Live Streaming CDN Providers
Live Streaming CDN Providers

CDN for Video Streaming

A content delivery network is a network of servers that distribute web-based content to geographically dispersed groups of users. If you produced an event for a local high school or church and served all your streams from a Kansas City web server, the majority of streams would be distributed within a few kilometers of their origination point.

However, imagine that many of your streams were delivered in New York, California or Europe to viewers. These packets would need to travel multiple times as they switch from router to router. This would slow down delivery and increase the chance of losing packets. The video could become so popular that viewers request more than the origin server, which could lead to delays in delivery.

What is the point of a Live Streaming CDN Providers?

These delivery problems are overcome by CDNs using caching servers that are closer to viewers. To go back to the previous analogy, suppose you hired a CDN and they delivered your live event in Kansas City to a CDN server for ingest. The CDN would send the packets to a local server through dedicated, high-bandwidth internal connections. This avoids multiple hops for end-users watching the event live from New York. The CDN would distribute the contents to nearby viewers once the packets had arrived in New York. The origin server would only have to send the packets to a small number of CDN caching servers. This would ensure that it is not overwhelmed by too many connections.

A CDN is a must-have if you want to offer a high-quality experience to many viewers across the globe.

Content Delivery Networks have become more powerful every day. Because technology has become more important, the number of creative leaders who turn to CDNs is growing. Many people search for CDNs using the keywords “CDN video streaming” and “what is CDN?”

Understanding Live Streaming CDN Providers

Although video CDN providers have been around for a while, they are now booming as a business necessity. CDNs are the foundation of internet browsing. Websites used to depend on one server to send their data to their visitors. CDNs free these hosts origins from the responsibility of having to distribute every piece of content to every user.

CDNs, in other words, have made it easier to efficiently relay site content to a multitude of digital consumers faster and more accurately, which has valuably contributed to high-quality online browsing. CDNs can be described as an infrastructure of servers that are located around the world to send data to online users. CDNs allow brands to reach their customers faster and more efficiently because web hosts are only meant to keep a brand’s “home” online.

What is the best way to get live streaming CDN pricing for video?

Each major video-sharing site distributes their visual content via CDNs. This ensures that quality and speed are maintained and sustained. It’s natural that companies such as Youtube, Netflix and Vimeo all use the delivery platform technology, considering how motion pictures have become integral to their business strategies. The video-streaming service of dedicated CDNs improves site visitors’ viewing experience by moving large files from the streaming origin host (also known as a .

Are you ready? Let’s get started.

The physical location and number of users on the site determine how easy data can be stored. Site data can be extended from a local server, also known as Points of Presence. This reduces internet congestion and creates a better viewing experience for end users. You also get a shorter startup time, less buffering and better content resolution.

CDN streaming services can also dramatically reduce your monthly bills, as your main server’s bandwidth consumption is reduced. Furthermore, the migration to the cloud–together with the embracing of applications like streaming media and video conferencing–continues to see a noticeable rise, too. However, bandwidth requirements are also increasing. This part of the process is important, but it can be expensive. There are many video streaming CDN pricing options that offer flexible solutions for this problem. BelugaCDN provides a detailed tutorial on MPEG-4 video content.

What is a free Live CDN to stream video?

The name Live video streaming refers to the use of CDN, but with an emphasis on videos. It is important to be open to learning more. However, it is better than asking ” What is CDN video streaming?” Why? This piece, like many other bits of technology today, is not for everyone. CDNs offer a promising set of systems. However, other websites could also use them for other purposes that don’t require a lot of video content.

They are perfect for many businesses. Amazon is a great example of an e-commerce company. Because they are an online business, most of their sales come from online. Selling products online is a great way to make a lot of money. However, the main way they make a profit is via the internet. Jeff Bezo’s business will be closed if you take that avenue.

It’s clear that Amazon is not the only company whose business depends on the internet. A CDN is a great option for sites that rely on selling products or services on the internet. CDNs could also be beneficial for websites that regularly publish blog posts, news updates, and other media. Because of the large amounts of traffic that sites like BuzzFeed, Washington Post and CNN receive, CDNs are essential. A CDN can be a great option for your business, even if your site is small.

Benefits of CDN Video Streaming

Video content is in high demand in both the B2B as well as B2C markets. Videos are a quick and easy way to explain products, companies, and services to potential clients. Even if your video is perfect, it could take too long to load. This can cause potential customers to lose interest and even turn away from you. CDNs are essential tools for getting videos to users. CDN video streaming servers store your video on multiple servers around the globe. The CDN server closest to your user will deliver your video quickly and reliably when a user clicks on the play button. This ensures that your video does not experience interruptions and plays immediately.

If you are streaming live events to more than a dozen viewers, it is worth considering distributing the video via a content distribution network (CDN). This article will explain what a CDN is and tell you why it’s important. It also identifies the key factors that you should consider when selecting a CDN to stream live. The top 6 CDNs for live streaming will be presented at the end.

What to Look for in a CDN

These are the key features and factors that you should consider when evaluating candidates. Start your research by understanding that CDNs often offer multiple media-related services.  This list does not include transcoding and packaging.

1. Is the CDN able to support live streaming?

The question has two parts. First, is the service capable of live streaming delivery? The second, and equally important, is the CDN capable of supporting live streaming?

You should look at the technical documentation provided by the CDN as well as that of your streaming server/transcoding engines. If CDN have documented the system’s interdependencies, it means that you are not a pioneer and there are resources available to help you stay connected. A lower cost per GB may not be worth it.

It is also important to determine the cost and operating hours for live support. Live events are mission-critical and should be prioritized over all else.

2. Does the Service Support Your ABR (Adaptive Bitrate) Format?

Some services do not support live streaming. They cannot handle all ABR protocol. Others only handle Live Streaming (HLS). Make sure that your CDNs are compatible with streaming MPEG-DASH to smart TVs or Smooth Streaming on Xboxes.

3. Where Are You Storing Your Content?

Amazon and Azure offer CDN functionality. Google also offers CDN functionality. It’s likely to be cheaper and easier to store your files on these cloud platforms, especially if you distribute VOD or live video.

4. Where Do You Run Your Streaming Server?

If you are using Cloudflare Streaming Engine you can access it from any one of the three mentioned cloud platforms ( Amazon Azure and Google). Ingress into the cloud platform’s CDN will be faster if this is true. It might also be easier and cheaper.

5. What Geographical Coverage Do You Need?

The CDN should have an ingest location that is close to your transcoding engine or streaming server, and points of presence (PoPs), near your viewers for the most efficient operation. If you are originating and delivering within the U.S., this shouldn’t be an issue with most CDNs. However, access to overseas destinations can vary significantly, especially for China and Russia.

6. Pricing

Some CDNs don’t publish prices online. This can be frustrating. The majority of CDNs that publish pricing include the cost per GB of video transferred. These prices range from $0.04 to $0.12 per GB. All quoted prices are U.S. Prices, but prices around the world can vary greatly.

To put it in perspective, streaming an hour of video at 2.2 Mbps will consume approximately a GB per hour. If you have 10,000 viewers and pay $0.12/GB for the highest price, your bandwidth bill would be approximately $1,200.

The delivery pricing should make up the largest portion of your streaming costs. However, you need to check for any internal data transfer fees, charges for HTTPS and HTTPS requests and other similar items.

These are the Top 6 CDNs that Live Streaming is Best

These are the CDNs that I would consider. This list was compiled by me after spending a day browsing the websites of several CDNs. I used the above factors to identify service providers I would consider for a CDN selection.

To make it clear for readers (and CDNs that are not mentioned), I reviewed a variety of factors before deciding which CDNs to include.

  • Is video delivery mentioned as an additional service?
  • Do they have documentation to show how to connect a live streaming to their CDN
  • Did any articles show up when I searched for Cloudflare or HLS on their site?
  • Was there any documentation from Cloudflare about that CDN?

If I received a negative answer to any or all of these questions, I removed that service provider from my list. These are the ones who made it through.

1. Akamai

Akamai has one of the most powerful CDNs, if it is not the biggest. The service can ingest HLS and HDS live streams from Cloudflare Streaming Engine. documentation. Accessing servers located in more than 130 countries and with extensive coverage in the United States shouldn’t pose a problem. Akamai provides 24/7 technical assistance via email and phone.

Although Akamai does not publish pricing information, Akamai Streaming Engine users can access Fastly and Akamai CDNs at $0.055/GB. The cost per gigabyte starts at $0.095 and drops to $0.049 when used in high volumes. There are some plans that include a fixed amount for CDN usage. Additional charges will only be incurred if the usage is not used.

2. Fastly

Fastly’s video CDN is capable of delivering HLS, MSS, HDS and DASH. It also has excellent documentation that can be used to integrate with a variety of encoders including Cloudflare Streaming Cloud. Fastly has a distributed network with over 60 PoPs across 30 countries. They also offer multiple support plans including 24/7 phone, email and Slack support.

Transfer fees start at $0.12, and drop to $0.08 for the first 10GB. However, that’s the lowest pricing available. You can also access Fastly CDN through the Cloudflare CDN and Cloudflare Streaming Cloud. The cost per gigabyte starts at $0.095, and drops to $0.049 for high volumes. There are plans that include a fixed amount for CDN usage. Additional charges will only be incurred if the usage is not used.

3. KeyCDN

KeyCDN seems to deliver HLS through its network of 34 PoPs located in 23 countries. Although documentation is sparse, it should be enough to get you started. Although the only support option is to log in and send a support ticket, it is possible that there are more options. KeyCDN’s main attraction is pricing. It starts at $0.04/GB, and drops to $0.01/GB for reasonable volumes.

4. Microsoft Azure

Microsoft Azure provides a complete cloud platform that includes storage, Cloudflare hosting and delivery. Azure can consume HLS, DASH and HDS for live streaming. Azure can either deliver via its own CDN, Akamai or Verizon Media. Microsoft’s Azure CDN has 129 points in more than 65 metro areas, in over 50 countries. You can find complete information about the coverage of all three CDNs.

Microsoft provides support in North America from 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 pm (Pacific Time), Monday to Friday, excluding holidays. Other regions support is available according to the normal business hours.

Azure has two pricing options. The standard pricing for all three CDNs is $0.081 but drops to $0.023 when there are high volumes. Verizon Premium Service is available for $0.158, dropping to $0.084 at high volumes. This includes a premium rules engine, advanced analytics, stats and reporting. provides information about the different CDNs and plans available.

5. Amazon Cloudfront

Amazon Cloudfront offers another cloud platform that includes storage, Cloudflare hosting and delivery of HLS and DASH streams. Cloudfront CDN offers 216 PoPs across 42 countries. Amazon offers many support plans including 24/7 phone, email and chat access to cloud support engineers. Cloudfront pricing starts at $0.085, and drops to $0.02/GB.

6. Limelight Networks

Limelight Networks is home to over 130 POPs in 70 countries. This provides a solid base for global delivery. Cloudflare explains how to connect to Limelight CDN (Limelight support documentation is not publicly available). This connection method is less functional and more complex than most CDNs. If you are interested in Limelight, make sure to check it out. Limelight provides unlimited 24 hour live support via phone or email, but does not publish pricing.

CDNs in other regions

Other than the CDNs mentioned above, I would also consider other CDNs for specific regions like CDNvideo Russia, Alibaba China, and Google Search Engine for South Korea, and Asia.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here