The 10 Best Restream Alternatives in 2022 | Dacast

 

Restream is a popular streaming software for editing videos, streaming to multiple platforms, and improving audience engagement.

Although Restream is powerful software, it’s not perfect for many use-cases. In these situations, choosing a Restream alternative offers broadcasters a better opportunity to enhance their online broadcasting experience.

In this post, we’re going to share everything broadcasters need to know about Restream. After we provide an overview of the company, we’ll talk about how Restream compares to professional video hosting platforms, like Dacast.

We will also discuss whether or not users can use Restream alone or if it works best alongside a professional streaming platform.

To wrap things up, we will provide a list of Restream alternatives for multicasting and similar broadcasting functions.

Streaming software companies update their pricing and capabilities regularly. We’ve updated this post with the most recent information for the top Restream.io competitors as of July 2022.

Table of Contents

• What is Restream?

• Restream vs. Dacast: A Comparison

  • Shared Features Between Restream and Dacast

  • How is Dacast Different?

  • How is Restream Different?

• Can Restream Be Used on Its Own?

• Comparison of The 13 Best Restream Alternatives in 2022

• Final Thoughts

What is Restream?

Before we begin, let’s discuss what is Restream and how to use it.  Restream is a video streaming software that is used primarily for simulcasting.

As a refresher, simulcasting is broadcasting one live video to multiple platforms at once. This is used to reach larger audiences and tap into existing followings on popular social media platforms such as:

•  

  Twitch

• TikTok

•  

  LinkedIn Live

• Facebook 

• Instagram Live

• Twitter

• TikTok Live

Restream allows you to live stream to 30+ platforms without multiple tabs or devices, and that’s significantly more than most of its competitors.

You can also engage with comments on the chat from one central place without going from platform to platform.

It also helps with cross-platform analytics and insights to help you better measure success.

Cross-platform analytics can allow you to access data such as:

• Average watch time

• Maximum watch time

• Total minutes watched

• Peak time with top viewer numbers

• Total number of viewers

You can see all of these analytics in a single platform for every location you are streaming to. This can allow you to measure your engagement across all platforms, and also identify your strongest platforms at the same time.

These simulcasting functions are made possible thanks to native integrations with other popular streaming software, including OBS Studio, XSplit, and more.

In addition to simulcasting, Restream offers robust tools for editing streams, and the platform allows for heavy customization.

Restream has also recently rolled out Restream Studio, which is a tool built for in-browser live streaming setups.

Restream Studio offers tools such as: 

• Professional overlays, logos, and backgrounds

• Add call-to-action overlay

• Highlight messages from viewers

Restream has pricing plans for both individual creators and larger organizations, starting with a free option and ranging to an advanced plan that costs $249/month. Plans at that rate are billed annually, but broadcasters can opt for a month-to-month contract with a slightly higher rate. There are also custom plans available for enterprise use.

Restream vs. Dacast: A Comparison

Restream and Dacast are two valuable tools for broadcasters. As we mentioned, Restream is a video streaming software with limited video editing capabilities. Dacast, on the other hand, is a video hosting software. 

These platforms have a bit of overlap in features, but they each have a different function in the live streaming process. That said, Dacast is not a Restream alternative but more of a Restream complement. 

Shared Features Between Restream and Dacast

As we mentioned, Restream and Dacast have several live streaming features in common. Let’s take a look at the offerings that both platforms share.

Simulcasting

Simulcasting, which is also called “multistreaming,” is a very valuable tool for broadcasters. It is what allows them to maximize their viewership by reaching a larger audience. 

Since Restream is a multistreaming platform, its simulcasting feature is its strength. Broadcasters can share their streams on dozens of streaming platforms at a time, including Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more.

Dacast supports some simulcasting natively, but the full potential can be unlocked by integrating a dedicated tool, like Restream.

Live Streaming

Both Restream and Dacast are capable of hosting live streams. However, each company approaches this a little differently.

Live streaming is one of the main offerings from Dacast, so our platform is equipped with powerful tools for carrying out live broadcasts. Restream, on the other hand, only supports in-browser live streaming.

If you are looking for a robust live streaming platform, Dacast has what you need, including such features as:

• Robust content delivery network 

• End-to-end low latency video streaming 

• Video streaming security options

• Video monetization with an integrated worldwide paywall

Stream Scheduling

Broadcasters can schedule streams ahead of time with both Restream and Dacast. On Restream, you can upload a video to be played at a certain time. 

With Dacast, you can upload a video and schedule it to play at a specific time as well. You can also schedule a live stream, allowing you to share the URL and embed the video on your website and social media platforms before the live stream begins. 

Dacast also offers the option to showcase a countdown timer before your live stream begins.

Video Analytics

Both Dacast and Restream offer powerful video analytics tools. This comes in handy for businesses and creators that want to track their audience’s behavior and assess the performance of their videos. Analytics is especially useful for sales and marketing.

On Dacast, analytics reports provide information on concurrent viewers by time, plays by time, playtime per time, and plays by location.

On Restream, you can see which platform is bringing the most traffic to your stream and a chart of viewership trends throughout a stream. Restream also produces analytics on audience trends and preferences.

White-Label Streaming

White-label streaming is important for broadcasting at the professional level because it allows broadcasters to remove distracting third-party branding. Fortunately, both Dacast and Restream support white-label streaming through an HTML5 video player.

Please note that Dacast offers white-label streaming on all plans, but Restream does not. In addition to white-label streaming, Dacast also offers API access, allowing for full customization of your video player experience.

HD Streaming

Both platforms support HD streaming, which means that they are both good options for delivering high-quality broadcasts to your customers. The ability to stream in HD can help maintain a great user experience.

Low Latency Streaming

Video latency is the delay between the time a video is captured and the time it reaches the viewers. Both platforms are capable of low latency streaming, but Restream may add as much as 2 seconds of extra latency. 

Dacast has invested in tools to ensure that they can provide you with the lowest latency possible. That means when you are sharing a live stream, viewers are seeing the video as close to when it was recorded as possible.

Live Chat

The live chat tool on Restream is one of the most notable features of the platform.

With the live chat tool on Restream, you can bring all of your chats from every platform you are streaming on together in one place. With simulcasting, having all your chats together in one place makes it easier to manage the chat experience for all of your viewers. 

They also have tools that allow you to call out viewers’ comments live during the chat, showcasing them on the screen. This is a great way to increase viewers’ engagement in your streams. 

Dacast also recently rolled out a live chat tool with the help of a new partnership with RumbleTalk.

RumbleTalk is a third-party app you can download and connect to your stream that is supported by Dacast. 

RumbleTalk offers a wide range of features, such as: 

• Live polls

• Live moderated Q&A

• Monetization options such as donations, payments, and paywall

• RESTful API

• Customize Chat Design

• Private chat conversations 

They offer a range of tools that help you control and monitor your chats, such as: 

• Slow down chat option

• Approve chat messages before going public

• Mute users

When you open your live stream up to comments, sometimes you need to moderate the comments. If you are getting more comments than you can respond to all at once, you can slow down the chat, allowing users to only send so many chats per minute. 

If certain users are taking away from the chat experience, you can mute them. You can also approve all messages before they go public. These tools allow you to control the live chat experience on your live stream.

Streaming Protocols

Several protocols make live streaming possible. RTMP is a protocol that is important for both Restream and Dacast. Both of these platforms use RTMP ingest as a primary ingestion method, which means that they work with RTMP encoders and other RTMP-compatible sources.

WebRTC is a protocol that is relevant to both platforms because it is the protocol that makes webinar-style streaming and web conferencing possible. Dacast integrates with Zoom to bring web conferencing functionality to users, and Restream allows up to 10 broadcasters to present at once with a similar format. 

SRT is another important protocol for broadcasting. It is what makes streaming from the browser possible. 

Both Restream and Dacast offer in-browser streaming. 

What does that mean? You can start a stream using your web browser, and stream directly from the integrated webcam on your device. You don’t need any fancy setup or equipment to start live streaming this way. In-browser web streaming makes streaming simple and easy.

How is Dacast Different?

Dacast is an end-to-end professional video hosting platform, so its offerings are a bit more advanced than Restream. This is not to say that it is better than Restream, it just has some different functionalities.

Since Dacast is a video hosting platform and video content management system (CMS), it is fully equipped with the tools that broadcasters need to store, manage, organize, and deliver video content. 

With Dacast, broadcasters can monetize their video content with subscriptions, advertisements, or pay-per-view with the help of a secure paywall. Video players are customizable with easy-to-use standard settings and player API. 

Dacast users also have access to advanced video security features, including low latency streaming, password-protected live streaming, DRM, tokenized access, IP/geographic restrictions, domain/referrer restrictions, and AES video encryption.

Dacast’s customizable HTML5 video player is easy to embed on any website or app and many social media platforms. If you want to launch your video business, that is possible, too. Dacast Expos allow you to set up a viewer-facing video gallery in just a few clicks.

Dacast also has 24/7 customer support that you can access via email, chat, or over the phone, depending on the type of plan you have. With live events, you need a support team that can help you with any issues that arise in the moment.

Dacast is a robust video hosting service that allows you access to a full range of tools for live streaming and video on-demand hosting. With Dacast, you can create a custom experience for your viewers.

How is Restream Different?

Restream is designed to complement platforms like Dacast, so naturally, there are a few differences to note. 

First, the main purpose of Restream is simulcasting support. While Dacast has simulcast streaming capabilities, Restream makes it possible to stream to over 30 platforms at the same time. Without the support of an external tool, Dacast can stream to a small handful.

Another major difference is that Restream’s live streaming tools are only supported in-browser rather than with a downloadable program.

Something else that Restream offers that Dacast does not is video editing. Restream has an online studio that helps broadcasters add backgrounds, overlays, and more. Again, Dacast has some limited support for overlays and such, but Restream has access to more creative tools.

Last but not least, Restream offers a chat tool. This allows broadcasters to add a chat room to their live streams. This is great for getting viewers involved and promoting engagement. Dacast 

Can Restream Be Used on Its Own?

By now, you’ve likely gathered that it doesn’t have to be an “either/or” situation when it comes to Restream and Dacast. The two platforms can be used together.

In fact, Restream does not support video hosting, so you need to use it alongside professional hosting software. We recommend storing and managing your videos on a platform like Dacast and using Restream to tap into those additional features. 

Dacast supports integration with Restream, allowing you to access and use the tools of both of these software platforms at the same time. Restream works best when used with a full video hosting service such as Dacast which offer a range of robust video tools and support.

Comparison of The 13 Best Restream Alternatives in 2022

Restream is regarded as an impressive simulcasting and live chat tool, but like any similar software, there are other worthy alternatives on the market. 

Let’s take a look at a few Restream alternatives.

1. Wirecast

Let’s begin by first comparing Wirecast vs. Restream. Wirecast is a streaming software from Telestream that supports live stream capture, editing, and streaming to an unlimited number of destinations.

The advantage of this platform over Restream is that it comes with several extra features, including auto-archiving, remote production, playlists and organization, access to a stock media library, and social media integrations.

This platform is a bit advanced and its price reflects that. Wirecast comes in two tiers:

• Wirecast Studio for $599

• Wirecast Pro for $799.

This is a one-time payment, so you don’t have to worry about paying monthly or annual subscription fees.

For more information on how to simulcast on Dacast through Wirecast, please check out our dedicated tutorial.  

2. Switchboard Live

Switchboard Live is another reliable Restream alternative. It supports streaming to several destinations. It also has tools for video player embedding. 

When comparing Switchboard vs Restream, the most significant difference is that Switchboard doesn’t have a live chat feature while streaming. However, it supports live polling, multi-camera feed, and video annotations, unlike Restream.

This platform is not equipped with a studio for editing, and it does not support live chat. It is much more basic than Restream and other alternatives.

Switchboard Live has three different pricing plans. The plans include:

• Indie Unleashed plan is $29/month

• Pro Unleashed plan is $59/month

• Business Unleased plan is $99/month

All of these plans support streaming to an unlimited number of destinations.

For more information on how to simulcast on Dacast through Switchboard Live, please check out our dedicated tutorial.  

3. Castr

Next, let’s talk about Restream vs Castr. Castr offers two products for broadcasters. One is a simulcasting tool and the other is live streaming and video hosting platform. There are separate fees for each of these products.

The Castr product that would be considered a Restream alternative is their simulcasting tool. What makes Castr different from Restream is that it offers multiple kinds of ingesting, rather than just RTMP ingest. The other types of ingesting that Castr supports are RTSP, HLS, and MPEG-TS.

Another unique thing about this platform is that it allows streaming to multiple Facebook pages, groups, and profiles at the same time.

One of Castr’s most valuable features is 24/7 support. Additionally, all plans are totally white-label, so you don’t have to worry about any third-party branding causing distractions to your content.

Castr has six multistreaming pricing plans, including:

• Entry: $37.50/month

• Plus: $62.50/month

• Premium: $104.50/month

• Business: $250/month

• Enterprise: $500/month

• Custom: Advanced plans are totally customized, so prices vary

Additionally, they offer plans specifically for multistreaming, if that’s what you’re mostly after.

• Multistream Plus: $12.50/month
• Multistream Premium: $33.50/month
• Multistream Business: $92/month
• Multistream Enterprise: You must talk to the sales team for a quote

Castr also offers a 7-day free trial on all plans.

4. Splitstream

Splitstream is another simulcasting tool that is a worthy Restream alternative. This tool is pretty bare-bones, so it is best suited for broadcasters that need simulcasting tools, and only simulcasting tools.

They offer basic free accounts plus three paid plans. These include:

• Standard: $9.99/month; supports streaming to up to 15 channels at once

• Pro: $29.99/month; supports up to 30 channels at once

• Pro+: $59.99/month and supports up to 50 channels at once

Since Splitstream has a free plan, it is a viable option for those that are seeking a free Restream alternative.

5. Prism Live Studio

Prism Live Studio is a Restream alternative that focuses primarily on video editing and production as opposed to simulcasting. This platform does support simulcasting, but it is not the main function.

When evaluating Prism Live Studio vs. Restream vs. other Restream alternatives, consider that this platform is a bit more limited than the others. It only offers multicasting to YouTube, Twitch, Periscope, Facebook, afreecaTV, V LIVE, and NAVER TV.

Broadcasters can access Prism Live Studio on both mobile and desktop apps. No pricing is published on the site, but the app can be downloaded for free on the App Store and Google Play Store.

6. Streamlabs 

Here’s the rundown on Restream vs Streamlabs. Streamlabs is another streaming software that is very similar to Restream. It is fully loaded with a variety of live streaming tools, including simulcasting, video editing, graphic overlays, collaboration tools, and more.

Although Streamlabs has many use cases, many of its users use it to stream computer games.

There is a free version of Streamlabs, but in order to access simulcasting and other premium features, users must upgrade to Prime. Streamlabs Prime costs $19/month or $149/year.

7. Resi

Resi is a streaming company with several unique streaming products. One of these products is a streaming software called Resi ProPresenter Stream, and this tool is certainly a viable Restream alternative.

Some of ProPresenter’s top features include simulcasting, one-click streaming, enhanced automation, scheduled stream replays, and built-in tools for encoding and switching.

What makes Resi’s products unique is that they use RSP as a transfer protocol rather than RTMP. This protocol was designed by Resi to improve the streaming experience for both broadcasters and viewers.

A key thing to consider when comparing Resi vs Restream is that Resi is known for its superior ongoing product support. Many people rave about how easy it is to do business with Resi.

Pricing information is not published on the Resi website so interested users must submit a quote request for more information.

8. Videolinq

Videolinq is a Restream alternative that has a special focus on live stream production. It has special a simulcasting tool that is complemented by tools for HD streaming, remote streaming, and smart OTT distribution.

There are a lot of similarities between the two platforms, but an important distinction to consider when comparing Videolinq vs. Restream is that Videolinq doesn’t offer Q&A functionality. However, it does offer video annotations, unlike Restream.

This company also offers products for team collaboration, closed captioning, stream scheduling, and video player building.

Videolinq has three pricing plans, including:

• Basic $49/month for streaming to 10 destinations

• Premium: $149/month for streaming to 15 destinations

• Enterprise+: $499/month

9. BoxCast

Most of the Restream alternatives we’ve covered focus on simulcasting and similar tools. But when it comes to BoxCast vs Restream, one key takeaway to consider is that BoxCast includes that functionality plus more advanced video hosting support.

BoxCast’s Broadcaster App provides a powerful alternative to Restream for broadcasters that are looking for one tool that does it all. This HD streaming app is capable of remote streaming, simulcasting, cloud transcoding, ticketing, broadcast monitoring, and scoreboard integrations.

There are three pricing plans from BoxCast, including:

• Essential: $99/month

• Growth: $149/month

• Experience: $199/month

All plans offer a 14-day free trial. Each plan also supports streaming to your website, different social media sites, all RTMP destinations, and smart TV apps.

10. SplitCam

If you are looking for a Restream alternative that is geared more towards multi-source streaming and switching, SplitCam may be an option for you.

This software offers a variety of features for professional broadcasters, including video splitting and source switching. SplitCam is can handle streams with a wide variety of resolutions, including high-definition streaming.

When comparing SplitCam vs Restream, many people prefer SplitCam as a free alternative. Although Restream has a free version, it’s missing many key features that SplitCam offers. It also works seamlessly with many of the top streaming platforms and services.

11. StreamYard

Next, let’s compare Restream vs Streamyard. StreamYard currently supports fewer platforms than Restream, but it is still a popular alternative. To be more specific, StreamYard only supports Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Youtube, and Twitch, whereas Restream supports over 30 platforms.

One thing StreamYard has a reputation for is its very intuitive dashboard. In comparison, Restream’s dashboard is a bit more complex. This can be very handy for new streamers who value engagement through chat.

As far as unique features, StreamYard allows you to do a giveaway and choose a random commenter to win a giveaway prize as a way to encourage engagement.

StreamYard has 3 pricing plans, including:

• Free
• Basic: $25
• Professional: $49

All plans quoted are when billed monthly.

12. Mobcrush

Mobcrush is a free app that lets you stream to Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, and Trovo simultaneously.

A common reason people choose Mobcrush over Restream is for the ability to stream to Facebook gaming pages and Facebook groups for free. You’ll need to become a premium user to do that on Restream. Mobcrush is more geared towards mobile gaming content exclusively, whereas Restream has many more use cases.

Something to keep in mind when comparing Mobcrush vs Restream is that Restream has more bandwidth than Mobcrush. OBS Studio users should be aware that there are some complaints online about 5-20 second long drops when streaming with Mobcrush using OBS Studio in particular. However, it’s said to have improved over the last couple of years.

With all that said, again, a major positive about Mobcrush is that it’s completely free to use. So there’s no harm in giving it a shot and seeing how you like it.

13. OneStream

OneStream is another Restream alternative that allows you to go live to over 40 social media platforms simultaneously. It also allows you to schedule pre-recorded streams up to 60 days in advance. Similar to Restream, it requires no software installation.

People consider OneStream vs. Restream because OneStream is about 2x cheaper to use your own branding and 5x cheaper to stream pre-recorded videos. It’s also a great Restream alternative for those with a smaller stream. However, it does not allow split-screen functionality as Restream does.

OneStream has 4 pricing plans, including:

• Free
• Basic: $10/month
• Standard: $39/month
• Professional: $89/month

All plans offer a 5-day free trial and the prices quoted are if you pay on a monthly basis. You can also purchase add-ons separately.

When to Use Restream Alternatives

Restream is powerful software, but using Restream competitors in many cases is a better choice.

Although Restream is a top-rated platform for multistreaming and centralized chat, its free version is limited compared to other free versions. Restream pricing is also a bit higher for specific features when compared to other platforms. For example, if the ability to remove the branding is essential, there are cheaper options than Restream. In the same way, if streaming to Facebook business pages or Facebook gaming is important for you, there are free alternatives.

Another reason to consider a Restream alternative is if you are really new to broadcasting and have very simple and specific needs. For example, if you’re solely interested in launching a live game stream on Facebook, Mobcrush may be a better and free alternative.

Lastly, compared to many Restream.io competitors, many people consider Restream harder to do business with.

Final Thoughts

Although there is some overlap between Dacast and Restream, the two platforms work very well together. Many Dacast users opt to simulcast on Restream and the Restream alternatives that we’ve mentioned because they open up greater simulcasting capabilities.

Do you have more questions about simulcasting? You can research out to our knowledgeable support team for more information.

In the meantime, feel free to check out the Knowledgebase section of our website. A quick search for “simulcast” will pull up several articles to get you started.

You can also try out our platform and test all of our professional broadcasting tools risk-free for 30 days. No sign-up fees or credit cards are required.

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Also, we invite you to join our LinkedIn group to connect with industry experts and to open a dialogue about simulcasting and other broadcasting techniques.