10 Best Live Streaming Apps for 2026 (Desktop, Mobile, Free Options)

Still streaming directly through platforms like TikTok, Instagram, or Twitch? Native live streaming tools are a great place to start, but many creators eventually switch to dedicated software for better quality, more control, and multistreaming.

Ready to upgrade your setup? Here are the best live streaming apps for desktop and mobile, whether you’re streaming games, interviews, events, or social content.

Let’s get into it!

Best live streaming apps at a glance

Best live streaming apps for creators and marketers

Riverside

Price: Starts at $29 per month (or $24 per month if paid annually).

Best for: Podcasters, marketers, and interview-style live streams.

Riverside is a live streaming platform built for creators who want high-quality content without a complicated setup. You can stream directly from your browser in up to 1080p with separate audio and video tracks for each participant. And because Riverside records locally, your final video stays high-quality, even if your internet connection drops. 

You can also multistream to several platforms simultaneously using built-in social integrations and custom RTMP destinations. To keep streams polished and interactive, Riverside includes branding tools, lower thirds, chat, polls, and live call-ins.

And, Riverside really stands after your live stream is over. Unlike many other live streaming platforms, Riverside includes a built-in editor to create on-demand content and clips for social media by just chatting with AI.

Key features

• High-quality streaming and local recording: Stream in up to 1080p and record in up to 4K video with 48kHz audio locally for crisp video files even if your internet glitches.
• Guest-friendly setup: Invite guests through a simple browser link, no  downloads required. 
• Unified chat: Respond to comments from multiple streaming platforms in one unified comment feed.
• Screen sharing and presentation support: Easily share slides, demos, or tutorials during live sessions and record them as a separate track for easier editing.
• Scheduling and reusable live studios: Set up recurring live events without rebuilding your layout each time.
• Built-in editing and repurposing tools: Turn streams into clips in a click, get automatic transcription, and use Riverside’s AI Co-Creator to repurpose your content with simple prompts.

Restream

Price: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $19 per month (or $16 per month if paid annually).

Best for: Social media creators, multistreaming, and maximizing audience reach. 

Restream is a live streaming platform built around broadcasting to multiple destinations at the same time. It’s especially popular with creators who want to reach audiences across platforms without managing separate streams for each channel.

Restream runs in the browser, making it relatively easy to launch your stream without complex setup. You can stream directly through Restream Studio or connect external tools like OBS for more advanced production control. 

Restream also includes tools to help creators stay organized while live. You can monitor chat from multiple destinations in one place, invite guests into your stream, and add branding elements like overlays, logos, and backgrounds. 

While you can record locally in up to 4K using Restream, this feature is still in beta and will require more CPU and storage. You also won’t find editing tools here beyond the ability to turn your stream into clips.

Key features

• Unified chat feed: View and respond to comments from multiple platforms in a single dashboard.
• Guest invitations: Bring remote guests into streams using a browser link.
• Custom branding tools: Add overlays, logos, backgrounds, and branded graphics to your stream.
• Scheduled events and stream management: Plan recurring streams and organize upcoming broadcasts across platforms.
• Engagement analytics: Uncover data around live views and chats to refine future streams.

Read more: If you’re considering Restream, check out our list of the best Restream alternatives for more options.

StreamYard

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Price: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $44.99 per month (or $35.99 per month if paid annually).

Best for: Creators, coaches, and businesses running guest-based live streams or webinars. 

StreamYard is built to help creators go live quickly without complicated streaming software or production setups. So, it makes sense that one of its biggest strengths is ease of use. Guests join through a simple invite link, layouts are easy to switch during broadcasts, and multistreaming is built in. 

You can stream to platforms like YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, and custom RTMP destinations from a single dashboard. StreamYard also includes branding tools like banners, overlays, logos, and on-screen comments to make streams feel polished.

Although StreamYard focuses heavily on the live experience, it also supports local recordings and separate participant files on higher-tier plans. But, editing tools are basic and audience interaction features are limited to on-screen comments and giveaways.

Key features

• Browser-based live streaming: Go live without downloading software.
• Unified chat: See comments from all platforms and add audience comments directly on screen during livestreams.
• Flexible layouts: Switch between interview, split-screen, solo, and panel layouts on the fly.
• Screen sharing and presentations: Share slides, demos, or browser tabs during live sessions.
• Backstage guest management: Keep guests off-screen until you are ready to bring them into the stream.

Read more: If you’re considering StreamYard, check out our list of the best StreamYard alternatives for comparable options.

Best live streaming apps for gamers

vMix

Price: Starts at $50 per month. Lifetime licenses start at $60.

Best for: Advanced gaming streamers, esports streams, and highly produced multi-camera broadcasts. 

vMix is a professional live production platform for creators who want more control than browser-based streaming tools typically offer. For gamers, vMix stands out when you want to build a polished stream that feels closer to a studio production. 

What I love about vMix is that it’s so customizable. You can combine gameplay, webcams, overlays, alerts, guests, and multiple video sources into one production setup. It also supports multistreaming and can handle numerous inputs depending on your hardware and license tier.

Unlike browser-based platforms, vMix runs locally on Windows. This makes it better suited to users with strong PCs and more technical production needs. But if you want full control over your livestream layout, it offers significantly more depth than beginner-friendly streaming tools.

Key features

• Instant replay tools: Useful for esports, sports-style broadcasts, and highlight moments.
• Advanced graphics and overlays: Add animated titles, scoreboards, lower thirds, and branded visuals.
• Remote guest support: Bring in guests through vMix Call using a browser link.
• NDI and professional hardware integration: Works with broadcast cameras, capture cards, and external routing workflows.
• Local recording: Capture your live streams to edit and repurpose later.
• Audio mixing and effects: Includes EQ, compression, noise gate, and routing controls.
• Virtual sets: Build studio-style layouts for polished production.

Streamlabs Desktop

Price: Free plan available. Paid is $27 per month (or $189 annually).

Best for: Beginner gaming streamers, Twitch streamers, and creators who want an easy all-in-one streaming setup. 

If you prioritize customizability but struggle with technical interfaces, Streamlabs Desktop might be the right fit. It’s based on OBS Studio, but it adds a more beginner-friendly interface, making it easier to use. It also provides built-in overlays, alerts, widgets, and monetization tools that OBS doesn’t offer.

For gamers, Streamlabs is often one of the easiest ways to start streaming to platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook. It combines gameplay capture, webcam feeds, chat, and donations into a single dashboard. This reduces the need for separate plug-ins or third-party tools.

What I like best about Streamlabs Desktop is how convenient it is. It includes templated themes, drag-and-drop layouts, and integrated tools you can use for tipping, subscriptions, and merch. 

Unlike browser-based live streaming tools, Streamlabs Desktop runs locally on your computer. This gives you more control over stream quality and performance, but requires more processing power than cloud-based platforms. And, while you can record on the platform, the editing features are basic.

Key features

• Game capture and screen recording: Stream gameplay directly from your PC.
• Beginner-friendly dashboard: Manage scenes, audio, chat, and alerts from one interface.
• Custom themes and overlays: Choose from templates designed for gaming streams.
• Cloud backup for scenes and settings: Save stream layouts between devices.
• Integrated chat management: View and moderate chat during streams.

XSplit Broadcaster

Price: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $14.99 per month.
Best for: Gamers who want more production control than Streamlabs, without the complexity of vMix.

If you’re looking for a more polished production setup without moving into full broadcast software territory, XSplit Broadcaster is worth a look. It sits somewhere between beginner-friendly tools and professional streaming studios. This makes it a strong option for gamers who want greater control over scenes, layouts, and recording workflows.

XSplit Broadcaster combines live streaming, recording, overlays, scene switching, and capture tools in one streamlined dashboard. You can create multi-scene streams, add transitions and graphics, and multistream from one place. 

Unlike browser-based platforms, XSplit runs locally on Windows. This gives you more direct control over performance and system resources. The downside is that it’s more resource intensive, and you can’t run it on a Mac without a workaround.

Key features

• Game capture and screen recording: Capture gameplay, windows, and media sources directly from your PC.
• Simultaneous streaming and recording: Record your broadcast locally while streaming live.
• Built-in transitions and effects: Add animations, transitions, and visual polish between scenes.
• Capture card compatibility: Works with popular gaming hardware and webcams.

Best live streaming apps for mobile

Riverside

Price: Start at $29 per month (or $24 per month if paid annually).
Best for: Mobile podcasters, creators, and interview-style live streams on the go. 

If you want a simple mobile app you can use to invite guests and stream in high quality, Riverside is a top pick. Unlike many mobile streaming apps that prioritize speed over quality, the Riverside mobile app for iOS and Android records locally on your phone. This helps preserve crisp audio and video, even if your connection becomes unstable.

You can stream from mobile in up to 4K, invite guests, share your screen, and multistream without a desktop setup. And, because the app syncs with the desktop version of Riverside, you get mobile flexibility with access to full editing and production tools later. 

Key features

• Easy mobile multistreaming: Broadcast to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, LinkedIn, and custom RTMP destinations.
• Separate participant tracks: Capture independent audio and video tracks for easier editing.
• Built-in editing tools: Trim recordings, edit transcripts, create captions, and generate clips from your phone, or access all editing tools on desktop.
• Phone-as-webcam mode: Use your phone as a second camera for desktop live streams.
• Screen sharing and presentation support: Share slides and presentations during mobile demos.
• AI-powered repurposing: Turn live streams into social clips and short-form content straight from your phone.

PRISM Live Studio

Price: Free plan available. Paid plan is $9.99 per month.

Best for: Mobile-first creators, IRL streamers, and social media live streaming. 

PRISM Live Studio is a mobile app that supports direct streaming to up to 6 destinations (e.g., YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, custom RTMP setups). You can stream using your phone’s front or rear cameras, add overlays, display chat, and apply filters or effects, all from the mobile interface.

I like that PRISM is so easy to use. It provides more production tools than native social media apps, but it’s still lightweight enough for mobile creators. You can add text, stickers, music, alerts, and simple layouts to make your content feel more polished than a standard phone live stream.

For creators streaming outdoors or on the move, PRISM is especially useful because it’s designed for handheld streaming. It supports portrait and landscape mode, mobile overlays, and has an excellent list of live interaction tools.

Note that while the free plan here is definitely usable and includes many of the paid features, you can only connect one platform directly (like YouTube or Twitch). You can also use dual output to stream to a second destination via RTMP, but all streams include a watermark and ads. 

Key features

• Real-time chat display: View and interact with audience comments during streams.
• Live interaction tools: Display audience chat, highlight viewer comments, and add overlays, music, and effects. 
• Portrait and landscape modes: Optimize streams for different platforms and viewing styles.
• Screen sharing support: Stream gameplay or mobile apps directly from your device.
• Avatar features: Stream live as an avatar without showing your face.

Larix Broadcaster

Price: Starts at $9.99 per month.

Best for: Advanced mobile streamers and professional remote broadcasting from a phone. 

Larix Broadcaster is a great option if you want more control over video quality and streaming settings than most social-first apps provide. Unlike lightweight mobile live stream tools, Larix is designed for professional-grade broadcasting from a smartphone. This makes it popular with journalists, IRL streamers, event teams, and creators who need reliable mobile streaming in the field.

Larix lets you stream directly from iOS or Android devices using RTMP, SRT, and other professional protocols. It gives you deeper control over bitrate, resolution, frame rate, and audio settings than most mobile streaming apps.

The app is especially useful for streaming outside a traditional setup. It’s designed to handle changing network conditions, helping keep your stream stable when using mobile data or moving between locations. It also supports external cameras and microphones for a more professional workflow.

One downside is that many advanced features sit behind higher-tier plans. And, while Larix includes basic local recording, it does not offer editing or repurposing tools.

Key features

• Landscape and portrait support: Optimize streams for different viewing platforms.
• External camera and microphone support: Connect external gear for higher-quality mobile production.
• Background streaming: Continue streaming while switching apps in some workflows.
• Professional monitoring tools: View bitrate, dropped frames, and stream health in real time.

Best free live streaming apps

OBS Studio

Price: Free.

Best for: Gamers, creators, and advanced streamers who want full control over their livestream setup. 

OBS Studio is one of the most widely used free live streaming apps available. It’s open-source, highly customizable, and powerful enough for just about any kind of live stream.

Unlike browser-based streaming tools, OBS Studio runs locally on your computer and gives you complete control over how your stream looks and functions. You can build custom scenes, and combine gameplay capture, webcams, overlays, alerts, transitions, audio sources, and graphics into a single live production setup.

OBS is especially popular among gamers because it supports high-performance game capture and works with Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and Kick. It also integrates with plug-ins and third-party tools. This allows creators to access things like chat overlays, replay tools, and advanced audio routing.

The downside is that OBS is very technical and involves a steeper learning curve. This can make it a tougher sell for beginners.

Key features

• Completely free and open source: No paid tiers or locked features.
• Simultaneous streaming and recording: Save high-quality recordings during live broadcasts.
• Audio mixer and filters: Control multiple microphones, game audio, compression, noise suppression, and effects.
• Screen capture and presentation support: Useful for tutorials, webinars, and demos.
• Custom bitrate and encoder settings: Fine-tune stream quality and performance.
• Cross-platform support: Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Read more: If you’re considering OBS, take a look at our list of the best OBS alternatives for other comparable options.

Lightstream Studio

Price: Free plan available. Paid plan is $12 per month.
Best for: Console gamers and creators who want an easy browser-based livestream setup.

Lightstream Studio is a cloud-based app designed to make streaming easier without powerful hardware or complex software. It is especially popular with console gamers because you can add overlays, alerts, branding, webcams, and layouts to Xbox or PlayStation streams. You simply stream from your console to Lightstream, and the platform layers in your graphics.

Because Lightstream runs in the cloud, it places less strain on your computer and can feel more approachable for beginners. It also includes templates that make it easy to create a polished stream quickly. 

However, it lacks recording features. If you want the recording, you’ll have to rely on destination platforms like YouTube, Facebook, or Twitch for a replay file.

Key features

• Multistreaming: Broadcast to multiple destinations simultaneously.
• Guest support: Bring remote guests into your stream via browser links.
• Cloud storage and sync: Access projects and layouts across devices.
• Remote control from mobile: Switch scenes or control streams from a phone or tablet.

What to look for in a live streaming app

Here’s what to look for when selecting a live streaming platform and how to compare your top choices.

Streaming and recording quality

Look for software that streams in at least 1080p and records locally in up to 4K. Separate audio and video tracks are also best, especially if you plan on editing or clipping your footage. 

Guests and collaboration

If you plan to include guests, assess what their experience will be as simple and straightforward as possible. Ideally, they should be able to enter the livestream studio with a click without having to download software.

Editing and repurposing

Built-in editing tools can help you repurpose your live streams more quickly and at a lower cost than adding other external platforms to your tool stack. Look for editors that allow you to trim and edit your live stream, add captions, and create clips easily.

Audience engagement and interaction features

Interaction is important in most livestream events, so assess which engagement tools your potential software offers. Evaluate how easy they are to use and whether they’re a fit for your audience and content. It’s also a good idea to test these features before purchasing the software, as some can be buggy or laggy. 

Device and hardware requirements

Make sure any software you consider is compatible with the hardware you already have. In general, browser-based tools are less resource-intensive, while desktop and broadcast apps require more processing power. Here’s a quick overview of what different types of software will need in terms of your technical setup:

Low hardware requirement (browser/cloud-based)

Apps like Riverside, StreamYard, and Restream offload a lot of work to the cloud or use simpler browser workflows to reduce the load on your computer. To run these software, you’ll need at least:

• A modern browser.
• 8 GB RAM.
• Intel i5 / Apple M1-level CPU.
• Stable internet.
• Webcam and mic.

Medium hardware requirement (desktop streaming apps) 

Apps like XSplit Broadcaster and StreamLabs Desktop run locally on your computer. They handle encoding, scenes, overlays, and recording. In order to use them, you’ll need: 

• 16 GB RAM.
• Dedicated GPU (recommended).
• Intel i7 / Ryzen 7.
• SSD storage.
• Good CPU cooling.

High hardware requirement (broadcast-grade software) 

Apps like OBS Studio and vMix are closer to professional production environments. That means they need more computer power:

• 16 to 32 GB RAM.
• Strong GPU (RTX/AMD equivalent).
• Multi-core CPU.
• Ethernet connection.
• Large SSD storage.

FAQs about the best apps for live streaming

What are the best live streaming apps for beginners?

The best live streaming apps for beginners tend to be the ones that are easiest to use and help you go live quickly. But, price may also be a factor here. Here are some best picks (depending on what you’re looking for):

• Best for ease of use: Riverside
• Best for simple multistreaming: Restream
• Best for novice gaming streamers: Streamlabs Desktop
• Best free long-term tool: OBS studio

Can I use live streaming apps for webinars?

Yes, you can use live streaming apps to stream webinars, although not all of them are built for webinar workflows. Live streaming apps typically provide live video presentation, screen sharing, guest speakers, and audience chat. Some also provide recording and replay.

However, many don’t provide event-oriented features, like registration pages, email reminders, and webinar analytics. Riverside is one tool that offers the best of both worlds. It includes both webinar-specific features and key live streaming features in one platform.

What are the best live streaming apps for YouTube?

The best live streaming app for YouTube depends on how you stream. Beginners often prefer Riverside for its simple setup and high-quality recordings, while gamers and advanced creators often choose OBS Studio for its flexibility. For multistreaming to YouTube and other platforms, Restream is a popular choice.

The right tool depends on your workflow, technical skill level, and whether you need features like guests, editing, or advanced production controls.