This article was originally written in June 2017. Updated information as of 2024 can be found at the end.
While both Red5 and Wowza Streaming Engine are media servers, they differ in several key aspects.
Firstly, cost is a significant factor. Red5 is free, whereas Wowza comes with a monthly fee of $55 per server.
In terms of stability, Wowza generally outperforms Red5. Based on our experience running servers with both, Red5 requires a restart once or twice a month due to stability issues, whereas Wowza has proven to be more reliable, with no need for restarts.
When it comes to system requirements, Red5 can operate on a virtual server with 4 GB of RAM and still manage to stream to 100 viewers or host a video chat site. Wowza, on the other hand, is more resource-intensive and typically requires a dedicated server with substantial RAM to function optimally.
Documentation and support are also areas where Red5 falls short. It has limited documentation, and a solid understanding of Java and networking is essential to work with it effectively. Since Red5 is developed by volunteers, support is community-driven through mailing lists, requiring patience and technical skills to troubleshoot issues. However, we’re here to assist if you encounter any problems!
Below is a table comparing key features of Red5 and Wowza media servers:
Feature | Wowza Streaming Engine 4 | Red5 |
Protocols supported | RTMP RTMPT RTMPS RTMPE RTMPTE | RTMP RTMPT RTMPS RTMPE RTMPTE |
Developer edition | 10 Connections (Free) | Free |
Pricing | $995 (30 day Trial also available) Daily License (5$) Monthly License (55$) | Free(Open Source) |
Supported Platforms | Windows Mac OS X Linux Solaris Unix 64-bit Support on all IPv6 Support | Windows Debian/Ubuntu Mac OSX WAR Gentoo Linux |
Audio / Video Streaming (live and on-demand) | FLV H.264 FLV MP3 AAC, LC-AAC, HE-AAC Speex | (On Demmand) FLV MP3 F4V MP4 AAC M4A (Live) Sorenson VP6 h.264 Nelly Moser MP3 Speex AAC NSV |
Multi Client/ Multi Protocol Streaming | Flash (RTMP) iPhone/iPad (HTTP Streaming) Silverlight (Smooth Streaming) QucikTime/3GPP (RTSP/RTP) IPTV (MPEG-TS) | Flash (RTMP) |
Recording | H.264/AAC to FLV container H.264/AAC to MP4 (Quicktime) container | FLV Only |
Inbound Live Encoder Support | RTMP (Flash & H.264/AAC) RTSP / RTP / MPEG-TS (H.264/AAC: unicast, multicast, TCP, UDP) ICY (MP3/AAC: SHOUTcast/ icecast) | |
Action Method Format 3 (AMF3) | AMF3(Bi-directional ) | AMF3 |
Server Side | Java | Java |
If you find something missing or incorrect info on this table, then just feel free to send me a message using this form.
Red5 vs Wowza: An Update (August 2024)
Note: The original article was written in June 2017. Since then, significant changes have occurred in the media server landscape.
As of 2024, Red5 is considered outdated and is no longer widely used in the industry. Its limitations in stability, documentation, and support have made it less viable for modern streaming needs.
Wowza Streaming Engine, on the other hand, remains a strong contender in the media server market. The current price for Wowza is $195 per month per server, reflecting its continued development and the expanded range of features it offers.
Modern Streaming Protocols
In today’s streaming environment, RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol) is commonly used to input the stream, while HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) has become the standard for outputting the stream. This shift allows for greater compatibility across devices and more robust streaming experiences, particularly in environments requiring high scalability and adaptive streaming.
Conclusion
Given the advancements and the current state of the industry, Wowza remains a reliable and powerful option for media streaming, while Red5 has largely faded from use. The transition from older protocols to modern ones like RTMP for input and HLS for output has further solidified Wowza’s position as a leading choice for streaming services.
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