CDN Live Streaming Costs calculator - CDN Pricing Comparison for streaming
Estimate streaming costs per viewer
Understanding the Challenges of Traditional Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) and Cloud Providers in Video Streaming
Traditional Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) and Cloud providers are typically tailored to IT professionals, adhering to a 'pay-per-use' business model. However, the complexities of this pricing strategy can often leave users perplexed, especially when considering computational costs such as data storage, egress, transcoding, and packaging—elements commonly tied to streaming. Furthermore, hidden costs for standard cloud operations and streaming to multiple regions can add to the confusion.
Quality vs. Cost: A Dilemma for Video Streaming Professionals
Video streaming professionals are committed to delivering quality and reliability in their broadcasts. However, this can lead to an increase in computing power, storage, and bandwidth when employing a cloud provider or CDN. Striking a balance between these needs and cost remains a constant challenge.
The Innovative Approach of iReplay.TV to Video Streaming Pricing
iReplay.TV disrupts this model by charging video broadcasters based on the minutes used, while still upholding the highest possible quality. Additionally, iReplay.TV offers live monitoring measurements directly through Google Analytics, a service typically charged extra by CDN and cloud providers. This contrasts with the convoluted pricing structures of traditional CDN or Cloud providers that can conceal the total cost or 'cost-per-viewer', making it challenging for video publishers to set ticket prices and predict event margins.
Emphasizing Live Streaming Costs and Quality with iReplay.TV
Contrary to other solutions that compromise video quality to decrease costs, iReplay.TV adheres to Apple HLS Authoring recommendations (particularly 1080p60 at 8 Mbps) to ensure a superior user experience.
However, broadcasters should note that advanced features like start-over, catch-up, rewind, on-demand archiving, stream protection, and higher frame rates may result in additional costs with traditional CDNs and Cloud Providers, which are not listed here.
Cloud Provider Calculators: A Tool for Live Streaming
Other cloud calculators, like the AWS Cloud pricing calculator, Microsoft Azure Pricing Calculator, and Google Cloud Pricing Calculator, are often overly complicated. For instance, with AWS, before setting everything up, you need to determine whether you will use AWS Elemental Live (for enhanced video quality and fewer missing features) or AWS Interactive Video Service, each coming at entirely different prices, even considering the framerate as a variable in your calculation. Additionally, you'll need to factor in services like Cloudfront (for AWS IVS), S3 for archiving, and other variables like reservation/on-demand options, TB ranges used, viewer regions, etc. The calculator provided above illustrates both the best price (fully utilizing your Cloud credits) and the worst (excluding additional video features), giving you a good idea of both the total cost and the 'cost-per-viewer'. This ensures video broadcasters are well informed about the expected ticket price, related margins, and return on investment. We also provide several templates and recent requests below as examples of live streaming use cases.
The Issue of Transparency with Some CDNs
Certain CDNs do not provide public pricing, which can be a red flag. They typically offer slightly better per GB prices (compared to the most expensive cloud providers) in exchange for an annual or multi-year minimum commitment, which can lead to underutilization or excessive data overage costs. Major cloud providers may be costly for video services, but they at least offer public pricing. With HTTP Streaming being the standard for over a decade and cloud providers introducing more features, there's minimal difference between a Video-focused CDN and a standard cloud platform.
Value of a Video Streaming Engineer for Stress-Free Live Streaming Events
In the dynamic environment of live streaming, it's strongly recommended to enlist the services of a video streaming engineer. By doing so, you ensure your live event proceeds seamlessly, free from unnecessary stress and complications. A video streaming engineer offers a wealth of invaluable expertise, ranging from live monitoring of video playback to on-the-spot adjustments of delivery based on real-time analytics.
In live streaming events, where multiple variables can impact the viewing experience, the value of a skilled engineer cannot be overstated. They are equipped to swiftly identify and rectify potential issues as they occur, ensuring minimal disruption to your broadcast. They also offer solutions for redundancy to avoid any single point of failure and suggest alternative archiving solutions for long-term content storage.
If professional services are not included as a complimentary offering, it is advisable to seek out the expertise of these specialists on freelancing platforms. Upwork is one such platform, alongside others like Fiverr, Freelancer, Toptal, and Guru. These platforms host a multitude of highly skilled video streaming engineers ready to ensure the success of your live streaming events.
In essence, a video streaming engineer plays a crucial role in navigating the complex web of variables inherent in live streaming, freeing you to focus on delivering engaging content for your viewers. Their proactive monitoring and troubleshooting expertise can be the determining factor between a successful live stream event and a potentially disrupted broadcast.
Will I end up paying more in the long run if I opt for online video providers that utilizes one of these CDN or cloud platforms?
Yes, even if they receive volume-based pricing, online video providers still require profit margins. Use our
Online Video Provider Features and Pricing Comparison and Calculator tool to check
Templates: some streaming use cases
GAFAM vs iReplay.TV for a 1080p 1000-viewer 1h live stream (with dedicated video engineer)
Cloudfront costs optimization and calculator for streaming
1080p 100-viewer 1h live stream with providers with transparent public streaming pricing
1080p 100-viewer 1h live stream without any subscription plan
100 concurrent viewers on a 4-day event Pop-Up TV Channel
Digital Signage (DOOH): 24x7 VOD2Live TV Channel for one decoder/player (multiple screens through HDMI repeater)
Multisite (20) DOOH: 24x7 VOD2Live TV Channel for 20 decoder/players in 20 locations
Recent streaming costs estimations
Streaming 2 hours to 100 people at 7 Mbps, comparing iReplay.TV (video streaming enginer included) (Gaibandha,Bangladesh)
Streaming 2 hours to 1000 people at 8 Mbps, comparing iReplay.TV (video streaming enginer included) (Villars-sur-Glane,Switzerland)
Streaming 24/7 (monthly price) to 100 people at 8 Mbps, comparing Akamai, AWS Cloudfront, iReplay.TV, Cloudflare (video streaming enginer included) (Vila Nova de Famalicao,Portugal)
Streaming 2 hours to 100 people at 8 Mbps, comparing iReplay.TV (video streaming enginer included) (Tyreso Strand,Sweden)
Streaming 2 hours to 100 people at 8 Mbps, comparing CDN77 (video streaming enginer included) (Guildford,United Kingdom)
Streaming 2 hours to 100 people at 8 Mbps, comparing AWS Cloudfront (video streaming enginer included) (Le Rheu,France)
Streaming 2 hours to 100 people at 8 Mbps, comparing Microsoft Azure, iReplay.TV (video streaming enginer included) (Zlín,Czechia)
Streaming 2 hours to 100 people at 8 Mbps, comparing Akamai, AWS Cloudfront, iReplay.TV, Limelight Networks, Fastly (Rennes,France)
Streaming 2 hours to 100 people at 8 Mbps, comparing Akamai, AWS Cloudfront, iReplay.TV, Limelight Networks, Fastly (video streaming enginer included) (Paris,France)
Streaming 2 hours to 100 people at 8 Mbps, comparing Google Cloud Platform, Microsoft Azure, AWS Cloudfront, CDN77, iReplay.TV, BunnyCDN, Cloudflare, Fastly (video streaming enginer included) (France)
Streaming 2 hours to 100000 people at 8 Mbps, comparing iReplay.TV (video streaming enginer included) (Glasgow,United Kingdom)
Streaming 2 hours to 100 people at 8 Mbps, comparing Google Cloud Platform, Level3, Microsoft Azure, AWS Cloudfront, Limelight Networks, BunnyCDN, Cloudflare, Fastly (video streaming enginer included) (Kranj,Slovenia)
Streaming 2 hours to 100 people at 8 Mbps, comparing AWS Cloudfront, Edgecast (video streaming enginer included) (Croatia)
Streaming 2 hours to 100 people at 8 Mbps, comparing Akamai, Level3, iReplay.TV, BunnyCDN (video streaming enginer included) (Komenda,Slovenia)
Streaming 2 hours to 100 people at 8 Mbps, comparing Akamai, Cachefly, Edg.io, Google Cloud Platform, Level3, Microsoft Azure, AWS Cloudfront, CDN77, Edgecast, iReplay.TV, Limelight Networks, BunnyCDN, Cloudflare, Fastly, KeyCDN, Lumen (video streaming enginer included) (Riverton,US)
