There are a number of different streaming platforms that are available these days to stream on. I have already written an article where I discussed the best streaming softwares that you can try out right now.
However, in this article, I will be discussing the platforms on which you can actually stream your content on. There are a number of different options that you can try out, whether it be free live streaming platforms or paid ones.
All of them have their own sets of limitations and functionalities, as well. So, without any further adieu, let’s start.
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Contents
How to choose the right and best Live Streaming Platforms?
As I mentioned above, you will be able to find a number of different live streaming platforms available online. Some of them are free of cost, such as YouTube Live, and they have their own sets of benefits.
The main difference between paid and free streaming platforms is the difference in the audience who are able to stream the content on its platforms.
Some organisations like to organise private streams, as well, and for them, something like a paid streaming platform works for the best.
So, it is up to you to decide which platform is best suited for your audience and your content, as well.
When do You Need a Live Streaming Platform?
Well, if you have something that you would present live, then you would definitely require a platform to share it with a number of different people online to watch, whether it be for free or paid platform.
Nowadays, especially since the pandemic, online live events have been quite trendy, and many people use it for a number of different reasons.
So, if you have a program that you would like to go online with, and you have the designated software that will allow you to stream live, then you would definitely require a platform to broadcast it, as well.
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Best Live Streaming Platforms
So, with all that said, here are some of the best live streaming platforms that you can try right now for your program.
1. YouTube Live
YouTube Live is by far the most popular live streaming platform that you can try out right now. YouTube does not require a lot of introduction, and even its live platform is one of the most viewed platforms, as well.
YouTube reports that channels that go live once a week have a high chance of gaining up to 40% new subscribers than any other channel.
If you are looking to share your work publicly and for free to watch, then YouTube Live is a really good option for you to try out.
Price – Since it is YouTube, going live on its platform is also available for free of cost.
Platforms – You can easily access YouTube Live from your YouTube account or from your dedicated streaming software, as well.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Easy to use ✅Loads of potential audience ✅Free of cost ✅Offers many different features | ❌Limited options for monetisation ❌Difficult to come on top because of so much competition |
Who is the right user for YouTube Live?
As I mentioned above, if you are looking for a free live streaming platform, then it doesn’t get any better than something like YouTube Live.
Over at YouTube, around two billion different users regularly use its service every month! That is a lot of people who are able to watch your work and content, as well.
Along with this, the overall platform is also quite simple and easy to use when it comes to streaming programs live on it, so if you are new to broadcasting, you shouldn’t find a lot of trouble with it, as well.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
YouTube Live is a pretty good option for beginners to try out as their first medium to go live on. The overall user experience is quite simple and easy and it offers users a number of great features, as well.
Along with this, you are also able to get to know about the analytics of your live stream, and that is something which many free live platforms don’t provide.
It is a great service for you to try out, and I will rate YouTube Live 4.5/5 stars.
2. Facebook Live
While many people have shifted from Facebook to Instagram, Facebook still caters to almost 2.7 Billion monthly users and it is still a pretty great option for you to try out if you are thinking of going live.
The overall platform is designed for informal live functions, and users can easily interact and share their comments and reactions while the program is going live on Facebook Live.
Price – Since it is Facebook, going live on its platform is free of cost.
Platforms – You can go live on Facebook through your Facebook account or through your streaming software.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Free of cost ✅Live chat ✅Get analytics of your stream | ❌Live streams are restricted to only 90 mins ❌Certain criteria are required to go live on Facebook |
Who is the right user for Facebook Live?
If you already have a Facebook account and you have a certain number of followers with 600,000 watch minutes, then you are eligible of going live on Facebook.
Facebook Live mostly targets people who are within your circle and going live on Facebook is more of an informal event.
So, if you have a program that you would like to share with your followers, that is under 90 minutes long, then Facebook Live could be a good option for you to try out.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
Facebook still has a number of different people tuning in to its service for watching a number of different videos and posts.
It is still a great place for getting recognised, and while many people have shifted from Facebook to Instagram, you are still under the umbrella of Meta products.
There are a number of different people who will be able to watch your program. There are however some restrictions to Facebook Live, as well, such as limits on the duration and monetization, as well.
Still, if you can get over that, then I think Facebook Live is also a great option for people to try out and reach out to the masses and their audience.
I will rate Facebook Live 4/5 stars.
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3. Twitch
Twitch is also a live streaming platform that is available to use for many different people, especially if you are a gamer. Twitch was predominantly just about gamers, but since 2020, the platform has become huge and you can actually stream your own content on it, as well.
There are various different options of streaming on Twitch, but you need to be a Twitch Affiliate or a Partner to be able to stream live on Twitch.
Price – Streaming on Twitch is also free of cost.
Platforms – You can stream directly from Twitch with your account. However, there are many softwares available that allow you to stream from the software, itself.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Great chatting feature ✅Many different monetizing options ✅Simple UI ✅Large users base | ❌Mostly suited for gaming and technology-related content ❌Strict criteria to go live |
Who is the right user for Twitch?
If you are a gamer, then you should definitely first go live on Twitch, if you are able to meet all the criteria required for going live on it.
Twitch is also a place where you are looking more at informal live events, mostly related to gaming and tech, and while there is a huge audience available on its platform, it is best to use if you have your programs around those specific topics.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
Twitch is a pretty big platform that saw an exponential growth in 2020 and since then it has not looked back. The overall platform is user-friendly and there are a number of ways which you can use to get monetized on it, as well.
However, the main downside is that the platform is that it has fairly strict criterias that you need to get through to be eligible for going live on it, and the audience is mostly into gaming and technology.
For that reason and more, I will rate Twitch 3.5/5 stars.
4. IBM Cloud Video
IBM Cloud Video is a premium live-hosting streaming platform that is mostly used by private enterprises for either holding a small conference or a large-scale event for their companies.
The overall streaming platform is quite scalable, based on the need of the recruiter and the event type and you get access to some great features, as well.
Price – The exact pricing of hosting a live event is dependable on the scale of the event and you need to get in touch with IBM Cloud Video to decide how much would the entire platform cost.
Platforms – IBM Cloud Video hosting platform is available through its website.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Supports a huge audience ✅Live chatting and polling ✅On-demand captioning option | ❌Not free of cost ❌Only 720p broadcasting |
Who is the right user for IBM Cloud Video?
As I mentioned above, IBM Cloud Video is a live streaming platform that is mostly aimed at big companies who like to host a number of different events, whether it be for their recruits or for other companies, as well.
There are a lot of different professional tools available that allow this platform to be quite suitable for corporate structures.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
I already discussed some of the free live streaming platforms that are available to use online, and IBM Cloud and the rest of the alternatives are paid options that are used for different scenarios.
They are great for corporate structures, and if you have the budget for it, then you should definitely try it out, as well.
I will rate IBM Cloud Video 3.5/5 stars.
5. Livestream by Vimeo
Vimeo purchased Livestream back in 2017 and since then it offers its users the option of going live stream with some premium features that are suitable for businesses of different sizes.
Having your video live stream on Vimeo does cost you a little money, and it does have a number of features and tools that allow you to start your own paid subscription channel, as well.
Price – The starting price of hosting live events cost around $49/seat/month. However, for the enterprise level, you need to contact Vimeo for payment details.
Platforms – You can host live stream videos from Vimeo, however, there are a number of streaming softwares that also directly stream from the software itself.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Adaptive setting for bitrate streaming ✅1080p Live streaming ✅Password protection tools ✅Band control options are available | ❌Not free of cost ❌Vimeo does not have a huge target audience |
Who is the right user for Livestream by Vimeo?
If you are someone who wants to start of their own paid subscription channel and host live videos without having to meet certain sets of criteria, then Livestream by Vimeo is also a good option for you to try out.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
For some time Vimeo was considered to be a rival of YouTube, but since then it has become its own brand and name in the video-sharing world.
Livestream by Vimeo is just another way of broadcasting your work to your audience and having your own paid channel, as well. You get a number of tools that are suitable for many different live streamings, as well.
I will rate Livestream by Vimeo 3.5/5 stars.
6. Wowza
Wowza is also another paid live streaming platform you can try out. Wowza specialises in broadcasting your video live to your website, application or other social media accounts, as well.
You can easily use Wowza’s platform to host big live events online, and it is not restricted to just corporate events, as well. The events and programs can be scalable, based on the overall demand of the stream.
Price – Wowza offers a number of different pricing options for live streaming, starting from $25 Dollars and going all the way to $1,560 Dollars, based on the pack you subscribe to.
Platforms – You can stream your live videos from Wowza’s platforms and engines.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅4K Streaming ✅Low latency streaming options available ✅Real-time video analytics | ❌Pricing plans can be a little confusing ❌No free plans option is available |
Who is the right user for Wowza?
The great thing about Wowza is that it is not restricted to just one type of user or target audience. You can actually host a number of different events in size and platforms on Wowza, as well.
There are various different pricing points available, so you can choose the pack that best suits your budget and size and go with it.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
Wowza is a pretty great streaming platform that lets users stream in a number of different ways, based on the overall size of the event, as well.
There are some really great tools and features available that can come in really handy if you are hosting a big online event and it can actually help you have a good result, as well.
I will rate Wowza 4/5 stars.
7. Dacast
Dacast is also a really popular name in the world of live streaming platforms, and there is quite a lot that you are able to achieve on Dacast.
Through Dacast you can easily broadcast your live stream on your website and use it for events that are paid events and require password protection and have limited users, as well.
You can also use Dacast to stream on your applications and OTT platforms, as well, which makes it quite a powerful streaming platform in this list.
Price – Dacast has a simple pricing plan that starts at $39/month and goes all the way to $188/month, based on the size and scale of the events.
Platforms – You can broadcast your videos on Dacast through the website of Dacast.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✅Monetization options ✅Integrated paywall available ✅Great privacy tools | ❌Seperate bandwidth costs available ❌Can be a little tricky for someone who is new to live streaming |
Who is the right user for Dacast?
Dacast is aimed at people and organizations who like to host paid live online events as it offers users with a number of privacy tools, as well as streaming tools that allows them to broadcast on websites and OTT platforms, as well.
Its pricing is also not super expensive, so smaller event managers can also contact Dacast for hosting their live events online.
Why we picked it? Overall rating & review
Dacast is a pretty powerful streaming platform available online that allows users to broadcast their work as a paid platform. The entire platform is ad-free, but there are monetization options available too.
The platform is designed for hosting online events of various sizes and if you have an event that meets with all the tools and functionalities offered by Dacast then you should go for it.
I will rate Dacast 4.5/5 stars.
FAQs
Let’s discuss some of the frequently asked questions regarding this topic.
What is the best streaming platform to stream on?
I have listed seven of the best streaming platforms available online, some of them are free of cost and others do require payment based on different aspects.
If you are just starting out in the world of broadcasting and streaming, you should start off simple and try out something like YouTube Live which allows you to stream live for free, so that you are able to learn more about live streaming.
However, if you are hosting a paid event, such as a corporate event or anything else, then you are better off using some professional live streaming platforms, such as Dacast or IBM Cloud Video as they feature some great tools, as well.
So, there is not actually one best streaming platform to stream on.
What are the most popular platforms of live streaming?
There are a number of different streaming platforms that you can live stream on. However, one of the most notable is by far YouTube Live.
YouTube is a streaming giant, and YouTube Live is just another addition to the already powerful streaming company YouTube is.
You can easily broadcast and go live on YouTube without having to meet any criteria, as well, and it is a great place for anyone who is starting out new in the world of live streaming to learn from it, as well.
Other notable popular platforms include Twitch, Facebook Live, etc.
Is Dacast better than Twitch?
Both Dacast and Twitch are quite different in terms of streaming platforms.
While, Twitch is a platform that allows users to stream for free on their channel if they meet up with the criteria of Twitch, Dacast, on the other hand, is a streaming platform that is designed for online paid events.
They are both quite different in their own ways and so is the target audience of both of them, as well. The target audience of Twitch is mostly into gaming and technology.
Whereas, in Dacast, you are looking at online social events, whether it be a corporate event or a stand-up show, it depends on the client.
So, it is not a apples to apples comparison.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. An article discussing some of the best live streaming platforms available to use right now. As I mentioned at the starting of this article, there are both paid and free options available.
You need to choose which ones work the best for you and for your audience, as well. As always, these have been my thoughts on this topic. What about you?
Do you agree with my list of the best live streaming platforms? Or do you think that I missed out on a couple of them?
Whatever your thoughts are, do let us know about them in the comments down below!
