To help you in choosing the best live streaming software, below comparison table will be helpful.
| Software | Key Features | Best For | Free Plan | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. OneStream Live | ✓ Event scheduling ✓ Livestream embedding ✓ Live Selling | – Businesses – Educators – Creators | Yes | $15/month |
| 2. OBS Studio | ✓ Separate audio tracks ✓ Customizable hotkeys ✓ Wide selection of plugins | – Gamers – Streamers | Yes | Free |
| 3. Restream | ✓ Multistreaming ✓ Proxy streaming ✓ Split-track recording | – Content Creators – Marketers – Event Organizers | Yes | $16/month |
| 4. Riverside.fm | ✓ Stream in 4K ✓ Mobile as Webcam ✓ Teleprompter | -Podcast Creators – Businesses – Content Creators | Yes | $19/month |
| 5. Streamlabs | ✓ Themes library ✓ Built-in monetization ✓ Advanced widgets | – Gamers – Twitch Streamers – Influencers | Yes | $19/month |
| 6. StreamYard | ✓ HD livestreaming ✓ Virtual background ✓ Multistream to 8 destinations | – YouTubers – Content Creators – Marketers | Yes | $25/month |
| 7. Dacast | ✓ Livestream monetization ✓ VOD platform ✓ Player API access | – Course Creators – Event Organizers | No | $39/month |
Unless you’ve been living in a cave, chances are, you’ve ever attended a live event or joined a livestream from platforms like Twitch, YouTube Live, TikTok Live, or LinkedIn Live.
Most of these social media platforms let you go live directly from your device, which is super convenient. However, their built-in live streaming options have limitations:
- They lack advanced customization and branding features, such as ability to create custom stream layouts and adding logos, overlays, and color schemes.
- They offer limited video production tools; features like multiple camera inputs, stream recording, audio processing, and scene transitions are not available.
- They lack multistreaming and custom PTMP streaming capabilities.
- They don’t support live selling and have limited features to monetize your Livestream.
This is where live streaming tools come in handy. They give you more control over your livestream appearance and provide more features such as recording, multistreaming, and monetization options not found in native livestreaming features on social platforms.
In this guide, we’ll explore the best live streaming software’s for creators, businesses, gamers, and live events.
Let’s get started.
What Makes the Best Live Streaming Software Solution?
There are countless tools available for video streaming across various platforms, but only a few made it to our list of top live-streaming software.
So, to determine the best, we had to come up with selection criteria for our testing workflow.
We started by evaluating over 30 highly-rated solutions. After thorough testing, we narrowed down the list to seven best tools based on these key aspects:
- Intuitive user experience: A good livestreaming software should be easy to use. Setting up a new stream and accessing features like branding and recording shouldn’t feel like learning how to use Photoshop. We prioritized solutions with a user-friendly, fast, and clutter-free interface.
- Affordability: The ideal streaming software shouldn’t cost an arm and leg. During our evaluation, we prioritized tools that offer robust features at a reasonable price.
- Customizable bitrate and resolution settings: The best streaming software needs to allow customization of bitrate, resolution, and frame rate. This lets you optimize your stream quality based on your internet connection and hardware. We kept this in mind during our evaluation.
- Multi-input and multi-output capabilities: We gave more attention to those live streaming platforms that offer support for multiple scenes from various sources like multiple cameras, screen capture, and browser windows. We also focused on platforms that allow you to stream to multiple destinations simultaneously via native integration or custom RTMP servers.
- On-stream design and branding opportunities: The best livestreaming solutions need to integrate design and branding tools within their interface. This removes the necessity for using multiple applications to create consistent, professional-looking streams easily. We prioritized tools that enable native branding for a more unique appearance.
- Stream recording: The ability to record and archive streams is essential for post-event analysis, content repurposing, and audience engagement. I considered the software with built-in stream recording and archiving features.
Our Top Selection of the Best Livestreaming Software Platforms
Based on our selection criteria, here are our top picks for the best live streaming software platforms.
- OneStream Live
- OBS Studio
- Restream
- Riverside.fm
- Streamlabs
- StreamYard
- Dacast
1. OneStream Live
Best live streaming software for ease of use.
- Best for: businesses, educators, creators, and digital entrepreneurs
- Free plan: available
- Desktop app: No
- Cloud-based: Yes
After testing loads of livestreaming software solutions, OnestreamLive came on top because of its ease of use while also striking a balance in functionality. Starting a new stream and navigating the platform is simple and intuitive. All essential settings and navigation options are conveniently located on the left sidebar, following the common layout of most web applications. The platform’s design is clean and includes a helpful microcopy to guide you through the platform.
Its Studio tool enables you to create real-time streams with features such as live CTAs, chats, overlay banners, and the ability to add rich media assets like videos and images to make your stream more interactive and dynamic.
In addition, it enables you to simulcast your video stream to 20+ platforms simultaneously, boosting your broadcast reach. This is ideal especially when hosting large live events and you want to reach as many viewers as possible across various social platforms.
Onestream Live Features
OnStream Live is a versatile livestreaming software that is also user-friendly. Here are some impressive features of the platform.
- Events Scheduling and live pages: Most livestreaming tools lack event scheduling features, forcing you to rely on external tools like Eventbrite. Onestream Live, however, offers native event scheduling with its built-in calendar. Additionally, you can create live pages where you can stream your video content directly. This is especially ideal when hosting live cohorts, coaching sessions to a specific segment of your audience, or streaming prerecorded video content.
- Livestream embedding: The streaming software enables you to embed your stream feed player on custom pages, giving you more control over where your video feed is broadcasted.
- Recording and cloud storage: Onestream Live allows you to record your live streams for future use. Depending on your plan, you get 5GB to 50GB of cloud storage. This lets you store your recordings and other video content without needing third-party storage services like Dropbox.
- Robust Studio: The Onestream Studio offers a comprehensive set of features that allow you to create professional video streams. You can choose from six stream layouts, add custom branding, include graphic overlays, share your screen, incorporate media content, and design your stream scenes with intros and outros. These features enable you to create professional and engaging livestreams.
- Live Selling: The platform supports live selling, allowing you to showcase and sell products during your livestreams. You can add product descriptions, price tags, purchase links, and more, making it easy to engage with your audience and drive sales in real time.
Onestream Live Pricing
Onestream Live offers four plans: three paid options and a free plan. The free plan limits you to 4 guests, 2 multistreaming destinations, and 15 minutes of pre-recorded streaming. If you choose annual billing, you get a 20% discount. Here’s a simple breakdown of the paid plans:
- Basic: $15/month
- Standard: $39/month
- Professional: $49/month\
For advanced digital marketers and creators:
- How to live stream to multiple platforms simultaneously (Tutorial)
- How to live stream pre-recorded videos
OneStream Live Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Ability to multistream video content to 20+ destination | ❌ Advanced features such as live selling is only available in its most expensive plans |
| ✅ Intuitive user interface | ❌ 4K livestreaming not supported |
| ✅ Ability to add custom branding to your live streams | |
| ✅ Mobile apps for Andriod and iOS devices | |
| ✅ Livestream from custom RTMP encoders | |
| ✅ Affordable paid plans | |
| ✅ Feature-rich free plan | |
| ✅ Host and stream pre-recorded content |
2. OBS Studio
Best free live streaming software.
- Best for: gamers and experienced streamers
- Free plan: free forever
- Desktop app: yes (available for Mac, Windows, and Linux)
- Cloud-based: No
Initially, I had excluded OBS Studio due to its dated UI and steep learning curve. However, after watching a few YouTube tutorials and using it for a while, I was impressed by what you can do with this free livestreaming software.
While it’s not intuitive for beginners, it offers more flexibility and an impressive feature set that many paid livestreaming solutions struggle to match — all while remaining lightweight.
OBS is highly flexible. It allows you to adjust your stream resolution, giving you the option to choose from 1080p or 720p, and even lower resolutions if your hardware cannot handle the predefined settings.
Many livestreaming software solutions limit this option based on your plan, locking higher resolutions on their most expensive plans.
You can also customize streaming controls for a better experience using customizable hotkeys and filters to enhance your scenes and layout. You can create custom scene layouts and upload custom overlays to make your stream look professional and unique.
Additionally, OBS provides access to a wide selection of plugins that allow you to extend the functionality of your stream.
Since OBS isn’t the most user-friendly livestreaming software, it best suits tech-savvy streamers, gamers, and video content creators who want full control of the platform and the ability to customize it based on their needs and preferences.
OBS Studio Features
- Robust scene management: OBS allows you to configure your livestream scenes to meet your needs. It supports multiple stream inputs, including cameras, media, applications, and browser windows. You can create multiple scenes, add them to your livestream, and apply custom transitional effects.
- Separate audio tracks: OBS lets you add and record multiple audio tracks separately. For example, you can have separate audio tracks for your application (e.g., game), your microphone, and a co-host. You can control the volume for each track to enhance clarity and balance.
- Customizable hotkeys: During a livestream, hitting a single key to execute specific tasks can enhance your experience. OBS allows you to customize keys to add simple shortcuts, such as transitioning to a new scene, for a seamless livestream.
- Plugins: Unlike most livestreaming software that limits functionality based on plan tiers, OBS offers a wide selection of plugins to enhance its capability. You can find a plugin for literally anything. For example, you can install a plugin to create custom scene transition animations and stream notification overlays instead of using the basic functionalities in OBS Studio.
- Huge community and support: OBS is open-source, resulting in a large, active community. You’ll find numerous tutorials, tips, tricks, and solutions for almost any issue you might encounter with the platform.
OBS Pricing
OBS is a free and open-source streaming and recording software. Anyone can download it to their computer, modify it to your needs, and distribute it.
OBS Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Free and open-source | ❌ Steep learning curve |
| ✅ Highly flexible and customizable | ❌ No cloud-based solutions |
| ✅ Advance scene management and audio control features | |
| ✅ Supports multiple OS devices including Windows, Mac, and Linux | |
| ✅ Custom RPMT encoders | |
| ✅ Lightweight | |
| ✅ Lots of plugins |
3. Restream
Best built-in marketing and sales features.
- Best for: content creators, marketers, and event organizers
- Free plan: available
- Desktop app: No
- Cloud-based: Yes
Restream is a cloud-based livestreaming and recording software with a modern and intuitive UI. Like Onestream Live, it lets you launch a livestream directly from your browser without any downloads. The platform also offers flexibility in how you start your live stream. You can use its built-in Studio feature or choose from other RMPT encoders like OBS, vMix, and Zoom.
When it comes to branding, Restream nails it. You can add logos, custom graphics, overlays, background colors, and notification banners to make your livestream feel unique and match your branding needs.
Additionally, you can pre-add scenes from different media sources such as pre-recorded videos, and presentations, or choose to share your screen with participants. This can especially be ideal when offering live tutorials, sharing your pitch deck with your clients, or when interviewing guests on your livestream. You can further preview your scenes and stream layout before going live, ensuring everything looks good across both desktop and mobile devices.
However, one thing that I especially loved about Restream is its support for live selling. With just a click, you can import products from Shopify, Amazon, and WooCommerce, and display them as overlays during your stream. Viewers can scan a QR code that takes them straight to the product page or checkout, boosting your sales.
Restream Features
- Multistream supported: Restream offers native tools to help you share your live stream across different platforms simultaneously. You can further simulcast to custom destinations through RTMP streaming for platforms not natively integrated via the platform. Even better, you can stream a live video feed on your website by embedding its video player.
- Proxy streaming: Suppose you want to livestream on a platform not available in your country. Restream can help you bypass the requirement using proxy streaming feature. What the feature essentially does is that it helps you route your livestream traffic through a server located in a region where the platform is accessible, making it appear as if your stream is originating from that location.
- Split-track recording: This is essential when recording your live video content. It allows you to record video and audio as separate files, providing greater flexibility in post-production. For example, suppose you’re hosting a live show with guests. In that case, split-track recording enables you to isolate individual video feeds and audio tracks, making it easier to edit and repurpose content.
- Stream pre-recorded video: Restream allows you to upload a video to the platform and stream it as if it were happening in real time. This is especially ideal when you want to maintain a consistent content schedule, reach audiences in different time zones, or repurpose existing high-quality content for maximum exposure.
Restream Pricing
Restream offers a free option and three paid packages.
The free plan lets you stream to 2 destinations simultaneously, have up to 6 on-screen participants, and record up to 15 minutes of video. However, this plan doesn’t support branding capabilities, meaning you can’t remove the Restream logo or upload custom overlays and graphics.
Meanwhile, the paid plans allow you to remove Restream branding and include advanced features such as RTMP pull links, stream looping, and higher storage space. Here’s a quick overview of Restream paid plans.
- Standard: $16/month
- Professional: $39/month
- Business: $199/month
Restream Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Detailed stream analytics | ❌ Basic editing features |
| ✅ Livestream in multiple channels on the same social platforms | ❌ Low video storage space |
| ✅ Cross-platform chats | |
| ✅ Stream background templates | |
| ✅ Custom RTMP encoders | |
| ✅ Stream recording |
4. Riverside.fm
Best livestreaming software for recording live interviews and video podcasts.
- Best for: podcast creators, businesses, and content creators.
- Free plan: available
- Desktop app: No
- Cloud-based: Yes
Most livestreaming software limits you to just streaming and recording, often capping livestream quality at 720p or 1080p and lacking the capability to stream in 4K. Additionally, these tools typically offer limited features for editing your recordings. Riverside FM excels in these areas.
Riverside serves as livestreaming, recording, and video editing software. It allows you to broadcast video content and simulcast it to multiple platforms, including YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook Live. You can have up to 7 guests join your stream from iOS and Android devices. Unlike most livestreaming solutions, Riverside supports up to 4K streaming.
Speaking of recording your stream, Riverside captures video and audio as separate tracks for easier editing. It also offers AI-powered transcription for up to 100 languages.
Riverside Features
- Magic Audio: This Riverside feature uses AI to automatically clean up your audio, removing background noise and distractions like coughs, clicks, awkward pauses, or keyboard sounds. This can save you a lot of time in post-production editing ensuring your audio sounds professional.
- Magic Clips: Ever had a long recording and wished you could just pull out the best bits? With Magic Clips, you can. It uses AI to find the best moments in your recordings, making it super easy to repurpose content without having to sift through everything manually.
- Stream in 4K: Riverside allows you to record and stream your content in stunning 4K resolution. This is ideal for creating high-quality videos for platforms like YouTube or for professional productions where crisp visuals are essential. However, keep in mind that 4K requires a strong internet connection for both uploading and smooth playback for viewers.
- Mobile as Webcam: This feature lets you use your smartphone as a webcam during your Riverside recordings. This can be incredibly convenient if you don’t have a dedicated webcam or want more flexibility in your setup.
- Teleprompter: Riverside’s built-in teleprompter helps you stay on point during recordings. What you need is to upload your script, and it’ll auto scroll smoothly below the camera view, allowing you to maintain eye contact with your audience.
- Virtual Backgrounds: Riverside allows you to replace your actual background with a virtual one during your recording. This can be useful if you don’t have a clean background at your recording location or want to create a specific atmosphere for your content. They offer various pre-made backgrounds, or you can even upload your custom background image.
Riverside Pricing
Riverside offers affordable paid plans, which include a free plan and three paid packages. The free plan limits you to 2 hours of stream recording and allows you to stream only in 720p. Meanwhile, the paid plans allow you to stream up to 4K, remove Riverside branding, and access more storage space for your stream recordings and other advanced features. Here’s a brief overview of the paid plans:
- Standard: $19 per month
- Pro: $29 per month
- Business: custom
Riverside Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Mobile livestreaming | ❌ Poor customer support |
| ✅ Easy to invite remote guests to your livestream | ❌ Basic branding features |
| ✅ Stream recording auto-upload | |
| ✅ Affordable | |
| ✅ Superior audio enhancement capabilities |
5. Streamlabs
Comprehensive features. (Best for gamers and professional streamers)
- Best for: gamers, twitch streamers, and influencers.
- Free plan: available
- Desktop app: yes
- Cloud-based: yes
Streamlabs shares much of its functionality and interface with OBS Studio — but it has advanced features that would require you to integrate plugins in OBS. Its UI is more refined, with many features preset for ease of use.
The platform excels with built-in monetization features, eliminating the need for separate tools. Viewers can tip, donate, buy merchandise, or contribute to charity during a live stream.
Streamlabs is ideal for streamers and creators who want the flexibility and robustness of OBS without the steep learning curve. It allows you to stream to one or multiple platforms easily, with a user-friendly interface and automated technical adjustments. Its widget section lets you add elements like chat, stream alerts, sponsor banners, custom graphics, and channel goals among others.
Streamlabs Features
- Themes library: Streamlabs has a huge collection of themes that you can use to customize your stream layout and appearance to your liking.
- Advanced widgets: using the Streamlabs widgets you can improve your stream’s interactivity by adding elements such as chatbox, spin wheel, viewer count, alert box game widgets, etc. Moreover, widgets allow you to further monetize your streams using tip jar, sponsorship banner, donations, and tip ticker.
- Talkstudio by Streamlabs: Talkstudio is the simpler web-based version of Streamlab. It has less functionality compared to the desktop app but it allows you to launch a livestream right from your web browser, invite remote guests, and share the screen with your viewers.
Streamlabs Pricing
Streamlabs offers both a free and a paid version. The free version includes basic features like alert boxes, cloudbot, overlay templates, and widgets. However, it does not support multistreaming and you can only have 1 guest in your livestream. On the other hand, the paid version, Streamlabs Ultra, costs $19 per month or $149 per year and offers advanced features such as multistreaming, the ability to host up to 11 guests, and up to 10GB of storage.
Streamlabs Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ User-friendly interface | ❌ Heavy CPU usage |
| ✅ Many natively integrated features | ❌ Basic branding features |
| ✅ Mobile app | |
| ✅ Diverse monetization options | |
| ✅ Superior audio enhancement capabilities |
6. StreamYard
Best live streaming software for beginners.
- Best for: YouTubers, content creators, and marketers.
- Free plan: available
- Desktop app: No
- Cloud-based: yes
StreamYard is simple to use. While it’s not as robust as most livestreaming software solutions like OBS and Streamlabs, its interface is similar to that of Google Meet, which is familiar to many users.
In fact, anyone who’s used Google Meet or Zoom will find livestreaming on StreamYard a breeze.
StreamYard is also web-based. In a few clicks, you can start a livestream from your web browser without requiring additional downloads.
StreamYard also comes with impressive branding features. It allows you to add custom branding including your logo, branding color to your banners, and stream backgrounds.
You can also add graphic overlays in your streams to make your streams look professional and unique to your brand. However, it cannot add a custom alert box to your livestream.
StreamYard Features
- HD livestreaming: StreamYard allows you to broadcast your video feed to up to 1080p. While the quality of your stream still depends on your network and camera quality, the software helps you maintain consistent video quality throughout your broadcast if your hardware and internet speeds are capable of broadcasting in full HD.
- Multistream to 8 destinations: Using StreamYard, you’re not limited to one streaming destination. You can broadcast your video feed to up to 8 platforms simultaneously boosting your live stream reach.
- Virtual background: The software enables you to replace your physical background with a custom image or video. This feature is ideal for creating a professional look or for broadcasting from a less-than-ideal environment. You can choose from a variety of built-in background options or upload your images.
- Landscape and portrait stream layouts: StreamYard offers flexibility in how you present your content by allowing you to switch between landscape and portrait orientations. This is particularly useful for adapting to different viewing platforms and maximizing screen space. You can easily optimize your layout for various devices and content formats, ensuring your stream looks its best regardless of how it’s being watched.
- Custom RTMP streaming: The platform offers flexibility for advanced users by allowing you to stream to custom RTMP destinations. This means you can broadcast your live video to platforms or services not directly integrated with StreamYard.
StreamYard Pricing
- Free plan
- Basic: $25 per month
- Professional: $49 per month
- Premium: $99 per month
- Growth: $299 per month
- Business: Contact sales
StreamYard Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Easy to use | ❌ Limited third-party integrations |
| ✅ Cloud-based | ❌ Basic features starter plans |
| ✅ Host live or pre-recorded webinars | ❌ Limited customizations |
| ✅ RTMP livestreaming | |
| ✅ Add videos and slides into your livestream | |
| ✅ Schedule broadcasts |
7. Dacast
Best for large-scale livestreaming + video storage.
- Best for: course creators and event organizers
- Free plan: available
- Desktop app: No
- Cloud-based: yes
Many livestreaming software options have limited storage for archiving livestream recordings. After a live event, ample storage is essential for archiving recordings for repurposing later. Dacast stands out by providing video storage starting from 500GB in its lowest tier plan, with options for up to 2.4TB per year.
Regarding livestreaming, the streaming software provides the option to go live via its native tools or custom RTMP encoders like Zoom and OBS, as well as HLS encoders for on-demand video content. You can have unlimited concurrent viewers in your livestream, broadcast in full HD (1080p) across all plans, and simulcast to different destinations.
Dacast Features
- Livestream monetization: Dacast offers built-in livestream monetization tools that enable you to generate revenue from your video broadcasts. Businesses and creators can choose from various methods to monetize their livestreams from SVOD (subscriptions), TVOD (pay-per-view), or AVOD (ads).
- VOD platform: This feature enables you to host, manage, and distribute on-demand video content, allowing you to monetize your library and grow your business.
- Adaptive bitrate streaming for live video and VOD: Dacast can adapt video quality to different network conditions, ensuring optimal playback across various devices.
- Player API access for 3rd party player integration: Dacast offers the ability to integrate its video player with other platforms, providing flexibility in how you deliver content.
Dacast Pricing
- Starter: $39 per month
- Event: $63 per month
- Scale: $165 per month
- Custom: custom pricing
Dacast Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Easy broadcast monetization | ❌ Step learning curve |
| ✅ Free trial | ❌ No free plan |
| ✅ Embeddable video player | ❌ Limited customizations |
| ✅ Fast CDN | |
| ✅ Unlimited stream viewers and live channels |
Conclusion – Best app for live streaming platform
The best free or profitable live streaming software solution depends on your specific needs and budget. In this guide, we did our best to help you find the best solutions for categories like creators, influencers, large events, and content recording purposes. And after all the testing, it was clear that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.
For example, creators and businesses looking to launch a new livestream quickly, sell products on the stream, and brand their broadcasts will find Onestream Live and Restream to offer the best features.
Podcasters who do video interviews will prefer Riverside due to its impressive built-in editing features, while those needing more granular control will find OBS Studio to suit them better. Gamers will fall in love with OBS and Streamlabs.
Over to you now. Do you live stream
Have you ever tried selling on a live stream video ? How was your experience?
Which is your favorite tool for live streaming?
Is it included here, or do you think we should add it? Share your thoughts in the comments section.
