19 Top Live Streaming Platforms (+ How to Choose the Right One)

Live streaming makes real-time connection easier than ever. Whether you’re hosting a webinar, or growing your brand, the right streaming platform helps you reach your audience — wherever they are.

Whatever your goal, there’s a live streaming platform built to meet your needs, and we’re here to find the right one for you.

Best live streaming platforms: Where should you stream in 2025?

Choosing the right live streaming platform comes down to the type of content you want to create and the audience you cater to.

If you’re a social media personality, your best bet is to stick with platforms your followers already use, like Twitch or YouTube. If you’re a business adding live streaming as a new channel, you’ll want a platform built for high-quality video, stability, security, and versatility.

So, which platform is right for you? Here’s a breakdown of the best live-streaming services for different needs.

Best live streaming platform for podcasts: 

Riverside: Best for podcasting

• Video quality: Up to 4K
• Pricing: Free or paid plans starting at $15 per month
• Monetization options: No built-in monetization
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Can multistream to YouTube, LinkedIn and more-plus, any custom RTMP
• Security: End-to-end encryption and 2FA.

Riverside is known for high-quality podcast and interview recordings. But it’s also a powerful live-streaming platform. 

Host your stream directly on Riverside with up to 10 speakers and 1000 audience members. Audience members can call in live or ask their questions in the chat. To push your reach further, multistream to platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch — all at the same time.

During your live show, you can add your own custom branding and lower thirds. You can also change the layout and share your own media for live sound effects. There’s even functionality to invite your producer behind the scenes without worrying about accidentally capturing them in the stream.

Your podcast gets recorded in up to 4K video and 48kHz audio, and thanks to local recording, your quality stays flawless no matter what. When your stream ends use Riverside’s AI editor for quick trimming, captioning and creating clips for social media.

If you’re serious about hosting, streaming, and repurposing a professional-quality live podcast, Riverside is the platform built for you.

Best live streaming platforms for social media

YouTube Live: Best for audience reach

• Video quality: Up to 4K
• Pricing: Free for both creators and viewers. Viewers can pay $13.99/month for YouTube Premium.
• Monetization options: Ads, Super Chat (paid messages from viewers), channel memberships, sponsorships, external donations, and YouTube Premium revenue share.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Supports RTMP for multi-streaming via third-party tools.
• Security: 2FA, strict moderation tools, and advanced copyright detection systems.

As the world's second-largest search engine, YouTube has an audience of billions. This makes it the go-to platform if you want to reach as many people as possible.

With such a huge reach and its many monetization options, YouTube Live is a great option if you want to turn live streaming into a revenue stream. That is, provided you can deal with fierce competition and figure out its ever-changing algorithmic discovery system.

Learn more in our full guide on YouTube live streaming.

TikTok Live: Best for short-form content creators

• Video quality: Up to 1080p
• Pricing: Free for both creators and viewers.
• Monetization options: Virtual gifts/diamonds system, LIVE subscriptions, Creator Rewards program.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: TikTok does not officially support restreaming to other platforms.
• Security: 2FA and strict community guidelines.

TikTok is a platform where all content has to be engaging, fast-paced, and interactive. It’s best for creators who like to engage directly with their audience using short-form videos.

Almost entirely focused on mobile experiences, TikTok livestreams need to be action-packed and entertaining. With its algorithm rewarding casual viewing, virality can happen as quickly as it fades away. Still, the platform offers plenty of monetization opportunities, including live donations through virtual gifts and the Creator Rewards program.

Instagram Live: Best for lifestyle and influencer content

• Video quality: Up to 1080p
• Pricing: Free for both creators and viewers.
• Monetization options: Ads, brand partnerships, sponsorships, Badges (viewer donations during livestreams), subscriptions, gifts, shopping features, affiliate marketing.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Limited to Instagram platform, but streams can be shared to Facebook Stories.
• Security: Privacy settings, comment moderation, and reporting tools.

Instagram Live is the ideal platform for influencers focused on lifestyle content, brand partnerships, and product placement. Similar to TikTok, Instagram’s content and monetization opportunities revolve around short-form, mobile-oriented videos and livestreams. This can be monetized through sponsorships and live gifts.

But Instagram Live goes beyond basic streaming with advanced shopping features. Creators can tag products directly during streams, letting viewers shop in real-time. The short lifespan of Instagram Live — disappearing after 24 hours unless saved — adds a built-in sense of urgency. This makes Instagram Live a powerful tool for e-commerce brands and influencers who want to drive sales directly from their content.

We’ve got a full guide on going live on Instagram. Check it out to learn more!

Facebook Live: Best for community building

• Video quality: Up to 1080p
• Pricing: Free for both creators and viewers.
• Monetization options: Ads, Stars (viewer donations), subscriptions, and brand partnerships.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Can simulcast to the Facebook ecosystem (Groups, pages, personal profiles) and Instagram.
• Security: Privacy settings, comment moderation, and reporting tools.

Facebook has one of the largest social media user bases, with many established communities. Facebook Live taps into this advantage by allowing creators to reach Facebook Groups, business pages, and large personal networks simultaneously.

Particularly valuable for specific demographics, Facebook Live works well for community-focused content. It leverages familiar audiences and group dynamics to boost engagement.

Learn more in our tutorial on streaming live on Facebook.

LinkedIn Live: Best for thought leaders and B2B marketers

• Video quality: Up to 1080p
• Pricing: Free, but requires third-party streaming software.
• Monetization options: No built-in monetization; primarily used for thought leadership, lead generation, and business promotion.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Can embed streams on websites but no built-in multi-streaming.
• Security: Professional network verification, moderation tools, and audience restrictions.

LinkedIn Live is a streaming platform primarily for business professionals who want to engage potential leads and establish credibility. Built specifically for networking and lead generation, it is commonly used for product launches and thought leadership content. However, the recent introduction of short, in-feed videos has added a new layer for creating catchy, attention-grabbing hooks.

It's worth noting that LinkedIn Live lacks native streaming capabilities and requires third-party tools that support RTMP broadcasting, like Riverside. 

Best live streaming platforms for e-sports and gaming

Twitch: Best for gaming

• Video quality: Twitch supports 4K, but its 6,000 kbps bitrate limit means most streams won’t hit true 4K quality.
• Pricing: Free for both creators and viewers. Viewers can pay $11.99/month for Twitch Turbo.
• Monetization options: Ads, channel subscriptions, Bits (internal currency for donations), sponsorships, and affiliate links.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: None.
• Security: Chat moderation, automated filters, and 2FA.

Twitch is the leading platform for live-streaming gaming, eSports, and creative content, known for its massive community engagement.

Twitch has expanded successfully from just gaming to long chat livestreams and creative content. The platform offers many interactive features like chat, emotes, and strong moderation controls. This makes it appealing to creators looking to build a dedicated audience.

If you can build and maintain consistent viewership, it’s one of the most well-developed monetization ecosystems.

Kick: Best for content freedom 

• Video quality: Up to 4K
• Pricing: Free
• Monetization options: Subscriptions (95/5 revenue split), donations, and ad revenue.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: No native multicasting so you need third-party tools, but streamers can re-stream to platforms like YouTube or Facebook without penalties. 
• Security: 2FA for user accounts.

Kick is a newer live-streaming website and a direct competitor to Twitch. Just as much focused on gaming and entertainment, the main difference is that content is much less restricted. 

The catch is Kick’s user base is significantly smaller than established competitors. But this also means you don’t need to compete with as many content creators. 

If you can turn the more relaxed moderation policies to your advantage, Kick offers creators one of the best payout deals in streaming. You can keep 95% of your subscription income.

Best live streaming platforms for fitness streaming

Uscreen: Best for fitness streaming

• Video quality: High-definition streaming with adaptive bitrate ensures smooth playback across devices.
• Pricing: Plans start at $199/month, with additional options for advanced features like branded apps.
• Monetization options: Flexible monetization models, including subscriptions, pay-per-view, and bundled offers, with no revenue-sharing fees.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Supports native video streaming on branded web, mobile, and TV apps, allowing creators to reach their audience across multiple devices.‍
• Security: Provides secure video hosting with password protection and SSL encryption to keep your content secure.

Uscreen is an all-in-one video monetization platform designed to help creators and businesses monetize their video content and live streams seamlessly.

Unlike many streaming platforms that focus solely on distribution, Uscreen offers robust tools to help you build a thriving video-based business.

Best live streaming platforms for business events

Brightcove: Best for large corporations

• Video quality: Up to 4K
• Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing.
• Monetization options: Subscription models, pay-per-view, and ad integration.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Supports streaming across web, mobile, and smart TV platforms.
• Security: Enterprise-level security, including Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection, 2FA, and Single Sign-On (SSO).

Brightcove is a business Internet TV designed for media companies and large-scale broadcasters. Content can be streamed in 4K UHD resolution, and the platform offers AI features like multi-language instant captioning. It also has advanced analytics to support several built-in monetization options like subscription models.

It’s ts enterprise-level pricing makes it more suitable for large businesses and corporate events rather than independent creators.

Wowza: Best for low-latency streaming

• Video quality: Up to 4K
• Pricing: Free 30-days trial; paid plans at $149 for one month of streaming or $2.50 per streaming hour.
• Monetization options: No built-in monetization.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Multi-device and multi-platform streaming with RTMP and HLS support.
• Security: Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), DRM protection, end-to-end encryption.

Wowza is a highly customizable live-streaming video solution ideal for broadcasters and enterprises needing full control over their video experience. 

What separates Wowza from other streaming platforms is its fully scalable infrastructure. Developers can use their own streaming engine and run the entire infrastructure on-premises or offline, scaling it by adding new servers over time. Security is also at the enterprise level, offering protection against DDoS attacks, encryption, and even digital watermarking.

IBM Video Streaming (formerly IBM Cloud Video): Best for enterprise streaming

• Video quality: Up to 4K
• Pricing: Free 30-days trial, or paid plans starting at $72.50 per month
• Monetization options: Advanced content monetization tools for enterprises.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Multi-platform support, including mobile apps, web browsers, and smart TVs. 
• Security: End-to-end encryption, DRM, user authentication, and compliance with GDPR and other regulations.

IBM Video Streaming has had many names: IBM Cloud Video, IBM Watson Media, and Ustream. However, its focus on enterprise-level, highly secure services has never changed.

With advanced AI, IBM provides smart content management, analysis, and distribution. It automatically generates transcripts and translations while delivering detailed analytics. Its global server network (CDN) also helps reduce streaming delays, keeping your broadcast smooth.

Best live streaming platforms for internal communications

RingCentral (formerly Hopin): Best for business meetings and communication

• Video quality: Up to 1080p
• Pricing: Free or paid plans starting at $10 per month (Video Pro+).
• Monetization options: No built-in monetization; primarily for internal use and business communication.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Can livestream to YouTube.
• Security: End-to-end encryption, SSO, role-based access control, and compliance with enterprise security standards.

RingCentral (formerly Hopin) is a unified communications platform rather than a traditional live-streaming service. It’s mainly an environment to run secure corporate business meetings. 

But, it does support live broadcasting to YouTube for business webinars or conferences. Paying customers can stream to additional social media through the integration of StreamYard.

RingCentral can also suit training sessions or presentations with features like screen sharing, breakout rooms, and virtual backgrounds.

Best live streaming platforms for creative arts and performance

Vimeo: Best for filmmakers and creatives

• Video quality: Up to 4K
• Pricing: Paid plans start at $12/month for individuals, with premium plans for live streaming.
• Monetization options: Pay-per-view, subscriptions, and video-on-demand sales.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Supports multi-streaming to social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
• Security: Password protection, 2FA, and advanced privacy settings.

Vimeo is a YouTube competitor known for high-quality, ad-free video. It’s especially popular with filmmakers and creatives who want better bitrate and control.

Unlike algorithm-driven platforms, Vimeo gives creators more granular control over content presentation and distribution. Instead of prioritizing mass reach, its main focus is delivering a polished, professional viewing experience.

StageIt: Best for live music and performance streaming

• Video quality: Up to 720p
• Pricing: Free, but the platform takes a 20% earnings cut.
• Monetization options: Direct ticket sales, tipping, virtual ticket pricing.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: No direct re-streaming capabilities, can only share links to external social media platforms.
• Security: Performer and audience verification systems, private shows limited to ticket holders.

StageIt is a live-streaming platform for musicians, performers, and entertainers who want to host exclusive, ticketed livestream events. It has a simple, user-friendly interface that tries to provide a space where fans can interact with performers in the most direct way.

Even though video quality might seem lower than its competitors, StageIt focuses on low latency rather than high resolution.

Best live streaming platforms for courses and training

Kaltura: Best for webinars and corporate training

• Video quality: Up to 4K
• Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing.
• Monetization options: Ads integration, floating player, auto-playback, and background loading.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Integration with learning management systems (LMSs) and CRMs, extensive multi-device and multi-platform support.
• Security: End-to-end encryption, SSO, role-based access control, compliance features.

Kaltura is a professional-grade solution built for internal communications and training. 

It’s best for webinars and video lectures and is notable for its integration with many learning management systems.

Kaltura supports live streaming with RTMP for reliable performance. Its interactive tools, like video annotations, work well for lectures and corporate training.

Crowdcast: Best for webinars and workshops

• Video quality: Up to 4K
• Pricing: Paid plans start at $49/month.
• Monetization options: Ticket sales, subscriptions, and donations.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Supports multi-platform via RTMP.
• Security: Password protection, 2FA, and secure access to live events.

Crowdcast is a live-streaming platform that is great for educators, interactive webinars and workshops. It’s easy to use and packed with interactive features like live Q&As, polls, and chat. These tools boost engagement without overwhelming your audience.

While Crowdcast lacks many of the advanced features of other webinar-specific software, it’s a solid platform for streaming content.

Best live streaming platforms for monetization

Dacast: Best for white-label streaming

• Video quality: Up to 4K
• Pricing: Free trial or paid plans starting at $39 per month.
• Monetization options: Pay-per-view, subscriptions, and ad integration.
• Cross-platform streaming capabilities: Supports multi-platform streaming via RTMP and HLS. 
• Security: DRM protection, password protection, geo-blocking, and digital rights management.

Dacast is a professional-grade streaming solution targeting businesses that need white-label live streaming without platform branding. Its main focus is video-on-demand services, so it supports flexible monetization options, including pay-per-view, subscriptions, and ad integration.

However, Dacast also boasts advanced security features and API access. This makes it suitable for virtual events for companies wanting full control of their branding options.

How to choose the best live streaming platform:

There’s no one-size-fits-all for live streaming apps, as every user has different needs - and these needs may vary quite significantly. 

If you find it hard to pick just one that fits your needs perfectly, here are a few factors to consider to narrow down your choices:  

Low latency

Platforms offer varying levels of video quality, but in live streaming, low-latency ensures minimal delay between the broadcaster and viewers. This is especially important for content where real-time interaction is required, like virtual classes, training courses, and workshops.

Multi-camera support

Multi-camera support is essential for streamers hosting larger events that need multiple angles — like concerts, panels, or tech conferences. It lets you switch between cameras to keep your stream dynamic and professional.

Security and privacy

Security and privacy matter most for corporate streams. Choose platforms with strong access controls, encrypted streaming, and password-protected access to keep your content secure.

Recording and editing capabilities

Recording and editing are key if you want to repurpose your livestream. Look for platforms that record automatically and offer built-in editing tools to speed up your workflow.

Media boards

Make your livestreams pop with the ability to add media. Video clips, overlays, animations, widgets, sounds or even just text can go a long way in keeping your audience engaged.

Co-streaming options

Co-streaming options let you bring in remote guests and capture each person’s video and audio — no matter where they are. This is essential for interviews, panels, or collaborative streams.

Third-party integrations

Check if the platform integrates with other tools you use, such as video editing software, social media platforms, CRMs, or email marketing tools.

Multistreaming

If you want to go live on several channels at once, look for platforms that allow you to multicast your live stream on several popular platforms at once. 

API access

For advanced users, some live streaming platforms offer API access to integrate custom features or embed streams into a business website.

FAQs on live streaming platforms

What is the difference between a streaming platform and streaming software?

A streaming platform is where your content is broadcast and viewed, such as YouTube Live or Twitch. 

Streaming software, like OBS Studio, manages the technical production of your stream. 

Some tools, like Riverside, offer an all-in-one solution, handling setup, recording, and broadcasting to popular streaming platforms to help you reach your audience.

What is the best live streaming app for mobile streaming?

If you're looking for social engagement, TikTok Live and Instagram Live are great options for mobile-first streaming. They are simple and easy to use and have access to large audiences. 

Where can I livestream for free?

Some live-streaming platforms such as Riverside, TikTok, Facebook, or Twitch can be used for free. Each platform has different features and targets different audiences, but they all provide basic streaming capabilities at no cost to creators.

What equipment do you need to livestream?

You can livestream with minimal livestream equipment. Anyone with a camera, and microphone can technically go live. You could start broadcasting straight from your phone with an iOS or Android live-streaming app.

If you want to upgrade to some equipment that will improve your live stream quality, we recommend using some dedicated equipment. These include a high-quality external camera and microphone, headphones or earphones, and lighting. You may also need to find editing software to adjust a recording of your live-stream footage.

Which platform has the most content?

YouTube remains the platform with the largest content library, with billions of hours of video across live and recorded formats. That’s because it’s the oldest of all these platforms and the world’s second-largest search engine.

What platform should I start streaming on as a beginner?

Riverside is a great place to start if you’re taking your first steps in the world of live streaming. You can seamlessly set up your session, record, and broadcast it to popular platforms like YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn, or send it to a custom RTMP server. Once you’re done, you can edit and repurpose your content in just a few minutes with the intuitive text-based editing, automatic transcripts and Magic Clips tool.