StreamYard Free Trial: Here's What You Actually Get

Let me clear up some confusion right away: StreamYard doesn't offer a traditional "free trial" in the way most SaaS tools do. Instead, they have two ways to test the platform:

1. A permanent free plan - forever free with limitations
2. A 7-day money-back guarantee on paid plans

Most people searching for "StreamYard free trial" want to know if they can test the platform without paying. The answer is yes—but you need to understand exactly what you're getting. Let's break it down.

StreamYard's Free Plan: What's Included

StreamYard's free plan is genuinely usable, not just a glorified demo. Here's what you get:

• Live streaming to YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, and X
• Up to 6 on-screen participants
• Basic screen sharing
• 720p video quality (standard definition)
• Limited streaming and recording hours per month
• Access to default overlays and backgrounds

No credit card required to sign up. Just enter your email, verify with a code, and you're in.

Free Plan Limitations (The Stuff That Might Bug You)

The free plan has real restrictions that matter:

• StreamYard branding - Their logo appears on all your streams. This is the #1 reason people upgrade.
• 720p max resolution - Fine for casual use, but looks noticeably worse than HD/4K competitors
• Single destination streaming - You can only stream to one platform at a time (no multistreaming)
• Limited recording storage - About 2 hours of local recordings per month
• No custom branding - Can't add your own logos, overlays, or backgrounds
• No recording of live streams - Streams aren't automatically saved by StreamYard

For hobbyists or people testing the waters, these limits are manageable. For anyone doing professional content or business broadcasts, you'll hit these walls fast.

The 7-Day Money-Back Guarantee (The Real "Trial")

If you want to test paid features, StreamYard offers a 7-day money-back guarantee on your first charge. This is the closest thing to a traditional free trial.

Here's how it works:

1. Sign up for any paid plan (Core, Advanced, or Teams)
2. Use all premium features for up to 7 days
3. If you're not happy, request a refund within 7 days
4. After 7 days, no refunds—the purchase is final

This guarantee only applies to your first charge. If you've been a paying customer before, you can't use it again.

StreamYard Pricing: What the Paid Plans Cost

If you decide to upgrade, here's what you're looking at:

For a deeper dive into what each tier includes, check out our StreamYard pricing breakdown.

What You Get When You Upgrade to Core ($44.99/mo)

The Core plan is where most solo creators land. Key upgrades include:

• Full HD 1080p streaming
• No StreamYard branding
• Multistream to 3 destinations simultaneously
• Custom logos, overlays, video clips, and backgrounds
• 10 on-screen participants
• Unlimited streaming and recording hours
• 50 hours of permanent storage
• Reusable studios (huge time-saver for recurring shows)
• 1080p screen sharing
• Custom RTMP destinations

Honestly, Core is plenty for most podcasters and content creators. The branding removal alone is worth it if you're doing anything professional.

Advanced Plan ($88.99/mo): When You Need More

Advanced adds features that matter for power users:

• 4K local recordings
• Multistream to 8 destinations
• 15 backstage participants
• 4-hour pre-recorded streams
• StreamYard On-Air webinar features
• Downloadable transcripts
• Extra camera support

This is the "most popular" tier according to StreamYard, and it makes sense for people hosting regular webinars or producing shows with larger teams.

How to Sign Up for StreamYard's Free Plan

Getting started is simple:

1. Go to StreamYard.com
2. Click "Get Started - it's free"
3. Enter your email address
4. Enter the 6-digit verification code sent to your email
5. Connect your streaming destinations (YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)
6. Start your first broadcast

The whole process takes about 2 minutes. No credit card, no phone number, no lengthy setup.

StreamYard Free Plan vs Paid: Quick Comparison

Is StreamYard's Free Plan Worth It?

Use the free plan if:

• You're brand new to live streaming and want to learn
• You're streaming casually to friends or a small audience
• You don't mind the StreamYard logo on your broadcasts
• 720p video quality is acceptable for your use case
• You only need to stream to one platform at a time

Upgrade to paid if:

• You're building a professional brand or business
• You need to multistream to multiple platforms simultaneously
• The StreamYard logo looks unprofessional for your content
• You want HD/4K quality for video repurposing
• You need recordings saved automatically

StreamYard vs Other Live Streaming Tools

If you're comparing options, StreamYard's main competitors are Restream, OBS Studio, and platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

StreamYard's edge: Browser-based (no downloads), extremely easy to use, and good multistreaming support. Users consistently praise how simple it is compared to OBS, which has a steep learning curve.

StreamYard's weakness: Recent price increases have frustrated some users. The platform went through a major pricing overhaul in late 2024, consolidating old plans into new Core, Advanced, and Teams tiers. Some long-time users saw their costs increase significantly.

For alternatives to consider, see our guide on StreamYard alternatives.

Tips for Making the Most of StreamYard's Free Plan

If you're sticking with free for now, here's how to maximize it:

1. Accept the branding - The StreamYard logo isn't massive. For casual streams, most viewers won't care.
2. Choose your destination wisely - Since you can only stream to one platform, pick where your audience actually lives.
3. Use default overlays creatively - The built-in design options aren't custom, but they're clean and professional-looking.
4. Record locally - Even on free, you get some local recording capacity. Use it for content you want to repurpose.
5. Test thoroughly before upgrading - Make sure the platform workflow actually fits how you want to produce content.

Bottom Line

StreamYard's free plan is legitimate—not a crippled demo designed to force upgrades. You can actually produce and stream content without paying anything. The limitations (branding, 720p, single destination) are real but manageable for beginners.

If you're ready to go professional, the 7-day money-back guarantee on paid plans gives you a risk-free window to test premium features. The Core plan at $44.99/month (or $35.99 billed annually) is where most serious creators land.

Try StreamYard Free →

For more details on what you get at each tier, read our full StreamYard pricing guide.