Video API vs meeting SaaS API
Developers searching integrate video room API or embed video conference API face two models: APIs on infrastructure you control vs APIs on closed meeting SaaS (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet).
Short answer
A video infrastructure API orchestrates rooms, tokens, webhooks, and metrics on your WebRTC stack (SFU, TURN), hosted where you choose. A meeting SaaS API schedules sessions on vendor infrastructure with vendor branding and data policy. Same REST patterns, different governance and integration depth.
Comparison
| Criterion | Infrastructure video API | Meeting SaaS API |
|---|---|---|
| Media path | Your SFU/TURN | Vendor cloud |
| Hosting | France / on-prem | Vendor region |
| White label | Full | Limited |
| Webhooks | Your business events | Vendor event model |
| Token scopes | Custom JWT claims | Vendor format |
| Data residency | Contractual per project | Vendor DPA |
| Use case | Embed in CRM, portal, product | Schedule vendor meetings |
What a video infrastructure API covers
| Operation | Description |
|---|---|
| Create room | Room ID, max participants, recording policy |
| Issue token | Signed temporary participant access |
| List participants | Real-time session state |
| Webhooks | join / leave / end / recording events |
| Metrics | RTT, packet loss, duration |
See the video API hub for architecture detail.
When meeting SaaS API suffices
- Internal meetings scheduled from existing M365/Google workspace;
- No custom guest UX or brand requirements;
- Accept vendor data model and subprocessors.
When infrastructure API is required
- Customer portal “Start video session” inside your product;
- CRM-triggered sessions with webhooks updating records;
- Sovereignty requirements for stream residency;
- Embedded iframe/SDK on your domain.
→ Custom video integration · Embedded video
How Leagora exposes its video API
REST API for session management, webhooks, signed tokens on sovereign WebRTC infrastructure. Request a quote for technical documentation.
FAQ
Does the video API carry media streams?
No: it orchestrates sessions. Streams flow via WebRTC directly between browser and SFU/TURN.
Can we start with a product and move to API?
Yes: pilot on meeting.leagora.io or mes-rdv.fr, then deepen integration via API.
Is a client SDK mandatory?
No for simple journeys: link + token is enough. SDK enables advanced UX control.
Key takeaways
- Infrastructure API = programmatic control of your WebRTC stack.
- Meeting SaaS API = convenience on vendor infrastructure.
- Choose based on branding, residency, and SI integration depth.