Side by side
Livepeer vs Upstream
Both stand on live tv streaming services. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1
Livepeer provides a coordinated network for real-time video processing and AI inference, with API access for developers and roles for compute providers. Its Ethereum-based, permissionless design may fit teams building applications that need distributed GPU capacity.
Visit Livepeer
Free plan APIWeb
Choose Upstream if you need browser-based production, multistreaming, scheduled broadcasts, or looping cloud streams. The free plan is constrained to one concurrent stream and 24 hours per month, while paid plans start at $30 a month for one stream.
Visit UpstreamThe facts
| Livepeer | Upstream | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web | API, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Paid — 1 stream, yearly: $24 a month |
| Plans published | 3 | 9 |
| Maker | Livepeer | Not published |
| Website | livepeer.org | upstream.so |
| On live tv streaming services | #22 of 169 | #26 of 169 |
Livepeer: what it does well
- API access to distributed GPU compute
- Supports generative video and object detection workloads
- Permissionless participation with orchestrator and delegator roles
- Coordinates routing, payments, and quality checks
- Offers self-hosted and web environments
What to know first
- LPT is required for AI inference work
- Listed plan prices are not provided
- Network participation involves GPU operators or delegators
- Daydream Scope is a separate ecosystem application
Upstream: what it does well
- Sends one stream to up to 10 destinations at once.
- Browser Live Studio supports guests, screen sharing, scenes, and branded overlays.
- Server-hosted playlists can keep a stream running with the computer off.
- Schedules prerecorded videos once or on repeat.
- API and MCP server are included with every plan.
What to know first
- Free plan is limited to one concurrent stream and 24 hours monthly.
- Free capacity may be limited during unusual demand.
- Streaming allowances and API rate limits apply on every plan.
- Paid monthly plans start at $30 a month.
Alternatives to Livepeer Alternatives to Upstream The whole list