StreamYard alternatives: where to go and how to switch without losing anything
Eight destinations in detail, one for each reason to leave, plus a seven-step exit plan.
The short answer: Restream if you want the same browser studio with more destinations for less, OBS Studio if you want free and full control, Ecamm Live if you're on a Mac, vMix if you're building a real production setup on Windows, Riverside if the recording matters as much as the live show, Zoom Webinars if you run webinars with registration. One thing first: StreamYard has no bulk export. You download your recordings one by one, while your paid plan is still running. We compared the eight destinations in this guide and checked their prices in 2026.
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Why people leave StreamYard, and what they leave behind
StreamYard is still one of the easiest live studios out there: open a browser tab, send your guest a link, go live. Nobody leaves because of the interface. People leave over price, billing and support. Six reasons, all checked against official pages and user reviews in 2026.
Multistreaming gets expensive fast
Essential ($18.99 a month, $14.99 billed yearly) streams to 2 destinations. Need 3? That's Core, at $44.99 a month or $35.99 yearly. Eight destinations means Advanced: $88.99 a month or $68.99 yearly. Restream gives you 3 channels for $19 a month. If you go live on YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook at once, you feel the gap on every invoice.
Paid plans are built for one person
StreamYard says it plainly: Essential, Core and Advanced are for individual use only. Teams have to move to a Business plan, which includes 2 seats, then $59 a month (or $588 a year) for each extra seat. Past 10 people, it's Enterprise. An agency or marketing team that shared one login now pays per seat.
Your recordings leave with your subscription
When your paid period ends, your recordings are no longer available. Come back later and they aren't restored. Downloading is a paid-plan feature, limited to the owner and admins. Cancel before you've pulled everything and those streams are gone for good. Most alternatives roundups skip this entirely.
Billing complaints keep coming back
On review sites, the same complaint shows up year after year: charges after cancellation, monthly plans stacked on top of an annual one, refunds refused. The official policy says valid charges are non-refundable except in specific cases, and refund requests are self-serve from your account. Keep every cancellation confirmation.
Support feels more automated
Bending Spoons has owned StreamYard since 2024, after buying it from Hopin. Since then, part of the user base describes support that mostly answers with bots. Overall ratings stay solid (plenty of 5-star reviews praise how simple it is), but the negative reviews are almost all about support and billing, rarely the studio itself.
Features keep moving behind the paywall
The free plan keeps the StreamYard logo on your streams and caps local recording at 2 hours a month. Clips now need a paid plan, which annoyed long-time users. The plan lineup has also shifted: in 2024 the old plans were replaced by Core and Advanced, then a paid Essential plan came back in 2026. Predicting next year's bill is hard.
You're leaving because… go to…
The right StreamYard alternative depends on what's pushing you out. Usually only one line applies. Each card jumps to the full profile below.
3 channels and 10 guests from $19 a month, guests join by link like on StreamYard.
You have zero budgetOBS StudioFree and open source on Windows, macOS and Linux. Takes longer to learn.
You work on a MacEcamm LiveNative Mac app, multistreaming included, from $16 a month billed yearly.
You run several camerasvMixLifetime license from $60 on Windows, 5 simultaneous streams.
The recording matters as much as the streamRiversideGrow plan: Full HD live and multistreaming, from $34 a month yearly.
You mostly run webinars with sign-upsZoom WebinarsAttendees need no Zoom account, simulcast to YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
StreamYard alternatives, tool by tool
For each tool: why move to it, who it's for, its limit, how to switch from StreamYard, and what it costs. Prices are the ones each vendor shows on its US pricing page in 2026, before tax.
Restream: the same browser studio, more destinations
Closest matchWhy move to Restream. It's the closest thing to what you already use: a browser studio, guests who join by link, banners and logos on screen. The difference is the price of multistreaming. Standard, at $19 a month ($16 billed yearly), streams to 3 channels with 10 guests and removes Restream branding in the studio. StreamYard asks for Core, at $44.99, for the same job.
Who it's for. Creators, coaches and marketing teams who stream to several networks at once and want to stay in the browser.
Who it's not for. Anyone building a complex production with local video sources and heavy effects. Installed software like OBS or vMix goes further.
Its limit. The pricing has a gap. Professional ($49 a month, $39 yearly) gets you 5 channels; after that you jump to Business at $239 a month ($199 yearly) for 8. Clips are a separate add-on, $19 to $59 a month. The free plan keeps Restream branding.
How to switch. Reconnect your channels (YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitch), re-upload your logos and backgrounds from the original PNG files, then run a private test stream before you announce anything. Our Restream review (4.2 out of 5) covers the rest, and our Restream pricing page breaks down every tier.
- Free
- 2 channels, Restream branding
- Paid
- Standard $19/mo ($16 yearly)
- Best for
- browser multistreaming
- Limit
- jump from $49 to $239
OBS Studio: free, powerful, and it all runs on your computer
Free pickWhy move to OBS Studio. It's free and open source: no subscription, no forced logo, no cap on recording hours. It runs on Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13 and later, and Linux. You build scenes however you like: camera, screen share, images, text, several sources at once.
Who it's for. People who stream often, solo or with a small technical team, and want to stop paying monthly.
Who it's not for. Anyone who wants to go live in five minutes without touching a setting. Expect a few evenings of setup.
Its limit. Everything happens on your machine: your CPU and your upload speed carry the stream. Multistreaming isn't built in, it needs a plugin. And bringing in remote guests, so easy on StreamYard, is something you have to organize yourself.
How to switch. Grab the stream key (RTMP key) from each platform, build one scene per show format, and reload your graphics from the original files. Record ten minutes locally to check your audio before the first live show.
- Price
- free, open source
- Systems
- Windows, macOS 13+, Linux
- Best for
- zero budget, full control
- Limit
- multistream via plugin
Ecamm Live: the live studio built for Mac
Mac pickWhy move to Ecamm Live. It's installed Mac software, not a browser tab, so you control your cameras, scenes and audio directly, with a simpler interface than OBS. Multistreaming is included from Standard, at $16 a month billed yearly ($192 a year).
Who it's for. Mac-based creators and educators who go live regularly, often solo or with one guest.
Who it's not for. A Windows team, or anyone who needs to go live from whatever computer is at hand.
Its limit. Standard has no remote guests. Ecamm Interview (remote guests), 4K and separate recording of each source take Pro, at $32 a month billed yearly ($384 a year). Ecamm mostly advertises yearly pricing.
How to switch. Connect your destinations in Ecamm, rebuild your scenes from your logos and backgrounds, and run a private YouTube test before moving your audience over.
- Free
- no free plan
- Paid
- Standard $16/mo yearly
- Best for
- Mac creators
- Limit
- guests only on Pro
vMix: a TV control room on a Windows PC
Pro productionWhy move to vMix. You pay once, not every month. Basic HD is $60 for life (4 inputs, 3 of them cameras), HD is $350, 4K $700 and Pro $1,200. Each license includes 12 months of updates. vMix sends up to 5 streams at once and brings in remote guests with vMix Call.
Who it's for. Churches, sports clubs, conference venues and video teams with several cameras and a dedicated PC.
Who it's not for. Mac users, or anyone who just wants to chat with a guest on a webcam.
Its limit. vMix runs on Windows. It needs a strong machine and time to learn. The number of vMix Call guests depends on the edition, so check it before you buy. Prefer a subscription? The MAX edition is $50 a month.
How to switch. Use the free 60-day trial to build your setup alongside StreamYard, without cutting anything. Add your platforms' RTMP keys, then run your first real show on vMix once audio and transitions are dialed in.
- Trial
- 60 days free
- Paid
- Basic HD $60 lifetime
- Best for
- multi-camera shows
- Limit
- Windows only
Riverside: when the recording matters as much as the live show
Recording firstWhy move to Riverside. Riverside started as a high-quality podcast and interview recorder, then added live streaming. The Grow plan, $39 a month or $34 yearly, streams in Full HD to as many destinations as you want. If your live shows turn into episodes or edited videos, you save a step.
Who it's for. Podcasters and creators who stream live and reuse the recording afterwards.
Who it's not for. Someone who only streams and never touches the recordings. Restream costs less for that alone.
Its limit. Live streaming starts at Grow. Pro ($29 a month, $24 yearly) is for recording. The Webinar plan is $99 a month ($79 yearly).
How to switch. Download your StreamYard recordings first, and keep the ones you still want to edit in a separate folder: no new tool pulls them in for you. Our guide to switching from Riverside shows the other direction, which is a good way to see its weak spots.
- Free
- Free plan
- Paid
- Grow $39/mo ($34 yearly)
- Best for
- podcast plus live
- Limit
- live only from Grow
Streamlabs: for gaming creators and vertical video
CreatorsWhy move to Streamlabs. The free version already sends two streams at once: one vertical and one horizontal (Dual Output). If you stream to a vertical and a horizontal platform at once, that's handy. Ultra, from $15.75 a month, unlocks full multistreaming and Talk Studio, a browser-based studio.
Who it's for. Gaming streamers and creators who want alerts, overlays and vertical video.
Who it's not for. A B2B team running LinkedIn panels. The whole tool is built around entertainment.
Its limit. Free stops at one vertical and one horizontal destination. Collab Cam brings in 1 guest for free, and up to 11 on Ultra.
How to switch. Connect your accounts, import your overlays, and start with a dual-format stream to check your vertical framing.
- Free
- 1 vertical + 1 horizontal
- Paid
- Ultra from $15.75/mo
- Best for
- gaming, vertical
- Limit
- guests need Ultra
Zoom Webinars: when your live stream is really a webinar
WebinarsWhy move to Zoom Webinars. Plenty of people use StreamYard for webinars, with a sign-up form patched on the side. Zoom Webinars handles registration, and attendees don't need a Zoom account. You can also simulcast to YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
Who it's for. Marketing teams and trainers running webinars with registration, Q&A and attendee follow-up.
Who it's not for. A creator running open live shows on several networks with no sign-up. It's too expensive for that.
Its limit. Pricing depends on attendee count. The first tier shown is $89 a month, or $66.67 a month billed yearly. On-screen branding is less flexible than in a live studio.
How to switch. Rebuild your upcoming events in Zoom, send the new registration link to people already signed up, and connect your networks over RTMP. Our guide to switching from Zoom lists its limits, and our Livestorm review (3.3 out of 5) covers another webinar option.
- Price
- from $66.67/mo yearly
- Attendees
- no Zoom account needed
- Best for
- webinars with sign-up
- Limit
- price scales with attendees
Switcher Studio: a multi-camera set made of iPhones
iPhone multi-camWhy move to Switcher Studio. It turns the iPhones and iPads you already own into cameras for a single stream, with no cables or capture card. It's the shortest path to a multi-angle show when nobody on the team is technical.
Who it's for. Shops, churches and small teams filming an on-site event with several Apple devices.
Who it's not for. A remote interview with a guest on a webcam. A browser studio does that for much less.
Its limit. Price: $65 a month on the website, $45 a month billed yearly, no free plan. A 7-day pass at $35 covers a one-off event.
How to switch. Use the 7-day pass for your first event, connect your destinations from the app, and keep StreamYard for remote shows until you decide. Our Switcher Studio review (3.5 out of 5) and our Restream vs Switcher Studio comparison go further.
- Free
- no free plan
- Paid
- $45/mo yearly
- Best for
- several iPhones on site
- Limit
- $65/mo month to month
StreamYard and 8 alternatives side by side
Our default pick: Restream if you want to stay in the browser, OBS Studio if you want to stop paying. For scale, take one weekly show to YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook. On StreamYard, 3 destinations means Core: $35.99 a month billed yearly. On Restream, Standard is enough: $16 a month yearly. On OBS it's free, with a plugin. One row per tool: free offer on the left, first useful paid price and how to switch on the right.
| Free offer | First useful price and switch | |
|---|---|---|
| StreamYardStarting point | 1 seat, 6 people on screen, 2 h of local recording a month, StreamYard logo | Essential $18.99/mo (2 destinations); Core $44.99 or $35.99 yearly (3 destinations, no logo) |
| RestreamClosest match | 2 channels, 6 on screen, Restream branding | Standard $19/mo or $16 yearly (3 channels, 10 guests); reconnect channels |
| OBS StudioFree | Everything is free and open source | No subscription; multistream via plugin, enter RTMP keys |
| Ecamm LiveMac | No free plan | Standard $16/mo yearly; Pro $32/mo yearly (guests, 4K) |
| vMixWindows production | 60-day trial | Basic HD $60 lifetime; MAX $50/mo; 5 simultaneous streams |
| RiversideRecording | Free plan | Grow $39/mo or $34 yearly for live and multistreaming |
| StreamlabsCreators | 1 vertical and 1 horizontal stream | Ultra from $15.75/mo (multistream, Talk Studio) |
| Zoom WebinarsWebinars | None for webinars | $89/mo or $66.67/mo yearly, depending on attendees |
| Switcher StudioiPhone multi-cam | No free plan | $65/mo or $45/mo yearly; 7-day pass $35 |
Entry prices before tax, in US dollars as shown by each vendor in 2026, subject to change.
Leave StreamYard in seven steps
Order matters more than the tool. Download, then switch, then cancel, and only then delete. Get one step out of order and it costs you a recording, a broken live link or an extra charge.
List everything running on StreamYard
Day 1Write down your connected destinations, scheduled streams, branding assets (logos, banners, backgrounds, overlays) and the recordings you want to keep. Also note when your paid period ends, shown in your account's billing section.
That date is your real deadline: anything you haven't downloaded by then is gone.
- Time
- one hour
- Note
- end of paid period
Download your recordings while you're still paying
FirstDownloads are a paid-plan feature, for the account owner or admins. There's no bulk export: you pull files one by one. If you used local recording, StreamYard gives you one audio and one video file per participant, which helps if you want to re-edit an interview cleanly.
Store everything outside StreamYard, on a drive or cloud storage, with clear file names (date, title, guest).
- Requires
- active paid plan
- Bulk export
- none
Find your original branding files
Day 2Logos, banners and backgrounds don't transfer between tools. Find the original PNG files (from your designer, your Canva account or your brand folder). Restream, Ecamm, OBS and vMix all accept them.
- Format
- PNG
Reconnect your destinations in the new tool
Day 2Each platform reconnects either through your account login (YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch) or with an RTMP stream key. Streams already scheduled in StreamYard don't follow you: recreate them in the new tool and update any links you've shared.
LinkedIn Live needs LinkedIn's approval whatever tool you use, so apply early if you're switching accounts.
- Watch out
- scheduled streams must be recreated
Run a private test stream
Before going publicGo live as unlisted on YouTube with a colleague as your guest. Check audio on both ends, framing, banners and the final recording. One 15-minute test saves you from a botched first public show.
- Time
- 15 minutes
Cancel, keep proof, watch your statement
End of periodCancel from your account under Billing (or Manage plan). Paid access stays active until the end of the period you've paid for. Save the confirmation as a screenshot and email, then check your card statement the following month: complaints about charges after cancellation come up often enough to make it worth it.
Not ready to cut the cord? StreamYard offers a subscription pause that keeps access to your recordings.
- Access
- until period ends
- Option
- subscription pause
Delete the account, last of all
OptionalDeletion is permanent: all your data goes, after a code sent by email. StreamYard asks you to cancel first. Only do it once your files are verified outside the tool.
- Effect
- permanent
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
What makes a StreamYard exit go wrong
The same mistakes keep showing up in user reviews and forums. None of them is technical: they're about doing things in the wrong order, and each one costs more than the time it would have taken to avoid it.
Canceling before downloading
This is the one you can't undo. Once the paid period ends, recordings are no longer available, and resubscribing doesn't bring them back. Download, check the files open, then cancel.
Deleting the account too early
Deletion wipes everything. Keep the account, even on the free plan, until you've run three or four shows on the new tool.
Forgetting streams you already announced
A stream scheduled in StreamYard keeps its link on YouTube or Facebook. Switch tools and that link leads nowhere. Recreate the event and swap the link in your emails and posts.
Comparing prices that measure different things
StreamYard counts destinations per plan and sells individual plans; Restream counts channels; vMix sells a lifetime license; Zoom charges by attendee count. Compare on your real need: how many destinations, how many people on the team, how many guests on screen. Our Restream alternatives page helps put prices in context.
Switching without checking audio
A new tool means new mic settings. Your test stream should include a remote guest: it's often their audio that breaks, not yours.
Picking a tool that's too big
vMix and OBS are impressive, but if you run one interview a week with one guest, a browser studio is enough. For on-site multi-camera, look at our Switcher Studio alternatives instead.
- Destinations, scheduled streams and branding listed
- End of paid period noted
- Recordings downloaded one by one and checked
- Original PNG branding files found
- Destinations reconnected in the new tool
- Scheduled streams recreated, links replaced
- Private test stream with a guest
- Cancellation confirmed, screenshot saved
- Card statement checked the next month
- Account deleted only after all of the above
StreamYard alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best free alternative to StreamYard?
OBS Studio, if you're willing to spend time setting it up: free, open source, no logo and no recording cap, with multistreaming through a plugin. If you want to stay in the browser, Restream's free plan streams to 2 channels with its branding on screen. Free Streamlabs sends one vertical and one horizontal stream at once.
StreamYard vs Restream: which one should I pick?
Restream if you stream to 3 or more networks: $19 a month for 3 channels, versus $44.99 for StreamYard Core. StreamYard if you love its very simple studio and 2 destinations are enough (Essential, $18.99). Our Restream review covers its limits.
Is StreamYard free?
There's a free plan: one seat, up to 6 people on screen, 2 hours of local recording a month, and the StreamYard logo on your streams. Multistreaming starts with Essential.
How much does StreamYard cost in 2026?
Essential is $18.99 a month ($14.99 yearly), Core $44.99 ($35.99), Advanced $88.99 ($68.99). These are individual plans. For teams, Business includes 2 seats, then $59 a month per extra seat.
How do I cancel StreamYard?
In your account, go to Billing (or Manage plan) and cancel. Paid access continues until the end of the period you paid for. Keep the confirmation and check your statement the next month. Valid charges are generally non-refundable.
Do I keep my recordings after I cancel?
No. When your paid period ends they're no longer available, and they don't come back if you resubscribe. Download them before, while your paid plan is active. The subscription pause is the other way to keep access without deciding right away.
What's a good StreamYard alternative for Mac?
Ecamm Live is built for Mac: $16 a month billed yearly for Standard, $32 for Pro with remote guests and 4K. OBS Studio also runs on macOS 13 and later, for free. vMix only runs on Windows.
How do I stream to LinkedIn Live without StreamYard?
Restream, Zoom Webinars, OBS with an RTMP key, or Ecamm can all stream to LinkedIn. Either way, LinkedIn has to approve your account for live streaming first, and that step doesn't depend on the tool.
What should I use to edit my old StreamYard streams?
Once your files are downloaded, an editor like Descript lets you cut video by editing the transcript text. Our Descript review (3.4 out of 5) covers its limits, including its credit system.
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One tool to leave, one destination, one exit plan. Nothing else.