Top Video Chat APIs to integrate into your Video Chat Apps: A Comparative Study!

Today, the demand for virtual communication via audio/video chat mobile apps is higher than ever before! Especially on account of the Covid19 scenario, all sorts of communication starting from private conversations with friends/relatives, student-educator interaction, doctor consultation, to enterprise-level meetings involving clients/employees, are taking place digitally. And this trend of connecting digitally is here to stay for long owing to its numerous advantages. Therefore, integrating video calling features into an app will be a strategic move for every mobile app creator or Mobile App Development Company.

Several companies have already begun embedding this feature in their apps looking at the need of the hour. A robust video chat API and an SDK are required for integrating video chat in mobile applications. The blog gives you a peek into the top video chat APIs to guide you in picking the ideal tool for your upcoming app development project.

So let’s get started. But before we sail further, let’s take a quick look at some of the major aspects concerning video chat APIs!

What is a video chat API and SDK?

A video chat API (Application Programming Interface) refers to the tool that integrates audio and video, for enabling a device or an app to employ real-time video chat functionality. The technical infrastructure is provided by the API for setting up video communication. In other words, API is an interface that makes way for communication and data exchange between various kinds of software. A video chat API is used for directing video/audio calls and sharing files and thus ensuring a smooth communication process.

An SDK (Software Development Kit) refers to a host of tools that ease out the Mobile Application Development process. These tools include visual editors, libraries, APIs, debuggers, etc.

The key features of APIs/SDKs are:

• Various kinds of conferencing formats
• Messaging and voice functionalities
• Screen sharing and recording

Reasons why You should Leverage Video call API and SDK in Your Mobile Apps

• Both these tools enable businesses to create cross-platform live video conferencing platforms easily and quickly. Besides, robust APIs can be speedily implemented and their use can result in lesser bugs.
• Their use saves the time and efforts of mobile app developers and they can focus on building the app instead.

How the Video Chats Function?

Video communication takes place between two clients using the VOIP i.e. Voice over Internet Protocol. Check out the steps.

• The video chat service connected to the internet sends a request to the receiving device of the other person.
• After receiving the call, the video and audio sent to the device get encoded and then are sent back to the other device.
• A continual repetition of this process allows the chatting activity to go on for a prolonged period.

Top video chat APIs for Mobile App Development

Twilio

Twilio is a cloud communication platform. It offers programmable video API to craft real-time apps employing cloud infrastructure and WebRTC. Businesses integrating Twilio API can utilize the telecom system in a budget-friendly way.

Features

• Easy-going, reliable, and properly documented
• Just a few lines of code can trigger video calling
• The facility of screen-sharing and co-browsing
• Control for the media and layout
• Peer-to-peer communication involving up to four participants
• Group chat rooms with the capacity to scale up to fifty participants
• The availability of a recording-storing facility in the Twilio Cloud
• REST orchestration and webhooks enabling developers to control the creation and completion of a chat room using the REST API

Functions

• Developers can receive or initiate phone calls via video chat APIs.
• Supports the development of open-source apps enabling businesses to configure phone numbers for routing phone calls.
• Provides an additional web service – ‘In the Cloud’ – which allows integration of real-time phone calls into the applications.
• Its offerings allow one to create a HIPAA Compliant workflow

Check out our blog how to develop a video consultation healthcare app using Twilio!

PubNub

This API leads to the creation of innovative and dynamic chat applications that are reliable. It adheres to enterprise-grade security standards in the apps. PubNub serves the purposes of conducting enterprise-level meetings, conversations, and conferences virtually.

Features

• Extensive plugins, push notifications, and end-to-end encryption.
• Broadcasting of messages and transferring of metadata prior to calls.
• Signaling of WebRTC.

Functions

• The WebRTC framework facilitates data and audio/video communication across manifold browsers.
• The “Presence” feature available in the PubNub library, displays the online or offline status of other participants.

Vonage

Vonage, one of the leading Paas companies, offers robust video chat APIs as well as SDKs that simplify the tasks of integrating and customizing video calling apps. The Vonage video API solution possesses enterprise-grade WebRTC abilities and advanced functionalities that enhance the video call experience across various platforms.

Features

• Cross-platform compatibility, seamless integration, and high scalability
• Instant messaging and video call encryption
• WebRTC integration, and telephony interoperability using voice API
• Provision for one-to-one chats, group chats as well as huge broadcast sessions.
• Diverse types of sessions: Video and voice sessions, voice-only sessions, or combined chat sessions.
• The facility of sharing content or screen and exchanging messages between the participants during sessions.

Functions

• It comes with a library for core features that connects sessions, publishes streams for the sessions as well as streams subscribing sessions.
• While the core platform for text and video chats is WebRTC, Vonage provides enterprises with an OpenTok video platform that runs on the Java API.
• With Vonage, medical firms can create HIPAA compliant apps and also receive additional service- BAAs.

CometChat

Employing this Saas-based Video chat API, businesses can add the video chat feature to their mobile app or website. It is a perfect pick for architecting video chat solutions that help businesses exponentially expand their customer base.

Features

• High scalability, cross-platform compatibility, and ability to integrate 90+ platforms
• One-to-one and group video chatting/calling functionality
• End-to-end-encryption

Functions

• Enables developers to integrate the video chat functionality into the application using the REST protocol.
• The Restful API ensures a hassle-free video calling process and enables one to manage CometChat on any platform.
• Allows the processes of creation, removal, and updating users within an app

QuickBlox

QuickBlox API is a perfectly suited platform for multiparty video conferencing. It offers facilities like session creation, receiving callbacks, etc. Owing to its special offerings such as content settings, users, ratings, location, etc. this API is commonly employed by enterprise-grade and social networking applications.

Feature

• Real-time chat facility
• Use of WebRTC as the core technology, offering a secure peer-to-peer connectivity
• Availability of ready-to-go modules like video calling, push notifications, etc.
• Sophisticated Admin Panel, end-to-end encryption, and secure video/audio calling

Functions

• This API is easy to integrate and utilizes emerging internet communication technologies.
• Developers can easily create video chat apps.
• QuickBlox also sells communication tools to mobile app building companies

Sinch

Sinch SDK offers enriching video chat APIs that powers the application with video, voice, verification, as well as real-time communication APIs. This platform is powered by WebRTC and VOIP and is a great option to use for adding communication into an application.

Features

• Lightweight SDK
• Utilizes the SaaS cloud platform
• Seamless integration
• Adaptive software for usage across diverse platforms
• Peer-to-peer support
• Functionalities like screenshot pause and resume, data calls, etc.
• Comprehensive documentation

Functions

• WebRTC API and an adaptive codec selection are employed to ensure premium quality audio and video selection.
• It allows integrating voice into apps speedily employing hardly a few lines of code.
• It enables developers to add the feature of video calling to any location around the globe into your mobile app.
• It offers enterprises the pay-as-you-grow pricing model without any hidden costs.

MirrorFly

This custom-made solution for video calling has in-built WebRTC signaling that runs on iOS, Android, and web apps.

Offerings

• Live broadcasting, Video conferencing, VoIP, and SIP calls
• Provision of Screen sharing, real-time instant messaging, push-to-talk option, and Whiteboard
• Facilities like 100% customization and On-premise/ Cloud Hosting
• Embedded with low latency technologies and video encoders to ensure top-quality video
• Charges a one-time license cost

Key Takeaway:

The aforementioned Video Calling APIs are some of the best APIs that can be used to integrate video chat features in the application. So, create a difference by developing a sensational mobile app with the video chat feature or enhance the usability of your existing app by integrating this function.

Have you tried any of these video chat APIs? If yes, do share your experience in the comments section.