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Agora is a hosted real-time communications platform for adding voice and video to applications, including conversational AI features, analytics and recording. Developers looking to replace it usually face a choice between a managed service and more control over the media stack. LiveKit and Daily are the closest fits here: both are marked open source, while Daily also offers hosted WebRTC infrastructure. Other options cover broader communications needs. Compare how each fits your architecture, then verify costs and limits at your expected usage.
01Why people leave Agora
Costs rise with consumer usage
One Reddit thread describes a projected bill above $50,000 a month for about 150,000 monthly active users, even after volume discounts.
More control means more operations
Reddit commenters point to self-hosted options such as Jitsi and LiveKit, but note that self-hosting can mean fewer features and less customer support.
The right tradeoff depends on scale
Some consumer apps report that third-party video costs strain low-revenue models; others say managed communications platforms are easier until spend is high.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Best for real-time AI
LiveKitLiveKitChoose LiveKit when you want an open-source base for real-time agents, voice and telephony, with model flexibility. It is listed from $50 with a free plan. Its production costs span more than session minutes, so model expected usage across the full system. A Reddit commenter reports self-hosting and integration were easy; plan to adapt your application rather than expect a drop-in Agora replacement.
Trade-off: You take on more infrastructure decisions, and production costs extend beyond session minutes.
8.1/10from
$50/mofree plan - Best for hosted WebRTC
DailyDailyDaily pairs hosted WebRTC infrastructure with Pipecat, making it a fit for real-time calls and agent deployments without choosing a fully self-managed stack. It is marked open source and starts at $0 with a free plan. The pricing model scales by participant-minutes, so estimate costs against call duration and attendance before moving production traffic.
Trade-off: Participant-minutes drive production costs, and it may not cover broader communications needs.
7.7/10from
Freefree plan - Best for multichannel APIs
TwilioTwilioTwilio is a fit if the replacement project extends beyond video to programmable voice, messaging, email or identity APIs. It is listed from $15 with a free plan. That wider communications scope may simplify a stack built around several channels, but it is not a like-for-like choice for every real-time video workload; check production costs and carrier rules.
Trade-off: Carrier rules and production costs need attention; it is broader than a video-focused replacement.
7.3/10from
$15/mofree plan - Best for voice workflows
Vonage Communications APIsVonage Communications APIsVonage is worth evaluating when voice workflows sit alongside video and messaging. Its communications APIs also cover network-powered security, according to the product summary, and it is listed from $10.49. Before porting an Agora integration, confirm the API fit, pricing and production limits with Vonage; the available details do not establish a direct migration path.
Trade-off: Confirm API fit, pricing and production limits before committing.
5.0/10from
$10.49/mo - Best for voice AI
TelnyxTelnyxTelnyx targets teams combining voice AI agents, communications and inference. Its offering includes carrier APIs, an edge runtime and hosted inference, with costs tied to usage; it is listed from $0. That architecture may suit a system built around voice agents more than a video-first application, so verify the integration details and estimate costs against actual workloads.
Trade-off: Usage-based costs need modeling, and its emphasis is voice AI rather than video.
7.8/10from
$5,000/mofree plan - Best for carrier connectivity
Bandwidth Communications APIsBandwidth Communications APIsBandwidth is an option for teams that need carrier connectivity as part of a communications platform, including voice and messaging application builders. Its starting price is not listed. Treat it as a carrier-platform evaluation rather than an assumed Agora replacement: confirm integration details, supported use cases and full production costs before planning a migration.
Trade-off: Pricing and integration details need confirmation before you can compare production costs.
6.8/10from
Custom
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Agora Agora (current) | 6.7 | Free | Yes | Apps with embedded voice and video |
| LiveKit LiveKit | 8.1 | $50/mo | Yes | Teams building real-time AI agents |
| Daily Daily | 7.7 | Free | Yes | Teams building realtime voice calls |
| Twilio Twilio | 7.3 | $15/mo | Yes | Teams building multichannel communications |
| Vonage Communications APIs Vonage Communications APIs | 5.0 | $10.49/mo | No | Teams adding voice to customer workflows |
| Telnyx Telnyx | 7.8 | $5,000/mo | Yes | Teams building voice AI agents |
| Bandwidth Communications APIs Bandwidth Communications APIs | 6.8 | Custom | No | Enterprise communications platforms |
Questions people ask
What is Agora software used for?
Agora is used to add embedded real-time voice and video to applications. It also fits teams building conversational AI features or needing analytics and recording. Developers evaluating it should compare the required media features, integration approach and expected usage costs with alternatives.
Is Agora free to use?
Agora is marked as having a free plan, but that label does not say how much usage or which features it includes. Confirm included minutes, feature limits and production pricing with the vendor before relying on the free tier.
What are some free alternatives to LiveKit?
Daily is listed with a $0 starting price and a free plan, and is also marked open source. Check its free-plan limits and participant-minute pricing before putting production traffic on it. LiveKit itself is listed with a free plan, but its production bills span more than session minutes.