Top 15 Livestream Alternatives: Everything You Need to Know in 2025

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
• Comparing the 15 Best Livestream Alternatives in 2025
• 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:

• User Base: Vimeo has approximately 287 million users worldwide.
• Paying Subscribers: Around 1.5 million users subscribe to Vimeo’s various self-serve and enterprise plans.
• Global Reach: Vimeo is available in over 190 countries, with 70% of its users located outside the United States.
• Market Share: Vimeo holds 4.1% of the online video streaming market.
• Top Referrers: The leading referral sites to Vimeo content are Patreon, Linktree, and GitHub.

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:

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

Pricing if billed monthly, is as follows:

• Free: $0/month; 1 GB storage, creation and editing, screen recording
• Starter: $20/month; 100 GB storage, auto closed captioning, custom URLs and video player, privacy tools
• Standard: $41/month; 1 TB storage, engagement and social analytics, AI script generator, teleprompter, brand kit
• Advanced: $108/month; 5 TB storage, stream to multiple destinations, host live broadcasts and webinars, AI-generated chapters and text summaries
• Enterprise: Custom pricing; more storage and bandwidth, advanced AI capabilities, quality events, dedicated support

Vimeo is great if you want to maximize the usage of your content by turning your live streams into VOD content. 

VIMEO OTT

Vimeo’s OTT solution is priced separately from the regular Vimeo packages. There are two plans: Starter and Enterprise.

• Starter Pricing: $1/subscriber per month
• Enterprise Pricing: Please contact Vimeo for custom pricing information

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

• Vimeo is simple to use, even if you are not a techie. They offer low-budget options so that small organizations can use the platform as easily as larger organizations. At the same time, the interface is very professional.
  • User-friendly interface with simple navigation
  • Great in-class security and privacy settings
  • Good video playback quality
  • You can embed your live stream video using this cloud streaming platform on your website.

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.

Comparing the 15 Best Livestream Alternatives in 2025

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:

Dacast is a unified streaming platform for broadcasters that offers VOD and live streaming services. It has a wide spread of powerful, full OTT content and technology features that are well-suited for professional broadcasters. This platform is  password protected and easy to use to  distribute video content to viewers around the world securely.

Key Features: 

• Monetization tools (SVOD,  AVOD), and  pay-per-view (TVOD)
• White label and branding control
• Adaptive bitrate streaming to allow multiple streams with varying bitrates
• RTMP Encoder for ingesting  HLS streaming
• Low latency HTML5 channels for video streaming
• Live encoding support for the top video encoders
• Zoom live streaming integration
• Expo galleries video portal
• Unlimited viewers and live channels
• Video security tools for secure streaming
• Global content delivery with strategic CDN partnerships
• Multi-bitrate streaming
• Player API and  Video API access
• 24/7 tech support

New!

• M3U8 file creation capability to enable adaptive streaming delivery of OTT video content across various devices
• Multistreaming capabilities for simulcasting to multiple platforms at once
• Fully integrated RTMP streaming platform features
• AES encryption for secure video streaming
• 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:

• VOD and live stream video hosting
• Real-time analytics
• Ad-free streaming
• Wide range of privacy and security tools
• Mobile device support
• Live stream recording
• China Video Hosting
• Plans for every budget

Cons:

• A large range of features require a bit of an initial 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)
• 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:

• Starter: $39/month billed annually (includes 2.4 TB bandwidth and 500 GB storage)
• Event: $63/month billed annually (includes 6 TB bandwidth and 250 GB storage)
• Scale: $165/month billed annually (includes 24 TB bandwidth and 2 TB storage)
• Custom: contact sales for custom pricing plans

2. Brightcove

Overview and Company History:

Founded in 2004, Boston-based Brightcove is one of the oldest online video platforms in-game. Its product offerings focus on cloud encoding, live streaming, and VOD (video on demand) hosting.

Brightcove entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Bending Spoons, an Italian software company, for $4.45 per share in a deal valued at $233 million. This acquisition, announced in November 2024, aims to strengthen Brightcove’s platform and expand its technological offerings.

Basic Functionality:

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

Key Features:

Brightcove’s features shine in the arena of analytics. Its detailed analytics and video marketing tools are quite valuable for businesses that aim to capture leads and understand their audience.

The online live streaming company also gives you multiple monetization options if you intend to launch an OTT service and earn from it. You also get detailed analytics into the performance of your live streams, which can help you determine if you need to change your distribution channels and strategies.

Detailed Features:

• Multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming
• Global content delivery
• Tech support, but only at a basic level with slow ticket-based responses (unless you upgrade to a paid support plan)
• Video API access, but only on custom-priced plans
• Security features, but with high-end features only available on custom plans
• Monetization options, but only on custom-priced plans

Pros:

• Good analytics
• Includes custom video portals
• CRM integration

Cons:

• High price point
• No live streaming with packages under  $499/month
• 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 builds custom pricing plans to suit enterprise streaming needs. Please contact their sales department to find out the pricing structure for their live streaming features. 

Here is what we currently know about their pricing structure:

• Basic Plan: Starts at $99 per user per month, which includes core video hosting and management functionalities. This plan is well-suited for businesses with basic video needs, such as small content libraries or internal communications​.
• Enterprise-Level Plans: These plans are highly customizable and include advanced features such as live streaming, in-depth analytics, security options, and robust integrations. Pricing is tailored depending on the specific needs of the business, including audience size, storage requirements, and additional services like video monetization and support​.
• Customization Costs: Enterprises may face additional expenses for features like platform customization, data migration, employee training, and ongoing maintenance. These costs can range from a few thousand dollars to significantly more, depending on the complexity of the requirements​.

Free Trial: Brightcove offers a free trial for prospective users to test its features before committing to a subscription, which is a helpful option for evaluating its capabilities in real-world scenarios.

3. StreamShark

Overview and Company History:

Founded in 2011 from research out of the University of Melbourne, StreamShark is another of the best live streaming platforms for pros providing multi-faceted online video functionality. StreamShark is a business wing of MetaCDN. This means that the platform specializes in fast and innovative content delivery.

Basic Functionality:

As a streaming service, this company offers a consumer-grade (B2C) platform and a distinct enterprise platform for streaming. StreamShark is a technology company with reliable video stream delivery expertise for global reach. It excels at making the live streams of large-scale, high-profile events a massive success, with viewers having an exceptional viewing experience.  It is a great live event streaming platform.

Key Features:

Their live event platform offers users the ability to efficiently and reliably manage the different phases of an event’s stream while ensuring maximum reach and reliability of the live stream via its multi-vendor approach and HLS ingests. Additionally, the company focuses overall on providing global video CDN services. If you have a global audience you need to reach, it is one of the top live streaming platforms. 

With the Enterprise package, your business can access advanced features such as peer-to-peer delivery to reduce bandwidth load on corporate networks when conducting a live stream for employees. They also offer end-to-end encryption and 360-degree 4K streams.

Detailed Features:

• Global coverage via a multi-CDN network
• Mobile-compatibility
• Detailed viewer reports
• Customizable live streaming video player
• Privacy controls
• Advertising and customer support
• Multi-CDN

Pros:

• Localized media ingestion
• Video Encoding
• Redistribution
• Increased storage space

Cons:

• No Channel support
• No embeddable playlists
• Fair to no video analytics
• 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; 500 GB of VOD storage an additional overage of $0.10 per GB
• Team: $499/month; includes 4,000 GB of bandwidth; 2,000 GB of storage, and lowers per GB overage prices to $0.09 per GB
• Business: $999/month; includes 9,000 GB of bandwidth; 5,000 GB of storage, and reduces the overage to $0.08 per GB
• Enterprise: Please contact StreamShark for their custom enterprise solutions. These plans include 4k streams, white-glove stream monitoring, enterprise viewer home page, single sign-on SSO support and more.

StreamShark caters both to small and medium size businesses with their monthly live streaming package, and to large corporations that need to host big corporate events. They offer a range of online live streaming packages for businesses.

4. IBM Cloud Video

Overview and Company History:

IBM Cloud Video is another competitor worth mentioning in our best OTT platforms comparison. This broadcasting platform is part of IBM, which is a leader in the technological world. IBM Cloud Video offers video hosting for both live and on-demand content.

One previous setback of IBM Cloud Video was that the OTT broadcasting platform did not offer monetization options. However, they have recently added these tools, making it an acceptable solution for broadcasters who aim to generate revenue with their content.

The ability to support 4K video streaming also makes it a great platform if you want to deliver a great user experience.

Key Features:

• Powerful video analytics
• Tools for boosting user engagement (including polling)
• Auto-archiving
• Powerful content delivery
• Tools for video monetization

Pros: 

• Tools suited for business use
• Customer support
• Hong Kong video hosting

Cons:

• Extra fees for streaming at high resolution
• Limited tools for accessibility (minimal 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 pricing plans range from $137 to $1380 per month and include the following:

• Start Trial – Video Streaming: Give it a free test drive for 30 days
• Silver: Affordable Essentials, 100 viewer hours, 5 channels, 1 TB video storage, starting at $145/month
• Gold: Standard business features, 2,000 viewer hours, 10 channels, 2 TB video storage, starting at $729/month
• Platinum: Premium Volume scale, 5,000 viewer hours, 20 channels, 5 TB video storage, starting at $1,460/month
• Custom: Please contact IBM Cloud video for custom plan pricing as well as payment plans

5. JW Player

Overview and Company History:

JW Player is most well-known for its popular video player. The code for this video player was used as part of the first YouTube video player code. However, they recently launched a live streaming service as well.  JW Player includes a full suite of powerful tools, including an HTML5 video player that supports the latest technologies such as the MPEG-DASH protocol, multi-bitrate streaming, simulcast to Facebook Live, DRM, and more.

Additionally, JW Player provides complete customization on its plans and gives a 30-day free trial so you can get a feel of it before choosing it as your top online broadcasting platform.

Key Features:

• Global content delivery
• Video API access with all plans
• Ad-based monetization
• Multi-bitrate and adaptive streaming
• Some technical support is available

Pros:

• High-quality video player
• Clean user-interface

Cons:

• Limited monetization options (Only supports AVOD)
• Limited tech support
• No China 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: Not available
• Total file storage: 25GB to 500GB (depending on the plan)
• Compatible video formats: MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV, 3GP, FLV

Pricing:

JW Player essentially offers 4 pricing tiers:

• Stream: This plan offers video delivery, asset management, instant and broadcast live
• Play: This plan offers cloud hosting, HTML5 Player, OTT apps, and mobile SDKs
• Engage: Take advantage of real-time analytics, recommendations, article matching, and custom reports
• Monetize: Use tools like ad insertion, player bidding, outstream ads, and studio DRM

6. Kaltura

Overview and Company History:

Kaltura is open-source software that offers a unique OTT streaming technology platform that focuses on  educational institutions. It is perfect for hosting large content libraries and delivering it with a branded video player. What makes Kaltura’s OTT service unique is that it is customizable thanks to various integrations. Kaltura also provides cloud-based hosting and streaming services as a base for these customizations. With its open-source foundation, Kaltura is highly customizable and extensible. Companies can build their own integrations and add-ons to meet specific needs.

That said, while Kaltura is a top online broadcasting platform, it falls behind in terms of user friendliness. It’s slightly complicated to use and has a long learning curve, making it inaccessible to beginners. 

Key Features:

• Multi-bitrate and adaptive video streaming
• Monetization options (SVOD, AVOD, and TVOD) via integrations
• Powerful security features
• Total video and player API access

Pros:

• Completely customizable
• Very few limits on features thanks to integrations
• Well-suited for advanced broadcasters

Cons:

• The “pay-as-you-go” structure often makes it more expensive to use
• Complicated platform
• Not cut out for beginner broadcasters
• Slow-to-respond tech support

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 180p (320 x 180)
• Maximum dimension: 1080p (1920 x 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:

Prices are based on the solutions you’re looking for. These billed monthly plans include: 

Webinars:

• Limited trial: $1 for two webinars
• Business: $199/month (or $150/month when billed annually)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Virtual classroom:

• Free trial: 14 days; up to 25 participants per session
• Basic: $19/month (or $17/month when billed annually); up to 8 participants per session and 8 hrs of cloud recording
• Pro: $55/month (or $50/month when billed annually); up to 25 participants per session and 15 hrs of cloud recording
• Business: $125/month (or $115/month when billed annually); up to 100 participants per session and up to 25 hrs of cloud recording
• Business Plus: Custom pricing for up to 300 participants per session, unlimited sessions and custom storage needs

Media Services:

• Annual discounts: Discounted pricing packages available for any scale and use-case, enterprise SLA, and developer support
• Limited trial account: $1 for $100 worth of credits for 30 days for testing and experimentation, with no commitments
• Pay as you go – You pay only for what you use at these credit levels:
• Base plan: $20 one-time annual fee + monthly usage fees

Other services include virtual events, video portal town halls, video messaging, meetings, and more.

7. Muvi

Overview and Company History:

As a comprehensive platform, Muvi makes it easy for businesses to launch their own branded video and audio streaming services. It caters to industries like entertainment, education, media, and enterprise. Centering on OTT media businesses, it offers end-to-end live and on-demand solutions. 

Their OTT multi-screen video streaming solution helps businesses launch white-label multi-device streaming options.

Key Features:

• Various monetization options
• HTML5 all-device video player
• Dashboard management CMS for naming and organizing content
• Support for video and audio streaming
• Various monetization options
• 24/7 support
• White-label platform
• Multi-device streaming options

Pros:

• Comprehensive monetization options
• High scalability and reliability
• 24/7 customer support
• No coding required
• User-friendly interface
• Strong security features

Cons:

• Advanced features come at a higher price
• Limited third-party integrations
• Steep learning curve for beginners

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 has a very wide spectrum of pricing plans divided in 7 categories, namely One, Live, Flex, Player SDK, Playout, TV, and Alie.

The pricing for the Muvi One category includes the following plans:

• Standard: $399/month
• Professional: $1,499/month
• Enterprise: $3,900/month
• Ultimate: Contact sales for price

Each plan has different features, such as the number of concurrent users, hosting options, and add-ons like the Alie recommendation engine.

The pricing breakdown for the Muvi Live plans is as followed:

• Standard: $99/month
• Professional: $299/month
• Enterprise: $799/month

Each plan includes unlimited events and meetings, Ad-free high quality Streaming, enterprise grade security, and custom branding.

Muvi Flex includes the following plans :

• Standard: $199/month
• Professional: $899/month
• Enterprise: $2,899/month

Each plan includes unlimited content and views, with varying features like the number of concurrent users, hosting options, and customization availability.

The Muvi Player SDK pricing includes the following:

• Pay as You Go: $0/month + $0.001 per view (first 100 views are free)
• Enterprise: $499/month + $0.001 per view (first 100,000 views are free each month). You’ll also need to pay $99/month for each additional platform.

Muvi Playout includes the following plans:

• Standard: $199/month
• Professional: $499/month
• Enterprise: $1,999/month

These plans differ in features such as the number of concurrent viewers, channels, and customization options. The Enterprise plan also offers dedicated servers.

The Muvi TV pricing category has only one Standard plan. You’ll have to pay  $9/month and an additional 9% flat commission on content sales. This plan supports global distribution, and features include unlimited content, views, and the ability to publish and monetize quickly.

And the seventh and last category is Muvi Alie which includes the following plans:

• Standard: $199/month
• Professional: $899/month
• Enterprise: $1,499/month

These plans differ in features such as ingestion features, training and recommendation requests.

8. Panopto

Overview and Company History:

Panopto started in 2007 and is now a highly specialized cloud video streaming solution with over 5 million users worldwide. It’s mostly geared toward businesses and universities in the online learning space.

It easily combines live streaming, video management, and on-demand access capabilities. What helps it stand out is its deep integration with many LMSs. Panopto’s ability to provide a mobile-ready solution makes it particularly appealing for learners and employees who need access to content while on the go

Basic Functionality:

Panoptos is best for internal use and is meant to integrate with most learning management systems. The platform has plenty of data protection measures, such as access control, user permissions, and region-specific cloud infrastructure.

Key Features:

• Video cloud solutions
• Live streaming and recording
• Video content management
• Mobile-ready solution
• Lecture-capture and video-search software
• Video analytics
• Access control & security features
• White-label streaming
• Integration with LMS systems
• APIs for further integrations
• Seamless integration with learning management systems
• Switch between slides and webcam
• Good features organize your live streams into specific lectures/ files after the stream ends
• Session recording and creating videos for watching on-demand

Pros:

• Panopto offers custom branding, allowing you to create a video player that reflects your brand
• They have regional cloud infrastructure, allowing for strong storage support
• They offer China video hosting
• You can update user permissions during or after the live broadcast without damaging the video link or other issues
• Videos automatically upload to the folder they need to be in if you’ve selected the source before. You don’t have to manually input the settings or choose the playlist for each live video. It saves the teacher’s time and makes things easy for students.
• The mobile app is a handy tool for all age groups

Cons:

• No version control
• No SEO management
• Steep learning curve
• Responding to questions from your audience can be complex if you’re live-streaming and presenting at the same time
• Editing tools are subpar compared to other cloud streaming services

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 240p (426 x 240)
• Maximum dimension: 4K (3840 x 2160)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9, 4:3
• Max video length: Information not available
• Total file storage: Information not available
• Compatible video formats: AVI, MP4, MPG, WMV, MOV, QT, ASF, 3GP, WMA, MP3, M4V, and more.

Pricing:

Please contact Panopto for their custom pricing plans as these are not included in the company website. You can also schedule a demo before committing. 

After establishing a contract, you have access to unlimited streaming and storage. However, this aspect may represent a potential downside for some streamers as Panopto does not handle any external-facing video content.

9. Vidyard

Overview and Company History:

Vidyard is an all-in-one streaming video provider built for businesses. They offer three major packages: marketing, sales, and corporate communications. Vidyard’s hosting services are meant to help businesses put out their videos in a professional manner and to help them take advantage of being a business operating in a growingly digital world.

Key Features:

• Marketing tools (SEO, lead generation, email capture)
• Tools that promote viewer engagement
• Advanced video content management
• Gold-standard security

Pros:

• Tools for an advanced broadcasting experience
• Powerful video analytics
• Reliable technical support

Cons:

• Inconsistent positive user reviews
• 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 (depending on the plan)
• Max video length: 1 hour (live stream)
• Total file storage: Not available
• Compatible video formats: WEBM, MP4, MKV, MOV

Pricing:

Vidyard prices its platform based on the use case and includes the following packages:

Packages for Individuals and Teams:

• Free: $0/month; limited video recording, up to 30 minutes video recording length
• Plus: $59/month, billed annually; Unlimited video recording, hosting, and recording lengths
• Business: Custom pricing, with add-ons available

Check out Vidyard’s pricing plans for more information.

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:

• Cloud transcoding
• Support for live streaming and VOD
• White-label video player
• All-device streaming with an HTML5 video player
• API access available
• Reliable customer support

Pros:

• Brand customization tools
• Auto-archiving
• Powerful video CMS
• Ultra HD streaming (4K)
• Wide range of security options

Cons:

• No simulcasting tools
• No support for video monetization
• No reliable video analytics tools

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 offers two main tiers: Streaming Cloud and Streaming Engine.

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

• Pay As You Go: $0 per month only pay for usage at a rate of $2.50 per streaming hour and $0.10 per viewer hour
• One Month of Streaming: $149 one-time purchase; includes 15 hours of live streaming and 500 viewing hours
• Plans built for your needs: Best for large audiences and large volume videos, but you should contact Wowza for custom pricing

All the Live Event plans reflect rates when paid monthly and include full brand control, multi-bitrate streaming, and UHD and HD streaming.

The Wowza Streaming Engine has its own professional-grade streaming plans billed annually and includes:

• Basic Monthly: $195/month with the first instance included (Additional instances $195)
• One Month Streaming: $295/month with the first instance included (Additional instances $295)

Enterprise Plans built for your needs: Best for large audiences and large volumes, but you should contact Wowza for custom pricing

11. StreamYard

Overview and Company History:

StreamYard, founded by Hopin, is an in-browser live streaming platform. This platform is relatively basic but will do the job for broadcasters with minimal live videos needs.

Since this platform is pretty basic, it is relatively easy to start streaming on StreamYard.

Basic Functionality:

StreamYard is a simple in-browser live broadcasting designed to improve audience engagement. StreamYard does not support on-demand streaming.

Key Features:

StreamYard uses in-browser streaming technology. This provides a wide range of functionality without any downloads necessary. The brand customization features on StreamYard are some of the most valuable.

You can also use the platform for multistreaming and directly stream to top platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Detailed Features:

• Custom branding
• Graphic overlays
• Simulcast to social media platforms
• Multiple on-screen presenters
• Screen sharing 
• Audience engagement tools

Pros:

• Simple to use
• Engaging
• Great for collaborative streams

Cons:

• Very basic platform 
• No monetization
• No VOD
• Limited browser compatibility 

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• StreamYard does not publish upload guidelines and specs.

Pricing:

StreamYard has changed its pricing plans as of late 2024. Here are the annual prices and what they include:

• Core: $431.88/month with unlimited viewers, streaming, and local recording, 2 seats, 3 multistreaming destinations, and more.
• Advanced: $827.88/month with unlimited viewers, streaming, and local recording, 4 seats, 8 multistreaming destinations, and more.
• Teams: $2,867.88/month with unlimited viewers, streaming, and local recording, 10 seats, 8 multistreaming destinations, and more.

StreamYard is great for businesses without a dedicated IT team to support live streaming events. There is no need for additional software or to download anything. They offer unique branding, with the ability to add your logo, colors, overlays, images, and GIFs to the video player. Up to 10 different people can broadcast at once, and they support audience interactions. 

12. Hippo Video

Overview and Company History:

As a video engagement platform, Hippo Video allows marketing and sales teams to connect via hyper-video and DIY in-video personalization. Teams can easily record, edit, and share marketing videos and implement custom workflows for email campaigns, marketing, sales, and customer support processes. 

Using the CTA and lead generation forms, teams can generate more leads. Its hyper-video personalization allows customizing elements of thumbnails, CTAs, sales pages, etc. Hippo Video easily integrates with CRM, third-party sales, and marketing platforms. 

Key Features:

• Video creation and editing
• Screen recording and teleprompter
• Integrations
• Video personalization
• Hosting and sharing

Pros:

• Intuitive and user-friendly interface
• Comprehensive video tools
• Seamless sales integration
• AI-driven tools
• Versatile use case
• Detailed analytics

Cons:

• Not the most affordable option
• Limited advanced editing features
• Limited storage capacity
• Learning curve for some features

Upload Guidelines and Specs:

• Minimum dimension: 480p
• Maximum dimension: 1080p
• Max file size: 3 GB
• Max video length: Depending on the chosen plan
• Total file storage: Limited, depending on the plan

Pricing:

Hippo Video’s pricing structure offers a variety of solutions for different use cases. Here’s a breakdown of their pricing:

• Free: $0; includes 2 video flows, 10 minutes of closed captions, 5 videos – AI editor, 2 sales page templates
• Pro: $20/month; includes 5 video flows, 30 minutes of closed captions, 10 videos – AI editor, 5 sales page templates
• Teams: $60/month; includes 15+ video flows, 200 minutes of closed captions, 50 videos – AI editor, 15 sales page templates
• Enterprise: $80/month; includes unlimited video flows, unlimited minutes of closed captions, unlimited videos – AI editor, unlimited sales page templates

Text-to-Video is the second pricing category offered by Hippo Video that includes the following plans:

• Free: For $0 you get 3 video downloads, single-user workspace, AI trust and safety, and Pay-as-you-go ($5 for each video creation).
• Starter: $24/month/user. It’s designed for individuals creating videos and includes 10 video downloads, single-user workspace, AI trust and safety, and Pay-as-you-go ($5 for each video creation).
• Creator: For $69/month/user, individuals and teams scaling video content creation will get unlimited video downloads, multi-user workspace, and video translation.
• Enterprise: Users of this plan can produce studio-quality content with enterprise-grade security. Contact the Hippo sales team to get a customized plan and price.

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

13. Cincopa

Overview and Company History:

Cincopa is a multimedia hosting platform that large organizations use to store their content. In addition to media hosting, Cincopa offers all of the tools that broadcasters need to host high-quality  live streams.

Cincopa offers plans for different budgets. The range of pricing offerings, paired with the flexible functionality of this platform makes it a great tool for many different kinds of broadcasters.

Basic Functionality:

Cincopa’s primary purpose is hosting different types of media files, including video, audio, and images. However, this platform also supports live streaming. 

Key Features:

Cincopa provides all of the features that broadcasters need for a professional streaming experience, including video monetization, stream recording, OTT streaming, powerful content delivery, and more.

Another perk of this streaming solution is that it supports integrations for a customizable streaming experience.

Detailed Features:

• Multimedia hosting
• Live streaming support 
• Powerful video player
• Video monetization
• Integrations for customization
• OTT streaming
• Reliable CDN partnerships
• Secure streaming

Pros:

• High-quality streaming
• Professional streaming experience
• Wide range of useful tools
• Customizable streaming
• Reliable customer support 

Cons:

• Live streaming is a secondary offering
• Some complaints of media storage limits

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:

• Plus: $25/month; 50 videos, 75 audio/podcast files, 1 TB monthly traffic
• Corporate: $99/month; 250 videos, 300 audio/podcast files, 2 TB monthly traffic
• Enterprise: $350/month; unlimited videos, audio/podcast files, and monthly traffic
• Custom Enterprise: Custom pricing; dedicated account manager, SSO

Contact Cincopa’s sales team for detailed information on the Custom Enterprise plan where you can optimize your media strategy as per your business growth.

Cincopa is an image and podcast hosting platform that supports live streaming. If you need all three of those video live streaming services in one place, they may be the right platform for your business.

14. Wistia

Overview and Company History:

Wistia was founded in 2008 as a video streaming platform focused primarily on marketing.

Its core business is that it provides a television-quality experience for its viewers that helps users grow their audiences. They are known for being the online video platform that puts users in control of their content.

The biggest limitation to this Brightcove alternative is that it does not offer live streaming functionality. That means that it is best suited for businesses that plan to use VOD exclusively.

Key Features:

• Support for marketing (SEO and engagement stimulators)
• Top-tier customer service
• CRM integrations for a streamlined broadcasting experience

Pros:

• Insightful video analytics
• Marketing team collaboration is possible thanks to CRM integrations
• Professional-looking video player

Cons:

• Limitations on brand customization
• 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 ($99 per month), $0.25 per month for every extra video
• Accepted video formats: MP4 (recommended format), .MOV, .AVI, .WMV, .FLV, .MKV, 3GPP

Pricing:

Wistia has five pricing plan tiers, with a 20% discount when billed annually:

• • Free: No cost to use; up to 250 subscribers and 3 videos; cannot remove Wistia’s branding from the video player; 15 minutes maximum webcam recording time
  • Plus: $19/month; 30 minutes maximum webcam recording time; video SEO; option to remove Wisita branding; $2.00 for extra media costs
  • Pro: $79/month; 60 minutes maximum webcam recording time; supports up to five channels; $1.00 for extra media costs; Google analytics integration; white-label video player
  • Advanced: $319/month; supports unlimited number of channels; A/B testing features; live chat and priority support; $0.50 for extra media costs; 60 minutes screen and webcam recording time
  • Enterprise: there are also business solutions with custom pricing; supports an unlimited number of users; 60 minutes screen and webcam recording time; $0.25 for extra media costs; custom pricing for live event additional costs

15. Uscreen

Overview and Company History:

Founded in 2014 by Pejman (PJ) Taei, Uscreen is headquartered in North Bethesda, Maryland. The company has experienced significant growth since its inception, serving over 11,000 video creators who collectively generate hundreds of millions in revenue annually. As of recent reports, Uscreen supports more than 9.2 million end-users worldwide.

Basic Functionality:

Uscreen is a unified streaming platform that supports live and on-demand streaming, OTT video delivery and a comprehensive suite of tools for video creators, including branded mobile and TV applications, a user-friendly interface, and various monetization options such as subscriptions, one-time purchases, and pay-per-view. The platform is equipped with all the tools that organizations need to host and deliver educational content, whether it be training videos for enterprises or online courses for schools.

Uscreen has streaming for businesses that want to host an online training platform. Community-related tools are helpful for internal use.

Key Features:

The Uscreen platform supports private video streaming with top-notch security tools to protect content, while providing seamless live and VOD (video-on-demand) hosting. Its customizable HTML5 video player ensures a branded and user-friendly viewing experience. Additionally, Uscreen includes specialized tools for marketing, robust video insights and analytics to track performance, and monetization tools that enable creators to generate revenue through subscriptions, pay-per-view, and one-time purchases.

Detailed Features:

• OTT streaming
• Tools for marketing
• Powerful video analytics
• Community-building features
• Fee-based video monetization
• Lecture-capture and video-search software
• Access control & security features
• White-label streaming
• Integration with LMS systems; APIs  for further integrations.

Pros:

• Simple but comprehensive platform
• Reliable platform
• Time-saving tools
• Powerful video management

Cons:

• Some complaints about the user interface
• Slow 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 pricing plans for broadcasting. The pricing below reflects rates when billed monthly and include:

• Growth: $199/month
• App Essentials: $599/month
• Build Your Own: Custom pricing

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.

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