WOWZA, FLUSSONIC AND NIMBLE ALTERNATIVE

Cronomagic Streaming Server: an IPTV alternative to Wowza, Flussonic and Nimble

Built for IPTV operators who need their channels on air around the clock, on their own Linux server. See how Cronomagic compares on price and features, then try it free.

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Prices and features checked on November 11, 2026
Channel page with live preview, runtime statistics and HLS playback URLs
The Cronomagic dashboard runs on your own server.

At a glance

Price, free trial and where each server runs. Prices in US dollars, before taxes, as published by each vendor.

Cronomagic Streaming Server

Cronomagic
Price
From $19.99/month, based on your number of channels
Free trial
Yes, on your own server
Where it runs
Your own Linux server: 64-bit x86 (x86_64), Debian 12+ or Ubuntu 22.04+

Wowza Streaming Engine

Wowza
Price
US$195/month (Basic), US$295 for one month; Enterprise on quote
Free trial
Yes (length not stated)
Where it runs
Any server; Docker container or machine image

Flussonic Media Server

Flussonic
Price
Developer license from US$100; other licenses on quote
Free trial
Not stated
Where it runs
Ubuntu Linux, Docker, Kubernetes

Nimble Streamer

Softvelum
Price
US$50/month per server; transcoder +US$50/month; DRM and ads +US$50/month
Free trial
2 weeks, without the transcoder, DRM and ads
Where it runs
Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, RHEL family) and Windows

Which streaming server fits you?

Choose Cronomagic if you want

  • Channels that stay on air: automatic switch to your backup source and back, and channels that keep retrying until the source returns
  • Picture and sound monitoring: black, frozen and silent detection, with alerts by email, Telegram or webhook
  • Signed stream links from your middleware, and a separate playback port for viewers
  • A one-command install on your own Linux server, with a web dashboard for your whole team
  • No re-encoding: picture quality is untouched and one server runs dozens of channels
  • A free trial on your own server, before you buy

Another server may suit you better if you need

  • Transcoding or adaptive bitrate (several qualities of one channel)
  • WebRTC with sub-second latency
  • DRM out of the box (Widevine, FairPlay, PlayReady); Cronomagic offers it on request
  • Timeshift, catch-up TV or an EPG
  • One stream spread across a fleet of servers

Start a free trial

Price and feature comparison

Yes Partly, or with a paid add-on No Not stated on the vendor's website
Cronomagic Streaming Server compared with Wowza Streaming Engine, Flussonic Media Server and Nimble Streamer
Feature Cronomagic Streaming ServerCronomagic Wowza Streaming EngineWowza Flussonic Media ServerFlussonic Nimble StreamerSoftvelum
Delivery
Streaming protocols In: HTTP/HLS, SRT, UDP, RTMP, RTSP, RIST. Out: HLS, and push to RTMP, SRT, UDP or RIST, or an MPEG-TS file WebRTC, SRT, LL-HLS, DASH, RTMP, RTSP and more In: RTMP, SRT, IP cameras, DVB-S, SDI. Out: HLS, LL-HLS, DASH, WebRTC, RTMP, RTSP, SRT, MPEG-TS, MSS SRT, RTMP, RTSP, RIST, MPEG-TS, Zixi, Icecast; HLS, LL-HLS and DASH out; WebRTC (WHIP in, WHEP out); NDI with the transcoder
Recording (DVR) Yes, segment recording Not stated Yes Yes, played back over HLS and DASH
Transcoding and adaptive bitrate No: streams are re-packaged without re-encoding, so picture quality is untouched Yes, up to 10 transcoded channels per instance Yes, with GPU (NVENC, QSV) Paid transcoder add-on
WebRTC (sub-second latency) No (HLS) Yes Yes Yes
Timeshift and catch-up TV No Not stated Yes, timeshift and catch-up with EPG Not stated
Reliability
Automatic switch to a backup source Yes, and back to the main source when it returns; channels keep retrying until the source returns and resume by themselves after a reboot Not stated Yes, with priorities With the paid transcoder (hot swap)
Picture and sound monitoring with alerts Live thumbnails of every channel; black, frozen and silent detection; alerts by email, Telegram or webhook Not stated ETSI TR 101 290 analysis and alarms Not stated
Security
Signed stream links (tokens)New Signed links from your middleware, valid only from the viewer's IP until they expire; for all channels or the ones you choose SecureToken (in the documentation) Token-based authentication Hot-link protection with token URL signature (Paywall)
DRM On request (integration project) Yes Widevine, FairPlay, PlayReady Widevine, PlayReady, FairPlay with a paid add-on
Management
Web management Dashboard on your server, with Admin, Operator and Viewer roles, an audit log and Let's Encrypt HTTPS Not stated Yes Through the WMSPanel online service
API REST API; CSV/JSON channel import and export REST API and Java SDK HTTP API Not stated
Scaling across many servers No: one server per license Not stated Runs on Kubernetes Manage a fleet of servers through WMSPanel

What the Cronomagic dashboard looks like

Every channel in one mosaic, and stream protection with signed links from your middleware. See all screens

IPTV streaming server mosaic: a grid of eight live channel pictures
Watch all channels at once in the mosaic, ready for a control-room screen
Stream token settings: signed HLS links for protected channels
Stream protection with signed links from your middleware

Cronomagic vs Wowza Streaming Engine

Wowza Streaming Engine is licensed per instance, from US$195 a month, and is built around transcoding, WebRTC and DRM. Its website does not list automatic switching to a backup source or black, frozen and silent detection; Cronomagic includes both, so your channels stay on air and your team is alerted by email, Telegram or webhook. If your sources are already H.264 with AAC audio, try Cronomagic free on your own server.

Pick Cronomagic for: backup sources, picture alerts, simple IPTV delivery Pick Wowza for: transcoding, WebRTC, DRM out of the box

Cronomagic vs Flussonic

Flussonic Media Server publishes a developer license from US$100, with other licenses on quote, and adds transcoding, DRM and catch-up TV. Both switch to a backup source automatically; Cronomagic also watches every channel for black, frozen and silent picture and alerts you. It needs no re-encoding, installs with one command and is managed from a web dashboard, and you can try it free on your own server.

Pick Cronomagic for: picture alerts, one-command install, free trial Pick Flussonic for: transcoding, DRM out of the box, catch-up TV

Cronomagic vs Nimble Streamer

Nimble Streamer costs US$50 a month per server, with the transcoder and the DRM and ads features sold as add-ons, and is managed through the WMSPanel online service. Cronomagic's dashboard runs on your own server, with Admin, Operator and Viewer roles and an audit log, and switching to a backup source is built in instead of tied to a transcoder add-on. Request a free trial to run it on your own server.

Pick Cronomagic for: dashboard on your own server, built-in backup sources Pick Nimble for: WebRTC, a fleet managed online

Questions about switching

Is Cronomagic a good Wowza alternative for IPTV?

Yes, if your channels are live IPTV streams that are already H.264 with AAC audio. Cronomagic delivers them as HLS, keeps them on air with backup sources and alerts you about black, frozen or silent picture. If you need transcoding or WebRTC, Wowza covers those; DRM is available from Cronomagic on request.

Can I move my channels from Flussonic or Wowza?

Yes. Cronomagic pulls live sources over HTTP/HLS, SRT, UDP, RTMP, RTSP or RIST, so the sources you use today can feed it. You can run the free trial on a separate server next to your current one before you switch.

Does Cronomagic transcode like Wowza or Flussonic?

No. Channels are re-packaged without re-encoding, so picture quality is untouched and one server runs dozens of channels. Your sources should already be H.264 video with AAC audio.

How is Cronomagic priced compared with Wowza, Flussonic and Nimble?

Cronomagic is priced by number of channels, with a quote after your request, and you can try it free on your own server first. The comparison above shows each vendor's published prices.

Ready to put your channels on air?

Try Cronomagic Streaming Server free on your own server.
Start a free trial
Sources (checked on November 11, 2026)

Wowza Streaming Engine: wowza.com/streaming-engine, wowza.com/pricing, wowza.com/docs/how-to-protect-streaming-using-securetoken-in-wowza-streaming-engine

Flussonic Media Server: flussonic.com/media-server, flussonic.com/doc/authorization

Nimble Streamer: softvelum.com/nimble, softvelum.com/nimble/protocols, softvelum.com/transcoder, softvelum.com/paywall, wmspanel.com/prices

Information comes only from each vendor's own website. Prices and features change; "Not stated" means we did not find it on those pages, not that the product lacks it. Tell us at support@cronomagic.com if something is out of date.

Product names and trademarks belong to their respective owners. Cronomagic is not affiliated with these vendors.