NULX and Cloudflare Stream, side by side.
Both are Cloudflare-native ways to run video. They differ on one thing that decides everything else: who holds the files.
Short answer
Stream holds your video. NULX leaves it in your bucket.
Cloudflare Stream is a managed product: upload a file, Cloudflare transcodes, stores and delivers it, billed per stored minute and per delivered minute. NULX runs the same pipeline but writes the output into your own R2 bucket and charges a flat platform fee, so storage and delivery stay on your own Cloudflare bill.
For a small library that is watched lightly, Stream is simpler and can be cheaper. As stored minutes and viewing grow, per-minute pricing compounds while R2 storage plus $0 egress does not.
Estimate this workload in the calculator See how BYO storage works
Trade-offs
What you gain and give up either way.
Neither is strictly better. They optimise for different constraints.
Stream is less to manage
One vendor, one bill, no bucket to configure. If you do not want a storage account at all, that is a real advantage.
NULX keeps custody
Sources and renditions sit in your bucket under your Cloudflare account. Cancelling NULX does not move any files.
Pricing shape differs
Stream scales with minutes stored and delivered. NULX is a flat fee plus encoding, with delivery billed to you by Cloudflare at $0 egress.
Pricing model
How each one bills the same workload.
| Dimension | Cloudflare Stream | NULX + your R2 |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | $5 per 1,000 minutes stored | $0.015 per GB-month, billed by Cloudflare |
| Delivery | $1 per 1,000 minutes delivered | $0 internet egress, billed by Cloudflare |
| Platform | Included | $19/mo, 60 encoding hours included |
| Captions | Not offered | $0.02 per minute |
| File custody | Cloudflare Stream | Your R2 bucket |
| Leaving | Re-download or re-upload | Files already yours |
Rates are each vendor's published list pricing, checked against Cloudflare's own documentation. Stream bills stored minutes of source video while R2 bills GB of source plus renditions, so the two are not directly convertible - the calculator models both.
Common questions
Choosing between them.
Which is cheaper?
Below roughly 2,000 monthly viewing hours, Stream frequently wins on simplicity and cost. Above that, per-delivered-minute pricing tends to overtake flat-fee-plus-storage. The calculator uses published rates for both rather than asserting a winner.
Can I use both?
Yes. Some teams keep short marketing clips on Stream and move long-form catalogue video to R2, where storage economics matter more.
Does NULX resell R2?
No. Cloudflare bills you directly for storage and operations. NULX never marks up storage or delivery.
What if I already have video in Stream?
You re-upload the masters. There is no automated importer today; for a large catalogue, ask and we will scope the migration.
Sources
Rates checked September 10, 2026 · Page updated September 10, 2026
Next step
Compare on your numbers, not ours.
Enter your stored hours and monthly viewing. The calculator prices both models from published rates.