HLS Self-Hosting Guide: Deploy on Object Storage
Learn how to self-host your HLS video streams on popular object storage providers. This comprehensive guide covers setup, configuration, CDN integration, and cost optimization.
Why Self-Host HLS Streams?
Pay only for storage and bandwidth usage. No per-minute encoding fees or platform commissions.
Complete ownership of your content, custom domains, and branding without third-party limitations.
Global CDN distribution with edge caching for optimal streaming performance worldwide.
Custom configurations, security policies, and integration with your existing infrastructure.
Object Storage Provider Comparison
| Provider | Storage Cost | Bandwidth Cost | Free Tier | CDN Integration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AWS S3 + CloudFront | $0.023/GB | $0.085/GB | 5GB storage, 15GB transfer | Excellent |
| Cloudflare R2 | $0.015/GB | Free egress | 10GB storage, Free bandwidth | Built-in |
| Google Cloud Storage | $0.020/GB | $0.120/GB | 5GB storage, 1GB network | Good |
| Azure Blob Storage | $0.018/GB | $0.087/GB | 5GB storage, 15GB bandwidth | Good |
| DigitalOcean Spaces | $0.020/GB | $0.010/GB | No free tier | Good |
| BunnyCDN Storage | $0.010/GB | $0.010/GB | No free tier | Excellent |
* Prices are approximate and vary by region. Check provider websites for current pricing.
Step-by-Step Setup Guides
1. Create R2 Bucket
# Using Wrangler CLI
npx wrangler r2 bucket create my-hls-videos
# Or via Cloudflare Dashboard:
# Go to R2 Object Storage → Create bucket2. Configure CORS Policy
[
{
"AllowedOrigins": ["*"],
"AllowedMethods": ["GET", "HEAD"],
"AllowedHeaders": ["*"],
"ExposeHeaders": ["ETag"],
"MaxAgeSeconds": 3600
}
]3. Upload HLS Files
# Upload all HLS files
wrangler r2 object put my-hls-videos/playlist.m3u8 --file=./playlist.m3u8
wrangler r2 object put my-hls-videos/segment001.ts --file=./segment001.ts
# ... repeat for all segments4. Set Up Custom Domain
# Connect custom domain in Cloudflare Dashboard
# R2 → Your Bucket → Settings → Custom Domains
# Add: videos.yourdomain.comBest Practices & Optimization
- Use CDN for global content delivery
- Set appropriate cache headers (Cache-Control: max-age=31536000)
- Enable gzip compression for .m3u8 files
- Use HTTP/2 for better multiplexing
- Implement proper CORS headers
- Use signed URLs for private content
- Implement token-based authentication
- Enable HTTPS-only access
- Set up proper IAM policies
- Monitor access logs regularly
Cost Optimization Strategies
- • Use lifecycle policies to archive old content
- • Implement intelligent tiering
- • Compress segments when possible
- • Remove unused quality variants
- • Choose CDN with best pricing for your regions
- • Implement adaptive bitrate streaming
- • Use efficient video codecs (H.265/AV1)
- • Monitor and analyze traffic patterns
- • Automate deployment with CI/CD
- • Use infrastructure as code
- • Set up cost monitoring alerts
- • Regular cost analysis and optimization
Common Issues & Troubleshooting
Problem: Video player can't load HLS playlist due to CORS restrictions.
Solution: Configure CORS policy to allow your domain and common headers like Range, Content-Type, and Authorization.
Problem: Browser doesn't recognize .m3u8 or .ts files properly.
Solution: Set Content-Type to "application/vnd.apple.mpegurl" for .m3u8 and "video/mp2t" for .ts files.
Problem: HLS segments load slowly or buffer frequently.
Solution: Enable CDN, optimize segment duration (6-10 seconds), and ensure proper cache headers.
Ready to Convert Your Videos to HLS?
Now that you know how to host HLS streams, you need HLS files to upload. Use our free converter to transform your MP4 videos into HLS format, then follow this guide to deploy them.