api.video review (2026): is the free plan enough?
Video hosting, live streaming and analytics API for developers
Black Friday: is there a api.video sale?
api.video report card
Fair · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for developers adding video upload, hosting and live streaming
api.video handles upload, encoding, delivery and live streaming through an API, billed by minutes stored and watched with no monthly fee. The free sandbox cuts videos to 30 seconds with a watermark and deletes them after a day, and add-ons like custom domains start at $60 a month.
Who api.video is for
- Fits if you build video features into your own app through an API
- Works for teams that want live streams simulcast to YouTube, Facebook or Twitch
Who api.video is not for
- Skip it if you don't write code, as the product is an API
- Tight if you want free hosting: the sandbox deletes videos after 24 hours
- Pricey if you need a custom domain, at $60 a month per domain
- Watch out: analytics beyond a month cost $12 to $299 a month, and AI transcription is $0.10 per minute
- Watch out: pay as you go caps API calls at 100 uploads and 500 reads a minute
Why api.video gets a 2.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- CValue for moneyNo monthly fee, and hosting from $0.00285 and delivery from $0.0017 per minute of video, so it depends on usage. Custom domains are an add-on from $60 a month.
- DFree plan and trialThe sandbox has every feature, but videos are 30 seconds, watermarked and deleted after 24 hours. It is a test area, not something to live on.
- BFeaturesOn-demand and live video, SRT and RTMPS, simulcast, analytics, access controls and AI transcription in 33 languages. Longer analytics history and transcription cost extra.
- CEase of useNo store rating on record. There is a dashboard, but the work is writing code against the API.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWeb dashboard and API only. No desktop or phone apps, and no integrations list.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from api.video's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make api.video? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/api-video#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/api-video.svg" alt="api.video: 2.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where api.video stands among screen recording and video tools
api.video's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 14 of the 133 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 27.
It stands best on features (B, above 78 of 133) and worst on free plan and trial (D, above 14).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 134 screen recording and video tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. api.video’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 20 of 133, level with 66
- DFree plan and trialAbove 14 of 133, level with 9
- BFeaturesAbove 78 of 133, level with 53
- CEase of useAbove 2 of 133, level with 84
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 17 of 133, level with 49
Keep api.video, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace api.video you would be making one live stream sent to several platforms at once. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 92 of the 133 other screen recording and video tools grade higher.
What you could not
- One live stream sent to several platforms at once.
- Speech turned into text you can trust.
- An API that other software can build on.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. api.video’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is api.video?
api.video is a developer-focused video platform that handles upload, encoding, storage, delivery and live streaming through an API and dashboard. It includes a customizable player, analytics and optional AI transcription and summaries. Billing is by minutes of video stored and delivered, and encoding is not charged.
Worth knowing
- The free sandbox caps videos at 30 seconds, watermarks them and deletes them after 24 hours; production needs a paid account.
- Custom domains are an add-on from $60 a month per domain (the add-ons list shows 60 euros); domain referrer restrictions are $20 a month.
- Analytics retention beyond one month costs from $12 to $299 a month depending on plays; AI transcription is $0.10 per minute.
- Pay as you go allows 100 upload, 200 write and 500 read API calls per minute; Enterprise raises these limits.
Key features
- Video on demand API
- Upload by file or URL, with HLS and MP4 output, encoding from 240p to 4K, trimming, watermarks, captions, chapters and thumbnails.
- Live streaming
- Concurrent and 24/7 streams over RTMPS or SRT, DVR, recording, low latency and simulcasting to platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitch.
- Analytics
- Viewing analytics for videos and live streams with one month of retention free, and longer retention sold by play count.
- AI transcription and summaries
- Transcription in 33 languages is priced at $0.10 per minute of video; summaries and takeaways are billed per minute too.
- Access control
- Private videos and streams, delegated upload tokens, domain referrer restrictions and AES 128-bit encryption.
api.video pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, api.video has a free plan.
- Starts at
- Not published
- Free plan
- Sandbox account with all features: videos limited to 30 seconds, watermarked and deleted after 24 hours.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Pay as you go | $0 | No monthly fee. Hosting from $0.00285 and delivery from $0.0017 per minute of video; encoding is free. |
| Enterprise plan | Custom | Higher API rate limits, 99.9% SLA with credits, signed MSA and DPA, security review, annual billing, wire transfer. |
Read from api.video on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with api.video before you buy.
api.video alternatives
- api.video vs Mux
Free plan · from $20/mo
- api.video vs Bunny Stream
Free trial · from $1/mo
- api.video vs Vimeo
Free plan · from $12/mo
Common questions
Does api.video have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. api.video is listed for Web.
Does api.video have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. api.video is listed for Web.
Is api.video open source?
api.video is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does api.video have an API?
Yes. api.video offers a public API, according to its own site.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.