Best Live Streaming Software

Live streaming is the buzzword of the video streaming industry. Over the years, live streaming has been used for multiple purposes, from entertainment to engagement and marketing to education. And with the growth of live streaming, live streaming software has evolved too!

Depending on the usage, live streaming software can have many categories. While some live streaming programs are specially designed for sports and esports, there are streaming software for YouTube and eLearning too! Some allow you to embed live streams on websites, while others offer seamless social media integration.

If you are looking to buy live streaming software soon, you are on the right page. Here, we will tell you what live streaming software is, how it works, how to choose one, and more, along with a list of live-streaming software. So, keep reading.

What is Live Streaming Software?

Live streaming software is a tool that helps you process and distribute your live feed so that it can reach your end users in real time. Usually, the raw camera feed that we capture cannot be broadcasted as it is. So, the live streaming software encodes the raw video file, adds security features, and distributes it to the cloud servers. This entire process takes place within seconds. That is why your audience can view the content almost instantly. 

What Does Live Streaming Software Do?

Live streaming software converts the raw live video feed into a digital format that can be used for live streaming. Technically, it is a type of encoding where the video to be encoded is fed in real-time. 

Some live video streaming software breaks the video feed into multiple smaller chunks during encoding. These smaller chunks of content are compressed further and converted into processed video feeds of multiple resolutions. This type of encoding is particularly helpful in adaptive bitrate streaming.

Once the video feed is ready, it is distributed throughout the Content Delivery Network, a cloud server network. When the viewer wants to watch the live stream, the cloud CDN server near the viewer sends the video feed to the viewer’s device, where it gets played. 

Hence, live broadcasting software encodes the live feed, breaks it into smaller chunks, compresses it, and distributes it to the cloud servers or CDNs.

Components Needed to Conduct Live Streams

A live streamer usually needs multiple tools and components for conducting successful live streams. The overall quality of your live stream depends on the performance of your live streaming components too!

1. Camera

   The quality of the camera matters a lot. A good live-streaming camera should offer at least HD resolution and a frame rate of a minimum of 30 fps.

   If you are low on budget, Logitech C922 Pro, Elgato Facecam, and Microsoft LifeCam HD-3000 are some of the best available options. Prosumer video cameras are good for professional streaming.

2. Microphone

   While live streaming, your voice should reach your audiences clearly; otherwise, they won’t be able to understand your content. For this purpose, you will need a microphone that offers a cardioid pickup pattern, while an amplifier is always a plus. Blue Snowball iCE, HyperX SoloCast, and Røde NT-USB Mini are good microphones for affordable live streaming.

3. Computer

   You will need a PC or a smartphone with a good-quality camera for live streaming. If you are going for a laptop, make sure it has at least 8 GB RAM (the higher, the better) and at least an Intel i5 or equivalent processor. The best result is obtained at 16 GB RAM with an Intel i7 or equivalent processor.

4. Internet Connection

   A reliable internet connection is of utmost importance for live streaming. A weak internet connection might lead to buffering and latency issues. So, for smooth and lag-free live streaming, a stable internet connection of at least 60 Mbps or above is a must.

5. Capture Card

   A capture card lets you capture (or record) the live content, edit it if needed on the spot, and then send it simultaneously for distribution. You will not need it if you are using software like OBS Studios or Muvi Live on a single device. 

   But if you are using one separate device for recording (means camera) and another for processing (means PC), you will need a capture card.

6. Live Streaming Software

   A live streaming software will process your live feed and then send it to the CDN network for distribution. A good live broadcasting software should always have a built-in encoder, CDN server, and multi-DRM security setup for optimal and secured live streaming.

7. Streaming platform or content delivery network (CDN)

   Streaming platforms are either streaming websites or apps through which your users can access live content. You can create your streaming platform using no-code solutions like Muvi One. 

   A Content Delivery Network is a network of cloud servers, that consists of a mother server and a large number of proxy servers. AWS and Akamai are the leading CDN network providers worldwide.

8. Software Encoder

   Encoding software is a live streaming tool that processes your live stream content and converts it into a stream-ready digital format. It first breaks your video into smaller chunks. Then, these chunks are compressed and converted into videos of multiple resolutions.

9. Lighting and Set Design

   Lights and background play a vital role in attracting your viewers. While setting up the lighting, make sure that the color temperature of your lights is above 3000K. Adjustable RGB with a good dimming range is always a plus. 

   Nowadays, ring lights are quite popular. If you have a tight budget, you can go for ESDDI 18-inch ring light or Neewer 20-inch dimmable ring light. They also offer angle rotation. Also, ensure that your background walls are painted in light colors (white and pastel colors preferred) for optimal lighting.

10. Cables and Connections

    You will need HDMI cables, DisplayPort cables, USB buses, and extension cords if you are planning to live stream outdoors. Also, make sure to carry additional battery backups and power banks. Pen drives are also a major help if you run out of memory.

    Difference between Live Streaming Software and Hardware Encoders

    A software encoder will get installed in your computer, encode your raw video files and convert them into streaming-ready files within your system. 

    However, hardware encoders are physical devices or systems that capture, encode, and deliver streaming-ready data. So, you must first transfer your video and audio files so these encoders can operate on them. 

    The major differences between hardware and software encoders are tabulated below.

    Software Encoders vs Hardware Encoders
    Software Encoders	Hardware Encoders
    These are encoding applications (computer programs) that get installed and run on your computer.	These hardware tools are built for the sole purpose of encoding.
    They capture video files from your computer and encode them.	You need to connect these encoders to your computer, or sometimes to your camera, so they can access your live videos.
    It is not compulsory to add your video and audio files separately.	Some hardware encoders have separate inputs for capturing audio and video files. For example, they have separate inputs for camera feeds and mic feeds.
    Since they are within your system, they might function a bit slower as compared to their hardware counterparts.	They are faster and deliver specialized encoding results.
    Good encoding software offers a lot of room for adjusting and customizing the video quality.	These encoders deliver fixed results; however, their video quality is quite good.

Benefits of Live Streaming Software

Live streaming software allows you to stream live content effortlessly across multiple devices and platforms. In addition, the best live-streaming software offers detailed user analytics and advanced security features. Here are the major benefits of live-streaming software.

1. Real-time engagement

   Through live streaming, you can ensure real-time engagement with your viewers. Some streaming software even offers live chat, allowing viewers to engage in conversations in real-time. Such real-time engagement helps you understand your audience well and build trust between you and your viewers.

2. Cost-effective content delivery

   As most live streaming software includes CDNs, delivering and distributing content becomes easier. Using CDNs, you can deliver live content to viewers in any part of the world at a much lower cost. Also, your viewers enjoy seamless live video streaming with ultra-low latency.

3. Broad reach and scalability

   Majority of the global population watches live-streaming videos every single week. Hence, the outreach of live-streaming content is immense. Also, due to the intensive use of CDNs, you can invite any number of viewers to join your live stream. Hence, a live stream is easily scalable.

4. Analytics and viewer insights

   Live broadcasting software delivers detailed viewer insights like the viewer’s geography, watch duration, and more! This analytics dashboard helps you understand which type of live content works well with your users. Also, it helps you recognize your loyal audience base.

5. Monetization opportunities

   You can use live streaming tools to monetize your live streams. Generally, you will get multiple monetization options like AVOD, Subscription and Membership, Pay-Per-View (TVOD), Coupons, and Vouchers. The best live streaming software will let you use these monetization plans together.

6. Enhanced brand visibility and engagement

   Over 35% of brand marketing events now use live-streaming software. This proves the importance of live streaming in enhancing your brand visibility. It also helps you engage directly with your consumers and understand their needs through quizzes and polls.

7. High-Quality Streams

   Live streaming software comes with a global content delivery network (CDN). This helps you broadcast high-quality videos and improve the overall experience. 

   A live streaming platform with a reliable CDN will help you stream videos without any technical glitches.

8. Analytics Tracking

   Most professional streaming services come with tracking tools and analytic dashboards to help you evaluate your live event's outcome. You can see relevant metrics like engagement, viewer numbers, and behaviors. Thus, live streaming software help you assess which aspects of your broadcast need to be changed for future events. This, in turn, will help you improve your overall content and strategy.

9. Distraction-Free Streaming

   One of the disadvantages of using free streaming services is that they are loaded with distractions. Third-party logos and unrelated advertisements can clutter the screen and take the focus away from your live event. 

   However, most of the live streaming platforms offer ad-free streaming. So, your viewers are not burdened with ads that are not related to your content.

Features Offered by Live Streaming Software

Most streaming software also offers additional features like advanced security features with multi-DRM, built-in CDN, and HLS content output. 

And if you are looking for advanced live broadcasting software, you should run recurring live events with mobile-based live streaming too! Let’s take a quick look at some of these key features.

1. Encoding and Transcoding

   Many live broadcasting software offer auto-encoding and auto-transcoding features. So you don’t have to use separate encoding software anymore. These auto-encoders and auto-transcoders automatically convert the audio and video components into streamable content. Also, the built-in transcoding setup converts the feed received from video sources into multiple resolutions, like 720p video, HD video, 4K video, and more.

2. Green Screen And Chroma Key Support

   A green screen lets you remove patterns or colors from the backdrop of your video and fill it with another color. A chroma key usually lets you remove and fill more than one color, like red, blue, and green. This special effect often changes your backdrop when you live stream from a not-so-suitable place.

3. Session Recording

   Recording your live videos has massive benefits. Firstly, it is one of the technical requirements for enabling DVR-enabled live play. Secondly, you can reuse this video recording as VOD content later and generate revenues from it. Hence, session recording is a valuable feature of live-streaming software.

4. Multi-Camera Support

   Good live broadcasting software allows more than one camera for a single live video. Multi-camera support allows you to switch between cameras during live streams. It is a must-have feature if you are using multiple professional video cameras for a single live stream.

5. Live Chat

   Live chat lets you connect to your audience. Your audience can ask you any question or give their feedback through chat. Also, they can connect with fellow viewers to discuss anything related to the live video.

6. Digital Rights Management (DRM)

   DRM is essential when you are into content creation. For example, YouTube might mute or may even take down VOD streams with copyrighted music playing in the background. 

   To avoid such scenarios, you need to ensure that all rights are properly managed. Live streaming software will help you solve these issues and create quality content.

7. API and SDK

   Live streaming platforms include developer-friendly API infrastructure software and mobile SDK. Some platforms even provide tools for easy integration with various cloud video applications and digital media workflows.

8. Automatic VOD Archiving

   Live streaming software is automatically recorded and uploaded to your media library as video-on-demand (VOD).

Things to Consider When Purchasing Live Streaming Software

Before buying live broadcasting software, ensure it has an easy-to-use UI and a reliable track record of delivering stable live streaming services. Budget-conscious streamers might want to compare the prices as well. Some of the things that you must consider before buying live-streaming software are discussed below.

1. Ease of Use

   All live streamers are not technical geeks. If the platform is too difficult to use or involves a lot of technicalities, it might not suit your business. That is why you should try and use the streaming software before purchasing it. You should proceed further only if you can use the live streaming software easily.

2. User Interface

   User Interface, or UI, is one of the most important aspects of a video streaming software or platform. It decides what will be presented to your users and how. So, if you want good user engagement and interaction, you must look for the best UI.

3. Advanced Features

   Advanced features like multi-DRM security, mobile-based live streaming, and cloud-based streaming solutions are gaining relevance rapidly. For big enterprises, choosing live broadcasting software that offers at least some of them is important.

4. Compatibility and Platform Support

   Good streaming software are always compatible with multiple streaming protocols like HLS, MPEG-DASH, RTMP, and others. Also, it should support the integration of third-party live streaming tools like OBS Studios.

   Also, you must be able to live stream on multiple platforms simultaneously, including YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, and others. It helps in gaining maximum viewership.

5. Streaming Quality and Performance

   Streaming quality depends on multiple factors, but the most vital factor is encoding quality. If encoding is good, it can elevate your video quality by many folds. But the opposite is also possible.

   Also, the performance of the platform depends on the scalability of the CDN server network. So, a highly scalable cloud server network always helps.

6. Stability and Reliability

   If your live streams often suffer hiccups, your brand image is bound to get tarnished. So, before choosing a live broadcasting software, check if it is capable of delivering stable live streams for hours, with a large number of concurrent viewers, without any lags.

7. Pricing

   The pricing of a live streaming tool usually depends on the features and solutions it offers. For example, if you are looking for just live streaming solutions without any chat support or security features, you might find good streaming software at as low as US$ 20.

   But, if you are looking for a scalable and secured live streaming solution that can handle hours of concurrent live streams, then you will have to pay higher.

   Also, nowadays, many live streaming platforms follow Pay As You Go pricing plans. In such plans, you will be billed based on the hours of live streaming and the bandwidth consumed.

8. Integration With Third-Party Tools

   Professional live streamers use multiple third-party live streaming tools like audio and video mixers, third-party encoders, free wireless camera apps, etc. So, your live broadcasting software must offer seamless integration with these tools.

Top 6 Live Streaming Tools Comparison

Name	Free Trial	Demo	Pricing
Muvi Live	Free	Free	Starting price at $799/month
Wirecast	14 Days	Yes	Starting price at $599/month
vMix	30 Days	Yes	Starting price at $60/month
OBS Studio	Free	Yes	Free
XSplit	7 Days	Yes	Starting price at $0.91/month
Lightstream	7 Days	Yes	Starting price at $7/month

There are many live streaming solutions available in the market, but very few of them offer all the necessary features. Here, we have handpicked the 6 best streaming software options that offer pretty much everything you need to deliver a high-quality and lag-free live streaming experience to your viewers.

1. Muvi Live

Muvi Live is an online live-streaming software that offers you 50+ in-demand features. By live streaming with Muvi Live, you can leverage the scalability of CDN, the security of multi-DRM technology, multi-camera live streaming, mobile live streaming, and many other features out-of-the-box. They offer an easy-to-use CMS where you can start and manage your live streams.

You can download their mobile app and stream live from your smartphone. Your viewers can do live chatting using their chat feature. You can also run polls using their CTA cards. They also offer DVR-enabled live play, where your viewers can pause your live feed and resume after some time.

You can record your live sessions and then reuse the recordings. You can also customize the player settings, inserting your brand logo and other identities. Recently, they have introduced Muvi Live Meetings, which let you live-stream your meetings and webinars with around 600 participants.

Pricing

They have two pricing plans:

• Pay As You Go plan, where you don’t need to pay anything upfront. Later, you will be billed based on your usage. 
• Enterprise plan that will cost you US $799 per month.

2. Wirecast

Wirecast is a powerful live broadcasting software developed by Telestream. It is currently available for Windows and Mac. It is a live streaming PC software, meaning you need to download it on your system.

Currently, Wirecast comes in two versions, Studio and Pro. These versions are priced differently. They offer tools like animated 3D titles, graphics, unlimited capture and encoding of video sources, and multi-streaming capabilities. You can always test out all the features by taking their free trial. You can even record your live videos using their software.

Pricing

They currently offer two pricing plans:

• Their Studio plan starts at US $599.
• Their Pro plan starts at US $799.

3. vMix

vMix is a top-tier live streaming software designed for the professional user base. It is a good choice for 4K encoding. Moreover, vMix supports a wide range of inputs, including DVDs, sound cards, webcams, playlists, NDI, and PTZ cameras.

vMix offers a free version for trial, that does not allow you to apply watermarks. It is beneficial for users looking to test all the features before purchasing.

Pricing

It offers the following pricing plans:

• Its Basic HD version starts at US $60. 
• Its HD version starts at US $350.
• Its 4K version starts at US $700. 
• Its Pro version starts at US $1200. 
• It also offers a subscription plan called Max, at US $50 per month.

4. OBS Studio

Open Broadcaster Software is a popular choice among price-conscious live streamers. It offers all the live streaming essentials you need to create a professional broadcast. Most importantly, its free version is more than sufficient for all forms of live streaming. 

It is highly customizable, and new features and plugins are constantly being released by the developer community. You can edit and mix audio and video using its real-time video and audio mixer tool. You can also set an unlimited number of scenes. It is currently available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. 

Pricing

• It's free-to-use, open-source software.

5. XSplit

XSplit is one of the best broadcasting software that allows you to remove, blur, or replace the webcam background. It has three apps: Broadcaster, vCam, and Connect Webcam. All the apps have a clean and intuitive interface and have all the essential live streaming and recording capabilities. 

Its layout wizard offers multiple professional layouts. It also allows you to live stream to multiple platforms simultaneously. You can record your live videos and convert them into video-on-demand content using their Broadcaster tool. 

Pricing

Xsplit offers the following pricing plans:

• For VCam Premium, you need to spend INR 75 per month. 
• For Broadcaster Premium, you need to spend INR 150 per month. 
• For the Premium Bundle, you need to spend INR 237.5 per month.

6. Lightstream

Lightstream Studio is a powerful and intuitive live streaming software. It captures sources from your computer, but all the compositing and encoding are done on Lightstream servers. Hence, it leads to less CPU usage and greater picture quality.

They also offer a video engine that programmatically lets you create your live streams. They offer analytics and engagement tools, too, like chatbots, alerts, and more! 

Pricing

Lightstream currently offers two pricing options:

• The gamer plan starts at US $7 per month.
• The creator plan starts at US $20 per month.

Potential Challenges Faced in Live Streaming Software

A live streamer has to conquer many challenges to deliver a smooth and lag-free live streaming experience to their viewers. Sometimes those challenges can be technical due to the video streaming software. Other times, the inexperience of live streamers can lead to issues and mistakes too!

We are now going to discuss some potential challenges in live streaming that you must be aware of.

1. Technical Issues

   Now, the technical issues themselves can be of two types. One arises when your streaming platform or software is unstable enough, leading to latency. The other arises when you are not fully aware of the tools you are usual. It might lead to manual errors.

   That is why, in the initial days, you will need video streaming software that offers 24x7 support. Whenever you are stuck, simply ask them to help you out!

2. Transparency

   Many live streaming software often charge you hidden fees, which are not included in the subscription. This lack of transparency might lead to inconveniences later. As most of these hidden costs are infrastructure costs, you might end up using them even unknowingly at some point in time.

3. Hardware Requirements

   Professional live streamers need lights, tripods, high-quality cameras, high-quality mics, and computers with higher CPU performance. Arranging the entire setup might take a toll on your pockets.

4. Content Copyright and Licensing

   Copyright infringement is one of the biggest threats to a live streamer. Especially if you are a beginner, you might end up using copyrighted audio as a background score (which is the most evident scenario). So, you must thoroughly check whether the audio or images you use are licensable.

   If caught using copyrighted content, you might have to face legal consequences. Also, many platforms like YouTube do not allow monetization of such content.

5. Quality Control and Viewer Experience

   Your stream quality solely depends on the quality of the live streaming tools that you are using. So, if you do not try and test your tools and software beforehand, quality issues might arise in your live stream.

   Also, many times everything remains the same at your end, but your viewers experience latency and streaming lags. So, you should keep your chats open to see if your viewers are complaining of any issues.

6. Audience Engagement and Moderation

   Engaging with your audience should be one of your top priorities. But for that, you will need streaming software with sufficient audience engagement tools like chat, polls, and video cards. 

   Also, if you have enabled chat, you should be able to moderate the comments posted by the users. Otherwise, someone might use your chat section to abuse any person or community.

Market Trends Relevant to Live Streaming Software

With the advancement in technology, many new trends have emerged in the live streaming industry. Nowadays, most live streamers use cloud-based solutions, as they lead to lower buffering and fewer crash issues.

Also, multiple industries are now using live streaming, from e-commerce to education, and automobile to aviation. They are used for multiple purposes, like marketing, training and teaching, product or brand launch, and more! Here are some latest market trends relevant to live streaming software.

1. Cloud-Based Solutions

   Most online live-streaming software are nowadays offering cloud-based solutions. They use cloud servers and CDNs that offer unmatched scalability to your live streams. Hence, you can now live stream with millions of concurrent viewers, which was unimaginable even a few years back.

2. Mobile Live Streaming

   With the advancement of smartphone cameras, the popularity of mobile live streaming is growing rapidly. With mobile live streaming, you can start your live stream anywhere, anytime, even if you are not carrying sufficient hardware.

   However, not all streaming software is compatible with smartphones. Very few of them offer mobile live streaming solutions.

3. Integration With E-Commerce

   Few live streaming tools support integration with e-commerce websites. It means you can insert your live videos into an e-commerce website through the SDKs and APIs. It helps in promoting that particular product.

4. Educational Streams

   In online learning (eLearning), a tutor often holds live sessions with the students. These sessions are beneficial for clearing the doubts of the students. It also promotes peer-to-peer interactions.

5. Live Video Supporting Remote Workers

   Managers hold live sessions to help the remote workers understand and proceed with a project. These live sessions are also used to train and upskill the remote workforce. The remote workers can also connect to their colleagues and engage in team bonding activities!

6. Integration with Social Media Platforms

   Most live streams now run simultaneously on multiple social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and others. For this purpose, many streaming software are now offering seamless integration with multiple social media platforms.

7. Integration With Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality

   Augmented and virtual reality impart life to your live stream. Your viewers can not only view the content, but they can interact with the content too! Though very few streaming software currently offers integration with AR-VR, this trend is changing rapidly.

Software Related to Live Streaming Software

A successful live stream involves an amalgamation of multiple software, where the main live streaming software acts as the backbone. But, other software like video editing software, audio editing, and mixing software, CDNs, etc., are also really important.

1. Video Editing Software

   Video editing software is used to edit and modify your videos. For live streaming, you will need live software that can edit and process your videos in real time. Movavi is a free online video editing software, while XSplit offers one of the best video editing tools for live streaming, built-in. Live HD video mixing tools like vMix are also popular.

2. Audio Editing Software

   Audio editing and mixing are extremely important for good live streaming. You will need to add background audio and filter your mic's audio to make it clearer and more effective. Audacity and Adobe Audition are some of the best audio editing software available.

3. Social Media Management Tools

   Using social media management tools, you manage all your social media platforms over a single dashboard. You can track and manage posts, analyze user engagement, and develop improved social media strategies.

4. Video Effects Software

   Using video effects software, you can insert computer-generated images, design elements, and custom effects. Adobe After Effects, Blender, and FinalCut Pro are some of the best video effects software.

5. Video Hosting Platforms

   Video hosting platforms are as important as video streaming software. Because a lot of streaming quality depends on these platforms too! They allow you to upload and store video files on their servers securely. From there, you can easily distribute the content to your audience.

6. Content Delivery Networks

   cloud servers. Instead of using a single server, CDN gives you added benefits like lower latency and buffering, enhanced scalability, and concurrent viewership.

What is the Cost of Live Streaming Software?

The cost of live streaming software varies based on features and business needs. If you need just the basics, you can use software like Lightstream, which will cost you around US $7 monthly.

Also, if you are a bit technically sound, you can use OBS Studios, which is a completely free-to-use open-source software. Many paid software also offers a free version for trial purposes for a limited number of days. 

However, if you are a professional live streamer looking for a scalable solution, you might need higher plans. Best live streaming software offer Pay As You Go plans, though. In such plans, you won’t have to pay anything upfront. You need to pay after your use, based on the usage. 

Conclusion

Live streaming software lets you broadcast your videos live in real-time, without any pre-recording or pre-uploading. Most of these live video software have encoders built-in, which process and convert the raw video feed into broadcast-ready format then and there. 

Muvi Live, Wirecast, vMix, OBS Studio, XSplit, and Lightstream are some of the best live broadcast software available. If you are looking for streaming software for PC, you can go for OBS Studio or vMix. Among the online live streaming software, Muvi Live is a good choice. XSplit offers a lot of video editing tools. 

The price range of video streaming solutions varies widely, starting from US$ 7 and going up to thousands of dollars. So, first, decide your requirements, list the features you want, and then choose a software that suits your needs.