebuilt UI for teams that mainly need video calls and live classes.

LiveKit logo

Best Agora alternative for open source

LiveKit

Open-source and self-hostable, with a strong agents framework for voice AI.

LiveKit logo

Best Agora alternative for self-hosting

LiveKit

Open-source and self-hostable, with a strong agents framework for voice AI.

CometChat logo

Best Agora alternative for iPhone and Android

CometChat

Bundles chat and calling with prebuilt UI and a no-code website widget.

Da

Best Agora alternative for working in the browser

Daily

WebRTC platform with HIPAA BAAs, popular for telehealth and Pipecat voice agents.

Agora alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Agora?

LiveKit ranks first right now. Open-source and self-hostable, with a strong agents framework for voice AI. CometChat and 100ms follow it in our ranking.

Agora vs LiveKit: what's the difference?

Agora is free with paid plans; LiveKit is free and open source. Verified prices: Agora $0.59 per 1,000 RTC minutes, LiveKit From $50/month. LiveKit is open source and Agora is not. Only Agora runs on Windows and macOS.

Is Agora free?

Agora is free with paid plans. RTC price: From $0.59 per 1,000 minutes; Conversational AI: From $0.10 per minute, first 300 minutes free; Starting price: $0.59 per 1,000 RTC minutes; Chat: From $0.05 per monthly active user. Checked on Agora's own site, November 2026.

How much do Agora alternatives cost?

Verified prices for the top-ranked Agora alternatives: LiveKit, From $50/month; CometChat, $239/month billed annually; 100ms, $0.004 per participant minute; Daily, $0.004 per participant minute after free minutes; Stream, $399 a month billed annually, or $499 monthly (Chat Start). Each price was checked on the app's own site; see each card below for the date and source.

Is there a free alternative to Agora?

Yes. LiveKit (open source), 100ms (free plan + paid), Daily (free plan + paid) and Stream (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Agora?

Yes: LiveKit. LiveKit can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Agora?

The complaints we hear most: proprietary network with no self-hosted option; many products and SKUs make costs hard to estimate; larger deals require talking to sales.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Agora, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.