Top 7 Cutting-Edge Streaming Tools for Twitch and YouTube in 2025

OneStream enables you to live stream and record both live and pre-recorded videos, and publish your content to over 40 social media platforms, providing versatile broadcasting options for creators and businesses alike.

Restream is a cloud-based streaming platform that enables you to broadcast your videos simultaneously across more than 30 platforms, including Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook. It also integrates seamlessly with popular streaming tools like XSplit, OBS Studio, and Elgato.

One of its standout features is the ability for “Real-time Platform and Channel Toggling.” This lets you add or switch channels while you’re live without stopping the broadcast or restarting your streaming software. This flexibility makes live streaming much more adaptable and dynamic.

Below is an example of the Restream Dashboard showing how you can toggle channels during a live stream. In addition to live broadcasting, Restream offers various tools to help you promote and analyze your streams effectively. For example, the Restream Events feature allows you to schedule and promote future streams, though currently, this is available only for Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Restream also provides comprehensive analytics to evaluate your stream’s performance across all platforms from a single dashboard. You can see data such as peak viewer times, total viewers, engagement metrics, and more. The platform includes a built-in chat overlay, customizable using over 20 preset templates, enabling real-time interaction with your audience during your broadcasts.

Other key features include creating multiple channels, automatic alerts on social platforms like Facebook, Discord, and Twitter, adding call-to-action buttons, and enabling viewers from different platforms to chat together. It also offers tools for managing stream quality, such as monitoring frame drops, bitrate, and frames per second.

Pricing options for Restream range from a free plan, which has limited features, to paid plans starting at $16 per month for additional capabilities such as pre-recorded streaming, video uploads, storage, and longer recording hours. Higher tiers like Professional, Premium, and Business plans offer more storage, longer streams, and advanced features.

Try Restream risk-free for 7 days and explore how it can enhance your live streaming experience.OneStream.

OneStream stands out as the top overall streaming solution, offering the ability to broadcast and record both live and pre-recorded videos, which can then be shared across more than 40 social media platforms.

For pre-recorded content, you can easily upload your videos, schedule their publication, and set them to go live up to 60 days in advance, making content management straightforward. When it comes to live streams, OneStream can be integrated with other streaming tools to facilitate multi-platform broadcasting, allowing you to reach wider audiences effortlessly. The accompanying visual demonstrates how the platform functions and integrates with various streaming setups.

Scheduling pre-recorded videos is straightforward. Upload your video file, choose a preferred date and time, and select your streaming platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, Periscope, and more. This process makes content distribution seamless and efficient.

Key features include the ability to stream to more than 40 different platforms and schedule posts up to 60 days in advance. You can manage multiple team members within one account, eliminating the need for additional software installation. The platform offers various upload methods, including file uploads, camera capture, and screen sharing, along with options for custom RTMP streaming through a server URL and stream key.

OneStream offers four pricing levels to suit different needs. The free plan includes unlimited streams but only supports single-platform streaming, with limited duration and storage. The Basic plan at $10 per month allows unlimited streaming, multi-platform pre-recorded broadcasting, and longer streams. The Standard plan at $39 per month, the most popular choice, provides both live and scheduled multicasting without file size restrictions. The Professional tier at $89 per month supports extended recorded streams and unlimited storage. For optimal streaming experience, try OneStream for free and upgrade when you’re ready.

Wirecast is another top-tier professional live streaming software, starting at $599. It is ideal for producing high-quality, on-demand broadcasts and live streams, enabling users to share their message globally. This software allows users to capture video from multiple cameras, share screens, and add graphics and titles for a professional appearance.

Expert advice suggests that for creating polished live shows or broadcasts, Wirecast provides extensive features to produce dynamic content. Its ability to handle multiple video sources, incorporate captivating visuals, and produce both live and on-demand streams makes it a preferred choice for professionals looking to elevate their broadcasts. The software’s capabilities extend to capturing multiple video feeds, integrating graphics, and managing complex productions effortlessly.

Pricing for Wirecast typically ranges from $599 to $799, depending on the version and features selected. This investment is well-suited for professionals who require advanced functionality and high production quality. When considering the best live-streaming software, Wirecast stands out as a robust option for businesses and individuals aiming for a broadcast of broadcast-level quality.

Wirecast is a professional live video streaming platform created by Telestream. It allows you to produce high-quality live broadcasts that resemble traditional TV shows and also offers on-demand streaming options for the web.

With its user-friendly and flexible interface, you can easily customize your live streams. Simply connect your microphone and camera, and Wirecast takes care of encoding and delivering your content to viewers worldwide, regardless of location.

It’s suitable for a wide range of live events such as sports, religious services, TV broadcasts, radio shows, and news coverage. The platform also provides a free iOS app for mobile streaming, supporting multiple destinations—including any RTMP server—and features live captioning to improve accessibility for all viewers.

Wirecast is available in two editions:

While it is on the higher end of pricing, Wirecast stands out as one of the best tools for professional-grade live streaming.

Begin your streaming journey with Wirecast.

Top Platform for Video Monetization ($39.99/month; includes a 30-day free trial).

Expert’s Advice

If you’re looking to monetize your videos or require a trustworthy, professional streaming service for your business, Dacast comes highly recommended. Its user-friendly tools and features allow you to quickly upload and broadcast your videos, helping you generate income efficiently. The platform’s cutting-edge security measures and robust streaming infrastructure guarantee that your live broadcasts will always be accessible and deliver top-quality viewing experiences.

Dacast is a video monetization platform and VOD streaming solution designed specifically for hosting, live streaming, and managing professional broadcasts.

They provide robust and secure video hosting services, supported by a comprehensive content management system that enables storage of both recorded and live video content.

Dacast is particularly known for its OTT capabilities and excellent monetization features. The platform automatically converts currencies behind paywalls to match viewers’ local costs, supporting various monetization models like subscriptions, pay-per-view, and advertising.

Key Features:
– API-Based Infrastructure: Allows you to customize your streaming experience and build your own mobile apps and OTT platforms using APIs and SDKs.
– Advanced Analytics: Provides detailed performance reports and customizable dashboards to track viewer engagement and content effectiveness.
– HTML5 Video Player: Ensures smooth streaming across all devices with an HTML5 player optimized for mobile viewing.
– 24/7 Technical Support: Offers around-the-clock customer support, a detailed knowledge base, and an active online community to assist users.

Pricing:
Dacast offers four main subscription plans, with pricing ranging from $39 per month to $188 per month, catering to different levels of streaming needs.

They also provide a 14-day free trial and an annual discount of 25%, making it easier for users to try out their services risk-free. For more details or to start your free trial, visit their website.

Dacast stands out as a comprehensive video solution for businesses seeking reliable hosting, secure streaming, and effective monetization options.

You can try Dacast’s live streaming and monetization features free for 30 days to see how it works.

5. XSplit Broadcaster.

Best suited for live streaming and recording gaming sessions, starting at just $2.50 per month.

XSplit Broadcaster is a software tool designed for live streaming and recording gameplay. It allows you to start your stream or capture footage quickly and easily, often within seconds.

It includes an in-game control HUD that enables you to:

One of its features, Projector Mode, lets you display multiple scenes across various devices connected to your computer’s GPU.

XSplit also manages all encoding settings needed for streaming. It offers guidance to help you configure your setup for optimal quality, even streaming at 4k60fps. The entire stream control is manageable from a single interface, simplifying the process for users.

This software also offers a free tier called XSplit Gamecaster, tailored for gamers seeking straightforward streaming solutions.

The professional version begins at $2.50 per month, with a free plan available that offers limited features.

Learn more and get started with XSplit Broadcaster.

This free, open-source streaming software is ideal for live streamers and businesses seeking a customizable platform.

Streamlabs OBS provides a cloud-supported platform for streaming to Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook. It offers a wide range of overlay options, templates, and assets so you can craft a professional-looking stream. You can use screens like “Be Right Back” or “Starting Soon” to inform your viewers of the upcoming content.

It also features a marketplace where you can find 46 different apps designed to:

You can easily add multiple components such as goal trackers, alert boxes, and more directly from the Streamlabs platform. The service also includes noise suppression and gain controls to eliminate background noise, ensuring clearer audio during live broadcasts.

Streamlabs OBS is available as a free open-source software. A premium package is also available at $12 per month, billed annually, offering additional tools like professionally designed themes, widgets, mobile streaming options, and custom domain support.

The top free, open-source streaming and recording platform.

Open Broadcaster Software, known as OBS Studio, is a versatile, open-source platform for streaming and recording on multiple operating systems. It enables high-quality video and audio capture, editing, and mixing in real-time. Users can craft highly customized scenes with sources like text, images, webcams, capture cards, and browser windows. The software allows seamless switching between numerous scenes during a stream with transitions. Its powerful audio mixer includes filters such as noise suppression, noise gate, and gain, with support for VST plugins for advanced control.

OBS Studio is entirely free to download and use.

The ideal choice for gamers looking to stream on Twitch at no cost.

Twitch Studio is a free application designed for live streaming directly on Twitch. It was created by Twitch to simplify the process of broadcasting video game streams from their platform. For detailed instructions, check out how to stream on Twitch.

This software provides a straightforward setup, enabling users to go live even with complex equipment. It features guided onboarding, automatic hardware recognition, and recommended configurations to help your streams appear professional with minimal effort. You can also customize your streams to align with your personal branding.

Twitch Studio allows extensive customization, including options such as starter layouts, overlays, support for multiple audio sources, and more. It also includes a built-in ‘desktop audio capture’ feature, enabling you to share your computer’s audio directly to your stream.

Key features of Twitch Studio include extensive personalization options to reflect your style or brand, easy content mixing by connecting devices like your iPhone or iPad to share screens instantly, and seamless integration of Twitch’s built-in activity feeds, chat, and alerts to enhance your streaming experience without needing additional plugins.

The platform offers multiple layout choices, dedicated chat and activity feeds to engage your audience, adjustable microphone volume, and a comprehensive FAQ section to troubleshoot common issues. It is compatible with both Mac and Windows systems and is completely free to use.

For premium live production experiences, vMix is an excellent choice, typically costing around $60 as a one-time purchase. vMix is a professional-grade vision mixing software that enables you to live stream high-quality videos, including HD, Full HD, and 4K content. It supports switching between multiple video sources, recording, and broadcasting in real-time, making it ideal for large-scale or high-end live events.You can utilize various sources such as cameras, DVDs, images, video files, PowerPoint presentations, and more for your live streams.

Some of the key features include support for all major formats like AVI, MP4, H264, MPEG-2, WMV, MOV, and MXF. The software allows you to record, stream, and output simultaneously using vMix. It offers 13 stylish transition effects including Cut, Fade, Zoom, Wipe, Slide, Fly, CrossZoom, FlyRotate, Cube, CubeZoom, among others. With full 3D acceleration, vMix enables the creation of professional HD videos even on basic PCs. It also provides over 100 built-in animated titles, stickers, and graphics. Additionally, you can add up to 8 remote guests to your live broadcast and more.

vMix is complemented by hardware solutions to support large-scale live concerts or sports events. You can also use vMix Reference Systems to quickly assemble a custom vMix computer tailored to your needs at a lower cost.

What’s more, vMix features vMix Social, which simplifies the process of integrating content from YouTube Live, Twitch, Facebook, and Twitter into your streams. The Live Chat feature allows you to monitor and reply to comments from social media platforms. The vMix Replay function allows you to display HD slow-motion replays with up to four cameras, even showing two angles at the same time to boost engagement.

You can instantly capture events like goals with a single click, add tags for better organization, and generate highlight reels quickly to play during breaks. The ‘Automatic Mix Minus’ feature helps eliminate echo in your audio. The platform supports multiple virtual sets, overlays, and templates to enhance production quality. Starting your live stream can be as simple as using just a webcam and browser. vMix also offers a 60-day free trial, allowing you to test all functionalities risk-free.

Pricing for vMix is available in five editions: the Free Basic version, Basic HD for $60, HD for $350, 4K for $700, and Pro for $1200. All are paid once and include free updates for a year, along with a 60-day free trial to ensure compatibility with your system.

Lightstream, another popular choice, is ideal for users seeking a cloud-based streaming solution, costing around $99 per month. It is a web-based live streaming studio featuring a drag-and-drop editor that provides limitless creative options, projects, and scenes. It supports extensive third-party integrations for motion graphics, alerts, and social media displays to boost viewer engagement. Guests can be invited to participate in the stream, allowing for panel discussions, interviews, podcasts, product launches, and more. Guests can also share their screens, expanding your outreach and audience.

It operates on a cloud-based system, eliminating the need for downloading software. Simply open your web browser to design and broadcast your live streams effortlessly.

Lightstream offers three main products:

Lightstream offers three options:

Live streaming software enables you to broadcast live events to your audience. It also encourages viewer interaction through comments, reactions, and live chat features. Many platforms allow sharing your stream across your website, mobile apps, and social media platforms. They often include hardware encoders that convert raw video signals into digital formats compatible with multiple devices. This software allows simultaneous streaming across various platforms like social media, OTT services, mobile apps, and websites. Additionally, you can customize and edit your streams on the fly to enhance viewer experience.

Modern tools for live streaming have advanced significantly, often featuring intuitive, user-friendly interfaces catering to a variety of needs. While many platforms include numerous features, some may go beyond what you require. Nonetheless, the following features are essential for effective live streaming software:

The process of using streaming software generally follows a similar pattern regardless of the platform. For example, here’s how to get started with XSplit, a popular streaming tool supporting platforms like YouTube and Twitch.

Begin by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) on your streaming platform, such as Twitch, since it’s required before you can start broadcasting. You can activate 2FA on Twitch by visiting security settings and selecting the ‘Set Up Two-Factor Authentication’ option.

Once you’ve clicked the “Set Up Two-Factor Authentication” button, you’ll be prompted to create a password and provide your mobile phone number. After entering all the necessary information, you’ll see a confirmation message indicating successful setup.

With Two-Factor Authentication now active, your next step is to configure the Twitch streaming output. Here’s how to do it:

Start by selecting the option to Broadcast > Set up a new output and then click on the ‘Twitch’ button. You will be directed to the Twitch account setup page, where you need to authorize your access. Click on the ‘Authorize’ button and log in using your preferred Twitch account. After authorization, click on ‘Next’. Then, review the setup wizard carefully to choose the best connection speed, ingest server, and resolution settings for your stream. Once you’ve configured everything, click on ‘Finish’, completing the setup process.

After finishing the setup, you’re ready to go live. You can start broadcasting on Twitch by clicking the ‘Broadcast’ button, then selecting your newly configured output. The Twitch Properties screen will display your stream settings, confirming everything is properly configured before you start your broadcast.

Other than this, it’s important to set the correct configurations.

Here’s how to do it:

This overview covers the top 7 streaming software options. All of these tools are designed for live video broadcasting, but each has distinct features that set them apart. Some are even available for free.

For instance, OBS Studio and Streamlabs OBS are popular open-source options. Both are free and provide most essential features for live streaming, including extensive integration options.

Platforms like Wirecast and vMix are better suited for larger organizations that need to produce live events on a bigger scale.

Meanwhile, XSplit Broadcaster is an excellent choice for gamers seeking efficient streaming on a budget.

Carefully consider your specific needs and financial limits before selecting the right software.

Let me know which streaming software you’re planning to use. Which option do you think is the best fit for you, and why? Share your thoughts below!