What each one is built for
LiveReacting
Pre-recorded and 24/7 live streams: upload a video and go live, or build a playlist for non-stop streaming. The same account also does live shows from a browser studio with cameras, guests and a shared screen, multistreaming to several platforms at once, trivia, polls and giveaways with a chat overlay, YouTube ad breaks, ready-made templates, and control by an AI agent or your own code.
StreamYard
A live streaming and recording studio in the browser for shows, podcasts and webinars with remote guests, sent to YouTube, Facebook and other platforms.
LiveReacting vs StreamYard, side by side
How we compared
LiveReacting figures come from our pricing page. StreamYard figures come from StreamYard's own pages and Help Center and from YouTube's list of verified encoders; the number beside each StreamYard cell names its source below. "Not documented" means we found no public StreamYard page that says so.
- StreamYard pricing page, Individuals and Business plans, feature notes open, read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard Help Center, Pre-recorded Streaming, read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard homepage, read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard Help Center, How many hours can I stream and record?, read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard Help Center, How to use polls in StreamYard, read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard Help Center, StreamYard's giveaway tool, read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard Help Center, How long/large can my pre-recorded video files be?, read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard Help Center, Sharing long-form videos in StreamYard, read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard Help Center, Supported platforms (destinations), read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard Help Center, Connect a YouTube channel, read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard Help Center, Connect an existing YouTube live stream, read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard Help Center, YouTube monetization settings, read on September 24, 2026
- YouTube Help, YouTube Live verified encoders, read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard Help Center, Optimizing a video for pre-recorded streaming, read on September 24, 2026
- StreamYard Help Center, Does StreamYard have an open API?, read on September 24, 2026
| LiveReacting | StreamYard | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ||
| New-customer offer | $21.99/mo for the first 5 months, then $39.99. Or $287.93 for the first year billed yearly ($23.99/mo), then $396 a year. Code KICKSTART2026. The offer ends Oct 31, 2026. | None on its pricing page. Billed yearly: Core $35.99/mo, Advanced $68.99/mo. [1] |
| Cheapest paid plan that streams a pre-recorded video | $19.99/mo (Small), streams up to 1 hour. Medium $39.99/mo, up to 3 hours; Large $99.99/mo, up to 8 hours. | $44.99/mo on Core: one pre-recorded video of up to 2 hours per stream, up to 5 scheduled at a time. Core is for individual use. [1] |
| Plan for a stream with no set length limit | 24/7 plan, $39.99/mo, or $33/mo billed yearly. Playlists and scheduling included. | No such plan: a pre-recorded stream plays one video and ends when the video ends [2] |
| Free option | Free plan: 3 streams a month, 720p, 30 minutes each, LiveReacting watermark | Free plan: 6 on-screen participants, StreamYard logo, limited streaming hours a month. 7-day free trial of Core and Advanced. [1] |
| Live shows with guests | ||
| Studio in the browser | Yes, guests join from a link, with nothing to install | Yes, guests join from their browser or phone, with no software to download [3] |
| Guests on screen | Yes, on every plan: guests join from a link in the browser | 6 on Free, 10 on Core and Advanced, with up to 15 people backstage on Advanced [1] |
| Limit on a live show's length | 1 hour on Small, up to 24 hours on Enterprise; none on the 24/7 plan | No limit set by StreamYard on paid plans; platform limits apply [4] |
| Polls in the live chat | Yes, viewers vote by typing in the live chat | Yes, on all plans: viewers vote by typing the number of an answer in the chat [5] |
| Giveaways from the live chat | Yes, viewers enter by typing a word in the live chat, and LiveReacting draws a winner at random on the stream | Yes, a giveaway tool that draws a random commenter; you show it by sharing its browser tab [6] |
| Trivia in the live chat | Yes, viewers answer by typing in the live chat, and LiveReacting scores the answers | Not documented on StreamYard's pages we checked [1] |
| A pre-recorded stream | ||
| Limit on stream length | None set by the service on the 24/7 plan; platform limits apply | A pre-recorded stream plays one video of up to 2 hours on Core, 4 on Advanced, 8 on Teams and Business. None on the Free plan. [7] |
| Videos in one stream | A playlist: set the order, or shuffle it into a new order each time it loops | No playlist that plays by itself: in the studio you queue up to 10 videos and play each by hand, and you have to be there [8] |
| Scheduling | Yes, a date and time on every paid plan. Advanced Scheduling (several dates, or a repeat every set number of minutes, hours or days) on the 24/7 plan and from Medium | Yes: one date and time for each pre-recorded stream, up to 365 days ahead. Up to 5 scheduled at once on Core, 10 on Advanced, no cap on Teams and Business. [2] |
| Change the stream while it is on air | Yes, on the fly, without stopping the stream | The video can be replaced only before the pre-recorded stream goes live [2] |
| Comments and overlays on screen | Yes, a chat overlay with comments from every platform you connect with a login, and your overlays | No, its guide says: a pre-recorded stream does not run through the studio, so it shows no comments, overlays, intro or outro [2] |
| Trivia, polls and giveaways with no one in the studio | Yes, all three. Up to 150 viewers play trivia or a poll at once on the 24/7 plan. | In the studio, during a live show: polls. Not documented for a pre-recorded stream. [5] |
| Cut to a live camera or a guest | Yes, Live Studio in the browser: cameras, guests who join from a link and a shared screen, placed anywhere beside your videos and switched with scenes, while the stream stays on air | Not in a pre-recorded stream, which does not run through the studio. Cameras and guests are for a live show in the studio. [2] |
| Where it goes | ||
| Platforms | YouTube, Facebook, Twitch and Instagram; on every paid plan, also any platform that accepts RTMP, such as Kick, TikTok or LinkedIn, and several at once | YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Twitch, Kick and Vimeo, and any platform that accepts RTMP [9] |
| Platforms at once | Several at once, on every paid plan | 3 on Core, 8 on Advanced, 10 on Business [1] |
| Connect your YouTube channel by signing in | Yes | Yes, through your Google account [10] |
| Stream into an event already scheduled in YouTube Studio | Yes, on the 24/7 plan and on Medium and above | Yes, on paid plans, with the event's stream key. You start it from the studio yourself, and its YouTube comments do not reach the studio. [11] |
| YouTube ad breaks | Ad Slots Manager: you mark where in the playlist YouTube may show an ad, on the 24/7 plan and from Medium | An ad frequency setting for YouTube: conservative, balanced or aggressive [12] |
| HLS, SRT and SCTE-35 ad markers | By request, on a custom plan | Not documented on StreamYard's pages we checked [1] |
| YouTube Live verified encoder | Not on the list. Streams through YouTube's official API; the app passed YouTube's API compliance audit and Google's verification | Yes [13] |
| Uploads and automation | ||
| Import videos from a YouTube channel or playlist | Yes: paste a channel, playlist or video link, pick the videos, and they are imported to your media library. On every paid plan | Not documented on StreamYard's pages we checked [2] |
| Video encoding | Yes, free, on our servers, for a file the platform does not accept as it is | You convert the file yourself: its guide asks for MP4 at 10 Mbps at most and suggests HandBrake, a free app, for other files [14] |
| API to create and control streams | Yes, on every paid plan | No public API, its Help Center says [15] |
| AI agents over MCP | Yes, on every paid plan: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other MCP clients | Not documented on StreamYard's pages we checked [15] |
On the Free plan you can build the whole stream and go live for a short test before you pay for the 24/7 plan.
Where is each one ahead?
LiveReacting is ahead on
- The same few steps as a StreamYard pre-recorded stream to start: upload your videos, pick the platforms, go live or set a time. Everything below is there when you need it, in the same stream.
- No length limit set by the service on the 24/7 plan, at $39.99 a month, where a StreamYard pre-recorded stream plays one video of up to 8 hours on its top plans.
- A playlist that plays by itself, on several dates or on repeat.
- Trivia, polls and giveaways in the live chat, and viewers' comments on screen, while no one is in the studio.
- Changes on the fly without stopping the stream, and Live Studio in the same stream: cameras, guests and a shared screen beside your videos.
- Free conversion of a file the platform does not accept as it is.
- Ad breaks placed where you choose, and HLS, SRT and SCTE-35 outputs by request on a custom plan.
- Streams run by an AI agent such as Claude Code, Codex or Cursor over MCP, or by your own code through the API, on every paid plan.
Choose LiveReacting if you want pre-recorded and 24/7 streams that run on their own with a straightforward setup, plus live shows with guests and interactive games in the same account, for less: paid live-show plans from $19.99 a month and 24/7 from $39.99, where StreamYard's Core plan costs $44.99.
StreamYard is ahead on
- Listed as a YouTube Live verified encoder. LiveReacting is not on that list.
- More guests on screen for the price: 10 on Core at $44.99 a month, and up to 15 people backstage on Advanced.
- No limit set by StreamYard on the length of a live show on its paid plans. A LiveReacting live show runs up to 3 hours on Medium and 24 hours on Enterprise.
- Recording: StreamYard records up to 10 hours of each live show on Core and Advanced, and records each person on their own device, in 4K on Advanced.
- A Greenroom where guests wait and test their camera with the host, and On-Air webinars with a registration form.
Choose StreamYard if you host live shows with guests on camera, which it does better than anyone, and you want every show recorded.
How do you set up a pre-recorded stream on each?
LiveReacting
- Create a free account and open a 24/7 template, or start from scratch.
- Upload your videos, or on any paid plan paste a link to a YouTube channel, playlist or video, or to a Google Drive or Dropbox file.
- Put them in a playlist: set the order, shuffle it or loop one file.
- Connect your YouTube channel by signing in, or paste a stream key.
- Click Go Live, or set the dates and times it should run.
How To Stream 24/7 on YouTube Using Pre Recorded Videos without OBS, our tutorial.
StreamYard
- Record a video in StreamYard, or use one from your phone, camera or any other tool.
- On the Home page, click Create, then Live Stream, then Pre-recorded video.
- Upload the file from your computer, or pick a past StreamYard broadcast or recording.
- Choose the platforms, the date and time, and enter the title and description.
- Optionally schedule an announcement post, then click Create broadcast.
From StreamYard's own Help Center guide to pre-recorded streaming, read on September 24, 2026. The stream starts at the set time and ends when the video ends.
What does LiveReacting add to a pre-recorded stream?
A playlist is enough to go live. Each feature below joins the same stream when you want it, with no one in the studio, and we found none of them for a StreamYard pre-recorded stream.
-
Change it on the fly
A StreamYard pre-recorded video can be replaced only before it goes live. Here you add, remove or reorder videos while the stream is on air. Help Center guide.
-
Bring in your YouTube channel
Your past live shows on YouTube can feed a 24/7 stream: paste the channel, a playlist or one video link, pick the videos, and they land in your media library. Help Center guide.
-
Several dates, or any gap you choose
StreamYard schedules one video for each stream. Here one stream plays a playlist on several dates set at once, or repeats every set number of minutes, hours or days. Help Center guide.
-
Advanced automation
Build the stream from scenes, such as a countdown, an earlier show and a playlist, and each starts the next when it ends, with no one in the studio. Help Center guide.
-
Trivia and polls with no one in the studio
Viewers answer and vote by typing in the live chat while your videos play, and the stream shows the result. Up to 150 play at once on the 24/7 plan.
-
Ad breaks where you choose
StreamYard sets how often YouTube shows ads. Ad Slots Manager places each break between two videos of your playlist. It needs monetization on your channel. Help Center guide.
-
Build the playlist in a spreadsheet
Turn a back catalogue into a running order: a CSV of file names becomes the playlist, and any playlist exports back to a CSV.
-
Run it from an AI agent, or your own code
Connect Claude Code, Codex or Cursor over MCP and ask in plain words: the agent builds the playlist, schedules the stream and swaps a video while it is on air. Your own code does the same through the REST API. On every paid plan. See the MCP server and the API.
Can you start from a ready-made 24/7 stream?
Yes. Instead of one video per stream, a template gives you a whole 24/7 channel: a playlist, the artwork and a layout, ready for your own files.
-
Playlist of pre-recorded videos
Playlist of video files that play one after another in sequence for continuous streaming.
-
24/7 LoFi + chat overlay
24/7 lofi music live stream with audio playlist, animated background, and live chat overlay display.
-
24/7 work radio
24/7 focus music live stream with productivity audio playlist and minimalist background for studying or working.
-
24/7 relaxing spa
24/7 relaxing spa ambience live stream with calming audio playlist and meditation background visuals.
-
24/7 horror stories
24/7 horror stories radio stream with audio narration playlist and animated spooky background graphics.
-
24/7 fitness live stream
24/7 workout live stream with fitness video playlist or pre-recorded exercise videos playing continuously.
How much does a pre-recorded stream cost on each?
On LiveReacting, a 24/7 stream costs $39.99/mo, or $33/mo billed yearly, with Video Playlists and Advanced Scheduling and no length limit set by the service. Shorter pre-recorded streams run on the other plans: up to 1 hour on Small at $19.99 a month, 3 hours on Medium at $39.99, and 8 hours on Large at $99.99.
On StreamYard, a pre-recorded stream plays one video: up to 2 hours on Core at $44.99 a month, 4 hours on Advanced at $88.99, and 8 hours on Teams and Business (StreamYard's pricing page and Help Center, September 24, 2026). Core and Advanced are for individual use; StreamYard Business starts at $299 a month.
New customers get 45% off the first 5 months month to month ($21.99 a month, then $39.99), or 40% off 12 months at $39.99 billed yearly ($287.93 for the first year, then $396 a year), on the 24/7 plan at 1080p 30 FPS with the code KICKSTART2026 until Oct 31, 2026. The offer comes on top of the volume discount.
How do you move a StreamYard pre-recorded stream to LiveReacting?
- Bring your videos: upload them from your computer, or on any paid plan paste a link to a YouTube channel, playlist or video, or to a Google Drive or Dropbox file and LiveReacting fetches the file.
- Put them in a playlist, or upload a CSV of the file names in order.
- Connect your YouTube channel and go live, set the dates and times, or stream into an event you already scheduled in YouTube Studio.
If the platform does not accept a file as it is, LiveReacting converts it for free. Nothing is imported from StreamYard directly.
LiveReacting vs StreamYard: questions
Is LiveReacting a good alternative to StreamYard?
Yes, for pre-recorded and interactive streams. LiveReacting streams a playlist of your pre-recorded videos on the dates you set or 24/7, with no length limit set by the service on the $39.99 a month 24/7 plan. A StreamYard pre-recorded stream plays one video of up to 8 hours, as of September 24, 2026. For a live show with guests on camera, StreamYard is built for that job.
Is LiveReacting harder to set up than StreamYard?
No. For a pre-recorded stream the steps are the same kind. On LiveReacting, upload your videos, put them in a playlist, connect YouTube or another platform, and go live or set a date. StreamYard's own guide lists: upload a video or pick a past recording, choose the platforms, the date and the time, and create the broadcast. Scheduling on repeat, trivia and a live camera are there when you want them, not steps you take first.
Can StreamYard run a 24/7 stream?
Not as a pre-recorded stream. StreamYard's Help Center says a pre-recorded stream plays one video, of up to 2 hours on Core, 4 on Advanced and 8 on Teams and Business, and ends when the video ends. A live show in its studio has no length limit set by StreamYard on paid plans, but you start it yourself. Checked September 24, 2026. LiveReacting's 24/7 plan runs a playlist with no length limit set by the service, at $39.99/mo, or $33/mo billed yearly.
Which is cheaper for a pre-recorded stream?
LiveReacting. A pre-recorded stream of up to 1 hour runs on Small at $19.99 a month, and a 24/7 stream with no length limit set by the service costs $39.99/mo, or $33/mo billed yearly. StreamYard's pre-recorded streams start on Core at $44.99 a month, for one video of up to 2 hours. StreamYard prices checked September 24, 2026. New customers pay $21.99 a month for the first 5 months on LiveReacting, then $39.99. The offer ends Oct 31, 2026.
Can a pre-recorded stream have polls or trivia?
On LiveReacting, yes: trivia, polls and giveaways run in a pre-recorded or 24/7 stream with no one in the studio, and viewers take part by typing in the live chat. StreamYard has polls and a giveaway tool for live shows in its studio. It does not document polls, trivia or giveaways for a pre-recorded stream, which does not run through that studio, as of September 24, 2026.
Will YouTube treat a 24/7 stream on LiveReacting or StreamYard as repetitive content?
With either tool, the risky case is one short video looping with nothing else on screen. A playlist shuffled into a new order each time it loops, a chat overlay with viewers' comments, and trivia or polls in the live chat make each hour different, and LiveReacting has all of these, the 24/7 plan included. Our guide to looping a video on YouTube Live explains the policy.
Can I host a live show with guests on LiveReacting?
Yes. Guests join from a link in their browser, with nothing to install, and you add cameras, share your screen and switch scenes. StreamYard puts 10 guests on screen on Core and adds a backstage and a Greenroom, as of September 24, 2026.
Is LiveReacting a YouTube Live verified encoder?
It is not on YouTube's list of verified encoders, as of September 24, 2026. LiveReacting streams to YouTube through YouTube's official API, and the app passed YouTube's API Services compliance audit and Google's verification. Sign in with your YouTube channel and LiveReacting creates the live stream there for you.
Do I need to keep my computer on?
Not for a pre-recorded stream, on either one. StreamYard's guide says the video goes live at the set time even if you are not online. LiveReacting streams from its servers with your computer off, on the dates you set or 24/7.