How and Why Integrate Zoom Video Conferencing SDK in Your Website or App

18 May 2022 • 16 min read

CEO and Co-Founder at Softermii

The video conferencing market will grow to $27.3 billion by 2026. For comparison, in 2021, analytics estimated it at $14.6 billion. Zoom is one of the most common tools in this sector.

So, today’s topic is how to integrate Zoom with a website or an app. This post also will weigh the Zoom Video SDK’s pros and cons, and explain why video conferencing is the future.

In this post we are drawing on our experience with video chat solutions like Events10x, HIPAA Telmed, Apartmii, and even more, you’ll comprehend the concept of Zoom web SDK in greater depth. Therefore, if you don’t know how to integrate video calling in the website, we will tell you everything in detail here.

But we should back up for a second first.

Video Chat Is the Future

Is the future virtual? All signs point to “yes.” As global restrictions on travel, in-person events, and office work take hold, remote teams, telehealth, and virtual events are growing in popularity.

According to Statista’s survey of workers from different niches, 79% of respondents stated they used collaboration tools for remote work in 2021. Compared to 2019, it is an increase of 44%.

Businesses are ready to move to remote or hybrid working models as well. One of the main reasons is that companies are confident in the decent performance of their employees when working from home. Another driver for this is workers of many niches can effortlessly perform all their duties remotely.

Main Drivers for Businesses to Transfer to a Fully or Mostly Remote Workforce Globally in 2021, Source: Statista.

High security standards, improved video quality, and other tech advancements are all helping to promote video calls. So, integrate video conference technology into a mobile app or a website and meet your consumer expectations.

Read also: Trends in Video Conferencing for 2022.

What Is the Zoom Video Call SDK?

An SDK, a Software Development Kit, is a set of tools for developers to be used when building or integrating a given feature set in an application or website. Zoom Video SDK integration enables your team to use Zoom’s HD video and audio capabilities in any app on the web, iOS, Android, macOS, or Windows.

Your major benefits to implement Zoom Video SDK into your website or app:

Ease of use. You can easily import libraries, and Zoom will handle the audio and video conferencing functions
Small size. Zoom Video SDK provides full-featured toolkits that are more lightweight than Zoom Meeting SDK. Despite their small size, these tools offer complete audio and video capabilities
Highly adaptable. You can tailor the video conferencing to your needs since you have access to raw audio and video data

Zoom’s SDK allows you to use a significant number of features:

Capability for users to launch a call instantly on performing a specific action
Screen sharing and broadcasting the call to streaming services
Send text messages in the chat
Full access to raw video and audio data
New analytics dashboard with details of user activity

What Are the Zoom Video SDK Alternatives?

When considering implementing Zoom SDK for video chatting, you should acknowledge the drawbacks of using Zoom.

If you ask Zoom’s PR office about security, they’ll tell you it’s in their DNA. Still, there was hardly a month of the last year without a data leak or security failure. The Zoom team constantly improves this crucial part of their product (built into its DNA though it may be) and has added end-to-end call encryption, a critical security measure.

Although the earlier versions of their product have been known to fail, the new Zoom is very much up to the task of hosting conversations that need moderate security. You shouldn’t discuss state secrets on Zoom, but if you need to make a video chat app for state secrets, you wouldn’t be considering Zoom.

Name	Description	Cost	Features	Devices	Security	Compliance
Zoom	Lightweight and customizable SDK by the communications giant.	Flexible pay-as-you-go plans, from $0.00035 per minute.	Video and audio calls, custom UI support, raw data capture, text chat, screen sharing, and broadcast.	Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows	HIPAA, GDPR, SOC2, FedRAMP	HIPAA, GDPR
VidRTC	Softermii’s proprietary solution for video and audio call integration based on WebRTC.	Custom quote, SaaS model.	Video and audio calls, calendars, planners, text messages, screen sharing, and broadcasting. Up to 49 users on the same media server, unlimited broadcasting capabilities.	Web, iOS, and Android	DTLS and SRTP encryption, HTTPS	HIPAA, GDPR, AIPA SOC
MirrorFly	A rising contender from Indian company CONTUS that offers full customization.	Custom quote, SaaP model.	Video and audio calls, channels, file transfer, push notifications, location sharing, screen sharing, etc.	Web, iOS, and Android	256-bit encryption	HIPAA, GDPR

The Pros and Cons of SDK Technology

Do you need to integrate video SDK into your app or website? It depends on your goals and priorities.

Let’s look at the main pros and cons of using SDK technology.

Pros of SDK Technology

SDK technology has many advantages for businesses compared to creating a custom video conferencing solution. Let’s go through them in further detail and then we'll figure out how to integrate video conferencing SDK.

Cost-saving

Creating on-premises video chatting capability from scratch is a costly, time-consuming endeavor compared to integrating Zoom into a website or an app.

Time-saving

With the SDK, your developers don’t have to create every new feature from scratch. The software development kit allows you to integrate pre-coded video conferencing features.

Better UX

Custom development requires you to work hard on the user experience. You need to ensure that your video conferencing feature works flawlessly. Since an existing SDK technology is something already tested, it already runs.

Cons of SDK Technology

Compared to using your own code, SDK technology has some limitations. As a business, adding to your IP is generally considered a good idea. Not admitting the merits of a solution known to have security issues is great, too.

Implementing your solution instead of relying on an outside vendor to run a critical part of your service is something to boast about, especially at scale. So, let’s now consider the cons of SDK technology.

Potential Security Issues

SDK solutions offer satisfactory security and come compliant out of the box. However, look into an in-house solution if you have strict infosec policies and cannot rely on outside vendors.

Scaling Issues

Unlike a custom video conferencing tool, the SDK has scaling limitations. Manage these scaling issues, manually updating and refreshing tech as needed.

So, it’s up to you to decide between custom development and an SDK. Consider all the SDK’s pros and cons before getting started.

How to Integrate Zoom Video Conferencing SDK into Your Website or App

To integrate Zoom into a website or an app, you’ll need to follow these steps.

Decide What You’re Buying

Zoom offers two distinct solutions: the Zoom Video SDK and the Zoom Client SDK. Please don’t confuse these, as they serve entirely different purposes.

The Video SDK is not compatible with Zoom Meetings, has support for custom meeting UIs, and is suited for integrating video conferencing into a website or an app. It is the one to go with if your use case involves connecting users on your platform.

On the other hand, the Client SDK integrates Zoom Meetings with a website or app. This toolkit does not offer raw video or audio data that will look just like you expect Zoom to look and can be used to connect your user to the more extensive Zoom infrastructure.

A use case for the Client SDK may be for an online event organizer who wants to get an easy-to-use solution that comes scalable out of the box.

You can find more info about the differences between the two SDKs here.

Choose Your Plan and Register an Account

Zoom has two plans for its Video SDK users:

$1,000/year with 30,000 minutes included per month and a per-minute rate of $0.003 thereafter
A pay-as-you-go plan with no upfront fee includes 10,000 minutes per month and a per-minute rate of $0.0035 thereafter

The Client SDK is available to all Pro, Business, and Enterprise accounts at no additional cost.

Zoom Pro. It is the cheapest Client SDK plan, costing $150/year
Zoom Business. This plan costs from $200/year
Zoom Enterprise. The most expensive Client SDK plan is available at $240/year

Visit Zoom’s website to get more info on plans or contact sales.

Set Up a Developer Account

Following payment, Zoom’s website will lead you to create a developer account. Note that if you already have an existing developer account, you cannot use it with the Video SDK and will require separate credentials.

How can you set up a developer account in the Zoom Video SDK? Look at the following few steps:

If you already have a Zoom Developer account, log out of it
Visit the Video SDK page and click the Buy Now button. Next, you will see the “Video SDK Plan” page
Choose the tariff plan that suits you. Click Continue
Follow the on-screen instructions to create a Video SDK developer account.
Check out the Terms of Service and click Continue
Click the Submit button once you’ve reviewed your order

If you’re using the Zoom Client SDK, go here to set up an SDK App on Zoom’s marketplace.

Get Started

To download the SDK package and get started, you need to log into the Zoom App Marketplace, click on “Develop,” then “Build App,” then “Create,” and follow the instructions from there.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Got questions like “how to integrate Zoom in an Android app?” Zoom’s SDK documentation is answering most of them.

With a revamp of its SDK, zoom recently launched a developer forum for those working on implementing video conferencing. The portal has a lively community that includes Zoom support staff eager to answer questions and provide guidance.

5 Use Cases for Integrating Video Conferencing to a Website or an App Based on Softermii Experience

As mentioned above, we believe that the future is virtual, and video is inevitable. Here to argue our case are five products developed by Softermii that leverage video to connect users and enable growth.

Real Estate

We’ve noted before that video tours can be a competitive differentiator in your real estate app. Live video tours provided by a real estate agent, or owner are more personal and therefore engage the user better than streaming video or photos.

Read also: Guide on How to Build a Video Streaming App.

While individual owners may choose to conduct these over WhatsApp, FaceTime, or another app, home rental companies may want to integrate Zoom in a website or app for video chatting and keep the user’s communication in their software.

We considered this when developing our Apartmii engine for real estate mobile apps. It enables Softermii developers to add features such as VR and AR easily and, yes, embed proprietary video chat built to scale with the app’s user base.

Healthcare

COVID-19 gave telehealth the same push into the mainstream that it did to video conferencing for business communication. Once the world population became apprehensive about meeting in person, we all quickly had to learn how to keep up with the limitations — doctors included.

Telehealth offers better access to specialists, less time in the waiting room, eliminates travel, and provides on-demand services, giving better healthcare access, especially in rural areas. Both consumers and capital have gotten a taste, so telehealth is here to stay for good.

HIPAA Telmed, a product made by Softermii, is an excellent case in this space built around video. Harnessing the power of the best WebRTC media server, our team put together a web app that works on desktop and mobile. Today, HIPAA Telmed is a unique product and is widely adopted worldwide.

PetRealTime, another project we worked on, aims to bring the same benefits to veterinarians and their patients. Hosting video communications in-app allows you to achieve the necessary level of security. It is all not to mention the superior analytical insights gained by the app’s team.

One more healthcare product we developed is MediConnect. It connects doctors and healthcare product companies through secure video and audio communication. For this purpose, we have implemented our customizable VidRTC engine. Purchasing medical supplies has gotten much easier thanks to this app.

Events

Once the initial shock of lockdowns and event cancellations wore off, organizers worldwide scrambled to move their industry online. When it was clear that it may not be safe (or legal) to gather in large numbers anytime soon, a whole new industry of online conferences sprang up.

Take Events10x, for example. This product is another solution our team worked on. It is a hybrid event organizer aiming to combine the benefits of online events (easy joining, worldwide distribution) and offline events (better personal connections, networking). Events10x virtual events platform, aimed at corporate users, allows organizing events for audiences up to 15000.

One of the latest additions to our portfolio, Parta, is a social experience app. It aims to connect its users through video and audio chats. Its goal is to create authentic connections in a socially stressed world separated by a pandemic.

If you are still thinking about how to integrate Zoom in a website and whether you need it at all, look through our cases. There are good examples of how to integrate Zoom into a website and whether you need it at all.

You may learn more about our portfolio by following this link. We hope after that, you will have no doubts about Zoom integration with the website. But if you do decide to start your Zoom integration at some point, don’t hesitate to contact us and use all our experience we have to offer!

The Challenges of Zoom Integration into a Website or an App

Before integrating Zoom with a website or an app, prepare for potential difficulties. Here are the key challenges you may meet:

Collaboration with External Developers

Since the Video SDK is a Zoom product, your team must cooperate with other developers. It would be ideal to state your requirements to Zoom’s dev team to solve problems efficiently.

Heavy Load on Your Team If You Have Multiple SDKs

If you have purchased several SDKs for different needs, this can be a challenge for your development team. Our advice here: automate all possible processes.

New Code in Your Environment Is Always a Potential Risk

Before you engage in Zoom API integration, it is significant to understand that entering a new code into your product may carry some risks. To mitigate these risks, check the SDK carefully before integration.

Softermii Experience with Video Conferencing Solutions

Our tremendous experience in developing video-based products and integrating video conferencing into websites and apps of all kinds dictates that the future of online communication is in video.

Our team is not only ready to integrate Zoom into a website or an app but can also offer its own solution — the VidRTC engine. It is a ready-to-implement, easily scalable tool for online conferencing with video calls. It allows you to handle virtual rooms with over 1,000 users.

Advantages of VidRTC:

It’s a White Label solution that you may fully customize
Basic features onboard help you save up to three months
It meets the requirements of SOC2, HIPAA, HL7, and GDPR
You can use it for various niches

In particular, we have experience in such areas:

Real estate
Banks & insurance
Events & conferences
Startups & product companies
Healthcare
Education

With us, you can implement any video conferencing solution. Some products we may create are live broadcasting apps, live video conferencing tools, and appointment and event-management systems.

We have already discussed our top projects. If you want to learn more, feel free to follow this link.

Final Thoughts on Zoom Video Conferencing SDK Integration

The lesson that millions of businesses took from the pandemic is “if you’re not digitized, you’re not prepared.” We have already crossed the threshold from the proliferation of e-signature and document process automation to the ubiquity of video conferencing. The future is virtual, and the cutting-edge present is, as well.

Video communication has just technologically advanced to a point where it is relatively cheap and fairly easy to implement in the past few years. It’s no point-and-click, though, so whether you choose to integrate the Zoom Video Conferencing SDK or build your own solution, you need experts in video conferencing software development services.

Get in touch with us and future-proof your business by integrating Zoom video conferencing or WebRTC solution to your product with Softermii.

How to integrate Zoom web SDK into a website or an app?

Follow these steps: choose between Zoom Video SDK and Zoom Client SDK, choose your tariff plan and register an account, set up a developer account, download an SDK package, and get started.

What popular services work with Zoom?

The most popular integrations you can implement are Google Calendar, Facebook Lead Ads, Shopify, and Gmail.

What is the pricing plan to implement Zoom Video SDK?

There are two plans:

$1,000/year with 30,000 minutes included per month and a per-minute rate of $0.003
A pay-as-you-go plan with no upfront fee with 10,000 minutes included per month and a per-minute rate of $0.0035

What is the pricing plan for Zoom Client SDK integration?

The Zoom Client SDK is available to you at no price if you have a Pro, Business, or Enterprise account.

Which is better: Zoom SDK or a custom video conferencing solution?

It depends on the needs of your business. The advantages of SDK are in its cost-effectiveness and speed of implementation. Custom solutions will be more expensive but more scalable and customizable.

How about to rate this article?

7 ratings • Avg 4 / 5

Written by:

Slava Vaniukov