vioscale
Comparison

Castr vs Owncast

On the evidence we track, Castr leads this comparison with a composite score of 71/100. Scores are only directly comparable because these tools share a category; the full breakdown and every source is below.

Castr full profile →Owncast full profile →
Machine formatsJSONMarkdownGraphQLor send Accept: application/json
★Castr71
Owncast22
Score
Vioscale score
Castr71 / 100low · 44%
Owncast22 / 100low · 7%
Pricing
Free tier
Castr✓
Owncast✓
Model
Price level
Castrmid
Owncastfree
Starting price
Castr$19.99
Owncast–
Transparent
Castr✓
Owncast–
Integrations
Count
Castr5
Owncast2
Security
Disclosure policy
Castr–
Owncast✓
Gdpr
Castr✓
Owncast–
Trust center
Reliability
Sla pct
Castr99.9
Owncast–
Status page
Castr✓
Owncast–
Market
Availability
CastrAvailable worldwide
Owncast–

Capabilities

Feature-by-feature on the axes that matter for live streaming. “-” means undocumented, not absent.

Capabilities
Architecture model
CastrBrowser cloud studio
Owncast-
Simulcast multi destination rtmp output hub
Castr✓
Owncast-
Remote guest browser invites for interviews webrtc
Castr-
Owncast-
Custom lower thirds graphics and brand overlays
Castr-
Owncast-
ISO track recording for isolated guest audio video
Castr-
Owncast-
Hardware encoding acceleration nvenc quicksync
Castr-
Owncast-
Srt secure reliable transport protocol support
Castr✓
Owncast-
Multi network unified aggregated chat feed
Castr-
Owncast-
Chroma key green screen and virtual backgrounds
Castr-
Owncast-
Ndi network device interface feed ingestion
Castr-
Owncast-
SOC2 type ii
Castr-
Owncast-
Gpl or permissive oss license
Castr-
Owncast✓
Pricing model
CastrFlat monthly subscription
OwncastFree open source

What each one is

The product in its own terms, so the numbers below have context.

Castr

Leader

Consolidates live video streaming, hosting, multistreaming to multiple destinations, recording, and monetization into a single platform with 24/7 human support included.

Independently observed

Owncast

An open source streaming server that runs on your infrastructure using standard protocols, featuring built-in chat, moderation, custom branding, and no subscription fees or viewer limits.

Independently observed

Pricing

List pricing as published by each vendor, with the date we read it. Always verify at the source before you buy.

Castr

Leader
from $19.99/moSubscriptionFree tier7-day trial

From $19.99/month ($199.99/year with 2 months free). Free 7-day trial on Starter plan.

  • Starter$19.99/month or $199.99/year (2 months free)
    • Multiple ingest protocols and SRT
    • Embedded player and video analytics
    • Cloud recording and Live-to-VOD
  • Standard$499.99/year
    • SRT/RTMP pull links
  • Premium$199.99/month or $1,999.99/year (2 months free)
    • Adaptive bitrate and custom transcoding
    • API access and three team members
  • Enterprise$3,499.99/year
    • Low-latency playback and HLS for VOD
    • Dedicated support on annual billing
  • Events$7,499.99/year
    • Branded web app included
    • Native mobile and TV apps available as add-ons
as of verify ↗

Owncast

Open sourceFree tier

Free and open source with no subscriptions or viewer limits.

as of verify ↗

Platform & deployment

Where each product runs and how it can be hosted. A dash means undocumented, not unsupported.

Platforms
Web
Castr✓
Owncast✓
iOS
Castr✓
Owncast✗
Android
Castr✓
Owncast✗
CLI
Castr✗
Owncast✓
Deployment
Cloud / SaaS
Castr✓
Owncast✓
Self-hosted
Castr✗
Owncast✓

Integrations

What each product connects to. Counts come from the vendor's own integration directory where one exists.

Castr

Leader
5 total
  • Wirecast
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitch
Independently observed

Owncast

2 total
  • Mastodon
  • ActivityPub
Independently observed

Comparison generated from independently-sourced facts. Every value links to its source and retrieval date. See the method.