Next.js + LiveKit
for real-time app builders.
LiveKit handles WebRTC infrastructure. Pair with Next.js for real-time video, voice, and live AI agents. For real-time app builders: WebRTC infra without managing TURN.
This stack, applied to you.
For real-time app builders, Next.js + LiveKit handles WebRTC infrastructure without managing TURN servers. LiveKit's server SDK issues tokens; client SDK handles real-time media. Solid open-source option for video chat, voice agents, or live collaboration. Most real-time apps at startups in 2026 use LiveKit Cloud (managed) rather than self-hosting.
real-time app builders-specific gotchas
- Self-hosting LiveKit is non-trivial — most use LiveKit Cloud
- Network conditions affect quality — design for adaptive bitrate
- Browser compatibility varies — test on Safari and Firefox
- Recording is paid-tier on LiveKit Cloud
- Tokens expire — implement refresh
A real-time SaaS adds video collaboration via LiveKit. Setup time: 2 days. Monthly cost at 1k MAU: ~$200 on LiveKit Cloud. The same features built on raw WebRTC would be a month of engineering time.
Common real-time app builders questions.
What about Daily or Agora?
Real alternatives. Daily for simpler video chat; Agora for global scale. LiveKit for OSS preference.
How does this pair with AI agents?
LiveKit + Vercel AI SDK + Anthropic gives you real-time voice agents in days.
We've shipped this.
Used on video- and voice-agent projects. If you're a real-time app builders shipping on this stack, we can save you a quarter.
Brief us