Upstream alternatives for 24/7 pre-recorded streaming
Upstream is a well-known cloud service for 24/7 streams, with a free plan and 30+ destinations. People look for alternatives mostly because of price per stream, storage needs or platform support. Here are seven other services, compared on what each one publishes. We make YouCast, so check the sources and run your own numbers.
The services compared
Upstream
upstream.soFrom $30/mo for 1 stream (1080p, 30 fps)
- Free:
- Free plan: 1 stream, 24 hours of streaming per month, 1080p at 30 fps, no credit card
- Streams:
- Paid plans scale from 1 to 1000+ concurrent streams
- Storage:
- 100 GB per stream (help center)
- Quality:
- 1080p and 4K, at 30 or 60 fps
- Platforms:
- 30+ destinations including YouTube, Twitch, Kick, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and custom RTMP/SRT; multistream to up to 10 at once
- Features:
- Cloud playout, scheduling, pre-recorded live, Live Studio, Stream Designer with overlays, team access, Live Streaming API, MCP server, no watermark
YouCast
youcast.cloudFrom $10/mo (1 HD stream $7 + 10 GB storage $3)
- Free:
- 3-day free trial, no credit card required
- Streams:
- HD, 2K and 4K streams, up to 50 of each
- Storage:
- Pay per 10 GB block ($3/mo), 10 to 1,000 GB
- Quality:
- HD (1080p), 2K and 4K stream tiers
- Platforms:
- YouTube (connected channel or stream key); Twitch, Kick and Instagram via stream key
- Features:
- Upload videos once, playlists, looping, automatic restart and a restart schedule, runs from the cloud with your computer off
StreamHouse
streamhouse.coFrom $19/mo (Starter: 1 stream, 1080p 30 fps)
- Free:
- No free plan listed; pay-as-you-go credits do not expire
- Streams:
- Starter 1, Growth 3, Pro 7 concurrent streams
- Storage:
- Starter 150 GB, Growth 300 GB, Pro 500 GB
- Quality:
- 1080p or 4K UHD, 30 fps
- Platforms:
- YouTube, Twitch, Kick, Rumble, TikTok, Facebook and 8 more, plus custom RTMP or SRT
- Features:
- Unlimited playlists, scheduler, no hour cap, no watermark, team access, YouTube recording protection
Gyre
gyre.proFrom $49/mo (Start: 1 HD stream)
- Free:
- 7-day free trial (with the Gyre watermark)
- Streams:
- Start: 1 HD; Start+: 4 HD or 1 4K; PRO+: 8 HD or 2 4K
- Storage:
- Start 35 GB, Start+ 75 GB, PRO+ 150 GB
- Quality:
- Full HD 60 fps on all paid plans; 4K on Start+ and PRO+
- Platforms:
- YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, Instagram, X, Kick and MixCloud
- Features:
- Automatic video conversion, vertical and 360 streams; playlists and the stream scheduler are not included in Start
LiveReacting
livereacting.com$39.99/mo for 1 stream (1080p, 30 fps); $21.99/mo for the first 5 months for new customers until Oct 31, 2026
- Free:
- Free plan: 3 streams a month, 30 minutes each, 720p, with the LiveReacting watermark
- Streams:
- 1 to 20 concurrent streams
- Storage:
- 100 GB, files up to 10 GB (1080p 30 fps tier)
- Quality:
- 1080p 30 fps; 60 fps and 4K on request
- Platforms:
- Multistream to 5 destinations
- Features:
- Advanced scheduling, Ad Slots Manager, API access, MCP server, on-screen guests and interactive games
Livepush
livepush.ioFrom $39/mo for 24/7 (Creators plan)
- Free:
- Free plan with limits (200 MB video storage, events up to 20 minutes)
- Streams:
- Creators: up to 3 simultaneous pre-recorded streams; Business: 12
- Storage:
- Pro 8 GB, Creators 20 GB, Business 100 GB
- Quality:
- Creators and Business: up to 4K
- Platforms:
- Multistream to 40+ platforms; 25 destinations on Creators
- Features:
- 24/7 schedule channel, queue and loop videos, multistreaming
YTStreamer
ytstreamer.comFrom $25/mo ($10/week) for 1 stream and 5 GB
- Free:
- No free trial listed on the pricing section
- Streams:
- Basic 1, Standard 2, Premium 5 simultaneous streams
- Storage:
- Basic 5 GB, Standard 10 GB, Premium 50 GB
- Quality:
- Not stated on the pricing section
- Platforms:
- YouTube (uses the YouTube Live Streaming API)
- Features:
- Scheduled streaming, 24/7 looping; multi-video playlists and analytics from Standard
Streamloop
streamloop.appPay as you go, from $4/mo (credits never expire)
- Free:
- Free credits on signup
- Streams:
- Not stated as a fixed plan
- Storage:
- Not stated on the homepage
- Quality:
- Not stated on the homepage
- Platforms:
- YouTube, Twitch, Facebook Live or any RTMP platform
- Features:
- Playlists of pre-recorded videos as 24/7 streams, no OBS
What it costs at different sizes
Monthly list price of the cheapest published plan that covers each setup, 1080p unless stated. "n/a" means no plan covers it or no public price. The lowest price in each row is highlighted. YouCast is calculated from its price list: streams plus $3 per 10 GB.
| Setup | Upstream | YouCast | StreamHouse | Gyre | LiveReacting | Livepush | YTStreamer | Streamloop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 stream, 1080p, library up to 5 GB | $301 stream, 100 GB included | $101 HD stream + 10 GB storage | $19Starter: 150 GB | $49Start: 35 GB, no playlists or scheduler | $39.99100 GB; $21.99 first 5 months for new customers until Oct 31, 2026 | $39Creators: first plan with a 24/7 schedule channel, 20 GB | $25Basic: 1 stream, 5 GB | n/aUsage-based credits, no fixed plan price |
| 1 stream, 1080p, library up to 20 GB | $301 stream, 100 GB included | $131 HD stream + 20 GB storage | $19Starter: 150 GB | $49Start: 35 GB, no playlists or scheduler | $39.99100 GB; $21.99 first 5 months for new customers until Oct 31, 2026 | $39Creators: 20 GB | $60Premium is the first plan with 20 GB or more (50 GB) | n/aUsage-based credits, no fixed plan price |
| 3 streams, 1080p, about 75 GB in total | $703 streams, 300 GB included | $39.993 HD streams + 80 GB storage | $39Growth: 3 streams, 300 GB | $99Start+: up to 4 HD streams, 75 GB | n/aPriced per stream with volume discounts, see their calculator | $119Business: 100 GB (Creators has 20 GB) | n/aLargest plan has 50 GB | n/aUsage-based credits |
| 8 streams, 1080p, about 150 GB in total | $1608 streams at $20 each, 800 GB included | $778 HD streams + 150 GB storage | n/aPro covers 7 streams; 8 or more are priced in their plan builder | $169PRO+: 8 HD streams, 150 GB | n/aPriced per stream with volume discounts | n/aNo public price for 8 pre-recorded streams | n/aLargest plan has 5 streams | n/aUsage-based credits |
| 1 stream in 4K, library up to 50 GB | $704K at 30 fps; 4K at 60 fps is $120 | $351 4K stream + 50 GB storage | $49Starter 4K: 150 GB, 30 fps | $99Start+: 1 4K stream, 75 GB | $79.984K at 30 fps is 2x the 1080p price; 100 GB x 2 storage | $119Business: up to 4K, 100 GB (Creators has 20 GB) | n/aQuality not stated, largest plan 50 GB | n/aUsage-based credits |
| 2 streams in 4K, about 150 GB in total | $1304K at 30 fps; 4K at 60 fps is $220 | $75.462 4K streams + 150 GB storage | $89Growth 4K: 3 streams, 300 GB, 30 fps | $169PRO+: 2 4K streams, 150 GB | n/a4K at 30 fps costs 2x the 1080p price per stream | n/aCreators has 20 GB | n/aQuality not stated | n/aUsage-based credits |
YouCast bills storage by the gigabyte ($3 per 10 GB), so you pay only for the library you keep. Longer billing lowers the price further: 10%, 20% and 30% off for 3, 6 and 12 months.
Why people look for an alternative to Upstream
Price per stream
Upstream starts at $30 for one 1080p 30 fps stream. StreamHouse lists $19 and YouCast starts at $10 with a small library.
Storage
Upstream includes 100 GB per stream. If your library is small, you pay for storage you do not use; YouCast bills only the gigabytes you keep.
Frame rate and quality
Upstream charges $40 for 1080p at 60 fps and $120 for 4K at 60 fps per stream. Gyre includes 1080p 60 fps on every paid plan.
Features you do not need
Upstream bundles a live studio, overlay designer and API. If you only loop videos, a simpler service can be enough.
Where YouCast fits
- You run one or a few streams and your video library is modest (tens of GB, not hundreds).
- You want to pay per stream and per GB instead of a fixed bundle, with a lower per-stream price as you add streams of the same quality.
- You want to try it first: YouCast has a 3-day free trial with no credit card.
- You want to send the same kind of 24/7 stream to YouTube, Twitch, Kick or Instagram with a stream key.
Try it with your own videos
Upload a video, connect a channel or paste a stream key, and the stream runs from the cloud with your computer off. The 3-day free trial needs no credit card, so you can compare it with the others on your own channel.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Upstream alternative?
+
For a typical 24/7 channel with a modest library, YouCast: one 1080p stream starts at about $13 per month with 20 GB, and prices per stream drop as you add streams of the same quality. The tables above show how the other services compare.
Is there a free alternative to Upstream?
+
Several services have free tiers with tight limits: LiveReacting (3 streams a month, 30 minutes each, watermark), Livepush (200 MB storage, short events) and Streamloop (free credits on signup). YouCast has a 3-day free trial with no credit card.
Can I use Upstream and an alternative together?
+
Yes. Streams are tied to your channel, not to the service. Start the new stream on the alternative, make sure it is live, then end the Upstream stream. Mind YouTube's limits of 10 active streams per channel and 3 per stream key.
Sources
All competitor facts come from these pages, read on October 6, 2026.
- Upstream pricing — Upstream
- Upstream help center: quick start guide (storage) — Upstream
- YouCast pricing — YouCast
- StreamHouse pricing — StreamHouse
- Gyre pricing — Gyre
- LiveReacting 24/7 live stream pricing — LiveReacting
- Livepush pricing — Livepush
- YTStreamer pricing — YTStreamer
- Streamloop homepage — Streamloop