Castr vs StreamYard Comparison 2026
Castr is a hosting and distribution backend, from $16.67 a month billed annually, built around a paywall and 24/7 channels rather than production. StreamYard runs the actual live show from a browser tab, with guests joining by link and no software to install, free with branding or $35.99 a month billed yearly for Core. StreamYard costs more than double Castr's entry price, but it is solving the production problem rather than the hosting one.
Live streaming with hosting and a paywall
Go live to several places from a browser tab
At a glance
- Castr starts cheaper, at $19.99.
- Only StreamYard has a free tier.
Side by side
Castr | StreamYard | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $19.99 | From $44.99 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Paid subscription | Free plan, paid tiers |
| Free tier (they differ) | No | Yes |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial | 7 days | 7 days |
| API |
Castr
Live streaming with hosting and a paywall
Castr covers the parts of streaming that sit either side of the broadcast: hosting the recording afterwards, running a 24/7 playout channel, and putting a paywall in front of either. Bandwidth is sold as a pool rather than metered per viewer. It is priced for a business running channels, not for somebody going live on a Sunday.
StreamYard
Go live to several places from a browser tab
StreamYard runs a live show from a browser with no software to install, which is why it is the default for interview streams and for guests who will not download anything. Multistreaming to several destinations is the feature people pay for. Anybody who wants scenes, plugins and local capture is describing OBS instead.
Only on this side
- Works with LinkedIn
Why people weigh these two
- StreamYard instead of Castr
- StreamYard goes live to several places from a browser tab, free to start with paid at $44.99, an easier front end than Castr's channel tooling.
- Castr instead of StreamYard
- Castr adds video hosting and a paywall around the live stream, starting at $19.99 with no free tier, for a show that also wants to sell access afterward.
Which one should you pick
Castr suits a business or publisher that already has a broadcast and wants it hosted, archived and put behind a paywall, with 24/7 playout channels for a schedule that behaves like television. It is not built for running the show itself.
StreamYard is the right buy for an interview show, panel or anybody streaming to more than one platform who wants guests to join from a link with nothing to install. Core at $35.99 a month billed yearly adds three multistream destinations and unlimited recording. A gaming streamer who needs scene switching and plugins wants OBS instead, which is free.
Common questions
- Which one actually runs the live show, with guests and overlays?
- StreamYard. It runs entirely in a browser with brand overlays, layouts and guests joining by link. Castr is a hosting and distribution backend rather than a production tool.
- Which is cheaper?
- Castr, at $16.67 a month billed annually against StreamYard Core's $35.99. StreamYard's free plan exists too, but it carries branding and caps local recording at two hours a month.
- Which one lets a guest join without installing anything?
- StreamYard. Guests join from a browser link with nothing to install, which is why they actually turn up. Castr's listing does not describe a guest or co-host feature.
- Which one puts a paywall on the stream itself?
- Castr. Charging for access to a live stream or its recording is a core feature. StreamYard's listing does not mention a paywall.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.