Best Live Streaming Software in 2026: 5 Tools Priced for a Weekly Show
Key facts5 tools compared: Restream Professional, StreamYard Core, Ecamm Live Pro, Switcher Suite…
- 5 tools compared: Restream Professional, StreamYard Core, Ecamm Live Pro, Switcher Suite, Castr Starter
- Restream Professional (best for: A company show that needs 1080p and three platforms): $588 on monthly billing
- StreamYard Core (best for: A personal show on a tight budget): $431.88 billed yearly
- Ecamm Live Pro (best for: A Mac producer with a remote guest): $384 billed yearly
- Switcher Suite (best for: More than two destinations, on Apple devices): $948 billed yearly
Short answer: Restream Professional, at $49 a month on the monthly billing its pricing page shows by default, or $588 a year. It is the pick for a company show because it covers 1080p, three platforms, a remote guest and a clean stream. Its pricing page shows the plan under the Creator tab, beside a separate Business tab, so confirm with Restream that a company may buy it. StreamYard Core shows $35.99 a month billed yearly, but its page reserves that plan for individuals.
The scenario is one recurring 60-minute show a week: two hosts in the room, one remote guest on screen, streamed at the same time to YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook, in 1080p, with the vendor's logo removed and the recording downloadable. I read each vendor's pricing page on October 24, 2026. Each price is the cheapest plan on that page that covers the scenario as far as the page states it, labelled by billing period. Castr is the one exception, and its section says why.
Toolradar data: Toolradar tracks 64 live streaming tools as of October 23, 2026, and 55% of them are free, freemium or open source. Its live streaming guide names OBS Studio as its overall and free pick, which we cover in its own section below.
Dupple data: of the 17 subscription plans we read on five pricing pages on October 24, 2026, 2 are free, and both keep the vendor's logo on the stream.
Key facts: 5 tools compared for one show. Restream, StreamYard, Ecamm and Switcher each have a plan that matches the show on the vendor's page, with one caveat each, and Castr's page lists no guest allowance.
| Tool | Best for | Yearly cost | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restream Professional | A company show that needs 1080p and three platforms | $588 on monthly billing | Check the yearly price on restream.io |
| StreamYard Core | A personal show on a tight budget | $431.88 billed yearly | Individual use only, per the page |
| Ecamm Live Pro | A Mac producer with a remote guest | $384 billed yearly | Mac only |
| Switcher Suite | More than two destinations, on Apple devices | $948 billed yearly | Apple devices only, and recording is not stated |
| Castr Starter | The cheapest outbound stream when the guest joins elsewhere | $199.99 billed yearly | No guest allowance on its plan table |
What live streaming software does
Live streaming software sends one video feed to several platforms at once, with guests, graphics and a recording. For a business show, the number that matters most is destinations, because each platform takes one slot in your plan.
How we ranked these tools
We read each pricing page on October 24, 2026 and checked every plan row against the show: destinations, people on screen, resolution, logo removal and recording. The order follows fit for this show, not price, so the cheapest plan on the list ranks last. We compare published prices and plan tables only, and we did not run the software for this page. Where a figure is our own arithmetic, the text says so. A webinar is a different buy when registration comes first, and the webinar platforms guide covers that side.
Restream Professional: the plan that meets the whole brief
Restream Professional costs $49 a month on the monthly billing its pricing page shows by default. Its annual toggle is labelled "Save 20%", so check the yearly figure on restream.io/pricing before you commit. On monthly billing the year comes to $588 (12 x $49, our arithmetic).
The plan covers each requirement. It streams to five channels, so three platforms leave room to spare. It streams in Full HD 1080p and records in 4K Ultra HD, while the $19 Standard plan's video quality is listed as HD 720p. It allows 10 on-screen participants, enough for two hosts and a guest, and the Standard features it builds on carry no Restream branding. Cloud recordings capture up to 10 hours per stream and stay available to download for 15 days. Its FAQ says you can go live from a browser with no setup.
The catch is the monthly price. A year on monthly billing sits above StreamYard Core and Ecamm Pro, and below Switcher Suite. Check the yearly figure before you compare totals.
Pick Restream Professional when a company runs the show and 1080p is not optional. On its own page, it meets every line of the brief.
StreamYard Core: the cheapest StreamYard plan without its logo
StreamYard Core costs $35.99 a month on the yearly billing that its page selects by default, which is $431.88 a year (12 x $35.99, our arithmetic). The yearly toggle is labelled "22% Off", so monthly billing costs more. Check the monthly figure on streamyard.com/pricing if you need it.
On paper, Core covers the requirements: three destinations, no StreamYard logo, 10 on-screen participants and Full HD 1080p, which it inherits from Essential. Essential costs less when billed yearly, but Core is the first plan whose feature list includes "No StreamYard logo on your streams." Its live streams are recorded, and local recordings are unlimited. The free plan is a different thing. It keeps the StreamYard logo, allows six on-screen participants and caps local recordings at two hours a month.
The catch is who the plan is for. The page says Essential, Core and Advanced are for individual use only, and it links to a Plan Usage Policy. Business plans are for company use, and its FAQ sends business buyers to a meeting with a StreamYard expert.
Core suits a personal channel that wants the logo gone at the lowest price in its family. For a company show, the page's own terms point you to a Business plan you have to ask about.
Ecamm Live Pro: the cheapest printed yearly plan that fits, on Mac only
Ecamm Pro costs $32 a month, billed as one payment of $384 a year. Its monthly view lists Pro at $40 a month. The Standard plan is $16 a month billed as one payment of $192, and it does not list Ecamm Interview. Ecamm's support FAQ says Interview Mode, which adds remote guests, requires Pro, and Standard users can try it for two hours. For a remote guest, Pro is the plan to check first.
Pro covers the rest. Standard and Pro both multistream to 10 destinations, both remove the Ecamm watermark, and recording is automatic. Pro adds 4K streaming, which is above the 1080p this show needs. Ecamm's home page says every broadcast is saved to your Mac automatically.
The catch is the platform. Ecamm's home page calls it a live streaming platform built for Mac and says it requires macOS 11.2 or newer. If the producer works on Windows, this section does not apply.
Pick Ecamm Pro when the producer runs a Mac and you want the lowest yearly figure that meets the brief. Among the plans that meet the brief, its yearly price is the lowest printed on a vendor page.
Switcher Suite: the most destinations and the highest bill of the five picks
Switcher Suite costs $79 a month billed yearly, which is $948 a year, the renewal figure its page prints. Monthly billing is $99 a month, or $1,188 a year (12 x $99, our arithmetic). The page also shows $95 off the first year, labelled as a promotion.
Suite covers 20 destinations where this show needs three. It allows five remote guests, the same limit as Studio. Its feature table says the plan carries no Switcher branding and offers HD streaming in 720p or 1080p. The cheaper Studio plan, at $45 a month billed yearly, stops at two destinations, one short of YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.
The catches are the devices and the recording. The page says to download the app on Mac, iPad and iPhone, so Windows is out. It does not say whether a stream is saved as a file you can download, and recording is part of this brief. Ask Switcher before you buy.
Pick Suite when you need more than two destinations and your team already works on Apple devices. Of the five picks, it has the highest yearly figure.
Castr Starter: the lowest yearly figure of the five picks, with no guest allowance
Castr Starter costs $19.99 a month on monthly billing, or $16.67 a month billed yearly, which its page prints as $199.99 a year. It includes six multistream destinations, enough for YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook, and a seven-day trial. If you only need a hosted player for the replay, the video hosting guide covers that side.
The catch is scope. Castr's pricing page prices streams, destinations, bandwidth and hosted video. Its plan table has no row for guests or on-screen participants, so the remote guest would need another tool, and the page does not say which one.
Pick Castr when a studio tool already handles the guest and you want the cheapest way out to platforms. For a show with a guest in the frame, it ranks last.
OBS Studio: free, but not a hosted service
OBS Studio is free and open source, and its website describes it as software for video recording and live streaming. It runs on your own computer. Three platforms and a remote guest still need a hosted multistream service or a guest tool on top, which makes two products with two bills. That is why we left it out of the ranking. If the show is really a registration-led webinar, the free webinar software guide compares free plans by attendee cap and time limit.
What the show costs per year
Sorted by yearly figure for this show: Castr Starter at $199.99 (no guest allowance), Ecamm Pro at $384, StreamYard Core at $431.88, Restream Professional at $588 on monthly billing, and Switcher Suite at $948. Two of these are our arithmetic, 12 times a monthly price, and the text labels each one. The yearly figure for Restream is the one to check on its site. Ecamm Standard, at $192 a year, is lower still, but Interview Mode, which adds remote guests, is a Pro plan feature.
How to choose
Start with the guest. If the guest has to be on the stream, Castr drops out first, then compare the rest on destinations and branding.
- A company show with a guest and 1080p: Restream Professional, after you check its yearly price.
- A personal channel on a budget: StreamYard Core, with the logo removed.
- A Mac producer who wants the lowest printed yearly price that fits: Ecamm Pro.
- More than two destinations, on Apple devices: Switcher Suite.
- The cheapest outbound stream, with the guest handled elsewhere: Castr Starter.
If the show is a video call rather than a broadcast, the video conferencing guide is the better buy.
Common mistakes
- Comparing headline prices with different billing periods. StreamYard's figure is billed yearly and Restream's is billed monthly, so the two totals are not on the same basis. Compare the yearly totals only after you check Restream's yearly price.
- Buying the cheapest plan that removes the logo. Restream Standard removes the branding at $19 a month, but it stops at 720p. The 1080p plan is Professional.
- Assuming the free plan covers the show. StreamYard Free keeps its logo and caps local recordings at two hours a month. Restream Free streams to two channels with Restream branding.
- Missing the destination count. StreamYard Essential and Switcher Studio both stop at two destinations, one short of this show.
- Treating Mac-only as a footnote. Ecamm requires macOS 11.2 or newer, so a Windows producer cannot use the Pro plan.
- Skipping the individual-use rule. The page says StreamYard Core is for individuals, which matters when the channel belongs to a company.
FAQ
What is the best live streaming software for a business show in 2026?
Restream Professional is the first pick for a company show. It covers 1080p, five channels, 10 on-screen participants and no Restream branding. Its pricing page shows the plan under the Creator tab, so confirm with Restream that a company may buy it. Check its yearly price on restream.io, since the page labels annual billing as saving 20%.
Is StreamYard free?
StreamYard's free plan costs nothing, but it keeps the StreamYard logo on your stream, allows six on-screen participants and caps local recordings at two hours a month. Removing the logo starts with Core at $35.99 a month billed yearly, and the page says Core is for individual use only.
How much does a weekly live show cost per year?
For this show, Castr Starter is $199.99 a year but has no guest allowance. Ecamm Pro is $384 a year on Mac, StreamYard Core is $431.88 a year for individuals, Restream Professional is $49 a month on monthly billing, and Switcher Suite is $948 a year billed yearly.
Can I stream to YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook for free?
Not without a logo. Restream Free streams to two channels with Restream branding. StreamYard Free keeps its logo and lists no destination count. Ecamm and Switcher offer trials, not free plans.
Is OBS Studio a replacement for a paid plan?
OBS Studio is free and open source, but it runs on your own computer. A hosted multistream service and a guest tool still have to be paid for separately, so the total is two products, not one price.
Which plans on this list remove the vendor's logo?
Restream Standard and up, StreamYard Core and Advanced, Ecamm Standard and Pro, and both Switcher plans we priced. The free plans from Restream and StreamYard keep their logos. Castr's pricing page does not state whether a Starter stream carries a Castr logo.
Bottom line
For a company show with three platforms, a remote guest and 1080p, start with Restream Professional and check its yearly price on restream.io before you compare totals. If the producer works on a Mac, Ecamm Pro gives the lowest printed yearly figure that meets the brief. Switcher Suite earns its higher price only if you need more than two destinations, and your team already works on Apple devices.
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