16 Best Live Streaming Apps in 2024 (Free and Paid) | Switcher Studio (2024)

Live streaming is one of the most popular forms of entertainment and content creation out there today. In fact, of all the video content watched around the world, nearly 25% is dedicated to livestreams.

The live streaming industry continues to grow, and with it, so do the number of live streaming apps. With so many choices out there, how do you choose the best live streaming app? We’ve sorted through the options and compiled a definitive list of the best live streaming apps in 2024.

What is a live streaming app?

There are a few different kinds of live streaming apps.

Generally, a live streaming app is a platform on which you can watch and share streamed content. Think YouTube Live and Twitch: You can stream natively on these platforms and you can watch other creators stream.

There are also live streaming apps that allow you to embed your content onto your website, or apps that allow you to watch streams but not upload them. These aren’t social platforms, but more like content creation platforms or branded apps for businesses. This category could technically also include video conferencing apps like Zoom or Google Meet.

Additionally, many apps can enhance your live streaming creation. That means apps that help you to create better, more exciting livestreamed content, apps that allow you to reach more people, and so on. These apps typically allow you to stream to platforms like YouTube Live, but via their interface, so that you can have control over the output of the livestream.

These companion apps — that is, apps that make livestream creation possible — are some of the popular types of live streaming apps.

What is Multistreaming?

Once you begin considering live streaming apps, you’ll encounter the term “multistreaming” (or occasionally, “simulcasting”). Multistreaming refers to live streaming to multiple platforms at one time, e.g., YouTube Live and Twitch. Multistreaming is something that can only be done through a live streaming app — you can’t natively stream to multiple platforms without the aid of an app that has multistreaming functionality.

How to choose a live streaming app

Let’s say you’re a new creator looking for a live streaming app (or apps). With so many options to consider, how do you choose? Naturally, it depends on your goals, your audience, and your content: If you’re a podcaster hoping to grow your audience, you might not have the same goals as a boutique hoping to sell products and earn money with their live videos. So let's look at 16 of the best live streaming apps in 2024 to compare their features and functionalities.

• Best native live streaming apps in 2024

YouTube Live

YouTube is without a doubt one of the most popular video platforms ever, with well over two and a half billion users worldwide. Anyone can sign up for a YouTube account, and you can livestream (or upload recorded videos) from a computer or a mobile device. There are innumerable categories of video content on YouTube, so it’s a great platform for almost any kind of content creator.

YouTube is considered the second-largest search engine in the world, so there's a clear opportunity to reach the people who truly care about your content. However, the majority of the video content on YouTube is video on demand (VOD), not livestreams, so even though YouTube is a preeminent platform with tons of benefits, there are still some downsides for streamers.

Pros

• In-depth analytics and reporting

• Massive audience and robust search algorithm

• Integration with Google means that YouTube videos show up in Google search results

• YouTube Partner Program offers built-in monetization tools like Super Chat, Super Stickers, and channel memberships

• Capability to share long-form and short-form videos on the same platform

• Ability to archive previous streams and videos on demand

Cons

• Live content isn't the platform's priority

• YouTube controls who advertises on your content

• It can be hard for new creators without an established audience to get noticed on such a huge platform

• Membership in the YouTube Partner Program (i.e., monetization) requires 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time

Uses

• News

• Gaming

• Sports

• Live vlogs

• Interviews

• Product announcements

• Tutorials

• Webinars

• Everything in between

Facebook Live

Like YouTube, Facebook is a huge platform with plenty of opportunities for live streaming. Facebook is the most popular social media platform with over three billion monthly users (as of 2024). Facebook also offers the opportunity to share longer content and short-form content on the same platform with their Reels and Stories features. Creators can stream from desktop or mobile to a professional page, personal profile, or Facebook group, which supports audience growth and cultivation.

Pros

• Prioritized live content: Followers are notified when you go live

• Built-in chat moderation settings

• Real-time livestream performance analytics

• Monetization from in-stream ads

Cons

• Maximum livestream length of 8 hours

• No content indexing, meaning that Facebook Live videos don’t appear in search engine results

• Complicated interface

• Limited community engagement tools

• Streaming in HD is restricted to members of Level Up (Facebook’s gaming creator program) and managed partners

Uses

• Gaming

• Live shopping

• Live events and performances

• Industry updates

• Live Q and As

• Product announcements

LinkedIn Live

LinkedIn is a unique social media platform. It’s been around for two decades and has always focused on business professionals. There are significantly fewer LinkedIn users than there are YouTube and Facebook users … but the platform is used by millions daily to network, find jobs, and engage with industry thought leaders. LinkedIn also offers four premium pricing tiers, to which a whopping 39% of users subscribe.

Pros

• LinkedIn Live offers a unique opportunity to share content relevant to a particular industry or niche

• Streams can be directed to LinkedIn profiles, Pages, or Events

• LinkedIn Lives are public and recorded by default — after a stream ends, the recording stays on your LinkedIn profile or Page

• Robust analytics

Cons

• LinkedIn Live access is restricted to members and Pages with more than 150 followers, among other criteria

• LinkedIn doesn't support streaming natively, so creators need to use a third-party broadcast tool to create a LinkedIn Live.

• The maximum livestream duration is four hours

• Content generally relates to industry news and professional interests, so the platform won’t support every type of creator

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• Limited livestream viewership compared to other platforms

Uses

• Company announcements

• Recruitment

• Workshops

• Industry updates

• Live events

• Q&As

Instagram Live

Alongside Facebook, Instagram is a Meta-owned social media platform with a huge number of members: more than two billion monthly active users. An estimated 100 million people watch Instagram Live content every day. Instagram is most popular with younger audiences and is considered the number one platform for engaging with businesses. Instagram began as a mobile app, and though many of its features are now available on desktop, some (including live streaming) remain mobile-only.

Pros

• Platform prioritizes live video and takes steps to notify potential viewers: Followers are notified when livestreams begin; live videos appear in the super-visible Stories section; and profile icon UI adjusts to indicate when a livestream is in progress

• Past livestreams stay in a profile’s Stories section for 24 hours

• Instagram Live allows you to invite guests or collaborators to join your stream

• Because Instagram is owned by Meta, it’s simple to crosspost streams on Facebook Live

Cons

• The maximum livestream duration is four hours

• Live streaming is only possible on the mobile app

• Video quality is dependent on your wireless connection and mobile phone used

• Livestream monetization (via Badges) is only available for creators with over 10,000 followers

Uses

• Vlogs

• Live events

• News coverage

• Q&As

• Product reviews

• Casual chats

Twitch

Twitch has been around for over a decade, and unlike every other live streaming app we’ve mentioned so far, Twitch is fully dedicated to streaming. There are about seven million active streamers on Twitch, and tens of millions of hours of content are streamed each month. While there are plenty of different kinds of content on Twitch, it’s primarily focused on gaming streams, and many of its creator tools are geared toward gamers.

Pros

• Popular, established platform purely for live streaming

• Strong monetization potential, including subscription tiers and unique donation features

• Community-building tools make Twitch one of the easiest platforms on which to grow your audience

• Large dedicated support team

• Powerful channel analytics tools

Cons

• More narrow audience content interests than other platforms

• Monetization options are restricted to Twitch Affiliates and Partners, which have some barriers to entry

• Twitch Affiliates and Partners cannot multistream Twitch content to other platforms under their Terms of Service

• Strict rules for streaming content and accounts can get banned without warning

• Unbalanced gender distribution: While most social platforms have a base of around 50% of users identifying as men and 50% of users identifying as women, Twitch is drastically different, with roughly 80% of users identifying as men and 20% of users identifying as women

Uses

• Gaming/eSports

• Tutorials

• Tech events

• Live vlogs

Kick

Kick is the new kid on the block in the live streaming space founded in late 2022. Created as a competitor to Twitch, it’s best known for being backed by the online casino stake.com and for its comparably low revenue split of 95% of earnings given to the streamer and 5% to the platform. Kick has made headlines by signing well-known streamers such as xQc to lucrative partner deals. Like Twitch, Kick’s primary focus is on gaming and IRL streams.

Pros

• Popular, up-and-coming platform purely for live streaming

• Generous 95-5% revenue split between creator and platform

• Looser TOS restrictions when compared to platforms like Twitch

• Innovative Kick Creator Incentive Program

Cons

• More narrow audience content interests compared to other platforms

• Monetization options are restricted to Kick Affiliates which have some barriers to entry

• New platforms experience bugs and technical issues more than most

• No TV App is currently available

• Kick being backed by a gambling company can be considered an ethical dilemma for some

Uses

• Gaming/eSports

• IRL/Just Chatting

• Music

• Tutorials

• Tech events

TikTok

TikTok exploded onto the scene in the last few years with its emphasis on short videos, usually set to popular music or sound clips. TikTok is especially popular among younger audiences and now has over one billion active monthly users. Many other social platforms, like YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram have attempted to capitalize on TikTok’s popularity by adding the ability to create and share short, vertical-only videos.

Pros

• Collaborative tools allow streamers to invite other content creators to join their videos

• The option of sharing standard short-form videos on the same platform supports new creators in growing their audience

• The increasing popularity of the platform worldwide means an ever-growing potential audience

Cons

• Lack of moderation can result in low-quality content on the platform

• Monetization is limited to donations via TikTok coins

• Minimum of 1,000 followers to use TikTok Live

Uses

• Vlogs

• Live events

• Q&As

• Product reviews

Vimeo

Vimeo is a platform that supports video hosting and sharing. Its primary feature is a video player embed, plus basic video creation tools and templates. At higher subscription tiers, users can unlock features like live streaming, virtual event and webinar tools, and more. Vimeo is typically used by filmmakers and large companies.

Pros

• High-quality 4K video upload and playback

• Ability to enable private and secure livestreams

• No ads displayed on your content

Cons

• Live streaming is only available to customers on the highest-cost plans

• Multistreaming requires a 3rd-party application

• Limited viewer base on the Vimeo platform

• Limiting video creation tools

Uses

• Demonstrations and classes

• Subscriptions

• Filmmaking

• Live events

• Q&As

• Product reviews

• Tutorials

• Just about anything

• Best 3rd-party desktop live streaming apps

OBS Studio

OBS (Open Broadcasting Software) is a free, open-source software for video recording and streaming. It’s a desktop app, available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. OBS users can capture video and audio from sources like cameras, microphones, and computer screens.

Pros

• Free, open-source streaming software

• Quality encoding for high-quality video

• A large community of users providing support

Cons

• High CPU utilization can result in degraded performance without a powerful computer

• Basic UI with limited customization & preset features

• Frequent updates can cause delays

vMix

vMix is a Windows-compatible desktop software for video mixing and switching. With vMix, users can produce livestreams with multiple camera angles, video and audio files, and other media sources. In addition to streaming, users can also record videos and edit them in post-production. vMix is aimed at professional video producers, including broadcast television, event video production, and houses of worship.

Pros

• High-quality video with support for 4k camera inputs

• Variety of features including sets and overlays, graphics templates, scoreboards, and more

• Compatible with some external video switchers

Cons

• High CPU utilization can result in degraded software performance on less powerful computers

• Incompatible with macOS

• The multicamera feature doesn’t support mobile inputs

Wirecast

Wirecast is another desktop software & live streaming and video production service. Wirecast allows for high-quality multicamera live video productions, as well as audience engagement, collaboration with remote guests, dynamic graphics overlays, and more.

Pros

• Unlimited live camera inputs

• Built-in animated graphics

• Support for Windows and macOS

• Built-in multistreaming capabilities

Cons

• High CPU utilization can result in a degraded software performance on less powerful computers

• Multicamera feature does not support mobile inputs

• Steep learning curve

Streamlabs

Streamlabs consists of a suite of tools for live content creators. The free desktop app offers customizable live stream overlays, and alerts for new followers, subscribers, donations, and more. Streamlabs is most commonly used for streaming video games. It’s available for macOS and Windows and offers solutions for mobile streaming and streaming to Twitch from a console. It is free to use, with additional features available through optional paid upgrades.

Pros

• Limited free version

• Graphics and layout templates

• Widgets for monetization

• Tips feature allows for real-time donations

Cons

• Very limited multicamera and remote guest capabilities

• The desktop app can strain CPU resources

• Limited multistreaming destinations

• Best browser-based livestream applications

Streamyard

StreamYard is a browser-based live streaming app offering popular features like collaborating with remote guests, screen recording, custom branding, and real-time audience interaction through live chat. StreamYard also allows for multistreaming to a limited number of destinations, including Custom RTMP. It has a free version with a StreamYard watermark, or users can pay for additional features.

Pros

• A basic free version is available

• Limited built-in multistreaming functionality

• Six pricing tiers for individuals or businesses

• Easy-to-use interface

Cons

• No multicamera capabilities

• Browser-based only

• Limited customization options for branding, graphics, and layouts

Restream

Restream is a multistreaming platform designed to allow creators to live broadcast video content to multiple platforms at once. Restream also offers a suite of live video production tools, like remote guest capabilities, custom branding, engagement tools, and more.

Pros

• Limited free version available

• Built-in studio software for custom graphics

• Remote guest capabilities

• In-depth live streaming analytics

Cons

• No multicamera solution

• Browser-based only

• Stream recording storage is time-limited

• No video upload storage for lower-tier plans

• Best mobile live streaming applications

Larix Broadcaster

Larix Broadcaster consists of several apps and SDKs (software development kits) for mobile video production. Larix Broadcaster is a trim solution for mobile live streaming with several features, such as landscape and portrait orientation, live rotation support, multicamera video options, audio-only capture mode, and more.

Pros

• A limited free version is available on iOS and Android

• The lightweight app allows streaming to most destinations via RTMP from your mobile devices

Cons

• There’s a steep learning curve for new streamers

• Clunky UI can cause issues when live streaming

• Limited video creation and customization features

• No video storage solution

Mevo

Mevo is an unusual multicamera live streaming solution. Unlike mobile solutions, Mevo’s multicamera capabilities are restricted to their Mevo cameras. While video switching is controlled via a mobile app, Mevo’s starter pack for multicamera video production includes the purchase of three Mevo cameras — retailing for nearly $1000.

Pros

• High-quality Mevo cameras can be connected wirelessly via the Mevo app for multicam live streaming

• Backed by Logitech, Mevo has a large support team

• Stream via RTMP or record locally

Cons

• Creators are limited to the Logitech Mevo family of cameras to use the app

• Limited to 1080p resolution for live streaming

• No MicroSD support

• High price point

• Most versatile live streaming app and end-to-end video ecosystem

Switcher Studio

Made with creators in mind and powerful enough for the biggest enterprises — Switcher Studio is a great solution for live streaming as well any other video creation needs. Switcher was designed to make it easy to create multicamera, multisource livestreams, and now includes everything you need to create, share, and monetize live and recorded videos.

Pros

• Easy-to-use iOS application

• Mobile multicam solution allows creators to wirelessly connect up to 9 iPhones or iPads to use as wireless cameras

• Integration with the AccSoon SeeMo device allows you connect any camera or device with an HDMI output directly to your iOS device and use Switcher Studio.

• Hundreds of customizable in-app graphic templates so you can apply your own branding to your productions

• Built-in Multistreaming functionality lets you reach up 30 destinations at once

• Expansive cloud storage for uploaded videos, livestream recordings, clips, graphics, assets, and so on

• An embeddable interactive video player (the Switcher Player) turns your website into your own video content channel

• Customize your Player to add video information, affiliate links, social profiles, donation platforms (PayPal, Venmo, CashApp), and more

• Powerful Shopify integration makes live selling and live shopping easy on two platforms:

  • Comment to Cart live shopping for Facebook Live videos

  • Click to buy directly from Switcher Player embedded on your website

• The Switcher Cast desktop app allows users to capture their macOS or Windows screen to include in their production — ideal for gaming or presentations

• A robust in-app clip editor makes it easy to timestamp special moments, trim your clip, add text, change the aspect ratio, and adjust playback speed before sharing directly to your social media platforms

• Record locally, stream to major platforms with direct integrations, or use custom RTMP destinations

• Output to AirPlay, HDMI, or use Switcher as a Webcam with video conferencing software like Zoom, Teams, and Meet

• Make better content with the help of a dedicated support team and an extensive resource library

Uses

• Podcasting
• Live shopping
• Fitness
• E-learning
• Sporting events
  
• Gaming
• Live events
• Live performances
• Live news
• Worship services
• Real estate
• Education
• Fundraising and charity
• Everything in between!

So what is the best live streaming app in 2024?

We’re obviously partial to Switcher around here … but there’s simply no clear answer for the best live streaming app in 2024. The world of live streaming is constantly evolving, and the range of options is vast (to say the least). From multistreaming–focused browser-based platforms like Restream to mobile-first solutions like Larix Broadcaster — each live streaming app has unique features and functionalities that support different users and use cases.

So what’s the best live streaming app for you? It depends on your video content goals, your experience level, the platforms you want to reach, the gear you have at your disposal, and the investment you want to put in.

Take your time to compare, contrast, and test the live streaming apps out there until you find one that checks all of your boxes. And, if you want to start by taking Switcher for a spin, sign up for a free two-week trial today.