Restream vs Streamrun
Both send one stream to many platforms. Restream either produces the stream in the browser or duplicates your incoming stream to each destination as it is. Streamrun is a cloud streaming engine that processes the stream: it keeps the stream up and shapes it differently for each destination.
This page lays out what each one does, where they overlap, and which setups each is a better fit for.
What Restream is built for
Restream is one of the most widely used multistreaming services. It works in one of two ways: you produce the stream in its browser studio, or you send a finished stream and Restream copies it to each destination.
Restream Studio
A browser-based studio for going live without OBS. Add a webcam, invite guests, switch scenes, and share a screen from a tab. This is the reason many people start with Restream.
Duplicate an incoming stream
Send a finished stream from OBS or an encoder and Restream forwards a copy of it to every connected destination. The stream goes out exactly as it came in, which keeps the setup simple and predictable.
Wide platform list and a free tier
Dozens of built-in destinations, scheduled pre-recorded videos, analytics, a unified chat view, and a free plan with Restream branding that makes it easy to try multistreaming before paying.
Where duplication stops. Restream forwards the stream it receives without processing it. The same encode, resolution, and framing go to every platform, and when your upload stops, the forwarded streams stop with it. That is fine for a desk stream on a wired connection. It matters more for mobile streaming, events, or any broadcast where a dropped connection ending the stream is not acceptable.
What Streamrun is built for
Streamrun is a cloud streaming engine. Your encoder, phone app, or OBS sends one stream over RTMP, SRT, or SRTLA, and Streamrun terminates it in the cloud. From there it encodes each destination separately, renders different overlays per platform, produces horizontal and vertical output from the same source, and keeps the platforms live if your connection drops.
It also lets you switch between input devices mid-stream, generate live captions in the cloud, and control all of it from a phone or the REST API. This is the engine behind streaming without disconnects and dual format streaming.
What Streamrun does not do: there is no browser studio for mixing guests and no free plan with branding. You bring your own production tool, and Streamrun processes what it sends.
Side by side
A dash means the product is not built around that job. Feature details on both sides change over time, so treat this as the shape of each product rather than a plan-by-plan checklist.
Which one fits your setup
Restream is the better fit when
- You want to go live from a browser without OBS or an encoder.
- You stream from a desk on a stable connection and want the same stream copied to every platform.
- The stream is finished when it leaves your encoder and needs no processing on the way.
- You want a free tier to start with and do not mind the branding.
Streamrun is the better fit when
- A dropped connection must not end the stream on Twitch, YouTube, or Kick.
- You stream from a phone or on the move over SRT or SRTLA.
- You want vertical output for TikTok or YouTube Shorts alongside the horizontal stream.
- Each platform needs its own bitrate, resolution, or overlays.
- You switch between a phone, a camera, and a PC during the same stream.
Frequently asked questions
What is Restream?
Restream is a multistreaming service. It works in one of two ways. You produce the stream in the browser with Restream Studio, or you send a finished stream from OBS or an encoder and Restream duplicates it to Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Kick, and other destinations at the same time. In the second case the stream is forwarded as it is, without processing. Restream also offers scheduling of pre-recorded videos, analytics, a unified chat view, and a free plan with Restream branding on the stream.
What is the main difference between Restream and Streamrun?
Restream either produces the stream in the browser or duplicates the incoming stream to every destination unchanged. Streamrun is a cloud streaming engine that processes the stream between your encoder and the platforms. It keeps platforms live through a connection drop, encodes each destination separately, produces horizontal and vertical output from one source, and lets you switch input devices mid-stream. Both multistream, but they solve different problems around it.
Does Streamrun have a browser studio?
No. Streamrun does not include a browser-based studio for mixing cameras and guests. You produce the stream in OBS, a phone app, or a hardware encoder and send it to Streamrun, which then processes it in the cloud. Overlays, including chat widgets, can be added per destination as HTML overlays.
What happens on Restream when my internet drops?
Restream forwards what it receives. When the incoming stream stops, the streams it is forwarding stop too, and the platforms end the broadcast after their own timeout. Streamrun is designed to keep the platforms live during a drop by continuing to send video, such as a "be right back" screen or a backup source, until your encoder reconnects.
Can I use Restream and Streamrun together?
Yes, though it is rarely necessary. Restream accepts a custom RTMP source and Streamrun can deliver to a custom RTMP destination, so you could send Streamrun output to Restream to use its analytics or extra destinations while keeping Streamrun for disconnect protection and format conversion. Most people pick one based on which set of features matters more.
Is Streamrun cheaper than Restream?
It depends on how you stream. Restream has a free plan with branding and monthly subscriptions. Streamrun Go is a flat monthly subscription for creators, and Streamrun Pro is pay-as-you-go by the hour, which suits productions and events that stream on a schedule rather than every day. Compare on the hours you actually stream and the features you need.
Related
Stream to Multiple Platforms Without Lag
Why one upload and cloud fan-out beats multiple encodes from your PC.
Multi-Platform Streaming
Per-destination encoding and overlays in practice.
Castr vs Streamrun
How a hosting and delivery service compares to a streaming engine.
OBS Streaming Setup
Keep your OBS scenes and point the output at Streamrun.
Multistream with disconnect protection
Send one stream from OBS, a phone, or an encoder. Streamrun delivers to every platform, keeps them live through a drop, and shapes the output for each one.