Top Picks: 10 Live Streaming Apps You Need to Know for 2023
When it comes to live streaming, the possibilities are endless. The best live streaming apps for 2023 can provide you with an excellent platform to create and promote content related to various fields, such as food, shopping, gaming, entertainment, news, and Q&A. Apart from generating income, these apps offer an excellent opportunity to promote events, products, and services, making them an accessible tool for both personal and professional use.
Connecting with the World: How Live Streaming Apps Can Benefit You
A live streaming platform can be a mobile, desktop, or web tool that allows you to host, upload, and broadcast video content. This is greatly useful in generating leads, growing the number of your followers, advertising products, building brand awareness, or simply sharing random information about yourself with your audience.
With the abundance of live-streaming apps, choosing the right liver streaming app for your content needs can be overwhelming.
Here we rounded up ten of the best live streaming apps in 2023 that you could use to strengthen your online presence. This list does not rank the platforms in a specific order but presents their key features and the pros and cons of using them to help you make a more informed decision.
Upgrade Your Streaming Game: The Top 10 Live Streaming Apps for 2023
If you are ready to learn which live streaming apps would best suit your needs and personality, read on!
1. Facebook Live
Undoubtedly, Facebook stands out as one of the largest social media platforms available. With an impressive user base of over 2.8 billion monthly active users, it is no wonder that Facebook has emerged as one of the best live-streaming platforms to gain significant exposure. In addition, the app makes sharing information with thousands, if not millions of people, incredibly easy. Moreover, Facebook boasts a user-friendly interface, allowing users to quickly start broadcasting from either their mobile or desktop devices.
Facebook Live is also one of the few most integrated platforms currently available. If you are using broadcaster software or any live streaming-enabled devices, there is a good chance that Facebook Live is already integrated with the app or software. Experience the allure of replica Rolex watches, combining classic aesthetics with modern reliability, ideal for the discerning enthusiast: https://superclonerolex.io/
Key features:
- Available for free.
- Offers plenty of monetization features and options.
- It has built-in platform adverts to promote your content
Pros:
- It is heavily integrated with most live-streaming software and devices available.
- Offers great virality potential, which maximizes your content.
- It makes it easy for content creators to build their fan base and allows them to connect and promote their page and content directly to friends and family.
- Also, It’s Easy to use and has a simple UI, especially for mobile devices.
- The live stream is always saved as a VOD and is available for replay at a later time.
Cons:
- The full features and benefits of live streaming are only available to certain pages, such as business and gaming. Basically, users are required to create such pages to avail themselves of these benefits.
- There are strict guidelines, copyright limitations, and censorship, which may vary from region to region. Users need to comply with Facebook’s monetization terms and conditions to gain monetization status.
- There are two types of live streaming channels, which differ between personal and page profiles.
- Using the app can be confusing to those who are not familiar with live streaming.
2. Twitch
From its early days as Justin.tv back in 2007 to its rebranding and re-launch in 2011, Twitch is a consumer-grade platform that is highly popular among the e-sport and video game community. Twitch has also expanded its category to cover live streaming from different genres, such as music and technology. It is also highly integrated into most broadcasting software, making managing your live stream a breeze by simply using streaming software like Streamlabs OBS.
Key features:
- Available for free and turbo accounts.
- It has tools for the audience to chat with streamers and with other audiences in real time.
- F features a niche user dashboard where the streamer can promote his profile and other social media channels.
Pros:
- It is relatively easy for beginners to start live streaming.
- Compatible and integrated with most broadcasting software.
- It has a vast online community, with 140 million active users per month.
- There are three tiers of monetization: direct donation, bits tipping, and subscription.
Cons:
- It is mainly meant for personal, and not professional, use.
- It has “gamer-y” aesthetics and is not really suitable for professionals.
- Equally, Starting your fan base can also be challenging since there are too many competitors.
- It requires encoding tools.
3. Youtube Live
Youtube has been recognized as a pioneer in popularizing video streaming for many years. Currently, it remains the sole platform backed by Google, resulting in an outstanding search algorithm that facilitates the easy discovery of content.
Key features:
- Its search algorithm is powered by Google.
- Though it supports both VOD and live streaming, it is most well-known for VOD.
- The videos can be embedded in other websites.
Pros:
- Allows ad-based monetization.
- Free to use.
- Popular among users, with over 2.3 billion active users worldwide.
- Has an easy-to-use UI for viewers and broadcasters.
- It has live and VOD hosting features.
Cons:
- Monetization is limited to users with an extensive following and long watch time. Hence, Youtube requires live streamers to have at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time to start monetization.
- The live-streaming feature is still quite limited.
- Youtube owns partial rights to your content.
- There are strict restrictions on content.
4. Instagram Live
Instagram is a much newer live streaming app identically compared to Facebook and Youtube Live. It is also best known for its photo- and video-sharing abilities, where users can upload images and videos to their accounts. The app’s live streaming feature works as part of Insta stories, which sometimes limits their discoverability to the user’s followers. However, with 500 million daily active users, Instagram Live is another effective live streaming platform for content promotion.
Key features:
- It is an effective social media platform for sharing images and videos.
- Also, It is widespread across most age groups.
- Allows viewers to engage with the streamers in real time by leaving comments or likes.
- Streamers can pin a comment for all viewers to read.
Pros:
- Significantly, its large user base makes content sharing easily discoverable and accessible.
- It has a simple, however easy-to-navigate UI.
- Free to download and easy to use.
Cons:
- It has no monetization features.
- Plus, it has minimal professional features.
- Also, it has no analytics.
- Lastly, It has limited device compatibility. Most features are only available on the mobile version, not the web version.
5. ViuLive
ViuLive is a new live streaming platform that supports multi-screen display and group broadcasting. The platform is in its early stages, with more upcoming features planned for future releases. The app has a unique feature that allows the audience to select which camera angle they wish to watch if the streamer uses multiple cameras during the live stream. All the live stream content published will then be saved as a VOD, which can be watched at a later time. The app is also available on mobile and desktop devices and on TV apps that allow users to watch the live stream and VOD.
Key features:
- Features unique multi-screen displays allowing viewers to watch multiple camera angles/sources simultaneously.
- Compatible with most RTMP-enabled devices and software.
- Supports group/squad live streaming.
Pros:
- Significantly, Its multi-screen display gives the viewers the power to select which camera angle to watch.
- Group streaming is relatively easy to set up and is available for free.
- It is compatible with most RTMP-enabled cameras, allowing users to live stream directly from the device.
- All of its features are available for free.
- It is available on multiple devices and platforms.
- Has a minimization option.
Cons:
- Still in its development stages, with most features still in the works.
- It has no analytics.
- One-click live streaming can lead to unwanted and accidental content.
- No broadcasting software integration specifically makes it hard to manage the live stream.
Bonus: How to Start a Live Stream onViuLive
6. Omlet Arcade
Omlet Arcade is another live streaming platform popular among the mobile gaming community, with a native built-in live stream encoder. Though the platform features real-life streaming, it’s a niche app that supports mobile games. This is the main contributor to the app’s rising popularity. It also supports traditional live streaming using broadcasting software on a desktop.
Key features:
- It is a live-streaming platform that focuses more on mobile gaming.
- Also, It has a similar UI to Twitch.
- In addition, it offers a built-in mobile encoder and screen-capturing software for mobile devices.
Pros:
- Most of its primary and essential features are available for free.
- The app specifically features built-in mobile screen capture software, which is unique.
- Users have the ability to multi-stream, as well as to stream on other platforms, with its built-in broadcasting software.
Cons:
- This platform is mainly meant for gamers.
- Also, Its gaming aesthetics are not suitable for professional use.
- In addition, The platform caters mainly to mobile users.
7. Linkedin Live
Linkedin entered the live streaming party a bit later compared to the others in this list. Despite this, it did not deter the live-streaming success of the professional networking platform. Being one of the (if not the only) social media homes to a global network of professionals, Linkedin has a diverse user demographic, with the 25–34 age group forming its largest advertising unit.
Key features:
- Offers live stream analytics.
- Also, it supports live chat.
- It offers chat moderation tools that allow you to delete, report, and block both comments and viewers.
Pros:
- It’s available for free.
- It has a large user demographic to promote your content.
- A global network for professional users with 2x more buying power compared to the average internet user.
- In addition, Linkedin live videos get 7x more interactions and 24x more comments compared to native videos published by the same broadcaster.
Cons:
- It is typically meant for professionals due to the nature of the social media platform.
- It has undiversified content when compared to other live-streaming platforms.
8. TikTok
TikTok has made its mark in 154 countries worldwide, with a powerful presence among younger audiences. The app’s algorithm is uniquely designed to facilitate growth, making it easier to go viral and build a large following. Also, with 46% of TikTok’s live users between the ages of 16 and 24, and 20% of the user base of students, the app offers an excellent platform for reaching and engaging with younger demographics. So if you’re looking to build a robust following and connect with younger audiences, TikTok may be just the platform you need.
Key features:
- Features the ability to add filters and beautify your live stream.
- Also, It has live streaming analytics.
- It boasts 500 million global users.
Pros:
- It is free to download and use.
- Its algorithm enables a user to be easily discoverable.
- Also, it generates a “For You” page based on the viewer’s watch behaviors.
Cons:
- TikTok has minimal monetization options.
- It has a 60-second video length limit.
- Besides, Users are unable to remove the TikTok branding.
9. Vimeo Live
Vimeo is well known for being an online video hosting service that allows video showcasing on a site or across the web a breeze. The platform offers a flexible solution to accommodate small and large businesses. You can access their video hosting services through different subscription plans. However, live streaming is only available on the top tier subscriptions.
Key features:
- Offers a robust infrastructure.
- It offers live video analytics.
- Also, It supports monetization features.
Pros:
- It can be broadcast to all online social networks.
- Also, It has three monetization features, including subscriptions, rentals, in addition to pay-per-view.
- Vimeo offers free video editing software on their app.
Cons:
- It is not free to host a live stream.
- Live streaming is only available on the premium and enterprise plans, which start at $75 billed annually.
- Also, It has limited storage space for free subscribers.
10. DaCast
DaCast is known to provide video hosting solutions for all types of businesses. Users can broadcast through their live-streaming website and control the branding and access to their content. DaCast also supports monetization abilities for its users.
Key features:
- Live video can be embedded anywhere.
- It also supports real-time analytics.
- Also, It is a white-label video hosting site allowing users to put their brand logo on their live broadcast.
Pros:
- It supports the ability to live stream to all social media channels and host live countdowns simultaneously.
- It supports four ways of monetization for your video content, including pay-per-view, subscription, rental, and ad-based video options.
Cons:
- Not free to use.
- It is also typically for businesses and not for personal use.
- Also, Requires a bit of a learning curve to start using the platform.
Conclusion
There are a lot of live streaming platforms available now in the market. However, with many streamers vying for their audience’s attention, choosing the best platform most suited to your personality, target market, and content is necessary. While these six platforms will give you enough discoverability and exposure, producing content that will add value to your audience is also essential.
If you’re ready to share your content and grow your online following, here’s a recap of the 10 best live streaming apps that you must consider in 2021:
- Facebook Live
- Twitch
- Youtube Live
- Instagram Live
- ViuLive
- Omlet Arcade
- Linkedin Live
- TikTok
- Vimeo
- DaCast
Are there other live-streaming apps you think should be on this list? Let us know in the comments section below!