StreamYard Cost: Complete Pricing Breakdown for Every Plan

StreamYard overhauled their pricing structure in August, consolidating six confusing plans into three straightforward tiers (plus free). If you're comparing live streaming tools or trying to figure out which StreamYard plan makes sense for your budget, here's exactly what you need to know.

Quick answer: StreamYard costs anywhere from $0/month (Free) to $298.99/month (Teams), depending on the features you need. Most individual creators will land on the Core plan at $44.99/month, or $35.99/month if you pay annually.

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StreamYard Pricing Plans at a Glance

Here's the current pricing structure:

PlanMonthly CostAnnual Cost (per month)Best For
Free$0$0Testing the platform, hobbyists
Core$44.99$35.99Solo creators, podcasters
Advanced$88.99$68.99Professional streamers, webinar hosts
Teams$298.99$238.99Agencies, large organizations
BusinessCustomCustomEnterprise needs

Paying annually saves you roughly 20-22% across all tiers-a significant chunk if you're committed to the platform.

StreamYard Free Plan: What You Actually Get

The free tier is surprisingly capable for a $0 product. You get:

The catch: The StreamYard logo appears on all your streams. For casual streaming or testing the platform, this is fine. For anything professional, it's a dealbreaker.

The free plan works well for beginners who want to explore streaming without any upfront investment. But the branding watermark and storage/recording limitations push most serious users to upgrade eventually.

Free Plan Limitations to Consider

Beyond the watermark, there are several restrictions on the free plan that you should know about:

The free plan is genuinely useful for testing StreamYard's interface and determining whether it fits your workflow. However, if you're building an audience or running a business, the limitations will quickly become frustrating.

StreamYard Core Plan: $44.99/month

This is where most individual creators should start. The Core plan removes StreamYard branding and unlocks:

The jump from free to Core is steep-$45/month is a real commitment. This is probably StreamYard's biggest weakness. There's no middle-ground option for creators who just want to remove the watermark without paying nearly $50/month.

That said, if you're running a podcast, hosting interviews, or streaming consistently to build an audience, the Core plan delivers solid value. The multistreaming alone (broadcasting to YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn simultaneously) can significantly expand your reach.

Core Plan: Who Should Upgrade?

The Core plan makes sense if you:

For solo creators and small podcasters, Core represents the sweet spot between functionality and affordability. The ability to stream to three destinations simultaneously means you can reach YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn audiences without additional tools or complicated setups.

Reusable Studios: A Game-Changer

One of the most valuable features introduced with the new Core plan is reusable studios. This allows you to create a studio setup once-with your branding, overlays, and layouts configured-and use it repeatedly for multiple episodes or shows.

This feature is particularly valuable for podcasters, interview series hosts, and anyone producing episodic content. Instead of recreating your setup every time, you can simply open your saved studio and start streaming or recording immediately.

Get started with StreamYard →

StreamYard Advanced Plan: $88.99/month

The Advanced plan targets power users and organizations running webinars or larger events. Here's what you get beyond Core:

The 4K recording capability is the standout feature here. If you're repurposing live content for YouTube or other platforms where video quality matters, being able to capture in 4K locally makes a real difference in post-production flexibility.

The webinar functionality (StreamYard On-Air) supports up to 1,000 viewers, making this plan attractive for businesses running regular training sessions, product launches, or educational content.

StreamYard On-Air: Built-In Webinar Platform

StreamYard On-Air transforms the platform from a simple streaming tool into a comprehensive webinar solution. Here's what you get:

The On-Air feature essentially gives you a platform like Zoom Webinars or WebinarJam, but integrated directly into StreamYard. You can simultaneously stream to social platforms while hosting a private webinar experience-something most competitors can't match.

8 Destinations vs. 3: Does It Matter?

The jump from 3 to 8 simultaneous streaming destinations is significant if you're trying to maximize reach. With 8 destinations, you could stream to:

StreamYard allows you to mix and match-you could stream to 5 Facebook pages and 3 YouTube channels simultaneously if needed. For agencies managing multiple clients or brands with presence across many platforms, this flexibility is invaluable.

For most solo creators, Advanced is overkill. But if you're hosting large events or need the highest recording quality, the extra $44/month over Core is justified.

StreamYard Teams Plan: $298.99/month

The Teams plan is built for agencies, media companies, and enterprises running serious production operations. You get:

At nearly $300/month, this plan only makes sense if you have multiple team members who need access and you're running live content at scale. The 10 seats alone justify the cost if your team would otherwise need separate Core subscriptions.

Understanding Team Seats

Team seats allow multiple users to access the same StreamYard account with their own login credentials. Each seat holder can:

This collaborative functionality is crucial for agencies running multiple client campaigns or media companies producing various shows. Rather than juggling separate accounts and logins, everyone works within one unified workspace.

The Greenroom Feature

Teams plan includes the Greenroom-a waiting area where guests can prepare with hosts and producers before going live. Think of it as a backstage area where you can:

For professional productions, this feature eliminates the awkwardness of technical checks happening on-air and allows for smoother, more polished broadcasts.

StreamYard Business Plan: Custom Pricing

For enterprise needs, StreamYard offers custom Business plans with SSO, advanced admin controls, additional user roles, and dedicated support. You'll need to contact their sales team for pricing, which typically starts well above the Teams tier.

Business plans are designed for organizations signing up with company email domains rather than personal addresses.

Business Plan Features

The Business tier includes everything in Teams plus:

The Business plan is specifically tailored for large organizations, universities, government agencies, and enterprises with complex requirements around security, compliance, and user management.

How to Save Money on StreamYard

Annual Billing

The easiest way to cut costs: pay annually. You'll save 20-22% compared to monthly billing:

The annual discount is substantial. If you're confident you'll use StreamYard for at least a year, the savings alone make annual billing worthwhile. Just remember: StreamYard charges the full annual amount upfront, so budget accordingly.

7-Day Money-Back Guarantee

StreamYard offers a 7-day money-back guarantee on your first charge. This gives you a full week to test the paid features and determine if the platform is right for you.

Important limitations:

When you cancel, you retain access to paid features until your billing cycle ends, then you're automatically moved back to the free plan.

Non-Profit/Education Discount

StreamYard offers a 10% discount on annual plans for non-profit organizations and educational institutions. Your account email must match your organization's domain to qualify-contact their support team to apply.

To qualify for educational or non-profit pricing:

Mid-Cycle Upgrades

If you start with a lower-tier plan and want to upgrade mid-cycle, StreamYard prorates the difference. You'll only pay for the remaining time in your current billing period at the higher tier rate. This makes it easy to start small and scale up as your needs grow.

The Price Increase Controversy

Let's address the elephant in the room: StreamYard's pricing restructure upset a lot of longtime users. Some legacy customers saw their costs quadruple-users who were paying around $96/year on the old Basic plan got moved to Core at $431/year.

The new plans do include more features than the old ones, but if you're a small podcaster who just needed basic functionality, you're now paying significantly more for features you may never use.

What Changed in August

On August 29, StreamYard consolidated six plans (Essential, Starter, Basic, Professional, Premium, and Growth) into three (Core, Advanced, Teams). Here's how users were migrated:

While StreamYard positioned this as a simplification with added features (reusable studios, 4K recordings, 1080p screen sharing, camera shapes, dark mode), many users felt blindsided by the dramatic price increases.

Why the Backlash?

The frustration stemmed from several factors:

This is worth considering before you commit. StreamYard has a history of adjusting pricing, so factor that risk into your decision. What you pay today might not be what you pay next year.

Hidden Costs to Consider

Beyond the subscription price, there are indirect costs to factor into your StreamYard budget:

Internet Bandwidth

Streaming in 1080p requires a stable upload speed of at least 3-5 Mbps. If you're multistreaming to multiple destinations locally (rather than using StreamYard's cloud relay), you'll need significantly more bandwidth. Factor in potential internet upgrades if your current connection is marginal.

Equipment

While StreamYard works with basic webcams and microphones, professional-looking streams require quality equipment:

These are one-time costs, but they're necessary for output that justifies StreamYard's subscription fees.

Storage and Archiving

StreamYard provides limited storage on each tier. Once you exceed your allotment, you'll need to download and archive recordings elsewhere. Consider:

Guest Coordination Time

While not a direct financial cost, coordinating with guests, scheduling, and troubleshooting their technical issues takes time. Many professional podcasters eventually hire a producer or VA to handle these logistics-budget $15-$30/hour for assistance.

Is StreamYard Worth the Cost?

Here's my honest take:

StreamYard is worth it if:

StreamYard might NOT be worth it if:

For what it's worth, the platform itself is genuinely excellent. There's a shallow learning curve, and everything just works. You can be streaming to multiple platforms with custom branding within minutes of signing up. That ease of use is what you're paying for.

StreamYard vs. Alternatives: Detailed Cost Comparison

If StreamYard's pricing doesn't work for you, here are alternatives with detailed comparisons:

Restream

Pricing: Free plan available, paid plans start at $19/month

Restream focuses heavily on multistreaming, supporting 30+ platforms compared to StreamYard's 8-10. The interface is slightly less intuitive than StreamYard, but it's significantly more affordable.

Pros:

Cons:

Compare StreamYard vs Restream →

Riverside.fm

Pricing: Free plan, paid plans from $19-$49/month

Riverside focuses on high-quality recording rather than live streaming. It records locally on each participant's device in up to 4K, making it ideal for podcasters who prioritize audio/video quality for post-production.

Pros:

Cons:

OBS Studio

Pricing: Free and open-source

OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is the gold standard for free streaming software. It's incredibly powerful but requires significant technical knowledge.

Pros:

Cons:

Ecamm Live

Pricing: One-time purchase of $149-$349 (Mac only)

Ecamm is desktop software for Mac users who want professional features without subscriptions.

Pros:

Cons:

Vimeo Livestream

Pricing: Starts at $65/month

Vimeo's livestreaming offering focuses on professional event hosting with robust monetization options.

Pros:

Cons:

Check out our StreamYard alternatives guide for a deeper comparison. We've also covered StreamYard's full pricing breakdown with more feature details.

Real-World Cost Scenarios

Let's look at what StreamYard actually costs different types of users:

Scenario 1: Solo Podcaster

Sarah runs a weekly interview podcast with guests. She streams to YouTube and Facebook simultaneously and repurposes clips for social media.

Best plan: Core ($35.99/month annual)

Annual cost: $431.88

Cost per episode: $8.31 (assuming 52 episodes)

Justification: Sarah needs professional quality without watermarks, multistreaming to 2 platforms, and unlimited recordings. Core gives her everything she needs.

Scenario 2: Marketing Agency

A digital marketing agency runs client livestreams, webinars, and virtual events. They have 4 team members who need access.

Best plan: Teams ($238.99/month annual)

Annual cost: $2,867.88

Cost per seat: $23.90/month per team member (for 10 seats)

Justification: Multiple team members need concurrent access, webinar features are essential for client events, and priority support justifies the premium.

Scenario 3: Educational Institution

A university department streams lectures and hosts virtual conferences with hundreds of attendees.

Best plan: Business (custom pricing)

Estimated annual cost: $4,000-$6,000

Justification: SSO integration, advanced security, unlimited destinations, and dedicated support are necessary for institutional compliance and scale.

Scenario 4: Hobbyist Streamer

Mike streams gaming content occasionally (2-3 times per month) to Twitch and YouTube.

Best plan: Free or consider alternatives

Annual cost: $0

Justification: At Mike's streaming frequency, paying $540/year for Core doesn't make sense. The free plan's watermark is acceptable for casual use, or he should consider OBS Studio (free) with a service like Restream for multistreaming.

Calculating Your StreamYard ROI

To determine if StreamYard is worth the cost, calculate your return on investment:

Time Savings Value

If StreamYard saves you 2 hours per week compared to OBS Studio (setup, troubleshooting, guest management), that's roughly 100 hours per year. If your time is worth $50/hour, that's $5,000 in time savings-far more than Core's $540 annual cost.

Revenue Generated

If your streams generate revenue (sponsorships, course sales, consulting clients), calculate the cost as a percentage of revenue. If you earn $5,000/month from content created with StreamYard, the $45/month cost is less than 1% of revenue-easily justified.

Audience Growth Value

Multistreaming to 3 platforms simultaneously could triple your audience growth rate compared to single-platform streaming. If each new subscriber is worth $5 in lifetime value and you gain 100 extra subscribers per month through multistreaming, that's $500/month in value from a $45 investment.

Common Questions About StreamYard Pricing

Can I switch between monthly and annual billing?

Yes, but you can't switch mid-cycle. If you're on monthly billing, you can switch to annual at your next renewal. If you're on annual billing, you'll need to wait until your annual term expires to switch to monthly.

What happens if I downgrade?

When you downgrade, you retain access to your current plan's features until the end of your billing cycle. Then you're moved to the lower tier. Any content that exceeds the new plan's limits (storage, destinations, etc.) will be restricted but not deleted.

Do I get refunded if I cancel mid-cycle?

No, there are no prorated refunds. You retain access to paid features through the end of your current billing period, then you're downgraded to the free plan. The only exception is the 7-day money-back guarantee on your first purchase.

Can I pause my subscription?

No, StreamYard doesn't offer subscription pausing. If you need to take a break, your only option is to cancel and resubscribe later. Your data and recordings will remain accessible, but you'll lose access to paid features.

Are there setup fees or hidden charges?

No, StreamYard has no setup fees, activation charges, or hidden costs. The subscription price is all-inclusive.

What payment methods does StreamYard accept?

StreamYard accepts major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover) and PayPal. They do not accept wire transfers, checks, or invoicing on self-serve plans (Business plan may have different options).

Tips for Maximizing Your StreamYard Subscription Value

If you're paying for StreamYard, here's how to get the most out of it:

Use Reusable Studios

Set up branded studio templates for different show types. This eliminates setup time and ensures consistent branding across all your content.

Leverage Multistreaming

Don't just stream to one platform-use your full destination allowance. More platforms mean more audience reach without additional effort.

Repurpose Recordings

Download your streams and create clips, highlights, and social media content. Your StreamYard subscription includes unlimited recordings-use them.

Host Regular Webinars

If you have Advanced or Teams, use StreamYard On-Air for lead generation webinars. The registration and email features can help grow your email list.

Collaborate with Guest Destinations

Enable guest destinations so co-hosts can stream to their own channels, expanding your reach to their audiences at no extra cost.

Batch Record Content

Use reusable studios to record multiple episodes in one session. This maximizes the value of your monthly subscription by consolidating production time.

When to Consider Upgrading

Start with the lowest tier that meets your needs, then upgrade when you hit these triggers:

Free to Core

Core to Advanced

Advanced to Teams

Bottom Line

StreamYard's cost ranges from free to $299/month depending on your needs. Most creators will land on Core ($44.99/month or $35.99 annually), which removes branding and unlocks HD streaming plus multistreaming to 3 platforms.

The free plan is legitimately useful for testing, but the watermark limits its professional applications. If you're serious about live streaming, budget for at least the Core plan.

Pay annually if you can-you'll save 20%+ and StreamYard includes a 7-day money-back guarantee if it's not the right fit.

The August pricing restructure left some longtime users frustrated with significant cost increases. Factor in the possibility of future price changes when making your decision. StreamYard is excellent software, but the value proposition depends heavily on your specific use case and budget.

For solo creators and podcasters who stream regularly, the time savings and ease of use often justify the Core plan's cost. For occasional streamers or those comfortable with technical tools, free alternatives like OBS Studio may be more appropriate.

Try StreamYard free and see the pricing for yourself →

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