Comparison
Castio vs Zoom
Zoom is a multi-tenant SaaS platform where you rent access to shared infrastructure. Castio deploys a complete video platform on infrastructure you own. Different models for different needs.
The fundamental difference
Zoom
A multi-tenant SaaS platform. You sign up, get an account on Zoom's servers, and access the service through their domain. Your data lives on their infrastructure, alongside millions of other customers.
- Meetings hosted at zoom.us
- Recordings stored on Zoom's servers
- Per-seat pricing that scales with headcount
- Zoom controls the platform, features, and terms
Castio
A complete video platform deployed on your own Cloudflare account. You own the infrastructure, the data, and the brand. After deployment, Castio has no access to your system.
- Meetings hosted at your custom domain
- Recordings stored on your Cloudflare R2
- Flat infrastructure cost regardless of user count
- You control the platform, data, and brand
Feature comparison
An honest look at how the two platforms compare across key categories.
| Category | Castio | Zoom |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting Types | Video, audio, webinar, RTMP/HLS livestream | Video, audio, webinar, Zoom Events |
| Recording | Built-in composite recording, stored on your R2 storage | Cloud or local recording, stored on Zoom's servers |
| AI Features | Whisper v3 Turbo transcription, AI meeting summaries -- included | AI Companion, transcription, smart recap -- paid add-on or higher tiers |
| Branding | Full white-label: custom domain, logo, colors, themes, email branding | Logo on paid plans. Meeting URLs remain zoom.us |
| Data Ownership | Your Cloudflare account -- you own and control all data | Zoom's servers -- governed by Zoom's data policies |
| Analytics | Built-in dashboard with per-participant quality metrics | Admin dashboard on Business plan and above |
| Roles | 5-tier hierarchy: system admin, org admin, manager, member, viewer | Host, co-host, participant |
| Scheduling | Built-in scheduler with RRULE recurrence and RSVP | Calendar integrations (Google Calendar, Outlook) |
| API | REST API and webhooks -- included on all deployments | REST API, webhooks, SDK, and marketplace |
| Pricing Model | Flat infrastructure cost ~$5-25/mo + license (TBD) | $13.33-21.99/user/mo depending on plan |
Where Zoom wins
Zoom has over 20 years of development and a massive ecosystem. There are real areas where it's the stronger choice.
SSO/SAML integration
Enterprise single sign-on with identity providers
Native calendar integration
Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCal built in
Desktop and mobile apps
Native apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android
Phone dial-in (PSTN/SIP)
Toll-free and local dial-in numbers worldwide
Noise cancellation
AI-powered background noise suppression
End-to-end encryption
Optional E2EE for meetings on paid plans
Massive ecosystem
Thousands of integrations, apps, and marketplace add-ons
20+ years of maturity
Battle-tested at massive scale with polished UX
Breakout rooms
Stable, production-ready breakout room support
Reactions and hand raise
In-meeting emoji reactions, hand raise, and polls
Where Castio wins
If ownership, branding, and cost predictability matter to you, Castio solves problems Zoom structurally cannot.
Full data ownership
Everything runs on your Cloudflare account -- your data never leaves your infrastructure
Complete white-label branding
Your domain, logo, colors, themes, and email branding -- not zoom.us with a logo swap
No per-seat pricing
Flat infrastructure cost regardless of how many users you add
Zero vendor lock-in
Your platform runs independently on your infrastructure -- it doesn't stop working if the vendor disappears
No vendor data access
Your data isn't shared with a vendor or used for AI model training
AI transcription included
Whisper v3 Turbo transcription and AI summaries on every deployment -- no add-on fee
Single-tenant isolation
Each deployment is a fully isolated instance -- not a shared multi-tenant system
5-tier role hierarchy
System admin, org admin, manager, member, and viewer -- more granular than Zoom's 3-tier model
Full REST API included
REST API and webhooks available on every deployment -- no tier restrictions
Cost comparison
Zoom charges per user per month. Castio runs on your Cloudflare account with flat infrastructure costs.
| Team Size | Zoom Pro $13.33/user/mo | Zoom Business $18.33/user/mo | Zoom Business Plus $21.99/user/mo | Castio Infra only* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 users | ~$133/mo | ~$183/mo | ~$220/mo | ~$5-25/mo |
| 50 users | ~$667/mo | ~$917/mo | ~$1,100/mo | ~$5-25/mo |
| 100 users | ~$1,333/mo | ~$1,833/mo | ~$2,199/mo | ~$5-25/mo |
| 500 users | ~$6,665/mo | ~$9,165/mo | ~$10,995/mo | ~$5-25/mo |
*Castio infrastructure costs are what you pay Cloudflare directly (Workers, D1, R2, KV). The Castio license fee is separate and not yet announced. Zoom prices based on publicly listed annual billing rates as of March 2026.
Why the difference is so large
Zoom charges per user because they host the infrastructure for you. Every user consumes resources on their servers, so costs scale linearly with headcount. Castio runs on your Cloudflare account, where costs are based on actual usage (compute, storage, bandwidth) rather than seat count. For most deployments, Cloudflare infrastructure costs are in the single-digit to low double-digit dollars per month, regardless of how many users you register.
The trade-off: Zoom includes 20+ years of features, native apps, and enterprise integrations. Castio offers a different model -- full ownership and control at a fraction of the recurring cost, with a younger feature set.
Which is right for you?
Different tools for different needs. Here's a straightforward take.
Zoom is probably the better fit if you:
- Need SSO/SAML for enterprise identity management
- Rely on calendar integrations (Google Calendar, Outlook)
- Require native desktop and mobile apps
- Need phone dial-in for participants without internet
- Want a battle-tested product with 20+ years of polish
- Need a large ecosystem of third-party integrations
Castio is probably the better fit if you:
- Need to own the infrastructure and data completely
- Want full white-label branding under your own domain
- Are an agency deploying branded video for clients
- Building a product where video is a core feature
- Want predictable costs that don't scale with headcount
- Care about data staying on infrastructure you control
Ready to own your video platform?
Deploy a complete video conferencing platform on your own Cloudflare account. Your infrastructure, your data, your brand.