13 Apps for Live-streaming Video

Video continues to gain traction in social media. Live streaming is at the forefront, offering individuals and brands a direct way to engage followers in real time. As a result, there are a variety of live-streaming apps, from free social networks to advanced video production platforms.

Here is a list of apps for live-streaming video. There are tools from social giants Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, as well as from smaller networks, such as for gaming. There are also live-streaming platforms to broadcast solo, dual-screen, or multi-source video. All of these tools have features to interact with viewers. Several offer tools to monetize content.

Facebook Live

Facebook Live lets people, public figures, and pages share live video with their followers on Facebook. Interact with viewers in real time with chat, and monitor live reactions to gauge how the broadcast is going. Live is available to all pages and profiles on Facebook for iOS, Android, and the Facebook Creator app. Video is published to the page or profile so that anyone who missed it can watch later. Remove the video at any time, like any other post. Price: Free.

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YouTube Live

Reach your audience with live streaming on YouTube. Stream from your desktop via the Chrome browser without the need of an encoder, or stream from the main YouTube mobile app. After the live steam ends, an archive is saved to your channel. Use YouTube Live to create a quick event with Hangouts On Air. Use built-in events scheduling. Earn revenue on live streams by enabling ads and using super chat. Some gaming channels have access to sponsorships. Price: Free.

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Instagram Live

Live video on Instagram Stories allows users to connect with followers in the moment. In-app notifications let followers know when an account is live. Users can request to join a live stream, and hosts see the request pop up in real-time. The number of viewers appears at the top of the screen and comments appear at the bottom. Tap “Comment” to add a comment, and tap and hold a comment to pin it to the top so that viewers can see it easily. Once your live video ends, you can share a replay of it. Like other photos and videos you share to Stories, live video replays disappear from your feed and your profile after 24 hours, unless you add those Stories as highlights. Price: Free.

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Livestream

Livestream provides hardware and software to produce high-quality streaming video. Use Studio 5 live production switcher software to input multiple feeds, add graphics, master audio, and stream. Use Broadcaster Pro to stream live, directly from any HDMI camera, or use Mevo Plus to create a multi-camera production. Engage your audience in real-time moderated chat and native donation integration. View your video library directly from the Mevo app. Stream to Facebook Live or YouTube. Share videos instantly to email, Vimeo, Dropbox, Twitter, Twitch, and more. Price: Platform plans start at $75 per month.

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YouNow

YouNow is a live-streaming social network of creative content creators, such as musicians, DJs, and artists. Go live and hang out with your community by tapping the green “Go Live” button on your profile. Chat with broadcasters, buy bars to send gifts, join broadcasters as a guest, and capture moments. With Priority Access Subscription, access to super chat messages and replays, and get priority chat during busy broadcasts. Price: Free; Subscription is $4.99 per month.

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IBM Cloud Video

Last year, IBM acquired Ustream, which is now IBM Cloud Video — a suite of solutions that includes IBM Streaming Manager, a cloud-based platform for external delivery of live and on-demand content. The solution is mainly utilized for event streaming and product launches. Price: Free ad-support account. Professional plans start at $99 per month.

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Stream

With Stream, broadcast or watch live video directly from the Stream app on your iOS or Android phone. Viewers can comment via microphone or text. Save to your device while streaming. Monetize your content, or tip your favorite streamer. Followers are notified when subscribed channels are live. Share live video with followers on Facebook and Twitter. Users can discover streams by popularity or location. Price: Free.

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Periscope Producer

Periscope Producer lets creators produce live video to stream high-quality broadcasts from external sources, including streaming software, hardware encoders, and professional cameras. Comment on your broadcast, and control chats. Interact with people through hearts and comments. With Periscope, users can replay highlights of video and instantly share to Twitter and Facebook. Also, every video has integrated social features. While watching streams, see people join, leave hearts, comment in real time, and more. Price: Free.

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BeLive

BeLive has three broadcasting modes for live streaming video: solo, interview, and talk show for multi-guest. Bring your Facebook audience’s comments to your screen while you are live to interact directly with any viewer. BeLive also features screen sharing, photo sharing, custom logo, branded colors and frames, and more. Price: Free plan includes 20 minutes twice a week. Paid plans start at $12 per month.

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Zoom

Zoom is a platform with live-streaming options for all meeting sizes. Run one-on-one meetings, video webinars, collaboration-enabled conference rooms, and use the Zoom API to power your app with video, voice, and screen sharing. Zoom features split-screen and one-click sharing, polling and Q&A, registration and reporting, and integrations with customer-management apps and PayPal. Price: Free plan lets you host up to 100 participants for 40 minutes. Premium plans start at $14.99 per month.

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Crowdcast

Crowdcast is a live-streaming tool to run a webinar, interview, or workshop. Registration and automatic recording are accessible through one URL. Send emails to your audience within the app, and accept payments on the registration page. Engage views with Q&A, polls, and chat. Share highlights on social media, and notify followers of upcoming content via push notifications or email. Price: Plans start at $49 per month for up to 100 live attendees.

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Stringwire

Stringwire is a live-streaming mobile app for covering breaking news events. Witness, report, and share video in real-time. Collaborate with other Stringers to capture multiple perspectives of the same event. Streamed video is automatically stored online for future viewing and sharing. Stringwire is available for iOS and Android. It also integrates with GoPro and drone cameras. Price: Free.

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Twitch

Twitch is a live-streaming video platform that’s primarily focused on video game streaming, including gaming commentary and competitions, as well as pop culture, recycled television, and sports. Users can purchase games through the service. Partners can display a purchase button on their stream when a game is being played, which pays a 5 percent commission on a sale. Twitch has approximately 2 million broadcasters monthly, and 15 million daily active users. Price: Free.

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