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Video Conferencingdocker-readypermissive-license100% FOSS🟢 Lightweight · ~256MB

LiveKit: Open Source alternative to Twilio Video in 2026

LiveKit is open source WebRTC infrastructure for developers who want to build their own realtime video/audio apps, as an alternative to Twilio Video or the Zoom SDK.

Alternative to Twilio Video
License Apache-2.021.4k starsWebsite GitHub Repository

Audit Snapshot

View notes →

  • License — Matches GitHub

  • GitHub — Active

  • Latest release — v1.13.9 · 5 days ago

  • Docker Compose — Partial

  • Production — Not production-tested by AltFreeStack

LiveKit vs. Twilio Video

Pros

  • Built to be integrated directly into your own product

Things to consider

  • Requires your own development, not a ready-to-use video calling app

Quick Docker installation guide

Copy this docker-compose.yml, adjust the example passwords and run docker compose up -d on your server. See the full step-by-step guide →

💡 Official SaaS or self-hosted with AltFreeStack?

  • On the official cloud: a recurring monthly fee and usage limits on Twilio Video.
  • On your own VPS: 100% free software on your own server, with no artificial row, project or user limits.
docker-compose.yml
version: "3.9"
services:
  livekit:
    image: livekit/livekit-server:v1.13
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "7880:7880"
      - "7881:7881"
      - "50000-50100:50000-50100/udp"
    command: ["--dev"]
    volumes:
      - livekit_data:/data
volumes:
  livekit_data:

🚀 Deploy in 1 command

Recommended for beginners

Copy this single command and paste it into your freshly created VPS's console (Vultr, DigitalOcean...). It downloads the script, prints it to your screen so you can see exactly what it's about to do (never a blind direct pipe), and only then installs Docker if needed, writes the files with secrets already generated, and starts everything — no nano, no pasting code blocks.

curl -sSL ".../api/deploy?stack=livekit" -o deploy.sh && cat deploy.sh && bash deploy.sh
See what this script does →

This docker-compose corresponds to an actively maintained project — last commit today.

This docker-compose not working for you? Report it on GitHub →

Technical profile

License
Apache-2.0
Category
Video Conferencing
Replaces
Twilio Video
Tech stack
GoWebRTC

Under the hood

Database

None / File-based

Language

Go

Platforms

Web

Key features

  • SDKs for web, mobile and backend
  • Scales to thousands of participants
  • Composite recording and streaming

Preview

LiveKit interface preview

Public image provided by LiveKit on its own website.

💾 Backups in 3 steps (Day 2)

As long as the ./data folder (the "volume" mapped into the container) exists on your server, your data survives any restart or container update — that's the only thing you need to back up.

1. Create a compressed backup on the server

tar -czvf backup-$(date +%F).tar.gz ./data

2. Download it to your computer

From your computer's terminal (not your server's):

scp root@YOUR_IP:~/app/backup-*.tar.gz ./

3. Restore in case of emergency

tar -xzvf backup-file.tar.gz
🌐 Connect your domain with free SSL

Step 1 — Set up the DNS

In your domain registrar's dashboard (Cloudflare, Namecheap, GoDaddy...), create a record:

Type
A
Name/Host
@ (root domain) or a subdomain, e.g. app
Content/Value
Your server's public IP

Wait 5 to 15 minutes for the record to propagate across the internet.

Step 2 — Automatic reverse proxy with Caddy

One single file, no Nginx config or manual certificates — Caddy issues and renews Let's Encrypt HTTPS on its own.

Create a file called Caddyfile:

yourdomain.com {
    reverse_proxy localhost:7880
}

Start Caddy with this command (pulls the image and runs it in the background):

docker run -d -p 80:80 -p 443:443 --name caddy --restart always -v $PWD/Caddyfile:/etc/caddy/Caddyfile -v caddy_data:/data caddy