Softwr

Video Production · head to head

Brightcove vs Cavalry

Brightcove logo

Brightcove

Video Production

Enterprise video hosting, live streaming and monetisation, now owned by Bending Spoons

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cavalry logo

Cavalry

Video Production

Real-time 2D animation and motion graphics software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cavalry has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Brightcove pricing is usage-based on plays, bandwidth and storage, so a piece of content that goes unexpectedly popular produces an overage bill nobody planned for, and the licence line in the contract is not the real cost.; Cavalry requires Canva account for access
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Brightcove and Cavalry actually diverge.

Attributes where Brightcove and Cavalry differ
AttributeBrightcoveCavalry
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Smart TVWeb

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Video Production).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Brightcove

  • Video Cloud
  • Live streaming
  • Brightcove Player
  • Monetisation
  • DRM and content protection
  • Brightcove Beacon
  • Audience insights
  • APIs and CMS integration

Only in Cavalry

Nothing recorded that Brightcove does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Brightcove

  • A broadcaster or publisher running paid or ad-supported streaming who needs server-side ad insertion and studio-acceptable DRM rather than a basic player paywall.not Cavalry
  • A sports body streaming live fixtures to a global audience where redundancy, latency and geo-restriction matter more than the monthly platform fee.not Cavalry
  • A large corporation putting all product, training and internal communications video behind central governance with viewer-level analytics feeding a marketing automation system.not Cavalry
  • An organisation launching branded streaming apps across Roku, Apple TV and smart TVs without building and maintaining device clients in-house.not Cavalry

Cavalry

  • Professional 2D animation and motion graphicsnot Brightcove
  • Data-driven animation from spreadsheetsnot Brightcove
  • Procedural rigging and character animationnot Brightcove
  • Web animation export with Lottie formatnot Brightcove
  • Educational animation projectsnot Brightcove

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Brightcove

  • Pricing is usage-based on plays, bandwidth and storage, so a piece of content that goes unexpectedly popular produces an overage bill nobody planned for, and the licence line in the contract is not the real cost.
  • Nothing is published, so a buyer cannot sanity-check a quote without running a full procurement, and quotes for similar workloads vary widely between customers.
  • Bending Spoons acquired the company in February 2025 and has an established pattern of cutting costs and raising prices on acquired software, so renewal terms after the current contract should not be assumed to resemble the first one.
  • The same owner also bought Vimeo in November 2025, so a Brightcove against Vimeo evaluation is no longer a comparison between independent suppliers and the vendor diversity a procurement team thinks it has may not exist.
  • It is heavier than most teams need; organisations that only want a hosted player, a few hundred videos and simple analytics pay for encoding, DRM and OTT infrastructure they will never enable.

Cavalry

  • Requires Canva account for access
  • Enterprise pricing requires sales contact
  • Legacy Scene Group licenses not eligible for free tier
  • Updates only available through Canva version

Pricing, plan by plan

Brightcove

On request
  • Brightcove$undefined/year
    • Quoted on video plays, bandwidth consumed and storage held
    • Starter, Professional and Enterprise tiers with different play and feature allowances
    • Annual contracts with usage commitments and overage charges beyond them

Cavalry

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Fully featured 2D animation software
    • No restrictions for individuals
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Available through Canva Enterprise
    • Available through Canva Education
    • SSO access

Which should you pick?

Choose Brightcove if

  • You need video cloud.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Smart TV.
  • You also want live streaming.
Brightcove review

Choose Cavalry if

  • You want to start without paying.
Cavalry review

Questions people ask

Is Brightcove or Cavalry better?
Neither clearly leads. Brightcove starts at On request and Cavalry at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brightcove or Cavalry?
Cavalry has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Brightcove and Free for Cavalry.
Does Brightcove or Cavalry run on more platforms?
Brightcove runs on Web, iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Smart TV. Cavalry runs on Web.
Can I use Cavalry for free?
Yes. Cavalry has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Brightcove starts at On request.
What is Brightcove best used for?
Brightcove is most often used for a broadcaster or publisher running paid or ad-supported streaming who needs server-side ad insertion and studio-acceptable drm rather than a basic player paywall., a sports body streaming live fixtures to a global audience where redundancy, latency and geo-restriction matter more than the monthly platform fee., a large corporation putting all product, training and internal communications video behind central governance with viewer-level analytics feeding a marketing automation system., an organisation launching branded streaming apps across roku, apple tv and smart tvs without building and maintaining device clients in-house.. Of those, a broadcaster or publisher running paid or ad-supported streaming who needs server-side ad insertion and studio-acceptable drm rather than a basic player paywall. and a sports body streaming live fixtures to a global audience where redundancy, latency and geo-restriction matter more than the monthly platform fee. are not what Cavalry is typically brought in for.
What can Brightcove do that Cavalry cannot?
Brightcove covers Video Cloud, Live streaming, Brightcove Player, Monetisation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Brightcove: Does Brightcove publish prices?

No. Everything is quoted against expected plays, bandwidth and storage. Reported customer spend ranges from the low tens of thousands to six figures a year.

Cavalry: Is Cavalry free to use?

Yes, Cavalry is completely free to download and use with full professional features. No restrictions, payment, or registration fees required.

Source
Brightcove: Who owns Brightcove now?

Bending Spoons, which completed a 233 million US dollar acquisition in February 2025 and delisted the company from Nasdaq.

Cavalry: Do I need a Canva account to use Cavalry?

Yes, users must have a Canva account to access Cavalry, which provides access to the software and other Canva products.

Source
Brightcove: Is Vimeo a genuinely independent alternative?

No longer. Bending Spoons completed a 1.38 billion US dollar acquisition of Vimeo in November 2025, so both are owned by the same company.

Cavalry: What licensing options does Cavalry offer for organizations?

Enterprise and Educational accounts are available through Canva Enterprise or Canva Education with SSO authentication. Interested parties should contact the sales team for details.

Source
Brightcove: What drives the cost most?

Delivery. Bandwidth and plays dominate the bill for any deployment with real audience volume, which is why an overage cap matters more than the headline tier.

Brightcove: Can it handle live sport?

Yes, with cloud DVR, redundancy and low-latency delivery, though live event capacity and latency targets are negotiated rather than standard.

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