First, so many people need clarification on Streaming Platforms and Multistreaming platforms. By using Streaming platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, Disney Plus, and many more, you can easily watch your favorite TV shows and movies. You can also get an idea of popular streaming services from howtowatch.co.nz.
Now, Let’s talk about Multistreaming. Imagine this scenario: You have an important announcement to make to different audiences on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook through a live video. However, you do not want to go live on each platform. So instead, you use the multistreaming method to live stream on these platforms simultaneously.
Multistreaming is a beneficial tool for various people. We will discuss multistreaming further ahead and compare the top 5 multistreaming platforms. It is important to note that there are still some platforms that do not support multistreaming.
An Introduction to MultiStreaming
By now, you may have an idea of what multistreaming is. The name itself suggests its use. Multi-streaming refers to streaming on multiple platforms at the same time. Sometimes, it can be tough to promote your product, services, or overall reach to a wider audience. This is when you can use multistreaming to share your live video with different platforms and audiences.
You can multistream using an encoder to send several streams from it or use a cloud-based service that will send ahead your streams, i.e. restreaming. There are many multi-streaming platforms out there ready to help you with the process of multistreaming, which can overall save you time and any additional effort.
The Benefits of MultiStreaming
Multistreaming brings along several benefits users can enjoy. Multistreaming is one of the main ways to extend your audience reach. When you are able to show or describe your business, product, or services or introduce yourself to different audiences, the better it will be for you. The more people know you, the more they can spread the word and get you a wider audience.
With multistreaming, you can extend your audience reach, reach out to more potential sponsors, get donations with simulcasting, engage more audience, and even get a chance to earn more through this exposure.
Furthermore, with multistreaming, you can get information related to your audience to understand how you can improve your services or content, attracting more audience. Learn more about Benefits of MultiStreaming.
The Main Factors of An Efficient Multistreaming Platform
There are several multistreaming platforms ready to offer users their services. Unfortunately, you can get tangled between those countless options, making it tough to choose the right one to use.
To help you in this regard, we have mentioned the main factors that an efficient multistreaming platform will have. We will later use these factors to compare the top 5 multistreaming platforms.
● Ease of Use: An efficient multistreaming platform will allow users to use their multistreaming services.
● Reliability: A multistreaming platform must have reliable services that users can fully trust.
● Customer Support: The availability of customer support is important to clear and answer any of the user’s queries regarding the platform’s services or use.
● User Reviews: These can help you get a direct insight into the platform’s services before you test them. If user reviews are good, then multistreaming must be worth the use.
● Additional Features: Check the platform’s offered additional services or features; the more features they offer, the more benefits you can get from each one.
● Affordability: Check for their offered pricing plans and see which one lies within your budget.
The Top Five MultiStreaming Platforms
Underneath, you will be getting to know about the pros and cons of the top five multistreaming platforms.
Boxcast
Boxcast was founded in 2008 offering live streaming services supporting multi-site streaming alongside multistreaming. It allows users to reach their viewers/audiences on various social platforms at the same time, such as Twitter, Facebook Live, Periscope, YouTube Live, and more.
It offers a two-week free trial for new users. Overall, it has 3 pricing plans, i.e. Essential plan for $99 monthly, a Growth plan for $149 monthly, and an Experience plan for $199 monthly.
It offers a number of streaming software options, such as RTMP, OBS, and more. It has industry-specific streaming solutions. You can connect to their BoxCaster Pro, BoxCaster, or other RTMP-supported encoders. They offer secured and stable connections, ensuring you do not have any buffering during your live streaming.
It is easy to use. Additionally, it offers several additional features such as transfer and transcoding, compression, diagnostics, monitoring, branded streaming apps, event scheduling, customer support, accessible support, and many streaming destinations.
On the other hand, it does have some cons as well. While you can use it on some devices, you can notice that it has limited compatibility with devices. After you get BoxCast’s basic plan, to access and use its multistreaming services, you will have to pay more.
XSplit
XSplit was released in 2012 as a video-mixing and live-streaming app. It supports multistreaming. You can multi-stream to Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, and many more platforms. Besides multistreaming, you can use it for presentations, conference calls, webcam connection, screen capture, and webcam blurring.
You can use the XSplit Connect feature to use your phone as a webcam. It offers tools to organize, mix, and edit your videos. In addition, it offers 24/7 customer support, screen recording, many additional features, accessible support, an excellent streaming experience, and various budget-friendly pricing plans.
You can choose from a 1-month, 1-year, and lifetime package with various further plans offered under them. The plans vary from $4 to $115. Again, you can choose according to your convenience.
There are some cons we noticed using this multistreaming platform. Your computer’s processors may be strained when using this platform, and you are limited to using this platform only on Windows. You will have to learn how to use this platform because of its tricky interface.
Switchboard Live
This multistreaming platform offers an easy-to-use interface to its users and multi-destination streaming. Additionally, allowing users to stream an unlimited number of destinations. You can multi-stream to YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Vimeo, LinkedIn Live, and Twitch. It has an easy-to-use interface as well.
Switchboard Live offers features such as StreamShare, allowing users to invite participants in advance of the stream event, video player embedding, solutions to different industries and use cases, streams to best social destinations, available customer support, simulcasting support, and seamless integration with OVPs.
It has several packages users can choose from. For example, the Indie Unleashed package costs $29 for 1,500 streaming minutes monthly, Pro Unleashed costs $59 for 4,000 streaming minutes monthly, and Biz Unleashed costs $99 for 10,000 streaming minutes monthly. Additionally, you can avail of a free trial with it, and you can cancel your subscription at any time.
Users are recommended to have some technical knowledge before using this as some users have complained of some difficulty setting up this platform, and you will have to go through some manual configuration. This is seen as one of the cons of this multi-streaming platform.
Wirecast
Wirecast, released in 2004, is one of the encoding software by Telestream that you can use to multi-stream on Facebook, YouTube, and more platforms. Additionally, you can also do live sports streaming with it. It offers two pricing plans, i.e. Wirecast Studio for $479 and Wirecast Pro for $639. In addition, you can avail of their free trial and get them a Lifetime license.
It offers several features, including audio mixing, encoding tools, editing, unlimited inputs, stream recording, graphic overlays, unlimited outputs, support via mail, an easy-to-use interface, Live guests, PPT slides, screen sharing, ISO recording, Virtual Camera/Microphone, and web feeds. It is compatible with Windows and Mac.
On the other hand, Wirecast can strain your computer, and you will need an upgrade to get premium support. You will be spending a good amount on this; if it lies within your budget, then this can be the right choice for you to use for multistreaming.
OBS Studio
OBS Studio was released in 2012, and with the help of various sponsors, it is one of the free multi-streaming platforms. You can use its services with its additional features without paying anything. It is an encoding software supporting RTMP, multistreaming, simulcasting, webcams, application windows, green screens, capture cards, and more.
It offers various features, including real-time video and audio capturing and mixing, open-source encoding, VST plugin support, Modular Dock UI, custom transitions, audio mixer with per-source filters, easy to customize, regularly updated technology, minimal internet requirements, and more. If you want to learn and experiment, this is a recommended platform.
The only drawbacks we found using this multistreaming platform are that it has limited native features and multi-bitrate streaming is not supported. Also, users may need to have some technical knowledge when using this platform. Check out best mutltistreaming platforms in 2022.
Conclusion
We have provided sufficient information related to each mentioned multistreaming platform. Each of the 5 multistreaming platforms, i.e. Boxcast, XSplit, Switchboard Live, OBS, and Wirecast, has its pros and cons. Weigh these pros and cons, and their pricing plans to see which suits you the best and lies within your budget.
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