The 10 Best Multistreaming Platforms in 2024: A Comparison

Live streaming continues to grow and shows no signs of stopping. People love a live stream. Recent numbers show how live streaming accounts for a massive 23% of total viewing time globally. Furthermore, it’s estimated that the market will grow to more than $3 billion by 2027. That’s a compound annual growth rate of 21.2%. With this drive comes increased benefits for those who set up live streams for their audiences.

However, this surge in live streaming means more businesses, professionals and individuals are getting in on the game. The market is becoming increasingly saturated by the day. Viewers have a larger body of live streams to watch and for streamers, more competition. This means that to succeed in live streaming, you must operate using the best methods for maximum reach.

Multistreaming, multi–destination streaming, or simulcasting is one such method. This method allows you to stream on various video hosting and live streaming platforms simultaneously worldwide. With multistreaming, you can stream across multiple platforms simultaneously, such as LinkedIn, Twitch, and Mixcloud.

In this article, we’re going to discuss the best multistreaming platforms for a professional broadcasting experience. We’ll cover in detail what multistreaming is, how it works, and how you can benefit. 

Finally, we’ll compare the top 10 video hosting services available and help you choose the best method for multistreaming your content for the highest viewership possible.

Table of Contents:

• What is Multistreaming?
• Why Stream to Multiple Destinations?
• Is Multistreaming Worth It?
• How to Multistream and Choose a Streaming Platform
• The 10 Best Multistreaming Platforms in 2024
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

What is Multistreaming?

Multi-destination streaming is also referred to as “multistreaming,” “multicasting,” and “ simulcasting.” All four of these terms refer to the same broadcasting technique. Multi-destination streaming involves streaming a single video feed to multiple destinations simultaneously.

Multistreaming is generally used to share your live video content on your own website and multiple popular social media sites that support live streaming. Currently, multistreaming software is not supported by many live-streaming platforms. Some of the top social media sites that support live streaming include:

Why Stream to Multiple Destinations?

Before we discuss how to stream to multiple platforms, let’s jump into why should you live stream on multiple platforms.

Reach a Large Audience

Well, the biggest benefit of multi-streaming is that it is a great way to reach a large audience. With multistreaming, you meet your viewers where they are already hanging out on the internet.

The idea is that you can broadcast to multiple platforms where your viewers are already “hanging out” on the internet and magnetize more views and even new loyal viewers.

At the same time, you can also stream on your own website and provide a customized experience to your audience. With multistreaming, you get to grow your audience on multiple platforms.

Tap Into Existing Audiences

Streaming to social media sites, such as Facebook and YouTube, allows you to connect with your existing audience on those social media platforms. It also makes it easier for you to grow on those social media platforms. With multistreaming, you meet your audience where they are and then expand your audience.

Identify the Most Relevant Audience

Streaming services attract varying demographics with different interests. Multistreaming helps you identify a streaming site that is most relevant to your brand. Since you can track the metric separately, you’ll be able to see the platform that attracts the largest audience compared to the rest.

This is especially true for businesses that are new to streaming and aren’t sure where their content fits. By streaming to multiple sites at once, you can know which platform to focus most of your efforts on.

Is Multistreaming Worth It?

Change can often seem overwhelming. Wondering if multistreaming is worth it or not for you? We suggest giving the list of pros and cons we’ve compiled below and hopefully, it will clear up some doubts.

Here are some benefits of multi-streaming that might convince you in its favor:

• It increases your chances of being discovered and reaching new viewers.
• Your audience can enjoy seamless viewing even if one service goes down for any reason. They can simply switch to another and continue watching.
• Multistreaming is ideal to reach audiences around the world
• If you’re live-streaming for marketing purposes, imagine how many sales you can make when your audience is multiplied by 2X, 3X, or even 4X. At the very least, it would give you great brand exposure.
• It’s the perfect medium to discover which broadcasting avenues are bringing in the most views. When the streamed content is the same, it’s easier to spot the difference

To make a fair case, we’ve also compiled a few cons of multistreaming. Here are a few challenges you might face when multistreaming:

• Multistreaming requires you to keep many balls in the air simultaneously. Imagine viewers bombarding you with questions and having to monitor many platforms at the same time
• You might need to onboard more staff. Definitely, a challenge if you’re a one-man [Or woman!] show and don’t have much help. Extra hands can keep things controlled when streaming on many platforms. If your budget is limited, this might cause an issue.
• Most services have a defined niche that makes them stand out from other forums. Most broadcasters tweak their content according to the preferences of the platform they are live-streaming on. That’s not possible when you multistream.

How to Multistream and Choose a Streaming Platform

In order to stream smoothly across multiple platforms, there is a lot that happens behind the scenes. Live streaming technology makes this process seamless for modern broadcasters. To go live on multiple services, you need a few different things.

Choose an Online Video Platform

First, you need to choose an online video platform equipped with the software to stream on multiple platforms. Such a forum will allow you to create a white-label streaming experience on your brand’s website and app.

Here are a few features to consider when choosing an online video platform 

• Customization: Most white-label multistreaming platforms allow you to customize your streams to fit your brand
• Monetization options: platforms that provide more monetization options allow you to generate revenue from your multiple streams
• User-friendliness: A great multistream platform should be easy to set up and use.
• Pricing: Ensure your video streaming service provides features that are worth the investment you’ll make in them. Depending on your budget, there are numerous multistreaming sites to explore.

Choosing a Multistreaming Tool

Second, you need a multistreaming tool.  A multistreaming tool will allow you to stream to your website, app, and various other social media channels and platforms simultaneously.

You need to consider a few factors when choosing a multistreaming tool.

• Compatibility with an Online Video Platform: You need a tool that is compatible with your online video platform.
• Supported Social Media Platforms: When choosing a multistreaming tool, you will want to find one that allows you to stream to the social media platforms where most of your viewers are. Figure out what those platforms are, and you should be able to narrow down which multistreaming tool is right for your business needs.

Setting Things Up

Once you choose an online video hosting platform and a multistreaming tool, it is time to connect them together. Although The specific steps for connecting streaming software vary from platform to platform. but you’ll typically use the encoder setup to connect your multistreaming tool. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to making things simpler for you:

1. To go live on multiple platforms, log into your accounts for the various social media platforms and your multistream platform that you wish to stream to.
2. Connect your online video platform and multistream tool. This process should be fairly seamless if the two video streaming platforms have a partnership or integration. However, if there is not a built-in connection between the two, you’ll have to configure it manually.
3. Set up your encoder. We recommend checking out our encoder setup guide for a technical breakdown of how to set up this connection. This guide will provide you with the steps on how to live stream to multiple platforms using an encoder.
4. Once all of your settings are configured, do a test run. Make sure your stream on all of the sites you’ve chosen. If everything operates as intended, it is time to start streaming.

The 10 Best Multistreaming Platforms in 2024

As we mentioned, a reliable multistreaming platform is a must. Multistreaming functionality is accessible through a variety of different streaming software. Some are dedicated to multistreaming, whereas others have multistreaming as a secondary option.

With that in mind, let’s compare 10 of the best multistreaming platforms on the market based on features, pros and cons, and pricing.

1. Switchboard Live

Switchboard Live is a powerful multistreaming platform that is purely dedicated to multi-destination streaming.

Switchboard Live supports simulcasting to Facebook, Twitch, Vimeo, YouTube, LinkedIn Live, and Twitter. All plans support streaming to an unlimited number of destinations. This is a great tool if you want to know how to multistream on all platforms at once.

A unique feature of Switchboard Live is StreamShare. This tool allows broadcasters to plan live stream events in advance and invite participants to streamline the process. That way, you are not waiting for your audience to show up, they are there ready to watch when you start your multistreams.

Dacast offers a Switchboard Live integration which makes it easy to use with our platform.

Key Features:

• Streaming to unlimited destinations
• Solutions for different industries and use cases
• StreamShare for streamlining event planning
• Streams to top social destinations
• Video player embedding

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Seamless integration with OVPs
• Powerful simulcasting support
• Reliable customer support

Cons:

Recommended for broadcasters with some technical know-how. Some users complain of “snags” with setting this platform up, and you will need to engage in some manual configuration to connect it to your chosen video hosting platform.

Pricing:

Switchboard Live has three different pricing plans, and offers monthly or annual seat based licenses, with no barriers, and no limits. However, they no longer post prices online:

• SMB: Businesses with team members & multi-inputs
• Public Sector: Government agencies & public safety organizations
• Enterprise: For scaling businesses across the globe

Switchboard Live is a simulcast platform that easily integrates with OVPs and allows you to stream to unlimited destinations, charging you for the streaming minutes, not the number of destinations you are streaming to.

2. StreamYard

StreamYard is a browser-based streaming platform that offers multistream support. It is a good option for broadcasters that need more than just simulcasting support.

This platform supports streaming to a wide variety of social media platforms, including Hopin, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, and Twitter. It also supports streaming to online video platforms with Dacast via RTMP ingest

StreamYard has a free plan, but multistreaming support starts at their Basic plan, which is $20/month.

Key Features:

• Multistreaming support
• In-browser streaming
• Multiple presenters at once
• Screen sharing
• Cinematic tools for video editing

Pros:

• Very easy to use
• Designed for improving engagement
• Suitable for collaborative streaming

Cons:

With StreamYard, multistreaming is a secondary tool; it is not its primary function. StreamYard doesn’t support VOD hosting, so if you want to record and save your live streams and then put that content up on your website, you will need another tool. Definitely, a big drawback if you plan to reuse content or e-stream it later.

Also, there are some browser compatibility issues with StreamYard.

Pricing:

StreamYard offers three pricing plans for individuals. These include:

• Free: Access StreamYard on a limited basis for free.
• Basic: $25/month; access some advanced streaming features, including unlimited streaming, brand customization, graphic overlays, simulcasting, and stream recording.
• Professional: $49/month; adds up to 10 hours of stream recording, multistreaming to 8 destinations, full 1080p HD, and individual audio recordings

It also offers three pricing plans that are specifically built for businesses.

• Premium: $99/month, up to 1,000 viewers, 15 backstage participants, 10 seats, and 4 hours of pre-recorded streams
• Growth: $299/month, up to 10,000 viewers, greenroom, and 8 hours of pre-recorded streams
• Business: Custom pricing. You need to get in touch with their sales team to find the pricing details. 10,000+ viewers, 700+ hours of storage, and more

These reflect the monthly pricing when billed annually. Paying month-to-month is a bit more expensive.

If you need an easy-to-use multi-streamer software option, StreamYard is easy to learn and can integrate with other platforms such as Dacast.

3. Wirecast

is an encoding software from Telestream that offers multistream support. However, multistreaming is simply the tip of the iceberg.

This multistream platform offers tons of features that create a professional broadcasting experience. These include graphic overlays, audio mixing, stream recording, and more.

Wirecast also supports unlimited inputs which makes it possible to incorporate multiple sources.

Key Features:

• Multistreaming
• Encoding tools
• Compatible with both Mac and Windows
• Unlimited inputs
• Unlimited outputs
• Editing tools
• Support via email

Pros:

• Wide variety of features
• Easy-to-use platform
• One-time purchase

Cons:

Wirecast requires an upgrade to access premium support. The software can be a steep starting investment. The program can strain your computer if it isn’t configured right. If you have the budget and the equipment to support it, then it’s a platform worth spending on.

Pricing:

Wirecast is available in two versions. These include:

• Wirecast Studio: $24.92/month; designed for enhanced live production and streaming
• Wirecast Pro: $33.25; designed for advanced live production and streaming

Both are one-time purchases. Free trials are available with both versions of the software.

Wirecast offers the ability to stream on multiple platforms, while also being a premium broadcasting tool.

4. Boxcast

BoxCast supports both multistreaming and multi-site streaming. Boxcast supports streaming to Youtube, Facebook Live, and Periscope. Users can also set up workflows to stream to different websites, both internally and externally.

In addition to its multistreaming support, Boxcast is known for its industry-specific streaming solutions.

Key Features:

• Multi-site player
• Branded streaming apps
• Reliable customer support
• Industry-specific solutions

Pros:

• Wide variety of streaming destinations
• Accessible support

Cons:

There are some compatibility limitations with BoxCast. Beyond the basic plan, there are also extra costs built-in for multistreaming.

Pricing:

BoxCast pricing is based on four plan tiers with substantial savings if billed annually. Each successive plan offers more features and more storage time per broadcast. The plans include:

• Basic: $39/month
• Standard: $89/month
• Deluxe: $149/month
• Advanced: $249/month

If you are looking for both multi-site and multistreaming solutions, BoxCast is a great choice for you.

5. Splitcam

SplitCam is a streaming software that is primarily used for webcam splitting, but it supports multistreaming, as well. It supports multistreaming to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, YouTube, and a variety of other social sites.

Some of the top use cases of SplitCam are live training sessions, webinars, and other virtual streaming events that involve interactions between multiple presenters or involvement from viewers.

This platform is free to use and the streaming experience can be customized with a variety of community-generated plugins.

Key Features:

• Multistreaming
• Multiple sources
• Compatible with Windows and macOS
• Community-developed plugins
• Active online community for added support

Pros:

• Free
• Highly compatible with other streaming software
• Tools for video mixing
• Supports high-quality streaming

Cons:

With SplitCam, you can’t engage in mobile streaming. You have to use a laptop or desktop to use SplitCam. Additionally, it doesn’t support encoding, so you will need to use an outside encoding tool.

Pricing:

SplitCam is free to download and use.

SplitCam is a way to live stream to multiple platforms for free. It also allows you to split the screen with others using webcams at the same time.

6. XSplit

XSplit is a broadcasting software that is used for multistreaming and more. Some of the other tools from XSplit include webcam connection, webcam blurring, presenter streaming, and screen capture.

XSplit has a unique pricing structure that allows users to purchase licensing in monthly or “lifetime” increments. A lifetime licensing is only $200 which makes it a low-cost option for users that plan to use it for the long haul.

Key Features:

• Multistreaming
• Tools for video organization
• Screen recording
• Video mixing and editing
• 24/7 customer support

Pros:

• Wide range of features
• Economical pricing options
• Professional streaming experience
• Accessible support

Cons:

XSplit only works with Windows, not with macOS or Linux. The interface can be a little tricky, and a learning curve is involved with learning the platform. The program can also strain your computer’s processors.

Pricing:

Multistreaming is available on XSplit’s Broadcaster Premium solution. Licensing prices for this solution are broken down as follows:

• 1 Month License: $15
• 12-Month License: $60
• Lifetime License: $200

XSplit offers the ability to multistream live to various platforms, and it offers some editing tools to enhance the quality of your streams, such as video mixing, video editing, and screen recording.

7. Livestream

Livestream, which is a premium streaming solution from Vimeo, is another option for multistreaming. However, it is worth noting that multistreaming is a secondary function on Livestream, with high-end video streaming being the platform’s main functionality.

Livestream multi-streams directly from its platform to Facebook Live and Vimeo. A good feature to have, but to a limited extent. While it’s nice that these are built into the video hosting platform, the number of destinations is relatively limited compared to the other multistream platforms we’ve covered.

Key Features:

• Live and on-demand video hosting
• Multistreaming is a secondary function
• Wihte-label streaming
• High-quality videos and streams

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Large collection of features
• Video management tools
• Large storage capacity

Cons:

Livestream can be expensive to use and only allows you to stream to a limited number of destinations. Plus, it has no dedicated multistreaming software.

Pricing:

Between Vimeo and Livestream, there are many streaming plans to choose from. However, simulcasting is only available on two of Livestream’s pricing plans. These include:

Vimeo Advanced:

• Advanced Pricing: $65/seat/month billed annually
• Advanced plan includes both live video streaming as a service and VOD. This plan is the way to go for professional broadcasting.

Vimeo Enterprise:

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

Vimeo OTT:

• Starter OTT: Custom pricing
• Growth and Enterprise 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 and growing your OTT business online.

If you are only looking to multistream to Facebook Live and Vimeo, then Livestream could be the right choice for you.

8. OBS Studio

OBS Studio is a free multistreaming platform that is primarily encoding software. What makes OBS Studio unique is that it is free and open-source. It requires a little technical know-how, but it is a good option for broadcasters that want to experiment and learn the ropes without making a hefty investment.

Aside from simulcasting, this software supports RTMP broadcasting, switching between multiple sources, capture cards, webcams, chroma-key/green screens, and application windows.

This open-source software doesn’t have native support for any plugins, but community members have developed a wide range of plugins for more advanced features.

Key Features:

• Multistreaming support
• Open-source
• Easy to customize
• Encoding tools

Pros:

• Free to use
• Great for testing, learning, and experimenting
• Technology is updated regularly
• Minimal internet requirements

Cons:

OBS Studio does not support multi-bitrate streaming, impacting the quality of the multistreaming experience you can provide your viewers with. It also has limited native features.

Pricing:

OBS Studio is free to download and use.

OBS Studio is a free multistreaming platform that integrates with Dacast. It is easy to use, and has a lot of functionality for a free software solution.

9. Castr

Castr is another powerful platform that offers a special solution with multistreaming support. In fact, this software is capable of streaming to over 30 destinations at once.

Something that makes this platform unique is that it allows streaming to multiple Facebook pages, groups, and profiles at the same time. This is great for brand collaborations.

Key Features:

• 24/7 support
• 24/7 linear streaming
• Multiple destinations
• Multiple sources
• Connection via RTMP ingest (and more)

Pros:

• Large selection of destinations
• Custom RTMP destinations are supported
• Easy setup
• Pricing for every budget

Cons:

Some users complain about Castr’s value compared to the platform’s cost.

Pricing:

Castr has five multistreaming pricing plans priced monthly and has plans. These plans include:

Individuals:

• Starter – $12.5/month billed as $149.99 annually
• Standard – $33.5/month billed as $399.99 annually
• Professional – $62.5/month billed as $750 annually
• Premium – $104.5/month billed as $1,250 annually
• Ultra – $250/month billed as $3,000 annually

If you really need to stream live to multiple different Facebook destinations, that is something that Castr, a multistreaming service, can offer you.

10. Restream

Restream is another powerful multistreaming software. Like Castr, Restream is compatible with more than 30 social media platforms.

Multistreaming is the primary function of Restream, but it supports other features as well. These include in-browser streaming, chat, and analytics. It is also worth noting that this solution offers different pricing options to fit every budget.

Key Features:

• Multistreaming
• Analytics tool
• In-browser live streaming
• More than 30 destinations

Pros:

• Many destinations to choose from
• Engagement stimulating tools
• Support for audience interaction

Cons:

Restream doesn’t have encoding tools, so you will need to use an outside encoding tool. Some users also complain about Restream’s video quality.

Pricing:

Restream has several pricing plans for both individuals and businesses. These include:

• Free: $0/month (for individuals)
• Standard: $16/month (for individuals)
• Professional: $39/month (for individuals)
• Business: $199/month (for businesses)
• Enterprise: Custom pricing and solutions for media and corporate teams

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the best multistream platform?

Some multistreaming platforms are dedicated to multistreaming while others have it as an option. Depending on what you’re looking for, here are some top multistream platforms.

• Switchboard Live
• StreamYard
• Wirecast
• Boxcast
• Splitcam

2. What is a simulcast?

Also known as multicasting or multistreaming, simulcasting or a simulcast is a broadcasting technique that allows you to stream a single video to multiple destinations simultaneously. Many live-streaming platforms do not offer multistreaming, but some social media platforms do. 

3. What is a multi-streaming platform?

Multistreaming platforms are video hosting and streaming platforms that allow broadcasters to stream a single video file to different destinations. ie. on different video hosting platforms, simultaneously. It’s mostly used to share videos from your official website and other social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitch, etc, simultaneously and reach multiple audiences.

4. Is Multistreaming worth it?

Multistreaming comes with many benefits that make it worthwhile to pursue. These include:

• It’s a great way to reach viewers where they are, which gives you access to a wider audience
• Streaming on social media sites allows businesses to connect with their audiences on a more personal level
• It allows you to stream on your own website and provide a more customized experience for your audience
• Your audience will still be able to access your videos on a different platform if another one goes down
• You’ll be able to track which of your video marketing platforms attract more viewers

5.  What is the difference between simulcast and broadcast?

A simulcast is when video is transmitted across multiple media simultaneously. Traditionally, the term referred to when media outlets broadcasted events via radio and television simultaneously. Today it refers to streaming on different social sites. A broadcast on the other hand is when you stream content over a single medium.

A simulcast is when video is transmitted across multiple media simultaneously. Traditionally, the term referred to when media outlets broadcasted events via radio and television simultaneously. Today it refers to streaming on different social sites. A broadcast on the other hand is when you stream content over a single medium.

Conclusion

Multistreaming is one of the best broadcast methods to reach the widest audience. Using this video streaming method, you’ll maximize your reach, viewership, and subscriber base.

There are lots of multistreaming platforms to choose from. We understand it can be a bit overwhelming. That’s why we distilled our top 10 picks. They come in different budgets with different features and some require the support of a professional online video platform

Dacast, a professional online video platform, makes multistreaming easy. The platform includes RTMP ingest technology and it’s widely compatible with most multistreaming software, including those we’ve talked about in this article. With Dacast, you can seamlessly multistream your video content worldwide.

Why not try Dacast for yourself? We offer a 14-day free trial so you can fully trial the software. Start growing your reach today.

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