13 Best Live Streaming Platforms for Broadcasters

Best Live Streaming Platforms by brid.tv in front of a cameraman in a crowd

Live streaming has become an integral part of Internet culture, and whether you’re a professional broadcaster or taking up live streaming as a hobby, finding the right live streaming platform can be troublesome. For publishers looking to expand their earning potential through live streaming, we decided to ease the search by creating a list of the best live streaming platforms in 2023.

What Is a Live Streaming Platform

A live streaming platform is an online service that allows publishers and content creators to broadcast and share real-time video content with audiences all over the Internet. Often, these online video platforms offer additional services such as video hosting, encoding, and content management that help deliver smooth, high-quality streams.

The Rising Popularity of Live Streaming for Businesses

What started as a delivery channel for independent content creators online is now a great strategy in the advertising and broadcasting industry. While the trend originated from social media live streaming (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc.), the mentioned platforms didn’t have the necessary features to meet the standards of professional broadcasters. To keep up, they needed much more secure, feature-rich platforms for their content, giving video streaming platforms a way to gain a steady footing in the industry.

Why Choose a Professional Live Streaming Platform

With professional live streaming platforms, publishers receive better security, higher control over content, and improved privacy. These platforms also include multiple live stream monetization options, in addition to no limitations, custom branding, built-in content management systems, easy embedding, and easy third-party integrations.
Another reason why professionals should opt for a premium streaming service is that commercial streaming platforms often have their support channels overwhelmed. Not having access to efficient, 24/7 technical support is a dealbreaker for most businesses since even minor downtimes can cause significant revenue losses. Experienced broadcasters understand the value of all these factors, turning to professional streaming platforms.

Broadcast high-quality live streams to viewers worldwide.

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What to Look for in a Live Streaming Platform

Before diving into the diverse market of live streaming platforms, publishers should identify their goals and ensure they match the platform they will opt for. The following are some key features to look for in streaming platforms.

Intuitive Video Content Management System (CMS)

Launching and embedding a live stream on your website is only the first step of your streaming journey. Publishers must control their broadcasts on the fly and set up monetization. That is where a video content management system comes in. A video CMS will be invaluable to scaling your streaming business and essential for anyone with large live-stream and video libraries.

High-End Security

Most professional broadcasters require high-end security from their streaming platform due to the ever-growing piracy problems in the online streaming industry. That is why having complete server-side security is essential to keeping your confidential information safe and controlling who can access your live streams and VODs. That is where features like password protection, HTTPS delivery, URL tokenization, and Geographic/IP restrictions come in handy.

Adaptive Bitrate Streaming

Adaptive bitrate streaming was one of the most significant breakthroughs in streaming technology. This feature allows broadcasters to deliver HLS live streams to end-users in multiple video renditions and is essential to ensure an optimal user experience with minimal latency. That means your users will get smooth and lag-free playback regardless of their internet speed or device.

Live Stream Monetization Options

High-profile publishers and broadcasters usually look for streaming providers that allow them to monetize their content effectively. So finding a platform with advanced monetization options is imperative. 

The most common monetization models for live streaming are AVOD — which focuses on selling ad inventory to various advertisers and profiting off of ad revenue, and SVOD — a subscription-based monetization model, where users pay a fixed fee for content access. Since they both drive revenue effectively, the choice among these two depends on factors such as the publisher’s industry, audience preferences, and business goals. 

Publishers should note that, when choosing ad-based monetization, finding a live streaming platform with advanced ad yield optimization features like video header bidding is likely the best choice.

Platform and Player APIs

Another excellent addition to any live broadcasting solution is access to the platform’s and player’s APIs. These offer plenty of flexibility for broadcasters, as they can implement custom automation and third-party integrations with their live streams. 

Mobile Streaming Support and Mobile SDKs

With mobile traffic accounting for more than half of worldwide web traffic and online users streaming more and more content on mobile devices, publishers are looking to leverage the flexibility of mobile live streaming, so finding a platform that supports it is essential.  

Player Customization Options

Having the option to customize your player is an invaluable asset. Features like live stream overlays and real-time chat rooms are just some of the practical options you could look for.

Some broadcasters may even need a white-label video solution. TargetVideo’s white-label video player is a great choice. You’ll get plenty of customization opportunities and an array of useful content units, such as playlists, to boost audience engagement.

Check Out Our Content Units: Player Feature Demos

Real-Time Analytics

Tracking your live stream’s success and audience metrics is essential to learning more about your viewers, their likes and dislikes, and the overall performance of your content. That is why having access to detailed streaming and video analytics is vital. 

This feature is a must-have for all professional broadcasters, so most streaming platforms should provide it. If one doesn’t, you probably shouldn’t even consider it.

Encoding

Ensuring efficient video delivery is core to every successful live stream. That is where video encoding comes into play! This process helps compress RAW video files into ones more suitable for streaming. That is where you will need the help of encoders. In that regard, you will have two options:

  • Software Encoder — These encoders are cheaper and will take care of all your encoding needs while offering plenty of features to boost the quality of your live streams. 
  • Hardware Encoder — These encoders are much pricier but are the optimal choice for professional broadcasters who wish to take the quality of their lives streams to the next level.

Depending on your chosen encoder, you must ensure your streaming platform of choice is compatible with it.

Price 

Naturally, the costs of live streaming are also vital, particularly the pricing of your streaming platform. Most of these premium streaming providers offer a variety of subscription plans, which can differ. So, publishers must ensure that the pricing plan of their choice fulfills their live streaming requirements for the right price.

Top 13 Live Streaming Platforms for Broadcasters 

To help publishers and broadcasters with their choice, we have compiled a list of the current best live streaming platforms in the industry. Here you’ll find a detailed overview.

1. TargetVideo

TargetVideo tech by Brid.TV logo
Best Suited ForFree Trial
Publishers and broadcasters looking to take their events online and monetize them with advanced ad-based monetization options.Yes

Platform Overview

TargetVideo is an enterprise-level video platform with a versatile live streaming solution for its publishers. With TargetVideo’s superior HTML5 video player, publishers can deliver high-quality live streams to their audience. They can also monetize their streams with premium ad demand from partners like Amazon UAM and Google ADX. In addition, the platform offers multiple ad formats, ad stack management, and a prebid price floor optimizer for programmatic auctions.

Features

TargetVideo is a publisher-first video platform that also offers high-quality adaptive bitrate streaming. The platform offers two options for the location of your live stream server — Europe and America — making it most suitable for broadcasters with audiences from these two regions. 

TargetVideo’s CMS lets streamers launch and embed a live stream on their site in just a few clicks. It offers streamers full access to its API. The platform also allows publishers to simulcast streams on Facebook and YouTube Live for anyone looking to reach broader audiences.

TargetVideo’s live streaming platform covers all broadcasters’ hosting and encoding needs by handling them on its secure cloud servers. What’s more, the platform’s CMS comes equipped with real-time video analytics. So, streamers can monitor various data like user engagement and GEO location. 

Perhaps one of the biggest strengths of TargetVideo’s streaming platform is its advertising capability. In addition to letting broadcasters monetize their streams through VAST and VPAID video ads, TargetVideo offers some of the industry’s most advanced yield optimization features like built-in video header bidding. Publishers can easily implement Prebid.js header bidding and much more to maximize ad yield from their live streams. This platform is one of the best for publishers relying on ad-based monetization to power their businesses.

However, TargetVideo’s platform lacks subscription-based and pay-per-view monetization options, so broadcasters interested in these monetization methods will have to look elsewhere.

Pros:

  • High-quality and adaptive bitrate streaming
  • Advanced ad-based monetization options
  • Mobile live streaming support
  • High-end security and privacy
  • In-depth real-time analytics
  • Straightforward content management through TargetVideo platform’s video CMS
  • 24/7 technical support
  • White-label OTT apps

Cons:

  • Does not offer SVOD and TVOD out-of-the-box solutions
  • CMS and UI have a learning curve, as the platform’s primary goal is video content monetization

Pricing

TargetVideo offers a free trial for one month, after which publishers can continue with the Starter Plan for only $49 per month or upgrade to a Custom Plan. Publishers can also apply for a free trial of the Custom Plan (tailored to the publisher’s budget and requirements) by contacting the sales team.

2. Vimeo Livestream

Vimeo logo
Best Suited ForFree Trial
Streamers and broadcasters looking for an accessible and cost-effective streaming solution. Yes (Full Platform Trial)

Platform Overview

Vimeo is a world-renowned enterprise video hosting and sharing platform. Although it primarily focused on video delivery, Vimeo expanded into the live streaming and OTT markets once it acquired Livestream in 2017 and has since become one of the leading streaming platforms in the industry. The platform has over 200 million users and over 1.6 million subscribers across its products.

Features

Vimeo is one of the best multi-purpose live streaming platforms suitable for many occasions, including live events, webinars, company announcements, and virtual conferences. At Vimeo, broadcasters can enjoy full HD and 4K streaming at some of the most affordable prices on the market.

The platform has a full-fledged video CMS and real-time analytics, so broadcasters can seamlessly launch, manage, and track their streams’ performance. It also offers multistreaming (Twitch, Facebook, Linkedin, etc.), high storage capacity for video hosting, and multiple security options. 

Vimeo’s platform supports all the most common monetization models (AVOD, SVOD, TVOD), both in-app and on the web. However, it doesn’t have any advanced yield optimization options like header bidding, so it’s not the best choice if your primary monetization source is through ads.

Pros:

  • Unlimited number of viewers
  • Unlimited live streaming
  • Supports pay-per-view option
  • Detailed stream analytics
  • Useful audience engagement tools (live chat, polls, etc.)
  • White-label
  • One of the most cost-effective premium streaming platforms on the market

Cons:

  • Lacks advanced yield optimization tools for ad-based monetization
  • Doesn’t have as much traffic as some other sites

Pricing

The platform offers three pricing plans for its live streaming service:

  • Advanced ($65 per month billed annually) — Includes unlimited streaming analytics, audience chat, live polls, security, player, and more. 
  • Enterprise (price not disclosed) — Everything in advanced + enhanced security, GEO blocking, IP restrictions, CDN, advanced marketing integrations, and more. 
  • Vimeo OTT (price not disclosed) — A free web app (TVOD and SVOD), branded apps (iOS, tvOS, Android, Android TV, Amazon Fire, etc.), seamless web payments, AVOD, and more.

3. Dacast

Dacast logo
Best Suited ForFree Trial
Streamers and broadcasters of all sizes looking for a streaming platform with flexible monetization options or wish to take their businesses to the Chinese market.Yes (Limited Platform Access)

Platform Overview

Dacast is a live event and video-on-demand streaming platform that quickly expanded and established a foothold in the growing OTT market. It is currently the go-to streaming service for more than 300,000 professional broadcasters globally and is one of the largest streaming providers in the Chinese market.

Features

Dacast is one of the best live streaming platforms specializing in secure content delivery suitable for broadcasters of all sizes and needs. The platform also offers low-latency HLS streaming and hosting with built-in support for all popular video encoders. 

Dacast’s live streaming platform contains advanced security features like password protection, AES encryption, and content theft protection. Broadcasters will also get full access to the platform’s API, making adding custom integration seamless for anyone with some technical knowledge. 

Dacast supports all three of the most common monetization models (AVOD, SVOD, TVOD), whether on the player level or through third-party integration. That makes it an excellent choice for broadcasters who like to have multiple options for the future of their business.

However, one downside to this platform is that the cheaper plans have low storage limits, so smaller broadcasters may need to pay more attention to managing their VODs. Another thing that may deter some publishers is Dacast’s limitations on their free trial. If you’re a business looking to test out several streaming options, the low upload and bandwidth limits and lack of monetization on their free trial may prove problematic.

Pros:

  • Low-latency ABR streaming
  • Live stream recording
  • Secure video hosting
  • Mobile live streaming support
  • Variety of monetization options available (AVOD, SVOD, TVOD)
  • White-label
  • China video hosting and delivery

Cons:

  • Low storage limits on cheaper plans
  • Limited platform functionalities on the free trial

Pricing

Dacast offers its publisher the following four pricing plans:

  • Starter ($39/month + 9.9% commission + $0.40 per purchase) — Video hosting, live streaming support, mobile streaming, simulcast, advanced analytics, live transcoding channels, and more.
  • Event ($63/month + 9.9% commission + $0.40 per purchase) — All from Starter + paywall integration, ad-based monetization, and more.
  • Scale ($165/month or $250/month + 9.9% commission + $0.40 per purchase) — Everything in Event + unlimited channels, DRM for VOD, phone support, and more.
  • Custom (custom pricing) — A fully customizable plan tailored to your needs.

4. JW Player

JWPlayer logo
Best Suited ForFree Trial
Streamers and businesses looking for a reliable, global video delivery solution with ad- or subscription-based monetization support.No

Platform Overview

JW Player is one of the pioneering software companies in the online video industry. It is currently one of the largest video streaming platforms on the market. What originally started as an HTML video player has now expanded into a comprehensive platform for video streaming and OTT services.  

Features

JW Player is an HTML5 player with built-in live streaming support for anyone looking for a reliable, multi-purpose video delivery solution. JW Player’s live streaming feature supports high-quality HLS and MPEG-DASH streaming on both web and mobile.

The platform’s streaming kit includes multi-bitrate transcoding and cloud hosting compatible with the most popular encoders. Also, JW Player’s CDN for global content delivery will ensure users get minimal latency and the best viewing experience possible.

For live stream monetization, JW Player supports ad-based and subscription-based monetization (exclusively through third-party integrations). However, the platform is more proficient in the former, thanks to its prebidding support built into the player.

The biggest downside of the JW Player is that its streaming features are reserved exclusively for Custom Plan publishers, making it inaccessible for smaller and medium-sized broadcasters. In addition, the preview of the streaming features isn’t available in the free plan, so testing your options won’t be possible.

Pros:

  • High-quality, low-latency streaming
  • Platform API
  • Easy-to-use platform
  • Decent ad-based advertising tools
  • OTT and mobile support

Cons:

  • Subscription-based monetization support only through third-party integrations
  • Live streaming is only available on the Custom plan
  • No free dedicated support
  • Live streaming is not available on the free trial

Pricing

JW Player’s live streaming feature is only available on its Custom plan, which is tailored to each individual’s needs. This plan unlocks all of JW Player’s platform’s features and comes with premium OTT and customer support, advanced monetization features, video and ad analytics, and more. Broadcasters will need to contact JW Player’s sales team to get an accurate price estimate.

5. Brightcove

Brightcove logo
Best Suited ForFree Trial
Enterprise-level businesses and broadcasters with high-volume streaming needs.Yes (Full Platform Access)

Platform Overview

Brightcove is an all-rounded online video streaming solution for large-scale publishers. The platform offers a variety of video and streaming solutions for video marketers, publishers, live streamers, and broadcasters.

Features

Brightcove is an enterprise-level streaming platform built for live events and corporate streaming. What’s more, the platform offers multi-bitrate adaptive HLS streaming, backed with secure video hosting and transcoding in the cloud for a minimal strain on broadcasters’ hardware. 

Brightcove’s platform particularly shines in the analytics department since it offers some of the most detailed insights and video marketing tools. It is also famous for its high-end security. However, most of these features are only available for higher-pricing plans. 

Users on custom plans will also get full access to the platform’s API, opening up plenty of opportunities for third-party integrations. Brightcove also offers full OTT support for both web and mobile, so broadcasters looking to launch their own OTT app can easily do so.

When it comes to monetization options, Brightcove doesn’t disappoint. The platform supports ad-based, subscription-based, and pay-per-view monetization for all live streams and OTT apps. However, as mentioned above, these features are only available for the more expensive plans. 

While Brightcove is an excellent choice for streamers with high-volume needs and enterprise-level businesses, smaller broadcasters will have a hard time accessing the platform’s top-tier features and justifying its high pricing.

Pros:

  • Easily embeddable HTML5 player
  • Excellent audience engagement tools
  • Extensive video analytics
  • CRM and MarTech integrations
  • Brandable video portals
  • Various useful integrations

Cons:

  • Limited monetization capabilities for smaller broadcasters
  • Live streaming is available only to users on higher-priced packages
  • Not transparent with its pricing

Pricing

Unfortunately, Brightcove does not disclose its pricing publicly, so broadcasters must contact its sales team for an accurate estimate.

6. IBM Cloud Video

IBM Cloud Video logo
Best Suited ForFree Trial
Enterprise-level publishers looking for a secure and reliable large-scale streaming solution.Yes (Full Platform Access)

Platform Overview

IBM Cloud Video, formerly known as UStream, is an enterprise-level streaming and video distribution platform that offers multiple high-end streaming services to publishers of all sizes.

Features

IBM Cloud Video comes with dedicated VOD hosting and storage servers. The platform also offers OTT video management, live event, and corporate streaming solutions.

The streaming platform has plenty of branding options on paid plans and extensive video analytics in its CMS. So, broadcasters can launch multiple streaming channels from the platform’s intuitive CMS and syndicate streams to the most popular social networks in a few clicks. 

Additionally, IBM Cloud Video’s platform offers various audience engagement features streamers can use to interact with their viewers (live chat, polls). The platform also prides itself on its abundant security features. The ability to gate corporate videos and VODs and the option to introduce email authentication guarantees that no unauthorized viewers will get their hands on your content.

IBM Cloud Video doesn’t lack in the monetization department, either. The platform also supports ad-based, subscription-based, and pay-per-view monetization on the web, mobile, and OTT.

However, the most notable downsides to this platform are its high price points (including extra fees for HD streaming) and low storage limits. But despite that, IBM Cloud Video is an excellent choice for broadcasters looking for an event or OTT streaming solution.

Pros:

  • Reliable
  • Excellent scalability for enterprise-level publishers
  • Responsive customer support
  • Excellent channel security
  • Supports stream overlays and polls

Cons:

  • Extra fees for HD streaming
  • Unreliable closed captioning support
  • Harsh limits
  • Expensive

Pricing

The platform offers four pricing plans:

  • Silver ( Starting at $129.00/month) — For small businesses; 100 viewer hours, 1 TB storage, five channels, HD transcoding, and more.
  • Gold (Starting at $649.00/month) — Made for medium-sized businesses; Silver features + 2000 viewer hours, 2 TB storage, ten channels, and more.
  • Platinum (Starting at $1,299.00/month) — Great for frequent streamers; Gold features + 5000 viewer hours, 5 TB storage, twenty channels, and more.
  • Custom (N/A) —  Includes custom viewer hours, channels, storage, and more.

Silver, Gold, and Platinum all come with a 30-day free trial.

7. Uscreen

Uscreen logo
Best Suited ForFree Trial
Content creators and businesses looking to start and monetize their own OTT website or app.Yes (Full Platform Access)

Platform Overview

Uscreen is one of the best live streaming platforms and OTT solutions. It allows publishers to launch mobile and CTV apps and includes a reliable video player, practical analytics tools, and more.

Features

Uscreen comes with a built-in HTML5 player and HLS video encryption. The platform also has a user-friendly CMS, in-depth video analytics, and a built-in website builder that lets anyone create their own OTT site. Uscreen’s website builder comes with dozens of themes, templates, and a few SEO support tools.

If you’re a streamer who relies on third-party tools to maintain your workflow, Uscreen gives full access to its platform’s API to all users on its Plus plan to make integrating them easier. The platform also has prebuilt integrations with various marketing tools like Mailchimp, Zapier, and Leadzen.

In addition, Uscreen offers additional options: subscriptions, pay-per-view, and content renting. These options are perfect for publishers who want to start an on-demand or streaming service.

Unfortunately, Uscreen’s streaming platform is not for smaller broadcasters. For one thing, live streaming and OTT app support are in the Plus (Premium) plan. And for Growth and Pro, live streaming hours come with a limit. That means smaller creators will have much fewer options at their disposal.

Another downside that may deter some from Uscreen is that it does not have AVOD. So if your primary source of revenue comes from video ads, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Pros:

  • HD streaming
  • Comes with handy OTT website building tools
  • Good localization options
  • Live stream recording
  • Excellent user engagement tools for live streams
  • Intuitive and user-friendly CMS
  • Various third-party integrations

Cons:

  • No ad-based monetization
  • Support for OTT apps is only available on the Uscreen Plus plan
  • Live streaming is only available on the Uscreen Plus plan

Pricing

The following are Uscreen’s available pricing plans:

  • Basic ($79/month or $99/month, $0.99/subscriber/month, 5% per transaction) — Customizable website, flexible pricing options, marketing tools & automation, business & customer analytics, and more.  
  • Growth ($159/month or $199/month, $0.85/subscriber/month, 5% per transaction) — Everything in Basic + Community, eCommerce integration, 3rd party integrations, free migrations, and more.
  • Plus (custom base price, $0.50/subscriber/month, 5% per transaction) — All in Growth + live streaming, mobile apps, account management, API support, and more.

Do note that Uscreen charges publishers a monthly or annual fee based on their pricing plan. Likewise, publishers pay a recurring fee for each subscriber and a one-time fee for individual transactions. For the Basic and Growth plan, a free trial is available. 

8. Restream

Best Suited ForFree Trial
Smaller creators and broadcasters looking to stream and build an audience across multiple channels.Free Plan Available (Limited Features)

Platform Overview

Restream is a multi-platform live streaming service that allows content creators and businesses to broadcast their content simultaneously to multiple streaming platforms. It started as a streaming solution for gamers but has long ago expanded to media companies, politicians, celebrities, and broadcasters.

Features

Restream is an in-browser streaming solution specializing in multistreaming across various popular social platforms. The platform lets broadcasters stream content to more than 30 different platforms simultaneously.

Streamers will have an easy time integrating Restream with most streaming software apps. In addition, they can enjoy various features for boosting user engagement like live chat, on-screen comments, captions, and automated streaming alerts for Facebook, Twitter, and Discord. 

Restream also includes a stream fallback feature on higher pricing plans that lets broadcasters switch between two different stream feeds if something goes wrong with one of them. And if you’re goal is to build brand awareness, you’ll be happy to hear Restream offers various customizable branding options. 

However, Restream doesn’t have most of the high-end features many other premium streaming platforms do, like a video CMS, analytics, and monetization options. That means this platform is unlikely to be a good fit for an enterprise broadcaster or business looking for a scalable streaming solution.

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • Can multistream to over 30 different platforms
  • Excellent audience engagement tools
  • Browser streaming support
  • Good branding options

Cons:

  • No dedicated live streaming platform
  • Lacks the advanced security options of most streaming platforms
  • Not the best choice for enterprise-level businesses

Pricing

Restream offers its publishers three pricing plans:

  • Basic (free) — Comes with two channels, cross-platform chat, stream in HD, 720p, engagement analytics, and more. 
  • Standard ($16 per month / billed yearly) — Everything in Basic + 5 channels, stream recording, recording storage, stream to guest channels, and more. 
  • Professional ( $41 per month / billed yearly) — Everything in Standard + 8 channels, 4 concurring events, stream in full HD 1080p, 3 RTMP Pull links, and more.

9. Kaltura

kaltura logo
Best Suited ForFree Trial
Businesses or institutions looking for a reliable video collaboration tool, a way to stream events online, or a comprehensive platform for online learning and education.Yes (Platform Access Depends on Product Choice)

Platform Overview

Kaltura is a cloud-based video platform that provides a wide range of video solutions. The platform is made to cater to educational institutions, media companies, and other organizations that require video solutions for internal communications, marketing, training, and other purposes. With its versatile architecture, Kaltura seamlessly integrates with various LMS developers, ensuring a comprehensive and user-friendly experience for institutions seeking to enhance their educational strategies through multimedia content.

Features

Kaltura is one of the best live streaming platforms and software solutions for live event streaming and online teaching. That includes a fully-fledged virtual classroom equipped with online learning tools. 

Kaltura’s streaming solution also comes with cloud hosting, a video content management system, and excellent security features broadcasters can use to limit access to their videos. 

One of Kaltura’s advantages over other streaming platforms is its open-source nature, meaning it’s highly customizable. Anyone with little coding knowledge can easily create custom plugins or implement third-party integrations.

The platform also offers a good selection of monetization options. It supports AVOD, SVOD, and TVOD. That means broadcasters looking to earn from their live streams will have plenty of options. 

However, Kaltura’s most notable downside is that it’s not the most user-friendly platform. And considering there is no dedicated real-time support, users must learn to navigate and use their CMS by themselves.

Pros:

  • Variety of different streaming products (e.g., e-learning, webinars, events)
  • Has a wide variety of community add-ons due to its open-source nature
  • Top-end security
  • Solid ad-based monetization options

Cons:

  • Can be confusing to use
  • Requires an existing infrastructure for hosting and distribution
  • No dedicated real-time support

Pricing

Kaltura has a unique pricing system for its products. Each product offered by the platform comes with its own plan. Depending on the service, a free trial can be available. While for some, publishers must request a quote.

10. Panopto

Best Suited ForFree Trial
Businesses looking for a video collaboration tool and educators needing a video content management system, online classroom engagement tools, or lesson streaming services.Yes (Full Platform Access)

Platform Overview

Panopto is a video platform for recording, live streaming, managing, and sharing video content. It mainly focuses on providing online video solutions for educators and universities. While Panopto specializes in live streaming for education, it is still a well-rounded live streaming solution for businesses.

Features

This in-browser streaming platform for high-quality video and audio streaming is suitable for streaming events, webinars, and online lessons and does business across the globe (including China). 

The platform is fully compatible with mobile streaming and offers dozens of useful options like screen recording, DVR support, RTMP live captioning, and in-depth analytics. Moreover, users can easily integrate the platform with various learning management systems, making it one of the best video delivery solutions for universities and online educators. The platform also includes handy tools for audience interaction and engagement that will prove invaluable in an online classroom environment (e.g., digital notes, comments, quizzes).

Panopto’s platform also contains a built-in video editor streamers can use to polish their VODs. And if you’re worried about security, the platform has plenty of options to protect your videos and restrict access.

Note that the platform doesn’t specialize in monetization. Although, it does support all three of the most common monetization models — AVOD, SVOD, and TVOD. However, the biggest downside to this platform is that all the advanced features are meant only for enterprise-level businesses.

Pros:

  • Various LMS and CMS integration options
  • Excellent audience engagement options
  • Comes with a built-in video editor
  • Video and audio support
  • Available in China

Cons:

  • Lower plans have very limited features
  • Lacks SEO management tools
  • Some of its plans are restricted to a few select countries

Pricing

Panopto doesn’t disclose the precise pricing for its platform. So, publishers have to request a demo and contact their sales team for additional inquiries.

11. Wowza

wowza logo
Best Suited ForFree Trial
Businesses and enterprises looking for a reliable technological foundation for starting their own video streaming services.Yes (Full Feature Access)

Platform Overview

Wowza platform is a state-of-the-art streaming technology that powers live video for thousands of companies worldwide. Wowza offers two main products to users  — Wowza Video and Wowza Streaming Engine.

Features

Wowza’s live streaming platform is a flexible live streaming solution broadcasters can deploy and integrate into existing streaming infrastructures. So, Wowza is one of the best choices for anyone looking for an accessible foundation for a streaming business. 

Wowza’s streaming platform has full mobile, VR, AR, and 4K streaming support, making it one of the most flexible platforms for live streaming video formats. The platform is also equipped with various security features and offers full access to its API. That allows broadcasters to easily integrate any analytics software with the platform since Wowza doesn’t have any built-in into its platform.

Unfortunately, Wowza’s platform lacks features that many other streaming platforms have, such as monetization, multistream, multiple camera feeds, and DVR support.

Pros:

  • Supports a variety of features (e.g., video looping)
  • 4K streaming, VR, and AR support
  • Mobile support
  • Advanced security features
  • Audience engagement features

Cons:

  • No multiple camera feeds
  • Lack of audience analytics
  • No monetization
  • No multistreaming
  • Lacks DVR support

Pricing

The platform offers three pricing plans for both of its products. 

Wowza Video
  • One Month of Streaming ($149 one-time purchase) — Best for one-time live streaming events. The plan comes with 15 streaming hours and 500 viewing hours. For storage, publishers must pay additionally.
  • Pay As You Go ($25/month) — This plan is practical for active live streaming and includes all platform features, scaling, and more.
  • Enterprise (not disclosed) — This plan is made for large-scale broadcasters and comes with discounted rates on hours and storage, 24×7 and real-time streaming at scale available, and more. 
Wowza Streaming Engine
  • One Month of Streaming ($295 one-time purchase)  — One month of streaming, great for occasional on-prem hosted streaming needs, fully customizable streaming server software, and up to 10 concurrent, transcoded channels. 
  • Basic Monthly ($195/month) — Best for ongoing on-prem hosted streaming needs with steady events and growing audiences. 
  • Enterprise (not disclosed) — Enterprise offers annual plans, discounted rates, hybrid cloud services, CDN, Flowplayer, analytics, and more.

12. Muvi

muvi logo
Best Suited ForFree Trial
Businesses or streamers looking for an all-in-one, cost-effective solution to enter the OTT streaming market.Yes (Full Platform Access)

Platform Overview

Muvi is an all-in-one OTT platform for enterprise publishers. The platform also includes video management, multiple monetization models, and multi-screen support, along with an end-to-end live streaming solution.

Features

Muvi has a fully-fledged CMS streamers can use to manage their content and even includes a dedicated live streaming server on higher pricing plans. The platform also has high-end security features, including full DRM support to help protect your digital IPs from theft.

Perhaps the best part about Muvi’s streaming platform is that it doesn’t require complicated technical implementations to set up, making it usable even by streamers with little to no coding knowledge. Muvi also takes care of broadcasters’ hosting and encoding needs, so they won’t need any additional software or services to handle these needs.

In addition, the platform supports all three major OTT monetization models — AVOD, SVOD, and TVOD. That means streamers have tons of flexibility regarding their business model and revenue generation.

However, Muvi has a few downsides that may be deal-breakers for some. The first and most notable one is that the platform’s prices are pretty steep, meaning smaller broadcasters or streamers on a budget won’t be able to afford it. Another limitation that may prove detrimental is Muvi’s poor integration capabilities, especially if you’re a streamer who relies on various third-party software to streamline your workflow.

Pros:

  • All-in-one OTT solution
  • Includes hosting
  • Dedicated CDN on higher plans
  • DRM support
  • Encoding and transcoding
  • Mobile & TV support

Cons:

  • Beginners may have a hard time finding their bearings
  • Poor integration capabilities
  • Complicated CMS interface
  • High prices

Pricing

Muvi offers four different pricing plans to its users:

  • Standard ($399/month + $299/month/app) — Fully-featured White labeled website/app, hosting, and CDN.
  • Professional ($1499/month + $499/month/app) — Everything in Standard + Alie recommendation engine, DRM, content partner portal, and policy engine. 
  • Enterprise ($3900/month + $499/month/app) — Everything in Professional + dedicated server and enterprise support. 
  • Ultimate (N/A) — Everything in Enterprise + unlimited concurrent users, monthly security and performance reports, proactive monitoring, and setup.

13. StreamShark

Best Suited ForFree Trial
Businesses and event organizers looking for a high-quality event streaming solution without any need for monetization.Yes (Full Platform Access)

Platform Overview

StreamShark is a video streaming platform that provides end-to-end video streaming solutions to businesses and organizations. The platform lets users stream high-profile live events, conferences, webinars, and other video content to global audiences.

Features

StreamShark is a live streaming platform and software specializing in encrypted live event streaming. The platform uses a global, multi-CDN network for content delivery, ensuring smooth, buffer-free playback in hundreds of countries worldwide.

Additionally, this streaming platform is fully mobile-compatible, allows broadcasters to multicast to several streaming platforms, and even supports 360 live streams. And if you’re worried about content safety, StreamShark has a privacy engine that protects your stream with a password, embed location, geographical location, IP address, and email.

Like most live event streaming platforms, StreamShark includes engaging features like embeddable chat, live highlight clips of your key sections during the stream, and much more. 

Unfortunately, StreamShark lacks monetization options. The platform offers ad support on higher pricing plans, but even that doesn’t come with advanced advertising features.

Pros:

  • Full 360 live streaming support
  • Localized media ingestion
  • Encrypted streaming
  • Multistreaming to most major social platforms
  • Excellent viewer engagement and management tools
  • Full DVR support

Cons:

  • Lacks channel support
  • Video analytics are lacking
  • Low storage capacity on lower plans
  • No monetization options on lower plans

Pricing

StreamShark offers monthly plans (yearly) and enterprise solutions. However, the pricing for the Enterprise is not disclosed, and publishers need to request a demo. The following are the monthly plans:

  • Standard ($199/month) — This pricing plan includes 500GB of VOD storage, 300GB VOD encoding, four simultaneous live streams, embeddable chat, and more.
  • Team ($499/month) — The Team Plan comes with seven simultaneous live streams, four times the VOD storage, backup stream ingest, viewer management, and more. 
  • Business ($999/month) — This plan offers more storage, viewer hours, and brandable channels. In addition to having all the features of Standard and Team, this plan comes with ad support.

TargetVideo’s Versatile Live Streaming Solution 

For publishers interested in live streaming, TargetVideo offers a versatile live streaming solution. Deliver high-quality streams to your audience with adaptable HLS streaming, embed your stream anywhere you want on your website, launch your stream on multiple platforms simultaneously, and stream from any device you want. In addition, for publishers interested in monetizing their live streams, TargetVideo’s ad-powered live stream monetization includes advanced video advertising options, video header bidding, details analytics, and all video ad formats. Start live streaming with TargetVideo.

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FAQ

1. What are live streaming platforms?

Live streaming platforms are all-in-one video solutions that let users host, encode, manage, and broadcast high-quality live videos to viewers in real time.

2. What is the best platform for live streaming?

The best platform for live streaming will depend on your business goals and needs. Some of the current best are Brid.TV, Vimeo Livestream, Restream, StreamShark, and Brightcove.

3. What is the best live streaming platform for publishers?

The best live streaming platform for publishers is a platform like Brid.TV. This platform offers adaptive bitrate streaming, simultaneous live streaming on multiple platforms, streaming from mobile devices, and advanced ad-based monetization options with multiple targetted video ad formats.

4. What is the best platform for live streaming events?

The best platforms for live streaming events are Brid.TV, Brightcove, and StreamShark. Brid.TV is the most versatile option for live event streaming, StreamShark is the best budget option, and Brightcove is the best choice for enterprise-level events.

5. What is the best platform for OTT live streaming?

The best platforms for OTT live streaming are Uscreen and Muvi. Uscreen is the best option for smaller creators and streamers looking for an intuitive tool for building, managing, and monetizing an OTT app, while Muvi is the best choice for enterprise-level businesses looking to launch an OTT app.

6. What is the best streaming platform for video conferencing?

The best streaming platform for video conferencing is undoubtedly Zoom. This streaming platform offers free cloud-based corporate communications, online meetings, and small-scale event streaming services.

7. What is the best platform for live streaming virtual classes?

The best live streaming platforms for virtual classes are Panopto and Kaltura. Panopto is more flexible regarding monetization features and is a more affordable option, while Kaltura offers a greater set of e-learning features and LMS integration options.