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How Much Does a 24/7 YouTube Streaming Server Cost on Vultr?

Vultr’s documented OBS/Ubuntu starting point is $20 per month, with 3 TB of bandwidth. Estimate the additional cost from your continuous outbound bitrate before choosing a plan.

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A practical starting point is $20 per month for a Vultr Cloud Compute instance that matches Vultr’s published OBS-on-Ubuntu streaming-server example: 2 vCPUs, 4 GB RAM, 80 GB storage and 3 TB of bandwidth. That is a baseline, not a guarantee for every encoding workload or a fixed future price. Continuous outbound video can exceed the included bandwidth and add charges.

The main variable to check after the instance price is stream bitrate: it determines how much data the server sends to YouTube over a month. Vultr lists a smaller 2-vCPU, 2-GB plan at $15 per month, but it falls below the 4-GB memory minimum in Vultr’s example. Check Vultr’s Cloud Compute pricing and terms before deploying.

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Vultr’s monthly starting cost

Vultr’s streaming guide specifies at least 2 virtual CPUs, 4 GB RAM, 80 GB storage and 3 TB bandwidth for its OBS-on-Ubuntu example. Vultr’s pricing page lists a 2-vCPU, 4-GB Cloud Compute plan at $20 per month with 3 TB bandwidth, making it the clearest published starting point for that configuration. The guide’s specification applies to its example, not every possible way to stream pre-recorded video or every encoder workload. See Vultr’s OBS and Ubuntu streaming-server guide.

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Option or workload Published or calculated amount How to interpret it
2 vCPU, 2 GB Cloud Compute $15/month; 3 TB bandwidth Lower listed price, but less memory than the 4 GB minimum in Vultr’s streaming guide.
2 vCPU, 4 GB Cloud Compute $20/month; 3 TB bandwidth Closest match to the resources Vultr specifies for its OBS/Ubuntu example.
Constant 10 Mbps for 30 days About 3.24 decimal TB transmitted Arithmetic estimate from bitrate and time, not a provider quote or measured bill.
Estimated overage for the 10-Mbps example About $2.40 above 3 TB at $0.01/GB Illustrative calculation; actual charges follow Vultr’s metering and allocation rules.

The listed plan amounts were shown on Vultr’s pricing page retrieved in 2026 and can change. Vultr also describes hourly billing and plan-specific monthly billing caps; confirm current terms for the selected plan. Its FAQ says stopped instances continue to incur charges until they are destroyed. Vultr’s FAQ covers bandwidth and billing.

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How a 24/7 stream affects bandwidth cost

The server sends one live feed to YouTube continuously. At a constant 10 Mbps for 30 days, the calculation is 10,000,000 bits per second × 2,592,000 seconds ÷ 8, or approximately 3.24 decimal TB. That is slightly above a 3-TB allowance, so a simple estimate using Vultr’s stated $0.01-per-GB overage rate gives roughly $2.40 for the excess. It is an illustration, not a precise invoice forecast: actual billing depends on Vultr’s metering and allocation rules. Vultr says it measures charged bandwidth on outbound traffic, does not charge for inbound traffic, and lists $0.01 per GB for usage above quota. Review Vultr’s bandwidth FAQ.

Do not multiply this server-to-YouTube traffic by your YouTube audience size. YouTube says it transcodes an incoming live stream into multiple output formats for viewers, so the VPS’s outgoing stream is not a separate copy delivered directly to each viewer. YouTube explains live transcoding and encoder settings.

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Use the outgoing bitrate to estimate your traffic

YouTube’s recommended H.264 encoder bitrates provide useful inputs for a rough monthly estimate. The table’s 30-day totals are calculated from bitrate × 2,592,000 seconds ÷ 8 and converted to decimal terabytes; they are not quoted plan usage or bills.

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YouTube H.264 setting Recommended bitrate Approximate data sent in 30 days
720p at 30 fps 8 Mbps 2.592 decimal TB
1080p at 30 fps 14 Mbps 4.536 decimal TB
1080p at 60 fps 17 Mbps 5.508 decimal TB

These estimates assume an uninterrupted, constant-rate feed for all 30 days. Actual usage can vary with stream configuration, operating time, and provider metering. Compare your encoder’s actual outgoing bitrate and expected runtime with the allowance on the Vultr plan you intend to use. A 3-TB quota may be close to enough for a continuous 720p/30 feed under the simplified calculation, but the 1080p examples exceed it.

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Encoding settings and server size are separate decisions

YouTube recommends RTMPS, constant bitrate (CBR), and a 2-second keyframe interval, not exceeding 4 seconds. Its recommended H.264 bitrates include 8 Mbps for 720p/30 fps, 14 Mbps for 1080p/30 fps, and 17 Mbps for 1080p/60 fps. YouTube also publishes recommendations for AV1 and H.265; use the recommendations for the codec you actually configure rather than applying H.264 figures to another codec. Consult YouTube’s current encoder settings.

Compute needs depend on what the server does. Encoding video or rendering complex OBS scenes can use more CPU than relaying or sending already-encoded media. Vultr’s guide advises reducing output resolution or upgrading if CPU usage is high, but it does not establish a universal CPU requirement or promise that a particular plan can handle every scene and encoder setting.

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What the starting estimate does not include

  • Bandwidth above quota: continuous outbound traffic can exceed the included amount; Vultr’s FAQ lists $0.01 per GB for over-quota usage.
  • Additional services: separate infrastructure or services may add costs beyond the Cloud Compute instance.
  • Other Vultr products: Vultr documents a separate Broadcaster Marketplace application with OBS and GPU integration and advertises unlimited network bandwidth for that named product. Those claims are specific to Broadcaster and are not terms included with ordinary Cloud Compute instances. Read Vultr’s Broadcaster Marketplace documentation.
  • Instance lifecycle: Vultr says a stopped instance continues to be billed until it is destroyed, so stopping a server is not the same as ending its charges.

Or let it run in the cloud

If you want a YouTube channel to loop uploaded recordings without maintaining a VPS and encoder yourself, StreamNeo is an alternative: upload a video or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, then go live. It runs from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not need to stay on. It automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream, and the uploaded video streams as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot. The first day is free with no card; the Monthly price is $9.99 per month. See how StreamNeo works, or start the free first day.

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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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