Side by side
Owncast 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 APILinuxMac+2
Owncast provides self-hosted live streaming with chat, customization, federation, and several installation routes. Its missing multistreaming, browser studio, and unified-chat features matter to broadcasters seeking centralized production tools.
Visit Owncast
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
| Owncast | Upstream | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web | API, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Paid — 1 stream, yearly: $24 a month |
| Plans published | 1 | 9 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | owncast.online | upstream.so |
| On live tv streaming services | #29 of 169 | #25 of 169 |
Owncast: what it does well
- No subscriptions, viewer limits, or forced ads
- Built-in chat includes moderation and custom emotes
- Supports Mastodon and ActivityPub
- Custom CSS and domains are supported
- Offers Docker and single-file installation options
What to know first
- No multistreaming support
- No browser-based studio
- No custom RTMP destinations
- No unified chat
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 Owncast Alternatives to Upstream The whole list