Both Restream and Castr let you schedule a recording to play as a YouTube live stream. Restream’s recorded-video feature is available to all users, but its library duration, storage and looping options depend on paid add-ons. Castr includes prerecorded streaming in every plan, with file-duration and looping limits that vary by plan. For Indian creators, compare the exact limits you need and check the final checkout currency, taxes and payment methods: the vendors’ published prices are in US dollars, and India-specific totals were not verified.
What “streaming a recording as live” means
These services schedule a previously recorded video to play through a live-stream workflow; it is not a camera broadcast. Castr describes this as “Simulive” or “VOD-to-live,” meaning a recording is broadcast through a real live stream at a scheduled time. That is Castr’s product-page definition, not an independent standard. Both services document a way to schedule prerecorded broadcasts to YouTube.
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You still need a YouTube channel able to go live and a configured destination. YouTube’s encoder setup guidance explains the general live-stream setup, but does not settle every eligibility or policy condition for a particular channel or prerecorded event. Check the current settings in your YouTube account before scheduling: YouTube Help: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
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| What to compare | Restream | Castr |
|---|---|---|
| Prerecorded workflow | Select an existing recording or upload a file, set the event title, description, date and time, and toggle destinations. The event airs automatically, though some destinations may require a manual start there. | Upload or import an MP4, set a schedule or loop, connect destinations, and let cloud playback begin at the configured time. |
| Duration and storage | Depend on the add-on. The help page lists a two-hour library with Premier, a four-hour library with Marathon, and a 12-hour library with Media. | Maximum file duration is 60 minutes on Starter, 120 minutes on Standard, and 240 minutes on Premium and higher. Storage, file count and other limits vary by plan. |
| Looping | Listed for Marathon and Media add-ons. | Infinite looping is listed for Premium and higher. |
| Destinations | The free plan can select two channels from 30+ social channels, according to Restream’s pricing FAQ. Event posts in advance are supported on Facebook profiles/pages, YouTube, LinkedIn and X; other destinations show the stream once live. | The product page lists YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, custom RTMP destinations and an embedded site player. Destination limits vary by plan. |
| Published plan pricing | The prerecorded help page lists Premier at $39/month, Marathon at $79/month and Media at $239/month. These are USD figures on the current help-page table accessed October 3, 2026; prices can change. | The pricing page lists monthly and annual-billing equivalents in USD; annual equivalents are billed yearly. See the pricing section below. |
How Restream handles a scheduled recording
Restream’s documented workflow is to select an existing upload or add a recording, then schedule it as an event. Set the title, description, date and time, and choose the connected channels. Restream says the recorded-video feature is available to all users, but the file library and looping allowances depend on add-on tier. See its current workflow and feature table at Restream Help: Schedule your video as a pre-recorded event.
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For the listed add-ons, Premier includes a two-hour video library and 1080p, Marathon includes a four-hour library and 1080p, and Media includes a 12-hour library and 4K. Looping is listed for Marathon and Media, not Premier. Restream also notes that an event thumbnail on the free option carries Restream branding. Treat these as vendor-published limits and recheck the page before choosing a plan.
Advance event posts are supported on Facebook profiles and pages, YouTube, LinkedIn and X. Restream says other platforms show the stream only once it is live. Some destinations, including TikTok or Instagram, may require a manual start on that destination, so scheduled playback does not necessarily mean every connected social channel starts unattended.
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How Castr handles scheduled cloud playback
Castr’s documented flow is to upload or import an MP4, choose a date and time or looping option, connect the destinations, and schedule playback. Castr says the video plays from its cloud at the configured time, so this workflow does not require an encoder or an operator’s computer to remain on. That is a vendor-described capability, not an independently tested reliability claim. The July 8, 2026 help article says prerecorded uploads are MP4-only: Castr Help: How to Start Streaming Pre-recorded Videos.
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Duration limits on Castr’s product page are 60 minutes for Starter, 120 minutes for Standard, and 240 minutes for Premium and higher. Infinite looping is a Premium-and-higher feature. Storage, playlist or file count, concurrent streams and destination allowances also vary by plan, so a duration match alone is not enough to confirm a plan will fit your use case. See Castr’s prerecorded video streaming page for the feature details.
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Published prices and the India checkout caveat
The listed prices below are vendor-published USD prices, not confirmed India checkout totals. The vendors’ pages do not establish what currency, taxes or payment methods will apply to your Indian account; inspect the checkout before paying rather than treating a dollar amount as a rupee quote.
| Service and plan | Published USD price | Relevant published limit or note |
|---|---|---|
| Restream Premier add-on | $39/month | Two-hour video library; 1080p. |
| Restream Marathon add-on | $79/month | Four-hour video library; 1080p; looping listed. |
| Restream Media add-on | $239/month | 12-hour video library; 4K; looping listed. |
| Castr Starter | $19.99 monthly; $16.67/month annual equivalent | 60-minute maximum file duration. |
| Castr Standard | $49.99 monthly; $41.67/month annual equivalent | 120-minute maximum file duration. |
| Castr Premium | $199.99 monthly; $166.67/month annual equivalent | 240-minute maximum file duration; infinite looping. |
| Castr Ultra | $349.99 monthly; $291.67/month annual equivalent | Duration listed as 240 minutes on Premium and higher; other limits vary by plan. |
| Castr Events | $749.99 monthly; $624.99/month annual equivalent | Duration listed as 240 minutes on Premium and higher; other limits vary by plan. |
Castr’s annual-equivalent figures are billed yearly, not month-to-month at that rate. Restream’s add-on amounts come from its prerecorded-video help page; Castr’s plan prices are from its current pricing page. Both can change. Check Restream Pricing Plans and Castr pricing for current terms.
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Which service fits your recorded-video workflow?
Choose based on duration, not just the plan name
Start with the longest video you intend to schedule. Restream’s listed library allowances are two, four or 12 hours across its named add-ons; Castr’s listed single-file duration rises from 60 minutes to 240 minutes by plan. Confirm whether the vendor’s limit describes an individual file, a library or both before uploading a long program.
Check whether you need a loop
If the recording must repeat continuously, looping is an explicit tier distinction: Restream lists it with Marathon and Media; Castr lists infinite looping with Premium and higher. A one-time scheduled broadcast and a continuous loop are different operating needs.
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Count destinations and check start behavior
If you only need YouTube, destination breadth may not decide the choice. If you plan to simulcast, compare the plan’s actual destination allowance and verify whether each destination can be scheduled in advance. Restream’s event behavior varies by platform, while Castr documents several social and custom RTMP destinations with plan-based limits.
Compare total checkout cost for your account
Use the published USD figures as a starting point, not as an India-specific final price. Add the billing commitment, applicable taxes and any needed add-ons or higher-tier allowances to your comparison; verify the checkout amount before subscribing.
For a YouTube channel that needs to stay live 24/7
For a continuous YouTube channel built from uploaded videos, StreamNeo is the first alternative to consider: it keeps an always-on stream running from the cloud, plays uploads at their original quality up to 4K 60fps for one flat price per slot, and offers the first day free.
Restream and Castr are being compared here for scheduled prerecorded events; a 24/7 loop has a different operational requirement. With StreamNeo, upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. It loops the uploaded video from the cloud, so your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. Each slot includes 10 GB storage, pooled across active slots, 24/7 looping and playlists, automatic recovery if YouTube drops the stream, and support from the StreamNeo team. StreamNeo is for YouTube only and does not stream from a camera.
StreamNeo has one free day per account with no card required. The monthly option is $9.99 per month. India-based creators can pay by UPI or card; worldwide checkout accepts cards. Shorter and longer billing options are also available, with the same product on every plan and only the billing length changing.
Quick Recap
Start the free day at StreamNeo registration.
Questions to settle before the first event
- Confirm your YouTube channel’s current live-stream eligibility and destination setup in the account.
- Check the video’s duration, format and size against the chosen plan’s current limits before scheduling; Castr’s cited help article specifies MP4 uploads.
- Review rights for the video, music and other included material, and make sure the stream complies with YouTube’s current policies. The setup documentation cited here does not decide copyright or reused-content eligibility for a particular upload.
- Run through the event flow and destination behavior before relying on an unattended broadcast, especially if any connected platform may require a manual start.
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.
