As attention spans get shorter, fans want engaging content with interactive elements.
Streaming software is the solution. The tool helps you stream live video, chat with fans, embed interactive content, collect payments, and more.
But there are many options on the market.
In this ultimate guide, I rank and review the best streaming software so you don't have to test everything yourself. These reviews are based on streaming capabilities, video quality, integration, video editing capabilities, pricing, support, and more.
Restream is a cloud-based streaming service that lets you stream video simultaneously to more than 30 platforms, including Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, etc. They even provide native integration with leading streaming software like XSplit, OBS Studio, Elgato, and more.
It's also one of the few streaming platforms that allows "Real-time Platform and Channel Toggling." This means you can edit and add more channels as you "Broadcast" – without having to exit the broadcast or restart the encoder.
OneStream is the best streaming software overall, with the ability to stream and record live video and pre-recorded video, and publish it to more than 40 social media platforms.
With prerecorded streaming, you can record and then schedule your broadcast to social media platforms up to 60 days in advance.
With live streaming, you can pair OneStream with other streaming tools to configure the tool, and start multicasting.
Key Features:
- Stream to more than 40 platforms and schedule posts up to 60 days in advance.
- Team management allows you several team members in one account.
- No software installation is required.
- Some upload options, including files, cameras, and screen sharing.
- Dedicated RTMP streaming uses server URLs and streaming keys.
Wirecast is a live video streaming production platform developed by Telestream. It helps you create live streaming productions like TV and on-demand broadcasts for the web.
You can take advantage of a flexible and intuitive UI to easily customize your live feed. All you have to do is plug in your microphone and camera. It automatically handles all coding to send your live stream to any geography on a large scale.
It covers every type of live streaming event, including live sports broadcasts, services, television, radio &news broadcasts, etc.
Key Features:
- ISO Recording – It archives all live video input without any modifications. This video clip is separate from your combined program footage.
- Multiviewer – Send one source to up to 17 source grids to easily monitor and catch a glimpse of each source.
- Stock Media Library – Offers free access to over 500,000 media assets, including videos, music, backgrounds, the bottom third, etc.
XSplit Broadcaster is a live streaming application used to capture gameplay for live streaming or recording. This helps you start a live stream or record within a few seconds.
You also get an in-game flow control HUD that helps you:
- Interact with chats
- Stop and start broadcasting
- Keep an eye on the latest events
- Monitor statistics to increase engagement
- There is also one Projector Mode that allows you to display multiple scenes to
- devices connected to your computer's GPU.
XSplit also handles all the encoding settings you'll need. What's more, it guides you to do the right setup and streaming in top quality up to 4k60fps. And the best part is that you can handle all the streaming controls from one screen.
Key Features:
- Scene Preview Editor – Edits a video scene before broadcasting it live.
- NVIDIA NVENC – Use the NVENC option to customize your settings for optimal quality and performance.
- Intuitive Editor – Easily add customer goals, donation trains, event lists, follower alerts, tips trophies, etc. to make your live stream stand out.
Streamlabs OBS is a cloud-based streaming platform for Twitch, YouTube, &Facebook. It offers hundreds of streaming overlays, templates, and assets to professionally customize your live streaming. For example, you can use the "Be Right Back" and "Start Immediately" screens for your live streaming events.
Key Features:
- Streamlabs Dashboard – You can use the dashboard to make adjustments through a few clicks to the warning box. You can manage all the elements without having to open the browser.
- Widget Theme – Choose a custom widget for different broadcasts. In addition, each theme setting is saved separately to help you switch from one theme to another with ease.
- Themed Visual Layout – Provides themes for specific games and genres. Themes also help you provide a more immersive experience through effects, animations, and graphics.
(Open Announcer Software) OBS Studio is another open source streaming and recording platform. It helps you do high-quality video or audio editing, retrieval, and mixing in real-time.
You can create highly customized scenes through a variety of sources, including text, window capture, images, webcams, retrieval cards, and browser windows.
Open source software also lets you switch between an unlimited number of scenes during broadcasts while using special transitions. In addition, you can use a capable audio mixer equipped with pre-source filters such as noise absorbers, noise gates, and reinforcement. It also offers VST plugin support to ensure you have full control over your audio.
Key Features:
- Modular UI 'Dock' – Easily rearrange the layout to fit your branding needs. You can even remove all individual Dock windows for greater adjustment.
- Hotkeys – Set hotkeys for almost every action such as starting/stopping streaming or recording, switching between scenes, turning off audio sources, etc.
- Studio Mode – Instantly preview your scenes and sources for last-minute adjustments. You can even create new scenes right before getting your content aired.
Here are the apps / helper devices that you can use to live stream to your favorite streaming platform.
If you have any questions about this article, please leave a message in the comments section. Thank you!!! Enjoyyyy....
