Owncast

Self-hosted livestreaming software for content creators and event broadcasters

Also known as
owncast

What is 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

Owncast pricing

We don't have Owncast's full plan breakdown yet (its pricing page resisted automated reading). Here's what we could confirm. Always check live pricing for exact numbers.

Pricing as of verify at live pricing ↗Independently observed
Open sourceFree tier

Free and open source with no subscriptions or viewer limits.

What Owncast does

The capabilities that matter for live streaming, normalised so it lines up with every alternative. “-” means we haven't confirmed it, not that it's missing.

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

Platform & deployment

Independently observed
Platforms
  • CLI
  • Web
Deployment
  • Cloud / SaaS
  • Self-hosted

Integrations (2)

Independently observed
social
  • Mastodon
  • ActivityPub

Owncast alternatives

Other live streaming we track, ranked by the same independent score.

All Owncast alternatives, ranked →

Independent · unbought · dated

The Vioscale score: one lens on the evidence

Not user reviews and not a paid placement: a confidence-weighted blend of the independent signals below (adoption, activity, security posture, and more), which you can sort and re-weight yourself. Vendors can correct their listing but can never move their rank, and stars are weighted low as a vanity metric. It is one way to read the evidence for Owncast, not the verdict.

Balanced composite 22 / 100
low · 7%
Signal contributions to the composite score
SignalScoreWeightContributionEvidence
Capabilities290.082.3
Integrations140.071.0
Stars00.030.0-
Dependent projects00.060.0-
Development activity00.090.0-
Release cadence00.050.0-
Security posture50.070.0-
Package downloads00.140.0-
Security score00.040.0-
Developer Q&A activity00.060.0-

Computed . Re-weight it by intent, or see the full method.

All data & sourcesshow ↓

Every value we hold, with its source, retrieval date, and confidence. This is the evidence behind the score: don't trust it, verify it.

Features

AttributeValueEvidence
CapabilitiesPricing model: free_open_source · Gpl or permissive oss license: Yesmediumsource · 2026-09-01 · 60%

Integrations

AttributeValueEvidence
Count2mediumsource · 2026-09-01 · 60%

Pricing

AttributeValueEvidence
Free tierYesmediumsource · 2026-09-01 · 60%
Price levelfreemediumsource · 2026-09-01 · 60%
Modelopen_sourcemediumsource · 2026-09-01 · 60%

Security

AttributeValueEvidence
Disclosure policyYesmediumsource · 2026-09-01 · 60%
Trust centerhttps://owncast.online/securitymediumsource · 2026-09-01 · 60%