Deploy and Host Managed Agora Service with one click on Railway

Agora is a leading real-time engagement (RTE) platform that enables developers to integrate live audio, video, and interactive streaming capabilities into any application. It powers millions of real-time connections every day - from virtual classrooms and live events to telehealth and social networking apps. With its robust SDKs and APIs, Agora lets developers build immersive experiences that connect people across the world with low latency and high reliability.

About Hosting Agora on Railway (Self Hosting Agora on Railway)

You can self-host Agora services on Railway to gain full control over your deployment environment. Hosting on Railway means you can deploy your own backend services, authentication layer, and media routing logic while leveraging Agora’s SDKs for seamless real-time communication.

Why Deploy Managed Agora Service on Railway

Deploying a managed Agora service on Railway offers the perfect balance of performance, flexibility, and simplicity. Railway takes care of the infrastructure management, updates, and security patches, allowing you to focus on building rich, real-time communication experiences.

With Railway’s managed service, you can deploy Agora backend servers effortlessly, integrate with databases and APIs, and ensure a seamless user experience even during heavy traffic.

Railway vs Linode:

Linode gives control but demands manual patching, scaling configuration, and SSL setup for Agora apps. Railway streamlines this process by handling certificates, traffic scaling, and background updates automatically, freeing developers from repetitive infrastructure tasks.

Railway vs Vultr:

Vultr offers VPS flexibility but needs you to manage resource allocation, bandwidth, and performance optimization manually. With Railway, all these are automated - your Agora backend scales dynamically based on demand.

Railway vs AWS Lightsail:

AWS Lightsail involves network setup, IAM management, and manual scaling for Agora servers. Railway removes this complexity, offering a plug-and-play deployment experience with built-in CI/CD and automated monitoring.

Railway vs Hetzner:

Hetzner provides competitive pricing and raw power but expects full manual configuration. Railway provides a managed, developer-friendly environment to deploy Agora securely, ensuring zero sysadmin overhead.

Common Use Cases

Here are some popular use cases for Agora:

1. Live Streaming: Create low-latency, high-quality live video streaming platforms for gaming, concerts, or sports events.

2. Virtual Classrooms: Enable interactive online learning environments with video, voice, whiteboard, and screen-sharing features.

3. Telehealth: Build secure video consultation apps for doctors and patients with end-to-end encryption.

4. Social Audio Rooms: Develop apps like Clubhouse or Twitter Spaces using Agora’s voice SDK.

Dependencies for Agora hosted on Railway

To host Agora on Railway, you need a Node.js or Python backend to generate and manage dynamic tokens for authentication. You can also integrate with SQL or NoSQL databases for session storage and user management.

Deployment Dependencies for Managed Agora Service

A managed Agora service typically requires:

• A Node.js or Python runtime environment

• Environment variables for Agora App ID and App Certificate

• A secure HTTPS endpoint for token generation

Implementation Details for Agora (Real-Time Communication Platform)

When deploying Agora on Railway, set the following environment variables:

• AGORA_APP_ID: Your unique Agora App ID

• AGORA_APP_CERTIFICATE: Certificate for token generation

• PORT: Port number for your backend

• NODE_ENV: Environment mode (production/development)

After configuring these variables, you can deploy your app and access the Agora backend via Railway’s public URL. This URL can then be used by your front-end SDK to request communication tokens and initiate real-time sessions.

How does Agora compare to other communication platforms?

Agora vs Twilio

Agora focuses on low-latency, high-quality real-time communication optimized for large-scale interactions. Twilio is more API-centric, focusing on messaging, telephony, and programmable communication. Agora’s SDKs are optimized for interactive live video and audio, while Twilio is best for SMS and voice automation.

Agora vs Zoom SDK

Zoom SDK offers video conferencing capabilities but with limited customization. Agora, on the other hand, provides full flexibility for developers to create custom, scalable, and interactive live experiences without branding restrictions.

Agora vs Vonage (TokBox)

Vonage is great for web-based video APIs but has limited scalability for ultra-low latency scenarios. Agora’s infrastructure spans 200+ data centers worldwide, ensuring minimal delay and higher availability.

Agora vs Daily.co

Daily.co is a newer competitor focused on quick video integration. Agora surpasses it in features, global reach, and reliability - ideal for enterprise-grade deployments.

Agora vs Jitsi Meet

Jitsi is open-source and suitable for small-scale deployments, but Agora outperforms it with better scalability, developer tools, and real-time engagement APIs.

How to Use Agora

Using Agora involves three main steps:

1. Set up your Agora Account: Sign up on Agora.io, create a project, and retrieve your App ID and App Certificate.

2. Deploy Backend on Railway: Deploy a token server using Node.js or Python. This backend generates temporary tokens for secure communication.

3. Integrate SDKs: Use Agora SDKs (Web, Android, iOS, Flutter, React Native) in your application to initiate and manage live audio/video sessions.

How to Self-Host Agora on other VPS

Clone the Repository

Clone the official Agora example repository from GitHub using:

git clone https://github.com/AgoraIO/Basic-Video-Call.git

Install Dependencies

Navigate into your project directory and install necessary dependencies using npm install or pip install depending on your stack.

Configure Environment Variables

Add environment variables for your Agora App ID, certificate, and server port.

Start the Server

Run your backend using node index.js or python app.py. Access it on your public IP and integrate it with your client application.

Access the Dashboard

Once deployed, visit the Agora console to monitor your active sessions, bandwidth usage, and app statistics.

With Railway, you can self-host Agora in a single click.

Deploy Now!

Features of Agora

• Ultra-Low Latency: End-to-end delays under 400ms for real-time communication.

• Global Network: 200+ data centers for seamless cross-region connectivity.

• SDK Support: Available for all major platforms – Web, iOS, Android, React Native, Flutter, and Unity.

• Token-Based Security: Protect sessions with secure authentication tokens.

• Customizable UI: Freedom to build your own video and audio layouts.

Official Pricing of Agora

Agora follows a pay-as-you-go pricing model. Charges depend on usage duration and media quality.

• Audio: Starting from $0.99 per 1,000 minutes

• Video (SD): Starting from $3.99 per 1,000 minutes

• Video (HD): Starting from $14.99 per 1,000 minutes

• Video (Full HD): Starting from $33.99 per 1,000 minutes

For enterprise users, Agora offers custom pricing and volume discounts. The free tier offers 10,000 minutes of video usage per month.

[Updated Sep’25]

Monthly Cost of Self Hosting Agora on Railway

Hosting Agora backend on Railway typically costs $5–$10/month for the base app, with additional costs for databases and storage. This is significantly cheaper than managed hosting or traditional VPS solutions.

System Requirements for Hosting Agora

• Node.js 18+ or Python 3.10+

• 512MB RAM minimum

• 1GB storage for logs and tokens

• Internet connection with low latency

• Environment variables configured properly

FAQs

What is Agora?

Agora is a real-time engagement platform that enables developers to add live audio, video, and interactive streaming features into their apps.

How do I self-host Agora?

You can self-host Agora by deploying a backend on Railway to generate and manage authentication tokens securely.

What are the main features of Agora?

Agora provides ultra-low latency communication, AI noise suppression, scalable infrastructure, and SDKs for all platforms.

How do I deploy Agora on Railway?

Deploying Agora on Railway is simple. Connect your GitHub repository, configure environment variables, and click Deploy Now to launch your service.

What dependencies are required for Agora hosting?

You’ll need Node.js or Python runtime, environment variables (App ID, Certificate), and optional database integration for advanced features.

What are the use cases for Agora?

Common use cases include live streaming, virtual classrooms, telehealth, social audio rooms, and customer support systems.

How does Agora deployment on Railway compare to other providers?

Railway automates scaling, SSL, and security updates, while other VPS providers require manual setup and maintenance.

What’s the cost of self-hosting Agora on Railway?

The cost ranges between $5–$10 per month depending on your usage and selected Railway plan.

Can I record Agora sessions?

Yes, Agora provides a cloud recording feature that lets you store live sessions for future playback or analysis.

Where can I find Agora SDKs?

You can find official Agora SDKs and documentation on the Agora GitHub Repository.