HLS

The most widely supported adaptive streaming format for live and on-demand video.

What is HLS

HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) is an adaptive bitrate streaming protocol developed by Apple that delivers video over standard HTTP connections. HLS breaks video into small segments (typically 6–10 seconds) and serves them via a playlist manifest (.m3u8), allowing the player to switch between quality levels based on the viewer's bandwidth in real time. Originally an Apple-only technology, HLS is now supported by every major browser, mobile OS, smart TV, and streaming device — making it the default choice for most video delivery workflows. HLS also supports Low-Latency HLS (LL-HLS), which reduces glass-to-glass latency to 2–5 seconds for near-real-time delivery.

When to Choose HLS

Choose HLS when:

• You need to reach iOS devices — Safari requires HLS for adaptive streaming, and there is no DASH support on Apple platforms.
• Your content will be delivered via CDN over HTTP — HLS uses standard HTTP infrastructure, so every CDN supports it without special configuration.
• You need DRM protection with Apple FairPlay — FairPlay only works with HLS manifests and is the only way to protect content on Apple devices.

Consider alternatives when:

• You need sub-2-second latency — Look at WebRTC for delivery or SRT for ingest. Even LL-HLS has 2–5 second latency.
• You're targeting only non-Apple platforms and want open standards — MPEG-DASH is an ISO standard with native Widevine and PlayReady support.
• You want a single set of segments for both HLS and DASH — CMAF eliminates duplicate segment storage by using one set of fmp4 segments with two manifests.

Transcoding Demo

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Convert to HLS

Transcoding demo creates a small clip with a watermark. To test transcoding full files, Start your Free Plan for 500 credits

Select a source video and click “Convert” to see HLS output in action.

Key Characteristics

Browser & Device Support

How Qencode Handles HLS

Qencode generates HLS output with full adaptive bitrate ladder support. Specify advanced_hls as the output format and Qencode handles manifest generation, segment packaging, and multi-rendition encoding in a single job. Choose any supported video codec — H.264, H.265, AV1 — and Qencode produces correctly formatted .m3u8 manifests with .ts or .fmp4 segments.

Pair HLS output with Per-Title Encoding to automatically optimize the bitrate ladder for each title, or add DRM protection with a single parameter. Qencode also supports HLS playlist refresh for updating live manifests.

{
  "query": {
    "source": "https://your-storage.com/video.mp4",
    "format": [
      {
        "output": "advanced_hls",
        "separate_audio": 1,
        "stream": [
          {
            "video_codec": "libx265",
            "resolution": 2160,
            "optimize_bitrate": 1,
            "framerate": "30",
            "keyframe": "90"
          }
        ],
        "segment_duration": "6"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Copy this payload and use it with your API key to generate HLS output from any video source.

HLS vs. MPEG-DASH

CMAF: The bridge between HLS and DASH — If you need to serve both HLS and DASH audiences, CMAF lets you use a single set of fmp4 segments with two different manifests, eliminating duplicate storage.

What It Costs

Source Video Minutes
SD$0.01
Total Cost$0.01
1
1M
Format
HLS
Codec
H.264
Framerate
25
Per-Title encoding
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Planning for budgets over $1,000/month? Schedule a call with us to explore additional volume discounts.

DRM

Protect HLS content with Apple FairPlay, Google Widevine, and Microsoft PlayReady encryption.