Live video test

One video. Two ways to deliver it.

Play the same 12-second clip as one MP4 file and as an HLS stream that can change quality while it plays.

The short answer: Small background loops are often simplest as optimized MP4 files. Longer or heavier videos can benefit from HLS because the player can lower or raise the picture quality when the connection changes.

Try the comparison

Use the buttons below. A replay may use saved browser data, so the first run is usually the fairest.

MP4 file · H.264 · 1080p · 8.87 MB

Choose MP4 or HLS.

Start time—
Playback stops—
Stopped time—
Picture—

What changes?

One MP4 file

8.87 MB · 1080p

The browser gets one full-size version. It is simple and starts quickly when the file is small enough for the connection.

Adaptive HLS stream

0.68 MB at 360p
2.06 MB at 720p

The video is split into two-second pieces. The player can switch between the smaller and larger picture while the video is running.

Controlled Chrome test

1 Mbps · MP4: 5.85-second start · 33 stops · about 53.9 seconds stopped

1 Mbps · HLS: 1.01–1.03-second start · 0 stops · 360p

10 Mbps · MP4: 0.66–0.67-second start · 0 stops

10 Mbps · HLS: 0.26-second start · 0 stops · 720p

Source: eight Chrome runs on September 11, 2026. Each format and speed was tested twice on the same computer with the browser cache off and 40 ms of network delay. This was a controlled test, not real visitor data.

What traffic can mean for the bill

A page visit is not automatically a video play. These examples assume each visitor loads and watches this full 12-second sample once.

10,000 visits

One full play each

MP4: 88.7 GB

HLS at 360p: 6.8 GB

HLS at 720p: 20.6 GB

100,000 visits

One full play each

MP4: 886.7 GB

HLS at 360p: 68.0 GB

HLS at 720p: 206.2 GB

1 million visits

One full play each

MP4: 8.87 TB

HLS at 360p: 680 GB

HLS at 720p: 2.06 TB

The HLS total depends on which quality each visitor receives. It may switch more than once, so real use will usually fall somewhere between the quality examples.

Your current host or CDN

Often $0 extra until a plan limit is reached

You store the MP4 or HLS files and supply the player. Check the host’s traffic limit and overage price. This is simple for a small MP4 but takes more work for HLS.

Bunny Stream

From $0.005 per GB delivered · $1 monthly minimum

Storage starts at $0.01 per GB. Encoding and the player are included. At the starting delivery rate, 100,000 full plays of this sample would be about $0.34 at 360p or $1.03 at 720p, before storage and regional price differences.

Official pricing

Cloudflare Stream

$1 per 1,000 delivered minutes

Storage is sold in $5 monthly blocks of 1,000 stored minutes. Encoding, adaptive delivery, and the player are included. At 12 seconds each, 100,000 full plays equal 20,000 delivered minutes: about $20 for delivery plus one $5 storage block.

Official pricing

Wistia Business

Starts at $79 per month

This costs more because it includes business video hosting, a branded player, analytics, and marketing tools. Choose it when those tools matter more than the lowest delivery bill.

Official pricing

How to choose

Use MP4 for a small loop or short clip when your current plan can handle the traffic. Use self-managed HLS when adaptive quality matters and your team can prepare the files and maintain the player. Use a managed stream when you want the service to handle encoding, quality levels, delivery, and the player. Use a marketing platform when lead tracking and detailed viewer reports help pay for the higher monthly price.

Prices checked September 11, 2026. “From” prices can change by region and use. These are planning examples, not quotes.

How adaptive streaming works

  1. The video is prepared at several picture sizes, such as 360p and 720p.
  2. Each version is cut into small pieces.
  3. The player checks the connection and how much video is ready.
  4. It can change quality several times while the video plays.

HLS can reduce buffering, but it cannot promise perfect playback on every connection. Video length, file size, picture quality, and network speed all matter.