The 12 Best YouTube Live Alternatives for Professional Streaming in 2022

Live video is revolutionizing the digital media industry. The cost of live streaming is falling as technology gets cheaper. Nowadays, almost anyone with access to a webcam and internet can broadcast.

In fact, the live streaming industry is expected to be valued at 184.27 billion USD by 2027.

When it comes to streaming online video content of your own, YouTube is likely one of the first sites to come to mind. The service is massive, with millions of users and billions of video views per day.

Despite its many advantages, there are also drawbacks to the streaming platform. When it comes to live video streaming, in particular, many users prefer other  streaming solutions. Luckily, YouTube is simply one of many options available.

In this article, we’ll break down what YouTube has to offer in terms of live streaming functionality. We will also discuss why a professional broadcaster might seek a YouTube live streaming alternative. From there, we will compare the 12 best YouTube live streaming alternatives for professionals.

Table of Contents

• What is YouTube Live?
• Why Consider YouTube Live Alternatives?
• Who Needs a Professional Live Streaming Platform?
• The 12 Best Professional-Grade YouTube Live Alternatives in 2022
• Conclusion

What is YouTube Live?

YouTube is one of the most popular consumer-grade VOD streaming sites in the world, and YouTube Live is the live streaming tool on this site.

What’s interesting about YouTube Live is that users from around the world can browse a library to live streams that are being broadcast in real-time. This helps to increase exposure to your content and get more eyes on your brand.

There are two main methods of streaming, including Stream Now and Stream Later. As the names suggest, Stream Now lets users go live whenever they feel like it, and Stream Later allows broadcasters to set up and schedule a live streaming event for the future.

Key Features

Overall, YouTube’s best features include being free and incredibly popular. Almost everyone knows about YouTube and how it works.

However, let’s take a closer look at YouTube’s top features:

• Ad-based monetization is limited to users with large followings and watch times
• Social media-like functionality
• No notable security features
• Popular among consumers
• Powered by Google
• Easy to share videos
• Videos can be embedded in other websites
• No white-label capabilities

This feature offering is well-suited for a very specific type of streaming setup: amateur and consumer-grade streams. The ideal use for YouTube Live streaming is when you are trying to try to maximize your audience. Comments, likes, subscriptions, and channels allow for easy interaction.

In short, YouTube can be a solid choice for Business-to-Consumer (B2C) users.

How to Access YouTube Live

Access to YouTube Live is available in the YouTube Studio of each account. In order to access this feature, you have to verify your channel. This simply requires a phone number. Once verified, you can stream and upload videos longer than 15 minutes.

It is important to note that you won’t be able to live stream on YouTube if you received one of three types of warnings.

The first is a “Terms of Use” strike. One common way that users receive this strike is by including third-party advertisements in live streams. This includes burned-in commercials, for example. The second is a copyright take-down on live content. The third strike can occur if you’ve had a stream blocked globally within the past 90 days.

Why Consider YouTube Live Alternatives?

It is important to note that YouTube has significant downsides as well, especially when it comes to live streaming. First, YouTube may re-use content that you broadcast on the platform since publishing on the platform requires forfeiting partial ownership. Many enterprise businesses are concerned about these licensing issues.

Blocking is also a major concern. In fact, YouTube is the third most blocked website in the world. Schools and businesses often block the platform as a matter of course. This is a very serious concern for business and educational uses.

Another reason to seek YouTube Live alternatives stems from YouTube’s indiscriminate advertising. If you monetize your content, you may find that your stream plays host to objectionable ads. You can block these ads, but by the time you take action, it may be too late.

Finally, a major drawback of YouTube Live is that there is no tech support available. There are documented cases of major events having issues because YouTube scheduled an upgrade to run concurrently. In addition, YouTube won’t notify you of these issues beforehand. This is the price that you pay for streaming via a free platform. When you need help or have a complaint, there may be no one available for support.

With these limitations in mind, let’s take a look at a few benefits of streaming with a professional online video platform rather than YouTube.

Customize Your Video Player 

Although you can insert your own brand logo on your content on YouTube, every video will also feature the YouTube logo. This means free advertising for them and a less professional look for you.

YouTube also clutters content on their site with related videos. Even with video embed, YouTube videos display related videos after the clip stops playing. This could include content you don’t like or even videos from competitors.

For businesses and professional groups, appearance and formality are important. Generally speaking, YouTube is not a formal place. It’s a place known for cat videos and fails compilations, which can detract from the overall professionalism of the site.

In contrast, Dacast’s HTML5 video player allows you to match your video content to the tone of your particular organization or cause. The platform features simple, powerful features that you can modify easily to match your needs. With Dacast, you can avoid outside branding, clutter, and unrelated content.

Using a white-label streaming solution will help you overcome these issues.

Avoid Being Blocked

How do you deal with the problem of your employees or students spending all of their time watching YouTube videos? You block the site, of course.

YouTube is one of the most blocked websites in the world. This is especially true in business and academic settings. If you plan to target businesses or schools with your content, a professional video hosting solution is a much safer option.

Enhanced Privacy and Security

Next, note that YouTube has limited privacy features. This could be an issue for broadcasters that are trying to offer exclusive access to their content.

Professional YouTube Alternatives, like Dacast, on the other hand, offer more robust options and features when it comes to setting up secure live streaming. These include password protection, domain restrictions, geographic restrictions, and embedding control.

More Monetization Options

Advertising is the only real way to make money off your content on YouTube. That said, this video monetization approach is limiting for many types of streaming users. For example, imagine a sporting event or concert. Charging an access fee for these types of events is standard.

An online video player with monetization capabilities makes this simple with an integrated video paywall. Viewers simply enter their payment info in the video window and watch instantly. Since pay-per-view payments are integrated into the video window, income from embedded streams on other sites is seamless.

It’s also important to note that YouTube doesn’t ad insertion from third parties in videos on its site. All ads have to come through its Google Adsense platform. This maximizes YouTube’s revenue, but it also restricts your options. As a pro OVP, Dacast is much more flexible and customizable. In fact, you can integrate any advertising platform via Dacast’s video API.

Customize Your Streaming Experience with API

Since Dacast is a paid service, the functionality and trust placed in the user are much greater.  Once you pay for access to the service, it’s yours. YouTube has to maintain control of its content in order to generate profits. Due to this, YouTube’s API is relatively limited.

The Dacast video content management API is fully featured. You can literally replicate every function of the platform inside your own application or service. This allows you to create complex web, mobile, or desktop apps. We can integrate your live and on-demand video content seamlessly for public or private use.

Who Needs a Professional Live Streaming Platform?

As we mentioned, YouTube serves a very specific purpose with limited functionality. None of the functions that we’ve discussed above are possible with YouTube Live, so if you’re looking for a more professional experience, it is wise to consider alternatives.

You may need a dedicated live streaming platform if you are streaming in any of the following industries at the professional level:

• Media and entertainment
• Education
• Government
• Sports
• Religious groups

The 12 Best Professional-Grade YouTube Live Alternatives in 2022

If you are thinking that a professional YouTube live alternative may be the best option for you, you’re in luck.

There are so many online video platforms on the market, and choosing one for your broadcasting needs can get overwhelming. That’s why we’ve rounded up 12 of the top options and broken down their features, live streaming pricing, and more.

Let’s turn now to review the top 12 alternatives to YouTube for live streaming.

1. Dacast

Dacast Overview:

Dacast is an online video platform that serves professional broadcasters in dozens of industries. This unified streaming solution offers live and on-demand video hosting with the support of all of the advanced tools that broadcasters need to deliver high-quality video content.

Access to almost all features is available on every plan, including the Starter plan that goes for $39/month. The inclusivity of all plans sets Dacast apart from the other YouTube Live alternatives that we’ll discuss in this post.

Also, with Dacast’s partnerships with top-tier video streaming CDNs, you get an easy-to-use, CDN-backed video streaming service.

Key Features:

• Secure streaming
• Reliable video delivery 
• Comprehensive  video hosting and management 
• White-label HTML5 video player
• 24/7 tech support with all plans, including email and live chat
• Video security features, including password protection and encryption
• RTMP ingest that is compatible with affordable RTMP Encoders
• HLS streaming for universal compatibility
• Player API and Video API access for customizable
• Zoom live streaming integration
• Expo galleries video portal 
• Adaptive bitrate streaming
• Cloud-based transcoding tools
• Video analytics (viewer and revenue)
• SVOD, AVOD, and TVOD monetization options
• Ad-free streaming

Pros:

• Live and VOD streaming including in all plans
• Unlimited concurrent viewers and live channels
• White-label and branding customization
• Mobile device support
• Live stream recording
• China Video Hosting

Cons:

• A large collection of features requires a bit of a learning curve

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: none (but 240p is the recommended minimum)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p or 4K (depends on the user’s hardware and internet)
• Aspect ratio: no restrictions (but 16:9 is the default)
• Max file size: none
• Max video length: none
• Total file storage: 10-1000GB (depends on plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4 (preferred), MOV, M4V, M2V, AVI, MPG, FLV, WMV, MKV, WEBM, OGV, MXF, ASF, VOB, MTS

Pricing:

The pricing plans from Dacast include:

• Starter – $39month, billed annually for 1,000 GB of bandwidth and 50 GB of storage monthly
• Event – $63/month, billed annually for 6 TB of bandwidth upfront and 50 GB of storage upfront, ideal for organizations who’d rather not sign a contract and want to purchase bandwidth separately to live stream an event.
• Scale – $188/month, billed annually for 24 TB of bandwidth per year and 1 TB of storage, and adds phone support, monetization paywall, an M3U8 online player for live channels, ad insertion, white-label video player, and video API access.

Broadcasters can contact Dacast directly to learn more about custom-priced high-volume plans.

2. Twitch

Twitch Overview:

Twitch is a consumer-grade platform for independent streamers, and it is especially popular among video game streamers. Twitch is a very popular application in the world of video gaming. Streamers set up channels where viewers and supporters can follow them.

This site is pretty niche, but it is a great streaming platform alternative if you are trying to reach an audience in the gaming, fantasy, or tech industry.

Key Features:

• Primarily used to stream video games
• Live chat for viewer engagement
• Viewers can “Tip” streamers
• Community interaction tools

Pros:

• Tools to promote user engagement
• Easy to share on social media channels
• Pricing plans for everyone

Cons:

• Strict community guidelines
• No real monetization features
• No privacy

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 720p (1280 x 720)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p (1920 x 1080)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: Not available
• Max video length: 48 hours
• Total file storage: Not available
• Compatible video formats: MP4, MOV, AVI, FLV

Pricing:

Twitch is free to use.

3. StreamYard

Streamyard Overview:

StreamYard is a basic live streaming solution that is dedicated and operates entirely in-browser. Even though it is basic, it will get the job done for broadcasters with minimal live streaming needs.

One of the best features of Streamyard is that it is also a multistreaming platform. This feature allows you to multistream to all your social channels at once from your browser with just a few clicks.

The platform is a great option for new broadcasters that are looking to pick up live streaming pretty quickly.

Detailed Features:

• Streaming tools without any downloads
• Brand customization
• Graphic overlays and aesthetic manipulation
• Simulcasting support
• Allows multiple on-screen presenters
• Supports screen sharing 

Pros:

• Very easy to use
• Tools for engagement
• Fosters collaboration

Cons:

• Very basic platform 
• Limited feature offerings
• No video monetization
• Doesn’t support VOD hosting
• Limited browser compatibility 

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

StreamYard does not publish upload guidelines and specs.

Pricing:

StreamYard offers four pricing plans. These include:

• Free: Access StreamYard on a limited basis for free.
• Basic: $20/month; access some advanced streaming features, including unlimited streaming, brand customization, graphic overlays, simulcasting, and stream recording.
• Professional: $39/month;
• Enterprise: StreamYard also offers enterprise plans that are priced on a case-by-case basis.

The rates we’ve mentioned above reflect the monthly pricing when billed annually.

4. Facebook Live

Facebook Overview:

The YouTube Live alternatives that we have covered so far have been purely professional. However, Facebook Live, a well-known social media streaming tool, is worth mentioning on this list.

When it comes to video hosting, Facebook offers both “Live” and “Watch” which allows businesses and organizations to host on-demand content or broadcast live content. Live streams can be hosted on personal profiles, pages, and groups.

Facebook is commonly used by businesses and organizations that are just dipping their toes in the world of live broadcasting. Since it is a free platform, Facebook poses many challenges related to video ownership, time limits on videos, monetization, and more.

It is common for broadcasters who use premium streaming solutions to connect their accounts to multicast to both Facebook and their websites. This allows users to tap into their existing Facebook audiences while accessing the professional tools of a video hosting solution.

Key Features:

• Facebook Live
• Facebook Groups
• Facebook Pages
• Simple video sharing
• Tools for engagement 
• Live commenting and reacting
• Paid ads 
• Some tools for business use

Pros:

• Free to use 
• Viewers are familiar with the platform
• Live chat for community engagement
• Helps reach your existing following

Cons:

• Limited monetization support
• Time limits on live videos
• No white-label streaming 

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 720p (1280×720) 
• Maximum dimension: 1080p (1920×1080)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 9:16, 2:3, 4:5, 1:1
• Max file size: 4 GB
• Max video length: 90 minutes
• Total file storage: No storage limit
• Compatible video formats: MP4, MOV, MPEG4, AVI, 3GPP, WMV, FLV, MKV

Pricing:

Facebook Live is free to use.

5. Kaltura

Kaltura Overview:

Kaltura is an open-source OVP that is designed for broadcasting at an advanced level. Kaltura provides cloud-based video hosting and distribution for both VOD content and live streams.

Kaltura servers four main markets: educational institutions, enterprises, media companies, and OTT video services.

The open-source nature of Kaltura allows broadcasters to completely customize their streaming experience. This makes it a great alternative for businesses that have very specific streaming needs

Key Features:

• Live streaming and VOD hosting
• Reliable content delivery 
• Cloud video transcoding
• Live production tools
• Video marketing support
• Highly customizable platform

• Multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming
• Video monetization

Pros:

• Customizable broadcasting experience
• Endless features through integrations
• Multiple monetization options
• Reliable video security

Cons:

• Unreliable customer support
• The platform is very complex 
• Not suited for beginners

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 180p (320 x 180)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p (1920x 1080)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: 2GB
• Max video length: Not available
• Total file storage: 10GB to Unlimited (depends on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: MOV, MP4

Pricing:

Kaltura doesn’t publish pricing information on their website, but it is reported to be on the higher end in terms of cost. Each plan is custom since broadcasters purchase credits to redeem on bandwidth and access to features.

6. IBM Cloud Video

IBM Cloud Video Overview:

IBM Cloud Video is another YouTube live alternative. This platform was formerly known as UStream until IBM purchased the company in 2016. Ustream was originally founded in 2007 to help connect members of the military with their families back home.

The main functionality of IBM Cloud Video is live streaming, but the platform supports on-demand video hosting, as well.

Key Features:

• High-quality video streaming 
• White-label HTML5 video player
• API access for customization
• OTT streaming
• Delivery via internal CDN 
• Video monetization 

Pros:

• The platform is easy to use
• Reliable customer support
• Wide range of professional features
• Hong Kong video delivery

Cons:

• HD streaming only comes with more inclusive plans
• Limited closed captioning support

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 480p (480 x 270)
• Maximum dimension:  4K (3840 x 2160)
• Aspect ratio: No published aspect ratio
• Max file size: 4 GB
• Max video length: No published limits
• Total file storage: 1TB – 5TB (depends on plan)
• Compatible video formats: MKV, MP4, MOV, FLV, AVI, WMV, MPEG2, H264, H263, MPEG4, VP6, VP8, THEORA, WMV, MP3, AAC-LC, NELLYMOSER, PCM, SPEEX, VORBIS, WMA

Pricing:

IBM Cloud Video offers four different pricing plans:

• Silver: $99/month
• Gold: $499/month
• Platinum: $999/month
• Custom: Please contact IBM Cloud video for custom plan pricing

IBM Cloud Video also offers a basic free trial plan so that broadcasters can try it before they buy.

7. JW Player

JW Player Overview:

The JW Player project began as a video player, part of which was used as the original technology in the first YouTube video player. Today, however, JW Player offers video hosting and live streaming services.

This platform is particularly well-known for its HTML5 video player, and it offers an affordable basic plan for broadcasters that are looking for a small step up from YouTube.

Key Features:

• Live streaming and VOD hosting
• Reliable, customizable video player
• “Watch Next” recommendations
• Viewer and revenue analytics
• Multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming
• Powerful content delivery
• Video API for customization 
• Basic video security 
• Ad-based monetization

Pros:

• Trusty video player
• User-friendly platform
• Great advertising tools

Cons:

• Live streaming limited to enterprise plans 
• Only ad-based monetization
• No delivery to China

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 360p (640 x 360)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p (1920 x 1080)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3, 2.39:1
• Max file size: 25GB
• Max video length: Not available
• Total file storage: 25GB to 500GB (depends on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV, 3GP, FLV

Pricing:

JW Player pricing plans include the following tiers:

• Free trial: JW Player offers a 30-day free trial subscription which includes full API and SDK access, a non-commercial license, 25 GB hosting bandwidth, and 75 GB streaming.
• Starter plan: At $10 per month, the Starter pricing plan includes an HTML5 Video Player, a video gallery, with 150 GB hosting bandwidth, and 500 GB streaming (50,000 plays) per month (billed annually).
• Enterprise plan: these business-specific plans are available with custom pricing for high-volume storage and streaming. Enterprise plans support live streaming, while lower-tier plans only support VOD.  

8. Cincopa

Cincopa Overview:

Cincopa is a unique multimedia hosting solution that provides tools for storing and managing video, photo, and audio content. Cincopa also offers a solution for live streaming. This platform is a great YouTube alternative for organizations that need to host more content than videos.

Almost all of the other competitors we’ve discussed so far support video hosting exclusively. Many businesses prefer a dedicated video hosting service, but Cincopa is a great option for broadcasters that need additional support.

Key Features:

• Multimedia content hosting
• Video galleries
• API access for customization 
• Professional integrations
• Media templates
• Video monetization
• Video analytics

Pros:

• Plenty of professional features
• Plans for every budget
• Tools for businesses with varied multimedia hosting needs
• Solutions for sales, marketing, education, production, publishing, and more

Cons:

• Not a dedicated video streaming platform
• The platform is a bit complex

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 144p
• Maximum dimension: 4K
• Aspect ratio: 4:3, 16:9
• Max file size: 1, 2, 20GB (depending on the plan)
• Max video length: not available
• Total file storage: 5 videos, 40 videos, unlimited videos (depending on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: AVI, MOV, WMV, MP4, M4A, F4A,  F4B, F4V, F4P, M2TS, MTS, VOB, MKV, RMVB, M1V, QT, DIV, DIVX, DV, 3GP, 3GPP, 3G2, MPG, MPEG, MPE, FLV

Pricing:

Cincopa offers four pricing plans for multimedia hosting:

• Startup: $9/month; designed for a team of 1; limited hosting tools
• Plus: $25/month; includes marketing tools (CTAs, email integrations, etc.)
• Corporate: $99/month; advanced broadcasting tools
• Agency/Enterprise: $350/month; advanced broadcasting tools with more flexibility

Please check out Cincopa’s pricing page for a further breakdown of storage and capabilities that come with each plan.

9. Panopto

Panopto Overview:

Looking for a YouTube live alternative that supports educational streaming? Panopto may be the option for you. This platform aims to deliver an “internal YouTube” experience that is suited for streaming courses, training videos, and more.

Panopto is equipped with all the tools broadcasters need for streaming, sharing, recording, and managing video content. It provides viewer-facing video galleries and integrates with Learning Management Systems.

Overall, Panopto is a more focused online video organization than the other best live streaming solutions considered here.

Key Features:

• Compregensive video CMS
• Focus on education
• Video organization tools
• Live streaming and auto-archiving 
• Webcam streaming
• Internal video SEO
• Access control & security features
• White-label streaming
• Integration with LMS systems
• API access for customization
• Video analytics

Pros:

• Audio and video streaming
• Great organization tools
• Customizable branding
• Asset categorization
• China video delivery
• Affordable options

Cons:

• No customizable templates
• No image editor

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Compatible video formats: AVI, MP4, MPG, WMV, MOV, QT, ASF, 3GP, WMA, MP3, M4V
• All other upload guidelines and specs are only available to paying customers. 

Pricing:

Panopto recently simplified its pricing packages and includes the following three options:

• Basic: Free
• Pro: $14.99/month
• Enterprise: Please contact Panopto for custom pricing.

10. Brightcove

Brightcove Overview:

Brightcove is one of the oldest online video platforms in-game, and it is known for its solid product offerings that focus on cloud encoding, live streaming, and VOD hosting.

Brightcove offers a number of modular products. These include Video Cloud hosting, the Lift video player, server-side ad insertion, live streaming video, OTT flow for internet TV, Zencoder for cloud video transcoding, and tools for monetization.

Key Features:

• Multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming
• Global content delivery
• Basic tech support
• Video API access for customziation
• Secure streaming
• Video monetization

Pros:

• Reliable analytics
• Supports large-scale streaming
• Video galleries
• CRM integration

Cons:

• Plans are expensive
• Reports that live streaming is unavailable with plans under $499/month
• Does not support China video delivery

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: Determined by user
• Maximum dimension: Determined by user
• Aspect ratio: No restrictions (since Brightcove uses a responsive player)
• Max file size: No limits on files size
• Max video length: No published limits
• Total file storage: Varies by plan
• Compatible video formats: MP4, MOV, FLV, AVI, WMV, MKV, 3GPP

Pricing:

Mainly targeting huge clients, Brightcove offers several pricing plan levels but does not provide pricing. These include the following:

• Starter: includes 50 to 200 videos, up to 100,000 plays, and 2-5 users
• Professional: unlimited videos, 100,000+ plays, and no overages plays, with +10 users
• Enterprise: unlimited videos, 100,000+ plays, and no overages plays, with 10+ users, unlimited upload, and analytics-only users

Brightcove also includes custom-priced plans for their Enterprise Video Suite packages. Interested broadcasters can contact their sales department to receive a quote or sign up for a 30-day free trial.

11. Vimeo

Vimeo Overview:

Vimeo started as a consumer-grade video sharing platform like YouTube, but it has since evolved to become a tool for beginner broadcasters. It has low-priced plans with limited streaming capabilities.

Vimeo is another great alternative broadcasters that are looking for a small step up from YouTube.

Key Features:

• Affordable options
• Multiple plans for different budgets
• VOD hosting

Pros:

• Basic “prosumer” alternative 
• Viewers are familiar with Vimeo

Cons:

• Strict limits on live streaming 
• Not suited for enterprise use
• Weekly storage and upload limits

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Recommended dimension: 720p (1280 x 720)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: 3GB
• Max video length: Information not available 
• Total file storage: Information not available
• Compatible video formats: MP4 (recommended)

Pricing:

Vimeo offers basic video hosting plans that are suitable for content creators and startups. These include:

• Basic: Free to use forever; no privacy features, customization capabilities, live streaming, or advanced analytics; 500MB per week of upload space, up to 5GB total account storage; 10 videos per day, create 1 channel, 1 group, and 3 showcases
• Plus: $7/month; 5 GB of bandwidth per week, 250 GB storage every year, and allocates for a single user; only professional functions available at this level are player customization, privacy controls, and social distribution.
• Pro: $20/month;20 GB of bandwidth per week, 1 TB storage every year, and 3 team member seats; Unlocks tools to create and publish unlimited videos, custom video templates, review, and approval; team collaboration projects for up to 3 team members
• Premium: $75/month; 7 TB total storage; claims “unlimited live streaming” on Vimeo; 10 team members
• Enterprise: Custom-priced, custom-built plans for advanced streaming needs

All plans are billed annually. The Plus plan can be billed monthly at an increased rate of $12/month.

12. Livestream

Livestream Overview:

Livestream, which is a premium offering from Vimeo, offers live streaming and video hosting solutions. Livestream was an independent platform until it was acquired by Vimeo in 2017. Since the acquisition, the two companies have merged their service.

Today, Vimeo’s premium offerings are sold under the Livestream name.

Vimeo offers both live streaming and video hosting services. The services include analytics and a video management platform. Livestream is on the higher end of the live streaming pricing spectrum.

Key Features:

• Full-HD quality
• Secure streaming with privacy options
• Adaptive bitrate video player
• White-label streaming
• Live audience chat
• Pay-per-view monetization
• Large storage capacity
• Video management service

Pros:

• Ad-free streaming
• Sleek and professional appearance
• Powerful analytics
• Easy to use platform
• Monetization options

Cons:

• Some plans are pricy
• No China video delivery

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Recommended dimension: 720p (1280 x 720)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: 3GB
• Max video length: Information not available 
• Total file storage: Information not available
• Compatible video formats: MP4 (recommended)

Pricing:

Vimeo Livestream offers three main pricing plans, including:

Vimeo Premium:

• $75/month
• Their Premium plan includes both live streaming and VOD services. This plan is the way to go for professional broadcasting.

Vimeo Enterprise:

• Enterprise Pricing: Please contact Vimeo for custom pricing information
• The Enterprise plan includes white-label service, monetization, and video APIs. It also includes branding control and added security features.

Vimeo OTT:

• Starter Pricing: $1/subscriber per month
• Growth Pricing: starting at $500/month
• The OTT-specific pricing packages come with the Vimeo.com relationship. These plans include all the basics for starting your web-based OTT channel, as well as growing your OTT business online.

For more details, check out our comprehensive guide to Vimeo Livestream pricing.

Conclusion

There are many worthy YouTube Live alternatives on the market that are well-suited for broadcasting at the professional level. These platforms are equipped with a wide variety of features at different price points. Each online video platform has its pros and cons.

As you set forth on your journey to choosing the best streaming solutions for your specific needs, we recommend taking advantage of free trials to get a real feel for how each platform works.

Why not start with Dacast? Check out our platform and try all of our great features for yourself. Sign up today to try streaming free for 14 days. No credit card is required.

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Do you have any questions or experiences to share about YouTube Live alternatives, or anything else? We love to hear from our readers, so feel free to “sound off” in the chat section below! For regular tips on live streaming, you’re welcome to join our LinkedIn group.

Thanks for reading, and good luck with your live broadcasts!