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Comparison · Meetings
Ant Media Server vs Fourwaves
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Ant Media Server and Fourwaves — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Ant Media Server vs Fourwaves: at a glance
What is Ant Media Server?
Ant Media crossed the 3.0 line with AV1, eight CVE patches, and a breaking API cleanup.
Ant Media Server has just shipped its 3.0 series. The cut version, 3.0.1, packed an AV1 codec path, removed long-deprecated methods (potentially breaking integrations), patched roughly eight CVEs in the parent and management console, and added Strict-Transport-Security headers and daily SSL renewal checks. Two follow-up tags (3.0.2, 3.0.3) appear to be quick rebuilds rather than feature releases. The recent 2.17.x line had introduced server-side ad insertion (SSAI with SCTE-35), a v2 WebRTC web SDK, and LL-HLS cluster play.
What is Fourwaves?
Fourwaves adds custom domain support for event websites, removing the hosted-subdomain constraint for conference organizers
Fourwaves is shipping consistent weekly improvements to its conference management platform: custom domain mapping for event websites, an auth gate before registration forms, and presentation/participant visibility parity between the mobile app and event website. The platform is also tightening workflow correctness — fixing reviewer workload counts in assignment confirmation and fixing raw markup in bio rendering.
Ant Media Server vs Fourwaves: editorial side-by-side
Ant Media Server
6.3MEETINGS
Ant Media crossed the 3.0 line with AV1, eight CVE patches, and a breaking API cleanup.
◆ Current state
Ant Media Server has just shipped its 3.0 series. The cut version, 3.0.1, packed an AV1 codec path, removed long-deprecated methods (potentially breaking integrations), patched roughly eight CVEs in the parent and management console, and added Strict-Transport-Security headers and daily SSL renewal checks. Two follow-up tags (3.0.2, 3.0.3) appear to be quick rebuilds rather than feature releases. The recent 2.17.x line had introduced server-side ad insertion (SSAI with SCTE-35), a v2 WebRTC web SDK, and LL-HLS cluster play.
◆ Where it's heading
The product is in a 'broadcaster-grade plus security hardening' arc. SSAI/SCTE-35 is a clear push toward live-event monetization use cases, while AV1 and v2 WebRTC SDK target streaming infrastructure that competes with managed services. The CVE volume across recent releases (2.16.2 was nothing but patches; 2.17.1 and 3.0.1 each carried multiple) suggests an active third-party security review or fuzzing program is feeding the queue.
◆ Prediction
Expect 3.0.x point releases focused on stabilizing AV1 in production, mopping up regressions from the deprecated-method removals, and continued CVE patching. The next functional bet to watch is whether SSAI gets enterprise-grade analytics or whether AV1 gets hardware-accelerated encode paths.
Fourwaves
6.3MEETINGS
Fourwaves adds custom domain support for event websites, removing the hosted-subdomain constraint for conference organizers
◆ Current state
Fourwaves is shipping consistent weekly improvements to its conference management platform: custom domain mapping for event websites, an auth gate before registration forms, and presentation/participant visibility parity between the mobile app and event website. The platform is also tightening workflow correctness — fixing reviewer workload counts in assignment confirmation and fixing raw markup in bio rendering.
◆ Where it's heading
Custom domain support moves Fourwaves toward white-label territory — event organizers can now present a fully branded web presence without the hosted subdomain being visible. The sign-in gate before forms suggests the platform is building more secure, verifiable attendee flows. Together these point to a push up-market toward professional and academic conference organizers.
◆ Prediction
Following custom domains, additional white-label features such as branded emails and registration confirmations, or improvements to the abstract submission and review workflow, are the most likely next moves.
Alternatives to Ant Media Server and Fourwaves
Other Meetings products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Ant Media Server or Fourwaves.
BigBlueButton
BigBlueButton 4.0 enters release candidate with LiveKit fully replacing the legacy audio stack.
JW Player
JW Player automates CMAF rendition ladders and sharpens ad attribution by player and placement
Nextcloud Talk Desktop
Nextcloud Talk Desktop is approaching Talk v25 stable while its July managed-config feature unlocks enterprise mass deployment for the first time.
Nextcloud Talk
Nextcloud Talk v25 adds classified conversations and an owner role, targeting regulated enterprise deployments.
Element Call
Element Call is removing its legacy architecture — the federated multi-SFU model is now the only option.
See all Ant Media Server alternatives → · See all Fourwaves alternatives →
Recent activity from Ant Media Server and Fourwaves
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 1d agoFourwavesApp view now matches event website for presentations and sessions
- 3d agoFourwavesSeptember 13, 2026
- 5d agoFourwavesOrganizers can now connect their own domain to event websites ⚡
- 6d agoFourwavesSeptember 10, 2026
- 7d agoFourwavesSeptember 9, 2026
- 8d agoFourwavesSeptember 8, 2026
- 4mo agoAnt Media ServerCommunity 3.0.3: rebuild tag with no published changelog
- 4mo agoAnt Media ServerCommunity 3.0.2: SNAPSHOT version bump and quality items
- 4mo agoAnt Media ServerCommunity 3.0.1: AV1 codec, breaking API cleanup, eight CVE patches ⚡
- 7mo agoAnt Media ServerCommunity 2.17.1: WebRTC timing fixes, SRT restream endpoints, local license server
- 7mo agoAnt Media ServerCommunity 2.17.0: SSAI with SCTE-35 and WebRTC Web SDK v2 ⚡
- 9mo agoAnt Media ServerCommunity 2.16.2: five CVE patches in the parent
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Ant Media Server and Fourwaves?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Ant Media Server and Fourwaves are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 6.3 vs 6.3, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Ant Media Server better than Fourwaves?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Ant Media Server and Fourwaves are shipping at a similar cadence (velocity 6.3 vs 6.3, both within Sparkpulse's "active" band). For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Meetings products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Ant Media Server?
Top Ant Media Server alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Ant Media Server alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/ant-media for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Fourwaves?
Top Fourwaves alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Fourwaves alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/fourwaves for the full list with editorial commentary on each.