LiveKit vs OpenVidu: which one to choose in 2026?
Both are open source alternatives to Twilio Video. We compare license, tech stack and features to help you decide which fits your team best.
| LiveKit | OpenVidu | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Video Conferencing | Video Conferencing |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| GitHub stars | 14k | 3k |
| Tech stack | Go, WebRTC | Java, WebRTC |
| Replaces | Twilio Video | Twilio Video |
LiveKit has more GitHub stars, which usually indicates a larger community (not necessarily that it's the best option for your use case).
LiveKit
WebRTC infrastructure for developers, an alternative to Twilio Video.
Pros
- Built to be integrated directly into your own product
Things to consider
- Requires your own development, not a ready-to-use video calling app
OpenVidu
Easy-to-integrate WebRTC platform, an alternative to Twilio Video.
Pros
- Faster to integrate than building on raw WebRTC
Things to consider
- Scaling to real production needs additional architecture (media nodes)
Key features
LiveKit
- SDKs for web, mobile and backend
- Scales to thousands of participants
- Composite recording and streaming
OpenVidu
- High-level SDKs for web and mobile
- Session recording included
- Deploy with a single container to get started