Upstream compared, tool by tool.
Upstream runs your videos 24/7 from the cloud, schedules them, sends one stream to up to 10 of 30+ platforms and has a browser studio for live shows. Below: what the 9 tools people switch from cost, what they loop, how many platforms they reach and where each one stops.
Start here
Upstream and 9 alternatives, side by side
The cheapest way to run one stream all month on each tool, whether it can loop your videos 24/7, how many platforms one stream reaches, and what the free plan gives you. Click a tool for the full comparison.
| Tool | Cheapest 24/7 stream | Loops your videos 24/7 | Platforms at once | Go live yourself | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upstream | $30 a month$24 billed yearly, $20 a stream from 4 | YesFor as long as you like, music and video apart | Up to 10From 30+ platforms, on every plan | Live StudioGuests join with a link | 24 hours every monthNo card, no watermark |
| GyreCompare | $49 a monthPlaylists and scheduling from $99 | YesPre-recorded only | One per slotEach platform is its own stream | NoPre-recorded only | 7 day trialCard needed |
| Playout.videoCompare | $29 a monthNo scheduling until the $49 plan | YesLoops a playlist all month | 58 or 10 on the $49 and $149 plans | Yes8 guests on the $29 plan | Stops after 2 hoursWatermark |
| LiveReactingCompare | $39.99 a month$33 billed yearly | YesAudio playlist over a looping video | Up to 5YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Instagram or RTMP | Yes3 guests on screen | 30 minute streams720p, watermark |
| Live247Compare | About $20 a monthBilled by the hour | YesYouTube only | YouTube onlyMore are planned | NoPre-recorded only | Free startThen prepaid credit |
| Runnel.liveCompare | $6 a monthBilled by the minute, plus upload fees | YesYouTube first | One per streamTwitch and Rumble partly supported | NoPre-recorded only | NoPrepaid credit from $1 |
| Streaming BotsCompare | $20 a monthNo yearly plan | YesVideo loops and music radio | Up to 3Custom RTMP included | NoPre-recorded only | 24 hour trialThen $20 a month |
| OneStream LiveCompare | $45 a monthA $15 plan plus the $30 24/7 add-on | Add-onYouTube only, 30 days per run | 5 to 50By plan | OneStream StudioBrowser studio | 2 platforms720p, videos up to 15 minutes |
| RestreamCompare | Not offeredPast 24 hours needs a custom plan | NoLoops stop at 40 hours, playlists at 24 | 2 to 8By plan | Restream Studio720p until $49 a month | 2 platformsRestream logo on Studio streams |
| StreamYardCompare | Not offeredA video ends when it finishes | NoNo looping | 3 to 101 on the free plan | Browser studioInterviews and podcasts | 1 platformStreamYard logo |
The details behind the table
A closer look at each tool
What each tool is, what it costs and where it stops. Every section links to the full comparison, with the prices, plan tables and sources.
Tools for 24/7 and pre-recorded streams
Gyre
Gyre runs pre-recorded videos as 24/7 streams, mostly for YouTube, on plans from $49 a month.
- Price. Start is $49 a month for one Full HD stream. Playlists and the scheduler start on Start+ at $99.
- Platforms. One slot per platform, so sending the same stream to three platforms takes three slots.
- Where it stops. No overlays on its feature list, no way to go live yourself, team access only on Enterprise, and a 7 day trial that needs a card.
Playout.video
Playout.video loops videos as a 24/7 channel and adds a browser studio, with plans from $29 to $149 a month for each stream.
- Price. Creator is $29 a month ($19 billed yearly) and has no scheduling. Scheduling starts on Channel at $49, and a feed from OBS or an encoder on Business at $149.
- Platforms. 5 on Creator, 8 on Channel and 10 on Business. Four scheduled streams cost $196 a month, against $80 on Upstream.
- Where it stops. The free plan stops after 2 hours with a watermark, 60 fps and 4K are add-ons with no listed price, and it isn't on YouTube's verified encoder list.
LiveReacting
LiveReacting runs 24/7 streams and live shows with chat games, at $39.99 a month for its 24/7 plan.
- Price. $39.99 a month or $33 billed yearly for one 1080p stream. 60 fps costs 1.5 times that and 4K twice.
- Platforms. Up to 5 at once and 3 guests on screen. SRT destinations only on custom plans.
- Where it stops. The free plan streams 30 minutes at a time in 720p with a watermark, and LiveReacting isn't on YouTube's verified encoder list.
Live247
Live247 loops your videos on YouTube and bills by the hour, about $20 a month for one stream running all month.
- Price. 2.73 cents an hour, about $19.94 a month for one 1080p stream, or $39.88 for 4K at 60 fps.
- Platforms. YouTube only, set up with a stream key.
- Where it stops. No overlays, a music playlist or a video playlist but not both at once, no live studio, and its terms say all sales are final.
Runnel.live
Runnel.live loops a video on YouTube for about $6 a month per stream, billed by the minute.
- Price. About $6 a month for a stream running 24/7, plus upload fees of $0.03 to $0.50 per GB.
- Platforms. One per stream, YouTube first, with Twitch and Rumble partly supported.
- Where it stops. No overlays, no music playlists over a picture, no live studio, one shared login and no free plan.
Streaming Bots
Streaming Bots runs 24/7 video loops and music radio streams for a flat $20 a month per stream.
- Price. $20 a month for each stream, with no volume discount and no yearly plan. Ten streams cost $200 a month, against $160 on Upstream billed yearly.
- Platforms. Up to 3 per stream, custom RTMP included.
- Where it stops. 1080p at 30 fps for every stream, 65 GB of storage, no live studio, and no team access or API listed.
Multistreaming tools and browser studios
OneStream Live
OneStream Live schedules pre-recorded videos and multistreams to a long list of platforms, and sells 24/7 as an add-on.
- Price. Plans from $15 a month. A 24/7 YouTube stream is a $30 a month add-on, 30 days per run, or 3 come with the $99 plan.
- Platforms. 2 on the free plan, then 5 to 50 depending on the plan.
- Where it stops. Playlists only from the $49 plan, loops capped at 60 on paid plans, and a free plan with 720p and videos up to 15 minutes.
Restream
Restream is built for going live from OBS or its studio to many platforms, with one chat.
- Price. Standard $19, Professional $49 and Business $239 a month. Our Restream pricing guide breaks down every plan.
- Platforms. 2 to 8 at once, depending on the plan. Studio is 720p until the $49 plan.
- Where it stops. Any plan can stream an uploaded video, but playlists and looping need the Upload & Stream add-on from $79 a month, a loop stops at 40 hours and a playlist at 24.
StreamYard
StreamYard is a browser studio for interviews, podcasts and webinars, from $44.99 a month.
- Price. Core $44.99, Advanced $88.99 and Business $299 a month, or $35.99, $68.99 and $249 billed yearly.
- Platforms. 3, 8 or 10 at once depending on the plan, and 1 on the free plan.
- Where it stops. A pre-recorded stream ends when the video finishes, so there is no 24/7 loop, and the free plan shows the StreamYard logo.
One stream, every job
How Upstream is different
Most tools above do one job. Upstream runs a 24/7 channel, schedules pre-recorded streams, multistreams and hosts live shows from the same stream, on every plan.
24/7Loops with no cap on paid plans
True 24/7 from your files
Video and music playlists loop in order or shuffled for as long as the stream runs. Restream stops a loop at 40 hours and StreamYard stops when the video ends. See 24/7 streaming.
10Platforms at once, from 30+
One stream, up to 10 platforms
Every plan sends one stream to up to 10 platforms, the free one too. Most 24/7 tools above reach between 1 and 5. See multistreaming.
$30A month, $20 a stream from 4
Scheduling and OBS feeds included
Schedules, playlists, overlays, an RTMP server for OBS and Live Studio come with every plan, with no add-ons. See pricing.
24 hFree streaming every month
A free plan that renews
24 streaming hours every month in 1080p, to up to 10 platforms, with no card and no watermark. See the free plan.
Keep reading
Comparison guides
Common questions
Comparison questions
What are the best Upstream alternatives?
Which of these can run a 24/7 stream from pre-recorded videos?
Which is the cheapest for one 24/7 YouTube loop?
Which tools send one stream to several platforms?
Where do these prices and limits come from?
How we compared
Every rival price and limit on this page comes from that company's own pricing and help pages, checked between October 8 to 10, 2026. Each comparison page lists the exact pages and the date it was checked. Upstream's numbers come from our pricing page.
Plans change often. If something here is out of date, tell us in the chat and we'll fix it.
Try Upstream next to any of them
Start free with 24 hours a month, 1080p and up to 10 platforms at once. No credit card, no watermark.