Top 15 Livestream Alternatives: Everything You Need to Know in 2024

Does the Livestream platform not meet your live streaming needs? No worries! Livestream is far from the only professional video streaming solution on the market. Although its name makes it a little notorious for live streaming, there are lots of Livestream alternatives that may better meet your needs. 

In fact, not only are there other comparable Livestream alternatives, but many of the other streaming solutions out there are superior to Livestream. One of the superior Livestream alternatives is Dacast. 

Today, we will look closer at what Livestream offers, explore why you may need an alternative streaming service, and what to look for in an alternative. We will then look closer at Dacast as well as other Livestream alternatives.

Specifically, we’ll compare 15 different video live streaming solutions to help you select the right video streaming platform for your unique broadcasting needs. There are plenty of Livestream alternatives on the market that could better suit your business needs.

Table of Contents

• What is Livestream? 
• What Does Livestream Have to Offer?
• Why Look for a Livestream Alternative?
• What to Look for in a Livestream Alternative
• Livestream Alternatives: Comparing Alternative Streaming Platforms
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Final Thoughts

What is Livestream?

Livestream is the premium video streaming solution from Vimeo. It is geared towards a professional audience, which is different from Vimeo’s standard plans.

In 2017, Vimeo acquired Livestream. Vimeo was previously known as a consumer-grade VOD platform for the creative market, mostly serving filmmakers, graphic designers, artists, etc.

Immediately after the acquisition, Vimeo launched its own live streaming service called Vimeo Live. We’ve reviewed the Vimeo Live service in the past.

In that review, we found that Vimeo Live would only be a viable solution for companies with greater live streaming needs if the budget were not an issue, as it is one of the most expensive streaming solutions on the market.”

However, Livestream now operates as part of a single entity owned by Vimeo. The Livestream plans are more advanced than the standard Vimeo plans and are still geared toward more advanced broadcasters.

What Does Livestream Have to Offer?

Let’s look at some of Livestream’s top features, pricing, upload specs, and statistics to understand the platform better before we compare it to some alternatives.

Stats and Facts:

• Livestream is owned by Vimeo
• Livestream is geared towards enterprise users
• Vimeo has over 175 million users and 60 million broadcasters
• Vimeo Livestream serves users in over 150 countries
• The top referrers to content on this platform are Patreon, Github, and Linktree

Top Features:

• Full-HD streaming: The platform offers high-quality video streaming compared to free platforms such as YouTube.
• HTML5 video player: The platform’s world-class HTML-5 based video player is partially how Livestream achieves high-quality levels of video streams.
• Privacy and security features: Vimeo provides a great level of security compared to most free tools, for instance, there’s a Digital Rights Management (DRM) feature available as an add-on. However, tts security features are not high-end . For instance it lack some built0-n protocols including screenshot prevention, IP restriction, watermarks and parental control.
• Monetization options: Livestream provides subscription options to help digital content creators generate revenue from their platforms.
• Content management: Broadcasters can use Livestream to upload, organize, and encode videos seamlessly using their robust video content management system.
• Live streaming capabilities: Creators can live stream both real-time and video-on-demand (VOD) content to any device.

Other top features include:

• Easy embedding tools:
• Tools for enhancing engagement
• Custom OTT applications
• Large storage capacity
• Video management service
• Upload from anywhere
• Seamless migration

Pricing:

Livestream has three pricing plans for advanced broadcasting.

Vimeo Advanced:

• Premium pricing: $65/month billed annually
• 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:

• Custom pricing
• 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.

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)

Advantages of Vimeo Livestream

Every video streaming platform has its set of advantages and disadvantages. Here are some reasons why some creators may consider Vimeo in the first place.

• Easy content upload: Livestream allows you to upload content seamlessly from different sources such as Google Drive and Dropbox
• Sustainable monetization: Through the subscription payment model, creators get steady revenue for their content.
• Access to reports: You get analytical data from your video performances which helps make data-driven decisions
• Customizable video player: The Livestream video player offers editing and customization options such as the ability to add your company logo and change your preferred colors
• Flexible bandwidth: Livestream plans include flexible bandwidth options so you won’t need to incur additional charges for extra bandwidth.
• Customer support: Livestream offers 24/7 customer support and you can access their app launch team on the higher end plans.
• Seamless migration: You’ll encounter minimal downtime when migrating your content to a new account on Livestream, and this makes the transition smooth.

Next, we’ll discuss Vimeo Livestream’s disadvantages that make it necessary to consider an alternative streaming platform.

Why Look for a Livestream Alternatives?

The Livestream streaming software is a great option for many broadcasters. However, online video platforms are not a “one-size-fits-all” sort of tool, so some broadcasters are better off seeking Livestream alternatives.

Here are a few reasons why you may want to consider some Vimeo alternatives.

• High costs: For example, the Livestream platform is loaded with tons of professional features and streaming capabilities. For that reason, it comes with a bit of a hefty price tag. Broadcasters with minimal streaming needs or tight budgets may seek an alternative to Livestream.
• Limited customization: Compared to some white-label video hosting platforms like Dacast, Vimeo Livestream’s customization options are limited. This makes it less suitable for branding or for businesses to customize their individual customer experiences. 
• Limited bandwidth: Compared to some tools, Livestream has bandwidth limitations that may affect the quality of videos when used with high-definition content or when there is a lot of traffic. Some alternatives, such as may be better suited to manage heavy traffic or provide more liberal allowances.
• Basic analytics: Compared to other platforms that provide advanced reporting features for in-depth viewer behavior research, engagement metrics, and geographical data, Livestream’s analytics may not provide as deep a dive as those of other platforms. This is especially so for the lower-tier plans.
• Marketing integration: Livestream’s limited marketing integrations can make it more difficult to use video content for lead generation, customer relationship management, and marketing automation.
• Monetization options: Compared to other Livestream alternatives, Vimeo Livestream’s monetization options are more limited. This makes it less suitable for generating income from sources such as advertisements, pay-per-view, memberships, etc
• Limited location:  Livestream does not deliver content to China. If a broadcaster is trying to reach viewers in China, you will want to look for a video streaming platform with an ICP license.

There are plenty of reasons to look beyond Livestream if you’re considering live streaming platforms. Here are some features to look for in your Livestream alternatives before making a decision.

What to Look for in a Livestream Alternative

Let’s take a look at some features to look for in a Livestream alternative. We will look at some specific features of Livestream and other popular live streaming platforms.

Reliable Content Distribution

One of the challenges for any video platform is delivering video to viewers efficiently. Typically, broadcasters manage this via a content delivery network (CDN). When used properly, a video CDN delivery can minimize buffering and reduce video start-up times—essential factors in keeping viewers engaged.

Livestream mostly uses its own internal network of servers, which is much lighter than a professional live streaming CDN. This could explain why some reviewers report that Livestream’s servers occasionally fail during live events.

Livestream alternatives like Dacast, Brightcove, and JW Player all partner with the Akamai CDN. Akamai is the largest CDN in the world, with more than 1,700 networks and 216,000 cloud servers located in 130+ countries globally. No video streaming content delivery network has more experience or a more robust network than Akamai, which ensures reliable delivery and minimizes problems for Dacast users.

Dacast also has partnerships with additional CDNs in order to maximize coverage and reliability. That’s partially why Dacast would be a better alternative in a Dacast vs Livestream comparison.

Kaltura can operate with a variety of CDNs, depending on each broadcaster’s individual choice. However, Kaltura streams reach viewers via an internal network of streaming servers and undisclosed CDN partners.

Encoder Compatibility

Livestream is not very flexible in regards to encoder choices. They offer their own proprietary live stream encoding software which is the only option that can be used for live broadcasting on a Premium plan. To use a third-party RTMP encoder, you need to purchase an Enterprise plan, which is quite pricey.

Dacast and other online video platforms that use RTMP ingest are compatible with almost any RTMP-capable encoder. Livestream alternatives like JW Player Live, Kaltura, and Brightcove fall into this category, as well.

This includes free software applications like OBS Studio, professional live broadcasting software like vMix, Wirecast, and VidBlasterX. Dacast also supports many hardware encoders, ranging from mobile camera-mounted units to studio-grade rack mount encoders.

Social Streaming

Broadcasters should note that while Livestream advertises the ability to stream to Facebook, you can’t stream to the Livestream platform and Facebook simultaneously without the help of an external tool. You have to choose one or the other. This may pose a significant drawback for some broadcasters. 

If simulcasting is important for your business, choose a platform that supports multiple outputs. Dacast is one platform with these capabilities.

Customer Support

Livestream only offers email support with a 1-hour response on weekdays and chat support during US business hours. Similarly, Livestream only includes basic email support with the Premium plan. 

Additionally, Livestream restricts phone support to custom-priced Enterprise plans.

In contrast, some Livestream alternatives offer more reliable customer support.

Dacast for instance, includes 24/7 customer support for all users. Phone support is included for Premium and Enterprise plan users. 24/7 support is rare to come by in the live streaming world. 

Most alternative solutions charge extra fees for access to this support. 

Pricing

We will go further into pricing as we review each Livestream alternative, but live streaming pricing is definitely something to keep in mind. You need to make sure that you’re choosing an option that makes sense in terms of your budget and intended ROI.

Consider if the features you get from your alternatives offer value for your money.

Livestream Alternatives: Comparing Alternative Streaming Platforms

There are many streaming platforms on the market that serve as worthy alternatives to Livestream. Let’s take a look at a few Vimeo Livestream alternatives for professional broadcasting.

1. Dacast

Overview and Company History:

Our first Livestream alternative is Dacast. We’ll give you an in-depth Dacast vs Vimeo review. Dacast is a B2B streaming solution that delivers high-quality video content around the world for broadcasters with a wide range of budgets. Dacast’s HQ is located in San Francisco.

Dacast is a unified streaming solution that makes the annual list of the most important, most innovative, and most interesting companies for 2021 Streaming Media Magazine’s Top 50 List. This powerful platform helps companies around the world scale and monetize their online video content.”

In 2019, Dacast acquired the vzaar platform, which has given our platform the ability to host video on demand (VOD) content. This acquisition has made Dacast a truly unified streaming solution.

Basic Functionality:

Dacast is a unified streaming solution that hosts both live and on-demand video content. The platform is equipped with hosting, monetizing, embedding, organizing, and more tools.

Key Features:

Some key features help Dacast stand out as a strong Livestream alternative. Here is a breakdown of a few of the reasons why Dacast may be a better choice for your streaming needs than Livestream: 

Global Content Delivery

\When it comes to live streaming, reaching a global audience can really help you expand your reach. Dacast uses top-tier CDNs so you can get your content around the globe to your viewers easily.  

China Content Delivery

You need special permissions and licenses to live stream directly to China. Dacast has those licenses and permits and has infrastructure on the ground, ensuring you can deliver quality streams to a Chinese audience. 

24/7 Tech Support

You can start a live stream anytime and need a support team that can be there whenever you need it. Dacast offers 24/7 live chat and email support for all plans. Dacast understands how important it is to offer 24/7 support to all users, regardless of plan level. 

Live Encoding Support

Dacast offers live encoding support for all of the top video encoders, which is something Livestream doesn’t offer. You can work with whatever encoder you are most comfortable with. 

Monetization Ability

Video content can be a great way to make money, and Dacast offers SVOD, AVOD, and TVOD monetization options. 

Customization

With Dacast, you can customize your experience with Player API and Video API.

Technology Tools

There are lots of technology options available with Dacast, such as: 

• Top-notch privacy and security tools
• Adaptive multi-bitrate streaming
• Cloud-based video transcoding
• Expo galleries video portal
• Real-time video streaming analytics

New!

• Multi-user access on Scale and Custom plans
• Zoom live streaming integration for meetings and live events in real-time
• Expo 2.0 galleries video portal for immersive video experiences

Pros:

• Live streaming and VOD streaming are available on all pricing plans
• Unlimited concurrent viewers
• Zoom integration for P2P streaming
• Unlimited live channels
• White-label and branding customization
• Easy to embed HTML5 video player
• SVOD, AVOD, and TVOD monetization options
• Mobile device support
• Live stream recording
• China Video Hosting
• Plans for every budget

Cons:

• Requires a bit of a learning curve due to so many accessible and advanced features

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)
• Video 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:

Dacast offers four pricing plans for professional broadcasters, including:

• Starter: $39/month (billed annually); ideal for newcomers with 2.4 TB of bandwidth and 500 GB of storage per month
• Event: $63/month (or $750/year); ideal for organizations that would rather not sign a contract, and want to purchase bandwidth separately to live stream an event; 6 TB of bandwidth upfront, 50 GB of storage; additional data and storage can be added as needed
• Scale: $165/month (billed annually); includes 24 TB of bandwidth per year, with 2TB of storage; add phone support, monetization paywall, an M3U8 online player for live channels, ad insertion, white-label video player, and video API access
• Custom: Custom-priced; designed for enterprises with high-volume streaming needs

Broadcasters can contact Dacast directly to learn more about our 30-day free trial or for a custom quote for high-volume plans.

Dacast offers a more robust Content Delivery Network, and more affordable pricing, making it a great Livestream broadcaster alternative. 

2. Brightcove

Overview and Company History:

Brightcove was founded in 2004, making it a long-time player in the broadcasting game. This Livestream alternative offers cloud transcoding, live streaming, and VOD hosting. 

A few years back, Brightcove acquired streaming platform Ooyala, known for its cloud video technology. Since the acquisition, Brightcove has announced end-of-life plans for the Ooyala OVP.

Basic Functionality:

Brightcove’s platform includes cloud video hosting, an innovative video player, server-side ad insertion, live streaming video, an encoder for cloud transcoding, and tools for monetization.

Brightcove also has features that support smart TV streaming via OTT.

Key Features:

Brightcove has a few features that make it stand out as a strong Livestream alternative. 

Video analytics

If you want to learn from your video’s performance, Brightcove offers advanced video analytics. They can provide you with great feedback about how your content is performing, which you can use to drive your content strategy forward.

Marketing tools

Brightcove has the ability to integrate with numerous marketing tools, making it a great video hosting platform for businesses with a focus on marketing goals through video content. They also offer lead generation support to further your marketing efforts. 

Server-side ad insertion

If you want to monetize your content through advertisements, Brightcove offers server-side ad insertion. 

In addition to the above features, Brightcove also offers live streaming and VOD hosting, cloud transcoding and adaptive bitrate streaming.

Pros:

• Powerful analytics
• Variety of business tools
• Custom video portals
• CRM integration

Cons:

• High price point
• Live streaming capabilities are limited to expensive plans
• Monetization is limited to custom-priced plans
• No 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:

Brightcove offers three pricing plan levels that target higher-end clients. Brightcove’s pricing is no longer posted, but plans include basic video marketing tools and analytics with SD streaming quality for unlimited viewers.

However, larger users will prefer the Enterprise communications plan, which is custom-priced. Those plans add advanced security tools, HD-quality streaming, and phone support (30-min response time).

The three pricing tiers include:

• 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

As a Livestreamer alternative, Brightcove’s plans are also pricey; however, they do offer powerful analytics and marketing tools. 

3. StreamShark

Overview and Company History:

StreamShark is another phenomenal Livestream alternative. This streaming solution was founded in 2011 and provides multi-faceted online video functionality.

StreamShark is similar to Livestream in the sense that its plans are primarily geared towards broadcasters with professional streaming needs. However, StreamShark has some more innovative features, including 360 live streaming and enhanced security features.

Basic Functionality:

StreamShark is a B2B and B2C video hosting platform.

Key Features: 

StreamShark’s offers a few key features that makes it a strong Livestream alternative. 

360-video

If you want to offer a 360-degree viewing experience for our viewers, you can do that with StreamShark’s 360-degree video feature. 

Mobile Streaming

You can start and share mobile streamings using their customizable HTML5 video player. 

Virtual Event Support

Hosting a live event? StreamShark has you covered with their total virtual event support, which is there whenever you need it. 

A few more notable key features of StreamShark include: 

• HLS ingests for an end-to-end HLS streaming setup
• Global content delivery via a multi-CDN network
• P2P streaming

Pros:

• Localized media ingestion
• Multiple monetization options
• Video transcoding tools
• Innovative video hosting tools 

Cons:

• No  real technical support
• No embeddable playlists
• No China video delivery

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 240p (426 x 240)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p (1920 x 1080)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: not available
• Max video length: not available 
• Total file storage: 500GB, 1TB, 3TB
• Compatible video formats: HLS, WebM VP9, WebM VP8, WebM VP9 DASH, MP4

Pricing:

Monthly live streaming plans with StreamShark begin at $199 per month and include the following:

• Standard: $199/month; includes 1,000 GB of bandwidth; overage charges of $0.10/GB
• Team: $499/month; includes 4,000 GB of bandwidth; overage charges of $0.09/GB
• Business: $999/month; includes 9,000 GB of bandwidth; overage charges of $0.08/GB
• Enterprise: Please contact StreamShark for their custom enterprise solutions and plans

StreamShark is an ideal alternative to Livestream studio if you want a live streaming solution that offers 360 live streaming and enhanced security features.

4. IBM Cloud Video

Overview and Company History:

IBM Cloud Video is yet another great Livestream alternative. This platform was formerly known as UStream, and it offers video hosting and cloud video streaming solutions, as well as a variety of powerful broadcasting features. 

The original platform, Ustream, was founded in 2007 to help members of the military connect with their loved ones back home.

Basic Functionality:

The basic functionality of IBM Cloud Video is live streaming. However, the platform offers auto-archiving which records streams and makes them available for on-demand playback.

Key Features:

• Streaming up to 720p resolution on most plans
• Mobile-compatible video player
• Internal CDN for content distribution
• Video distribution and workflow
• OTT video management
• Enterprise video streaming
• Monetization support

Pros:

• Powerful hosting and management platform
• Reliable customer support
• Wide range of features for broadcasters
• Hong Kong video hosting

Cons:

• Only expensive plans support 1080p full HD streaming
• Limited captioning support
• Customization via API is restricted to more affordable plans

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 Video streaming prices aren’t displayed on the site and you’d need to contact sales.

• Video streaming: Free 30-day trial
• Silver: Contact sales
• Gold: Contact sales
• Platinum: Contact sales

However, the enterprise streaming plans prices range from $799 to $4999 per month. They include:

• Enterprise video streaming trial: 30-day free trial
• Enterprise Silver: $799/month
• Enterprise Gold: $11999/month
• Enterprise Platinum: $4999/month
• Custom

IBM Cloud is a Livestream competitor that offers robust monetization support and a strong content delivery platform. 

5. JW Player

Overview and Company History:

The JW Player project began as a technology that was used to support YouTube’s original video player. JW Player is now a full-blown streaming solution for professional use.

This solution is known for its HTML5 video player for VOD streaming.

Basic Functionality:

JW Player offers video hosting services and live streaming support.

Key Features:

• Unified streaming solution
• Tools for engagement
• Support for monetization (AVOD)
• Advanced analytics 

• Multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming
• Global content delivery
• Customization via video API 
• Only custom-priced Enterprise plans offer DRM

Pros:

• Reliable video player
• The platform is easy to navigate
• Powerful advertising and analytics tools

Cons:

• Live streaming is limited to custom-priced plans 
• Only ad-based monetization
• Only basic security tools
• No China video delivery

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: 6 hour live streams
• Total file storage: 25GB to 500GB (depends on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV, 3GP, FLV

Pricing:

JW Player has pricing plans which range from free with a non-commercial license paid with numerous benefits and features. Contact sales for pricing details. JW Player is an alternative live-streaming service that has a free trial plan and a low-cost starter plan. It is easy to use and great for beginning broadcasters. 

6. Kaltura

Overview and Company History:

Kaltura is an open-source online video platform that was built for institutions and organizations with large budgets. Kaltura offers video hosting and OTT services for a few different types of clients. This platform is a great Livestream alternative for broadcasters that are looking for a more customizable solution.

Historically, this company has worked most extensively with educational institutions, but it is a viable option for any professional broadcaster with advanced streaming needs.

Basic Functionality:

Kaltura uses a credit-based model that allows users to spend credits to integrate features and use bandwidth. This makes Kaltura a more customizable Livestream alternative. 

Key Features:

• Live streaming support and VOD hosting
• Secure content delivery 
• Cloud video transcoding,
• Tools for live video production 
• Business tools (marketing and more)
• Customization via APIs and SDKs

• Multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming
• Monetization support (AVOD, TVOD, SVOD)

Pros:

• Supports almost any feature imaginable
• Totally customizable streaming experience
• Several monetization options
• Robust security tools

Cons:

• Ticket-based system for support
• Highly complex due to customizations
• Not a great option for inexperienced broadcasters
• No support for China video delivery

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 offers custom-priced and pay-as-you-go plans to broadcasters. Prices for the streaming plans are not listed on the Kaltura website but based on some information about credit packages, we can deduce that this platform is for broadcasters with a hefty budget. 

Please contact Kaltura directly for information on prices.

Kaltura is a great Livestream studio alternative for educational users who want a plan with custom features that support a learning environment. 

7. Muvi

Overview and Company History:

Muvi is a Livestream alternative that focuses on OTT media businesses. This platform is geared towards broadcasters who are ready to launch a streaming service in a short period of time.

Muvi is equipped with the tools OTT broadcasters need for hosting, monetization, and more.

Basic Functionality:

Muvi’s functionality is a little bit different than Livestream’s since it is focused on OTT primarily. 

Key Features:

• HTML5 all-device video player
• White-label service and branding control 
• Various monetization options for OTT streaming
• Support for video and audio streaming
• Dashboard management CMS for naming and organizing content
• 24/7 technical support

• DRM and security features

Pros:

• Reliable content delivery
• OTT video hosting
• Easy setup with no coding required
• Powerful video CMS
• Transcoding tools
• DRM video security
• Streaming website and app development tools

Cons:

• The platform is not completely user-friendly
• Difficult to integrate external programs
• CMS user interface is complex
• No China video delivery

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 144p (256 x 144)
• Maximum dimension: 4K (3840  x2160)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: not available
• Max video length: not available
• Total file storage: 1TB, 2TB, 5TB (depending on plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4, MOV, MKV, FLV, VOB, M4V, AVI, 3GP, MPG

Pricing:

Muvi prices its plans at the following levels:

• Standard plan: $399/month (+ $299/month per app + infra fees), allows 2000 concurrent viewers, 1TB each of bandwidth and storage, and API support.
• Professional plan: at $1,499 per month (+ $499/month per app + infra fees) increases limits further and adds premium support.
• Enterprise plan: $3,900 per month (+ $499/month per app + infra fees) adds a dedicated server with auto-scaling.
• Ultimate plan: Custom Pricing

If you need to quickly start broadcasting, Muvi is a solid alternative to Livestream.com. 

8. Panopto

Overview and Company History:

Panopto is a Livestream alternative geared towards educational institutions and was founded by students at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. This platform aims to deliver an “internal YouTube” experience for training and more.  

Panopto serves an audience of over 5 million end-users in the e-learning space.

Basic Functionality: 

The basic functionality of Panopto varies from Livestream in the sense that it is specifically geared towards educational institutions. This online video streaming solution enables streaming, sharing, recording, and managing video content.

Key Features:

• Secure video CMS
• Auto-archiving tools
• Video SEO
• API access 
• LMS/CMS integration

• Lecture-capture and video-search software
• Access control & security features
• White-label video player

Pros:

• Video and audio content hosting
• Insightful analytics
• Document indexing and full-text search for an organization
• Branding customization 
• Asset Categorization
• China video delivery

Cons:

• Designed for education broadcasters, not business broadcasters

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:

Please contact Panopto for their custom pricing plans as these are not included in the company website. After establishing a contract, you have access to unlimited streaming and storage.

Panopto is a strong live stream option for educational broadcasters, with a free basic plan and an offerable pro plan for educational institutions.

9. Vidyard

Overview and Company History:

Vidyard is an all-in-one video platform that helps businesses professionally share videos. The company offers packages focused on marketing, sales, and corporate communications. These additional offerings make it a superior Livestream alternative.

Basic Functionality:

Vidyard is a video hosting solution that is geared towards generating revenue. 

Key Features:

• Engagement boosting tools
• Video SEO
• Tools for organization and customization
• Insightful video analytics
• Robust video security features

Pros:

• Supportive user community
• Reliable tech support
• Multitude of features
• In-depth analytics and reporting

Cons:

• Inconsistent user experience
• Complicated backend portal
• No support for China video delivery

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 360p (480 x 360)
• Maximum dimension: 4k (3840 x 2160)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size:5GB to 16GB (depends on the plan)
• Max video length: 1 hour (live stream)
• Total file storage: Not available
• Compatible video formats: WEBM, MP4, MKV, MOV

Pricing:

Vidyard offers pricing plans for broadcasters with a wide range of budgets: 

• Free Forever: Free
• Pro Package: $19/month; comes with password protection and marketing tools
• Plus package: $59/month: Includes video captions and folder management and team performance analytics
• Business Package: Custom pricing; access for 5 or more users; custom integrations, customizable CTAs, priority support
• All enterprise pricing packages are custom priced.

Vidyard is great if you need a Livestream studio alternative with a large focus on marketing. 

10. Wowza

Overview and Company History:

Wowza is a Livestream alternative that offers multiple tiers of support for streaming. What makes it unique is that it has options for broadcasters who are looking to take the self-hosted approach. This feature-rich platform provides a customizable experience, and it is another long-time player in the broadcasting arena with beginnings back in 2005.

Basic Functionality:

Wowza offers two main broadcasting products. The first is a software called Wowza Streaming Engine. This product is widely used in the industry for self-hosted streaming. 

The second is the Wowza Streaming Cloud which is a broadcasting service. This functionality includes a variety of features aimed at providing low-latency content access to global audiences.

Key Features:

• Streaming up to 4K
• Wide range of security options
• Unified streaming solution
• White-label video player
• Mobile-compatible video player
• Reliable support 
• RESTful API access

• Live stream recording
• Cloud management portal

Pros:

• Audience engagement tools
• Performance monitoring and analytics
• Reliable video security
• Video Looping
• China video delivery

Cons:

• No simulcasting support
• No monetization options
• Single source feeds only
• No tools for event scheduling

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 240p (320 x 240)
• Maximum dimension: 4K (3840 x 2160) 
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max file size: Not available
• Max video length: Not available
• Total file storage: 250 GB (depends on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4, FLV, MP3, SMIL, AMLST, ID3, NGRP

Pricing:

Wowza Streaming Cloud offers three distinct pricing plans and services. Within Live Event Pricing, monthly plans include:

Wowza Video (cloud streaming)

• Pay as you go: $25/month; three month minimum with additional fees for usage
• Basic: $99/month and includes 20 hours of live streaming and 1,000 viewing hours based on a video resolution of 720p
• One Month Event: $149 one-time purchase and includes 15 hours of live streaming and 500 viewing hours also at 720p, pay for storage as needed
• Enterprise: Custom pricing, annual plans available, 24/7 real-time streaming at scale, discounted rates on hours and storage

All of these Live Event plans include full brand control, multi-bitrate streaming, and HD and UHD streaming.

The Wowza Streaming Engine has its own pricing plan packages. These professional-grade streaming plans are billed annually and include:

• Basic: $195/month + $195/month for each additional instance 
• One Month Event: $295/month + $295/month for each additional instance 
• Enterprise: Please contact Wowza directly for access to their custom-tailored high volume enterprise solutions

We urge you to check out the bandwidth calculator from Wowza to see which plan suits your streaming needs.

If you need 4K livestreaming, Wowza is a strong alternative to Livestream Studio. 

11. StreamYard

Overview and Company History:

StreamYard is a Livestream alternative that uses in-browser streaming technology that is suitable for broadcasters with minimal live streaming needs. Aside from the in-browser streaming, StreamYard is known for its brand customization tools.

Since StreamYard is relatively basic, it is pretty easy to use this platform and great for beginners.

Basic Functionality:

StreamYard is a video streaming platform that uses in-browser technology. It is for improving audience engagement and increasing brand awareness.

StreamYard only supports live streaming and does not support VOD hosting.

Key Features:

• In-browser streaming
• Live streaming
• Brand customization
• Graphic overlays
• Simulcasting support
• Multiple-source streaming 
• Screen recording  

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Great for beginners
• Improves viewer engagement
• Great for collaborative streams

Cons:

• Basic platform 
• No monetization support
• No VOD hosting 
• Some limitations on 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
• Basic: $20/month
• 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.

StreamYard is a great alternative streaming platform for beginners. 

12. Hippo Video

Overview and Company History:

Hippo Video is a Livestream alternative that offers special support for specific broadcasting user cases, including marketing, sales, education, and more.

This company has plans for broadcasters with a wide range of budgets. Aside from video hosting, Hippo Video is equipped with tools for video editing and creation.

Basic Functionality:

Hippo Video supports live and on-demand video streaming for professionals.

Key Features:

• Live streaming
• VOD hosting 
• Video editing tools
• Brand customization 
• Marketing streaming tools
• Screen recording
• Video transcoding
• Closed captioning
• Collaboration tools

Pros:

• Video editing and creation tools
• Customization tools
• Marketing tools (including CTAs)
• Video analytics
• Screen recording
• Variety of hosting tools

Cons:

• Some complaints about tech support
• Complaints of bugginess
• Some glitches in the built-in editor
• The free trial can be misleading

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 480p
• Maximum dimension: 1080p
• Aspect ratio: not available
• Max file size: 3 GB
• Max video length: 5 minutes on Free plans, 2 hours on Premium plans
• Total file storage: n/a
• Compatible video formats: not available

Pricing:

Hippo Video has a complex pricing structure since it offers a variety of solutions for different use cases. Here’s a breakdown of pricing for the most popular categories billed on an annual basis:

Sales

• Free: $0, 2 video flows, 10 minutes closed captions, 5 video- AI editor, 2 sales page templates
• Pro: $20/user/month; 5 video flows, 30 minutes closed captions, 10 video AI editor, 5 sales page templates
• Teams: $60/month; 15 video flows, 200 minutes closed captions, 50 video AI editor, 15 sales page templates
• Enterprise: $89/month; Minimum 10 seats, unlimited video flows, closed captions, video AI editor, and sales page templates. Contact Hippo Video to learn more

Marketing

• Starter: $23/month; 1 GB file size limit; 30 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Pro: $49/month; 2 GB file size limit; 60 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth 
• Growth: $99/month; 3 GB file size limit; 120 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth

Support

• Starter: $10/month; 1 GB file size limit; 30 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Pro: $29/month; 2 GB file size limit; 60 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Growth: $49/month; 3 GB file size limit; 120 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth

Team Communications

• Starter: $4/month; 1 GB file size limit; 30 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Pro: $15/month; 2 GB file size limit; 60 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth
• Growth: $23/month; 3 GB file size limit; 120 minute video length limit; white-label streaming; 200GB of bandwidth

Other Solutions

• Education: Free to $9/month OR $1/user
• Personalization: Starting at $109/month + fees
• Recorder API: Contact Hippo Video for a custom quote

Hippo Video also has special pricing plans for Personalization and Education. Users can contact Hippo Video directly for recorder API pricing.

If you are ready to navigate through Hippo Video’s complex pricing structure, it can be one of the strong alternatives to Livestream. 

13. Cincopa

Overview and Company History:

Cincopa is a Livestream alternative that offers multimedia hosting support. This platform is geared towards organizations that need help storing different types of content. Cincopa also offers support for live streaming in addition to the media hosting tools.

This platform is equipped with a variety of features that broadcasters need for a professional streaming experience. Some of these features include video monetization, stream recording, OTT streaming, powerful content delivery, and more.

Cincopa also offers support for integrations to allow broadcasters to fully customize their streaming experience. 

Basic Functionality:

Cincopa supports different types of media hosting, including video, audio, and images, and live streaming. 

Key Features:

• Multimedia hosting
• Live streaming 
• Reliable video player
• Video monetization tools
• Integrations and customizations
• OTT streaming
• CDN partnerships for reliable content delivery
• Secure streaming

Pros:

• High-quality streaming
• Unified streaming solution 
• Wide range of powerful tools
• Customizable streaming
• Reliable customer support 

Cons:

• Live streaming is a secondary offering
• Limited media storage on most plans

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 three different pricing plans, including:

• 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.

Cincopa is great if you need somewhere to not just host video content, but audio and image content as well. 

14. Wistia

Overview and Company History:

Broadcasters who are looking for a Livestream alternative that focuses on VOD hosting should consider Wistia. This platform is a scalable video hosting service that is well-suited for broadcasters who expect to grow their streaming operations.

Wistia is a great tool for video marketing. The platform’s CTAs, annotation links, and email features are among its top-selling points. It is also equipped with custom players that allow you to add your logos and branding.

Basic Functionality:

Wistia’s basic functionality is on-demand video hosting. This platform does not support live streaming.

Key Features:

• Video hosting and management
• Custom video players
• Easy embedding
• Interactive video tools
• Ad-free streaming
• Channels for organization
• “Up Next” feature
• Subscription tools
• CRM integrations
• Video analytics and reporting
• Video SEO

Pros:

• Tools for brand customization
• Powerful analytics
• Features to improve viewer engagement 
• Automated video SEO
• Reliable tech support

Cons:

• Some complaints about glitchiness with customization tools
• No live streaming
• No China delivery

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimensions: None
• Maximum dimensions: Maximum of 4K (3840 x 2160)
• Supported aspect ratios: Any
• Maximum file size: 8 GB
• Maximum video length: 2 hours
• Total file storage: Up to 10 videos with the Pro plan, $0.25 per month for every extra video
• Accepted video formats: MP4 (recommended format), .MOV, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP

Pricing:

Wistia has three pricing plans, including:

• Free: No cost to use; up to 10 videos; cannot remove Wistia’s branding from the video player
• Plus: $19/month, 20 free videos with additional videos for $2/each; white-label video player
• Pro: $79/month; 50 free videos with additional videos for $0.25/each; white-label video player
• Advanced: $319/month; 250 free videos with additional videos for $0.5/each; multiple channels
• Premium: Custom pricing, 1,000 free videos with additional videos for $0.25/each

15. Uscreen

Overview and Company History:

Uscreen is a Livestream alternative that has a special focus on OTT technology. This platform is specifically designed for hosting and delivering professional-grade streams.

Broadcasters can use Uscreen to stream both live and on-demand video content.

Basic Functionality:

Uscreen is primarily used for marketing and educational content.

Key Features:

• Live streaming 
• VOD hosting
• OTT technology 
• Tools for marketing
• Powerful video analytics
• Tools for engagement 
• Fee-based video monetization
• Secure streaming

Pros:

• Simple but comprehensive interface 
• Reliable streaming and delivery
• Time-saving automation tools
• Powerful video management 

Cons:

• Some complaints about the user interface
• Unreliable customer support

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Recommended dimensions: 1080p/2k or smaller
• Supported aspect ratios: 
• Maximum file size: 13 GB
• Maximum video length: 
• Total file storage: 3000, 7500, 7500+ minutes
• Accepted video formats: MP4 (Recommended)

Pricing:

Uscreen has three different annual pricing plans,  for broadcasting, including: 

Growth:

• $199/month + $1.99 per paid subscriber per month
• Supports up to 1 hour of live streaming and a Netflix-style video catalog
• 100 hours of video storage
• Includes 1 admin user
• Email support

Pro:

• $599/month + 0.99 per paid subscriber per month
• Supports up to 10 hours of live streaming and a Netflix-style video catalog
• Community of up to 5 channels
• Your own mobile app
• 150 hours of video storage
• Email and chat support

Uscreen Plus:

• Interested users must request a quote from Uscreen
• Custom live streaming packages
• White-label branding
• TV streaming apps
• API Access

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Livestream?

Livestream is a premium video hosting and live streaming platform owned by Vimeo. However, unlike Vimeo’s standard plans, Livestream is more suited for professional broadcasters. It has more robust features, great security, and customer support compared to most free tools. 

This makes it a go-to tool for professional content creators and B2B businesses in the industry, such as companies with bigger streaming needs and more advanced broadcasters.

2. Is there a free alternative to Vimeo?

There are several video hosting platforms that you can choose in place of Vimeo if you’re looking for a budget-friendly streaming solution. Some of these include YouTube, Facebook Live, Instagram Live, and Daily Motion. 

However, these platforms do not guarantee a similar level of quality streaming as they’re not geared towards a professional audience. So if you’re looking for a professional broadcasting tool, paid options such as Dacast, Wistia, and StreamShark may be preferable.

3. Why should you look for Livestream alternatives?

While Livestream is a great option for many professional broadcasters, it has its shortcomings that may make it unsuitable for some. Here are a few reasons to look for Livestream alternatives.

• The cost of Livestream may be too high for users on a budget
• Compared to some white-label streaming platforms, Livestream customization features can be quite limited.
• Livestream’s plans have bandwidth limitations that may affect the quality of your live streams
• For businesses looking for advanced analytics for in-depth performance evaluation, Livestream’s analytics may be too basic.
• Livestream lacks the capacity to fully integrate with different marketing and customer relationship management tools
• The Livestream platform provides limited monetization options

4. Which platform is the best alternative to Vimeo Livestream? 

Here are some of the top alternatives to Vimeo Livestream that professional businesses can explore:

• Dacast 
• Brightcove
• StreamShark
• JW Player
• IBM Cloud Video 
• Kaltura
• Muvi
• Panopto
• Vidyard

5. What is the difference between YouTube and Vimeo?

Despite being well-known video hosting services, they cater to different audiences. Vimeo’s comprehensive analytics, greater privacy options, and ad-free viewing experience make it a popular choice among professionals and businesses. YouTube, on the other hand, is more widely used, has a higher user base, and offers greater visibility, and social sharing opportunities.

Final Thoughts

Livestream is a great streaming platform, but it is not for everybody. There are several live streaming platforms available that serve as viable Livestream alternatives. Each of these options is unique in its specific feature offerings and price points.

When it comes to choosing the best live streaming platform for your business, we recommend making a list of your broadcasting goals and identifying which features you need to reach those goals. Taking advantage of free trials is a great way to test the waters.

Not sure where to start? Sign up for a free trial of Dacast to access our platform risk-free for 14 days. You can start streaming in minutes. No credit card is required.

Get Started For Free