Comparisons
Castream vs StreamYard (2026)
Castream vs StreamYard (2026)
These two tools get compared a lot, which is funny because they're barely the same product. StreamYard is a browser-based studio for produced shows with guests. Castream is a phone-first app for multistreaming from anywhere. The overlap — "stream to multiple platforms at once" — is real, but almost everything around it differs.
Here's the honest breakdown, including where each one wins.
The 30-second version
- Pick StreamYard if you run interview shows, panels, or produced streams from a computer, and you want guest invites, layouts, and screen sharing in a browser.
- Pick Castream if you stream from your phone, want to multistream without paying, and value going live in under a minute over studio production.
If that already answers it, you're done. The details are below.
Pricing
| Free tier | First paid tier | What paid unlocks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castream | $0 — 2 destinations, unlimited 5-min sessions, 720p, no watermark, no credit card | Creator $16/mo — 3 destinations, unlimited time | Pro $26/mo — 5 destinations, 1080p |
| StreamYard | $0 — studio testing, but multistreaming is paid-only | ~$44.99/mo | Multistreaming, more destinations, branding removal, longer streams |
This is the starkest difference on the page. Castream's free tier actually multistreams — two destinations, no watermark, genuinely usable. StreamYard's free tier doesn't multistream at all; it's a trial of the studio. And StreamYard's entry paid tier costs roughly 3x Castream's Creator tier.
To be fair, you're paying for different things: StreamYard's price buys a full production studio. Castream's price buys more destinations and longer streams on a tool whose whole pitch is simplicity.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Castream | StreamYard |
|---|---|---|
| Multistream to several platforms at once | Yes (2 free, up to 5 paid) | Yes (paid only) |
| Native phone app (iOS + Android) | Yes — phone-first | No — browser, phone as companion |
| Guest invites with link | No | Yes — core feature |
| Scene layouts / screen sharing | No | Yes |
| TikTok / Instagram via RTMP | Yes | Via desktop Live Producer RTMP workaround |
| Custom RTMP destinations | Yes | Yes (paid) |
| Unified chat across platforms | Yes | Yes (paid tiers) |
| Pre-recorded video as live / scheduling | Yes, via Castream Web | Yes |
| OBS / encoder ingest | Yes, via Castream Web RTMP | Yes |
| AI titles and descriptions | Yes | Limited |
Read that table as a philosophy difference. StreamYard asks "how do we make a browser feel like a studio?" Castream asks "how do we make a phone feel like enough?"
Where StreamYard genuinely wins
Let's be real about it:
- Guest shows. If your format is "me + guests on video," StreamYard is purpose-built and excellent. Castream has no guest-invite flow.
- Produced layout. Lower thirds, banners, screen shares, multi-person grids — StreamYard does the TV-control-room thing in a browser tab.
- Desktop workflows. If you already stream from a computer with OBS or a browser, StreamYard slots into that world naturally.
Where Castream genuinely wins
- Free multistreaming. Not "free trial of multistreaming" — actual, usable, two-destination multistreaming for $0 with no watermark. StreamYard doesn't offer this at any free tier.
- Phone-first. Native apps, camera streaming, go live from anywhere. StreamYard's mobile story is "use your phone as a camera for your desktop broadcast."
- Speed. Install → connect destinations → live in about a minute. No scenes to build, no layouts to design.
- Price. $16/mo vs ~$44.99/mo at the entry paid tier.
The scenario test
You're a fitness coach streaming classes from your studio. Your camera is your phone on a tripod. → Castream. (There's a whole guide for streaming fitness classes like this.)
You run a weekly podcast with two remote guests and you like switching between speaker views. → StreamYard. (If it's just you and a co-host in one room, though, streaming a podcast from a phone is simpler than you think.)
You're testing whether multistreaming is even worth it and you don't want to pay to find out. → Castream free. Two destinations, no credit card.
You're a church volunteer who needs Facebook and YouTube every Sunday with zero training. → Castream — the phone setup is volunteer-proof.
Frequently asked questions
Can I multistream for free on StreamYard? No. Multistreaming on StreamYard requires a paid plan (starting around $44.99/month). The free plan is for testing the studio.
Can I multistream for free on Castream? Yes. The free plan includes 2 simultaneous destinations, unlimited 5-minute sessions, 720p, no watermark, and no credit card required.
Does StreamYard have a mobile app? Not a native streaming app — it runs in the browser, and the phone works as a companion camera for a desktop-driven broadcast.
Does Castream work on desktop? Yes, via Castream Web at castream.io: destination management, the Go Live dashboard, RTMP ingest for OBS, scheduling, and AI titles. But the product's center of gravity is the phone app.
Which is cheaper? Castream, by a wide margin: $0 to start, $16/month for the first paid tier, versus ~$44.99/month to unlock multistreaming on StreamYard.
Can I use both? Honestly? Some creators do — StreamYard for the produced guest show, Castream for spontaneous phone streams. They're different tools for different moments.
Still deciding? Compare us against the other big name in Castream vs Restream.