The best Cloudflare Stream alternative
Hyperserve vs Cloudflare Stream
For on-demand video, Hyperserve is around half of Stream's storage cost, with a plain MP4 URL that plays in a video tag with no player library. See our analysis below.
Attribute | Hyperserve | Cloudflare Stream |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | HyperserveOn-demand video | Cloudflare StreamOn-demand + live video |
| Pricing model | HyperservePer GB | Cloudflare StreamPer minute |
| Example month*100h library, 1,000h watched @ 1080p | Hyperserve~$72 | Cloudflare Stream$90 |
| Encoding | HyperserveFree | Cloudflare StreamFree |
| Player | HyperservePlain video tag, no JS | Cloudflare Streamiframe embed, or a JS player |
| Output | HyperservePlain MP4 URL, plays as it downloads | Cloudflare StreamHLS/DASH manifest |
| Adaptive bitrate | HyperserveNo | Cloudflare StreamYes, HLS/DASH |
| Live streaming | HyperserveNo | Cloudflare StreamYes |
| Delivery | HyperserveGlobal CDN | Cloudflare StreamCloudflare global edge network |
The rates are the same at any size. No minimums, you pay only for what you use.
*Assumes 5 Mbps for 1080p and three stored files per video (1080p, 720p, 480p). We bill every stored file; Stream bills the source minutes once. See the math
Verified 2026-08-09.
Spot an error?Choose Hyperserve if
◆You want to pay less on your bill without sacrificing reliability.
◆You want playback in a plain video tag that works in every browser and every version.
◆You are storing a large back catalogue and storage cost dominates your bill.
◆You want per-GB billing rather than viewing minutes.
◆You want video without adopting an ecosystem. Stream lives inside Cloudflare's very large product surface; Hyperserve is one API that does video.
Choose Cloudflare Stream if
◆You are already using Cloudflare's ecosystem
◆You need live streaming or HLS/DASH
◆You need adaptive bitrate video
◆You need edge network delivery
Self serve
What integration looks like
Create a video, upload the file, let transcoding run. What you store is an MP4 URL that plays anywhere. No player to adopt, no ecosystem to learn. Self-serve from signup, free to start.
Full guide, with code: getting started ↗
01Create a video, get back an upload URL
02Upload the file straight from the client
03Transcoding runs in the resolutions you chose
04A webhook tells you it is ready; save the MP4 URLs
Migration
Moving off Cloudflare Stream
◆Videos: re-upload your source files through the Hyperserve API
◆Playback: replace the Stream iframe or manifest URL with an MP4 URL in a video tag
◆Webhooks: update URLs and event mappings
Timeline
Under a day for most users
Support
We provide tools and support for migrating, including 1:1 help.
Show the math
How we got Cloudflare Stream's numbers
The scenario: a 100 hour library, 1,000 hours watched in a month, all at 1080p (5 Mbps). We store three files per video (1080p, 720p and 480p, about 3.8 GB per hour) and bill each one; Stream bills the source minutes once. Hyperserve: 382 GB stored at $0.04/GB·mo plus 2,250 GB delivered at $0.025/GB is about $72. Stream: 6,000 minutes stored at $0.005/min·mo plus 60,000 minutes delivered at $0.001/min is $90. The gap is storage: about half their cost counting every file we store (per gigabyte of stored file, $0.133/GB·mo against our $0.04), and it compounds as your library grows.
Different numbers? Run your own on the pricing calculator.
Still deciding
Common questions
Is Hyperserve cheaper than Cloudflare Stream?
Yes: the same month, a 100 hour library and 1,000 hours watched at 1080p, is about $72 here against $90 there, counting every file we store. The gap is storage, about half their cost, and it compounds as your library grows.
Do I need a player library with Hyperserve?
No. A Hyperserve MP4 URL plays in a plain video tag in every browser and every version, with no JavaScript and no fallback path. Stream's default is an iframe embed on your page; skipping it means pointing an HLS or DASH player library at their manifest.
Does Hyperserve do adaptive bitrate like Stream?
No. Stream serves HLS/DASH and switches quality mid-playback as needed by the quality of the internet connection. Hyperserve transcodes each video into the resolutions you ask for and provides them as MP4 playback URLs; your app decides what to play when. MP4s still stream as they download, but the quality does not change on the fly. For long-form video on unpredictable connections, Cloudflare Stream is the better choice.
Does Cloudflare's edge network make Stream faster?
Their network is one of the largest anywhere, and for some audiences it can matter. Hyperserve delivers video over a Global CDN; whether the difference is measurable for your users depends on where they are and what bitrate you serve.
Should I switch if I already use Cloudflare for everything else?
The operational value of a single vendor is real. Switch when storage cost or plain MP4 output matters to you: at around twice our storage cost, a growing library tips the math quickly.
How hard is it to switch from Cloudflare Stream?
It's easy and totally scriptable, we can write a custom app to automate it for you. The main change is replacing the Stream iframe or manifest URL with an MP4 URL in a video tag. For most users it takes a day or less, though can be longer depending on number of videos.
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