Top 8 Live Streaming Platforms for Businesses in 2020
Tags: cloud, saas, programming, devops
Published: 2020-12-02 07:07:02

There are several live video streaming options for personal use. However, for enterprises where security, reliability and quality are major concerns; you need to have the services of a credible live video streaming platform. For broadcasters planning to enter live video content streaming or enterprises planning to leverage live streaming for internal communication and learning; a capable OTT live streaming platform is crucial.

With the abundance of unverified information present on the internet about live streaming video platforms it might become overwhelming to pick the right option. Here, we have collated the list of top 8 best live streaming platforms with their key features to help you make a more informed decision.

1. DaCast
DaCast offers an end-to-end SaaS approach. The platform is known for its ease of use and offers OTT video streaming and live video streaming solutions across devices and platforms without compromising on quality. It offers China playback accessibility and advanced VOD (video on demand) features.

Key Features:
Monetization: DaCast offers pay per view tickets and allows viewers to make online payments within the video player to gain access to live streaming content. However, it asks the commission of 9.9% + $0.40 per user payment. It also takes up to 35 days to make the payment to video broadcasters.
White Labeling: It comes with white labeling features including the provision to change the color combination of the video player and add a branded logo on videos.
API: It provides the API to video broadcasters to build a custom video streaming solution over the DaCast platform.
Auto Archiving: It automatically records all the live streaming videos and makes them available instantly for later viewing after the live streaming ends.
Audio Only Streaming: It provides the option to deliver audio-only streaming for viewers who don’t want to watch videos or are using the platform on low bandwidth.
Cost:
It offers both annual and monthly subscription plans. Monthly plans start at $19 and annual plans start at $125 with a three months commitment.

2. Phando
Phando is one of the most capable live streaming platforms that offers intuitive end to end online video management to organize, moderate and monetize VOD and live streaming videos. The live streaming and OTT video platform offers an end-to-end solution that is highly secure and efficient to ensure the reliable delivery of high-quality video content.

Key Features:
Monetization: It offers multiple video content monetization tools including pay-per-view, paywall and subscription model. Broadcasters can also leverage custom ads to monetize videos more efficiently.
Analytics: Phando offers real-time intelligent data of viewers to help broadcasters make a more informed decision. Leverage analytics to create content based on viewer preferences and geographies.
Mobile and HTML5 Video Player: Phando offers seamless delivery of video content across devices including desktop, tablet and smartphone. It leverages device detection and mobile-ready encoding flavors to deliver uncompromised video quality.
Video Transcoding: Its video transcoding feature enables broadcasters to deliver adaptive bitrate quality videos without buffering.
Robust Video Management: Through Phando’s intuitive user interface, broadcasters can easily organize content, edit, moderate, create playlists search media, and much more.
Cost:
Phando offers a free trial of its live video streaming service. Its paid plans start from $49 per month. It offers a discount of up to two month’s worth of subscription fees on annual billing.


3. ZEGO Cloud
ZEGO Cloud is a professional audio and video cloud services provider dedicated to providing quality real-time audio and video cloud services, To date,they have service over 200 countries around the globe. With ZEGO's easy-to-use and powerful SDKs, developers can add real-time audio and video capabilities into their applications in just a few lines of code. The ZEGO platform is trusted by thousands of companies and is powering an average of more than 2 billion minutes of real-time communication every day.

Key Features:
Reliable and Stable Streaming Cloud: You can monetize video streaming on IBM Cloud Video by leveraging third party services. It allows the insertion of ads in live video streaming.
Flexible and Accommodating Streaming Engine： Simple SDK integration with 4 lines of codes, easy service access in 20 minutes.
Powerful Backend System for Transparent Monitoring and Reporting: Real-time network quality monitoring, comprehensive stream quality reporting.
Live Interactive Video Streaming: It supports one-to-one video call, one-to-many video broadcasting and many-to-many video conferencing. It can be used in many different scenarios where video interaction is required, such as video social networking, group video conferencing, online classroom, etc.
Real-Time Audio Streaming: It supports one-to-one voice chat, one-to-many voice conversation (up to millions of participants), applicable to VoIP phone services, ganging-up in games, internet radio stations and so on.
Audio/Video Recording and Archiving: The Audio/Video Recording and Archiving service empowers enterprises with on-premises video witness system that can meet various legal and compliance requirements. It can be used for video witnessing of bank account opening, brokerage account opening, in-person interview and other events.
Voice Chatroom: It supports simultaneous speaking in group voice chat, background music and sound effects. It allows users to keep the chat active in the background while switching to other applications.
Cost:
It offers a free trial about 10000 mins per month for developers . And it have different pricing packages. Contact Sales: global@zego.im


4. IBM Cloud Video
IBM acquired UStream in 2016 and has branded it to IBM Cloud Video. It offers multiple cloud streaming and video services including storage and GPU computing. As an OTT video platform; it offers uploading, managing and delivering VOD and live streaming content.

Key Features:
Monetization: You can monetize video streaming on IBM Cloud Video by leveraging third party services. It allows the insertion of ads in live video streaming.
Customization: It offers a channel on which broadcasters can showcase upcoming events, previously live-streamed videos and other events. It allows integrated branding on the page.
Live Chat: Its Live Chat feature allows viewers to engage with other viewers during the live streaming and interact with the broadcaster.
Recorded Video: Live streaming videos are automatically saved as private videos after the end of streaming that can be shared later on broadcaster’s channel.
Cost:
It offers a free trial that allows the broadcaster to stream video content to up to five viewers at the same time without ads. Its starter plan costs $99 but allows broadcast only in 720p HD.

5. Brightcove
Brightcove has segregated its offerings into multiple categories including Video Player, Video Marketing Suite and OTT Flow among others. It comes equipped with industry-standard HTML5 player and complete live streaming capabilities.

Key Features:
Monetization: It doesn’t come with integrated monetization features. However, broadcasters can easily leverage third-party platforms to monetize their videos.
Adaptive Streaming: Brightcove optimizes the bit-rate of video streaming depending on the internet speed of the viewer to deliver a buffer-free video viewing experience.
API: It comes equipped with a developer API to allows broadcasters to develop custom apps and other software around live streaming video content.
Analytics: It comes with real-time analytics capabilities. Broadcaster can gain access to crucial insights including the number of plays, player loads and number of viewing minutes among others.
Cost:
Its pricing plans are not available transparently on its website. You need to contact their sales team for a custom price quote.


6. Livestream
The live streaming video platform has been recently acquired by Vimeo. It is quite popular among enterprises to deliver live events seamlessly in a secure manner through seamless management and centralized delivery.

Key Features:
Monetization: Livestream offers the subscription and pay-per-view sales model. However, the access to monetization functionality is only available with the enterprise plan.
Live Chat: Users can leverage the Live Chat feature to comment on the live streaming video in real-time for greater engagement.
Analytics: Livestream offers real-time analytics to help you gauge the response of videos through engagements and the number of views.
API: It offers the developer API to enable development teams to build a third-party video streaming application.
Cost:
Its premium plan is billed annually at $75 per month. For the enterprise plan, Livestream offers customized quotes depending on your requirements.

7. Wowza
Wowza is one of the leading live video streaming platforms that offers great customer support to its clients. It flawlessly delivers HD videos, audio streams and low latency video to any type of device at multiple scales.

Key Features:
Monetization: It offers a pay-per-view model and supports custom ads to monetize live streaming and video on demand.
VR & 360° Streaming: Wowza offers the capability to stream 360-degree immersive videos in 4K video quality to the global audience.
IP Camera Streaming: It allows developers to embed IP camera streams into mobile applications and websites to stream videos without the need of an encoder.
Customization: Developers can leverage Wowza’s APIs and third-part integrations to build customized live streaming solution that meets specific requirements.
Live Support: It offers live support during live streaming events to resolve issues and provide assistance for the setup. However, this feature is the part of Wowza’s premium support packages.
Adaptive Bitrate: Its adaptive bitrate feature allows broadcasters to deliver buffer-free live streaming and video on demand on slower internet connections.
Cost:
It offers a 30-days free trial. Wowza’s subscription plans start at $45 per month that are billed annually.

8. Panopto
Panopto offers a simple solution for live streaming and delivering video on demand efficiently. Its modern video streaming architecture offers reliable delivery of high-quality videos on desktops, smartphone and tablets. Its highly secure and customizable offering makes it one of the preferred choices.

Key Features:
Monetization: Panopto offers another video monetization tool called InPlayer through which broadcasters can embed a secure paywall, add pay-per-view or offer subscription payment options to monetize videos.
Waiting Room: It offers a customizable waiting room. The virtual waiting room is created to accommodate users who arrive early before the start of broadcast or live streaming.
Analytics: It offers real-time analytics to enable broadcasters to measure the reach of their videos through the number of viewers, minutes of viewing and geography wise stats.
Interactive Live Streaming: Panopto offers viewers to engage with other viewers through threaded discussions, comments and digital notes. Viewers can also submit questions to the broadcaster for a live Q&A session. The entire experience with live conversations is recorded to ensures users can watch it later as well.
Secured Video Streaming: Panopto offers total control over who can watch the videos. Broadcasters can restrict access to departments or even teams. Viewers are required to log-in even while accessing the video through a direct link.
Cost:
Panopto hasn’t shared its pricing plans on the website. It offers customized quotes depending upon the requirements.

Above mentioned live video streaming platforms offer different functionalities and USPs to grab the attention of businesses. However, you should go for an option that offers absolute reliability, data security, features that meet your requirements and cost-efficiency.