AntCDN vs Mux
Same video, same delivery volume, two different answers. Here is how the two platforms differ in what they optimise for, before we get to the invoice.
What each platform optimises for
Built as a developer-facing video API with a broad feature surface, from encoding and delivery through to playback data. Pricing follows the per-minute model of the cloud infrastructure underneath it, which means quality and volume both push the bill up.
Optimised for the cost of delivering video at scale. We treat infrastructure economics as the product problem, so that shipping in HD and 4K stays affordable as your audience grows.
Where the difference actually comes from
Platforms of this generation were assembled on general purpose public cloud, where delivering a byte carries a cost that has to be passed on to you, with margin. That decision was made years ago and everything since has been built on top of it.
AntCDN was engineered around a more efficient delivery architecture from day one. That difference is why the numbers below look the way they do. It is not a discount, and it is not a promotional rate.
What it costs
Modeled at 1,000,000 minutes delivered per month plus 100,000 minutes stored, at 1080p.
| Category | Mux | AntCDN |
|---|---|---|
| Base platform fee | $0 | $0 (Seed) / $49 (Growth) |
| Delivery rate (1080p) | $0.00095 / min | $0.0001 / min (Growth) |
| Storage rate | $0.003 / min-month | $0.019 / GB-month |
| Est. delivery, 1M min/mo | $880.00 | $100.00 |
| Est. storage, 100k min stored | $300.00 | $88.41 |
| Max resolution | 4K (3840x2160) | 4K (3840x2160) |
| Est. total monthly cost | $1,180.00 | $237.41 |
Mux Video delivery and storage pricing, with the first 100,000 delivery minutes per month free and applied above. Source: mux.com/docs/pricing/video. AntCDN figures use published usage rates and include the Growth base fee. Storage converts at a 1080p profile of 6.204 Mbps. Neither column includes transcoding. Run your own numbers with the live pricing calculator.
The same video on both players
Press play on both and judge for yourself. Nothing here is a rendering of our benchmark, it is the live product on each platform.
Our own player, streaming the same source file.
Created with video quality Plus and max resolution 2160p.
Both players are showing the same file: The Local Freak: Brick & Murder (2025), a beautifully animated short by Areg Savchenko, featuring Kat and Bailey. We use it here purely to demonstrate playback, and our thanks go to its makers for putting it out under an open licence.
What switching actually costs you
Run your own numbers
The table above models one scenario. Put your real volume into the calculator and see where you land. Seed is free and needs no card.