Runnel.live Review
Runnel.live is a low-cost, YouTube-first cloud playout service priced per separate stream, with partial support for a few other destinations rather than general multistream fan-out.
What Runnel.live does well, and where it falls short
An honest breakdown based on published features, third-party reviews, and their own disclosures.
- Very low per-stream playout price with minute-level proration
- Up to 4K60 in horizontal or vertical orientation
- Queue looping, shuffle, bulk upload, and one-time scheduled starts
- Additional videos can be uploaded while a stream is running
- Uploads cost extra and 4K uploads carry the highest per-GB charge
- YouTube is the primary target; Twitch and Rumble are only partially supported
- Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are unsupported, while Kick support is conflicting
- Account limits can require support approval and launches can wait for server capacity
- Inactive streams containing media are purged after two months
Runnel.live feature checklist
What Runnel.live offers, grouped by category, as Runnel.live describes it.
| Feature | Runnel.live |
|---|---|
| 1Pricing & access | |
| Pay-as-you-go, no subscription | Prepaid credit and minute-prorated usage; no lock-in |
| Trial | No free trial; you add credit before your first stream |
| Starting price | $6 per separate stream per month, prorated by minute |
| 720p 30-day price | $6/mo + upload fees |
| 1080p 30-day price | $6 streaming plus HD upload charges of $0.07/GB |
| 1440p / 2K 30-day price | $6/mo + uploads |
| 2160p / 4K 30-day price | $6 streaming plus 4K upload charges of $0.50/GB |
| 2Streaming quality | |
| 720p / 30fps | ✓ |
| 1080p / Full HD | ✓ |
| 60fps | Up to 60fps |
| Up to 4K @ 60fps | Up to 4K |
| Vertical / portrait streaming | Horizontal and vertical output |
| HDR streaming publicly documented | HDR is not mentioned |
| 3Production & design | |
| Stream designer / layout builder | ✕ |
| Image, video & logo overlays | Overlays are not supported |
| Embed live websites & graphs | ✕ |
| Interactive alerts & widgets | ✕ |
| Custom fonts in overlays | ✕ |
| Browser Live Studio (camera) | No browser production studio |
| 4Sources & inputs | |
| MP4 / MKV / AVI / MOV upload | MP4, MOV, MKV and WebM; no AVI |
| Separate audio track (music / voiceover) | ✕ |
| Import from Google Drive / Dropbox | ✕ |
| Playlists with custom ordering | Bulk-uploaded queue can loop and shuffle |
| Custom loop logic (shuffle, loop counts) | ✓ |
| Edit the stream live (swap / skip / reorder) | You can upload more videos while live; reordering a live queue is not described |
| 5Destinations | |
| YouTube (one-click OAuth) | YouTube via stream key |
| Custom RTMP (any platform) | Alternate RTMP/RTMPS URLs accepted; query-string URLs rejected |
| Twitch / Facebook / Kick / TikTok | Built for YouTube; Twitch and Rumble partly supported; no Facebook, Instagram or TikTok; Kick unclear |
| Multistream to several destinations | Each destination requires a separate stream and key |
| One-click YouTube (no stream key) | Users create a YouTube event and stream key separately |
| SRT ingest | ✕ |
| 6Lifecycle & automation | |
| True 24/7 continuous loop | Queues can loop continuously |
| YouTube broadcast lifecycle automation | No; you create each YouTube event yourself |
| Scheduling | One-time future start; recurring schedules are not described |
| MCP / agent integration | ✕ |
| YouTube ad cue points | ✕ |
| Edit title / description / thumbnail live | ✕ |
| Public API | No public API listed |
| Unlimited loop without manual rescheduling | Continuous queue loop; inactive streams are purged after two months |
| 7Limits & inclusions | |
| Storage included | Unlimited storage advertised; each upload has a one-time fee, and inactive streams with videos are deleted after 2 months |
| Concurrent streams / slots | Unlimited streams advertised, but support sets account limits and a start can wait for a free server |
| Max multistream destinations | One destination per separately created stream |
| Videos per playlist | No published limit (bulk-upload as many videos as you like) |
| Max upload size / length | 100 MB to 100 GB and 20 seconds to 4 days per file |
| Team / multi-user access | ✓ |
| No watermark | ✓ |
| 8Reliability & support | |
| Automatic monitoring & recovery | ✕ |
| Backup streams | ✕ |
| Chat / email support | ✓ |
| Uptime guarantee / compensation | ✓ |
| In-app viewer analytics | ✕ |
| 9Trust & account | |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.5 (14 reviews) |
| YouTube-Verified encoder | Not listed as verified encoder |
| Two-factor authentication | ✕ |
Pricing & access
- Runnel.live
- Prepaid credit and minute-prorated usage; no lock-in
- Runnel.live
- No free trial; you add credit before your first stream
- Runnel.live
- $6 per separate stream per month, prorated by minute
- Runnel.live
- $6/mo + upload fees
- Runnel.live
- $6 streaming plus HD upload charges of $0.07/GB
- Runnel.live
- $6/mo + uploads
- Runnel.live
- $6 streaming plus 4K upload charges of $0.50/GB
Streaming quality
- Runnel.live
- ✓
- Runnel.live
- ✓
- Runnel.live
- Up to 60fps
- Runnel.live
- Up to 4K
- Runnel.live
- Horizontal and vertical output
- Runnel.live
- HDR is not mentioned
Production & design
- Runnel.live
- ✕
- Runnel.live
- Overlays are not supported
- Runnel.live
- ✕
- Runnel.live
- ✕
- Runnel.live
- ✕
- Runnel.live
- No browser production studio
Sources & inputs
- Runnel.live
- MP4, MOV, MKV and WebM; no AVI
- Runnel.live
- ✕
- Runnel.live
- ✕
- Runnel.live
- Bulk-uploaded queue can loop and shuffle
- Runnel.live
- ✓
- Runnel.live
- You can upload more videos while live; reordering a live queue is not described
Destinations
- Runnel.live
- YouTube via stream key
- Runnel.live
- Alternate RTMP/RTMPS URLs accepted; query-string URLs rejected
- Runnel.live
- Built for YouTube; Twitch and Rumble partly supported; no Facebook, Instagram or TikTok; Kick unclear
- Runnel.live
- Each destination requires a separate stream and key
- Runnel.live
- Users create a YouTube event and stream key separately
- Runnel.live
- ✕
Lifecycle & automation
- Runnel.live
- Queues can loop continuously
- Runnel.live
- No; you create each YouTube event yourself
- Runnel.live
- One-time future start; recurring schedules are not described
- Runnel.live
- ✕
- Runnel.live
- ✕
- Runnel.live
- ✕
- Runnel.live
- No public API listed
- Runnel.live
- Continuous queue loop; inactive streams are purged after two months
Limits & inclusions
- Runnel.live
- Unlimited storage advertised; each upload has a one-time fee, and inactive streams with videos are deleted after 2 months
- Runnel.live
- Unlimited streams advertised, but support sets account limits and a start can wait for a free server
- Runnel.live
- One destination per separately created stream
- Runnel.live
- No published limit (bulk-upload as many videos as you like)
- Runnel.live
- 100 MB to 100 GB and 20 seconds to 4 days per file
- Runnel.live
- ✓
- Runnel.live
- ✓
Reliability & support
- Runnel.live
- ✕
- Runnel.live
- ✕
- Runnel.live
- ✓
- Runnel.live
- ✓
- Runnel.live
- ✕
Trust & account
- Runnel.live
- 4.5 (14 reviews)
- Runnel.live
- Not listed as verified encoder
- Runnel.live
- ✕
When to consider Streamloop instead of Runnel.live
Runnel.live fits a simple YouTube-first loop where its $6-per-stream monthly usage price and separate upload charges are acceptable. It supports long files, queue playback, shuffle and output up to 4K60.
Consider Streamloop if you want to connect YouTube by signing in, stream to any compatible RTMP destination, add a separate audio playlist, import videos from Google Drive or a link, or edit a playlist while it is live. Streamloop's price depends on quality and frame rate, and files that need encoding have a small one-time charge.
Runnel instructs users to create a separate event and stream key for each livestream. One Streamloop stream can reach up to 5 destinations, and each one after the first adds $6 per 30 days at 1080p while live. That saves setup if you stream to several platforms.
Runnel.live FAQ
Common questions about Runnel.live's features, pricing, and fit
How much does Runnel.live cost?
Runnel charges $6 a month per stream, billed by the minute, which is about $0.20 a day. Uploads cost extra.
Each upload has a one-time fee per GB: $0.03 for SD, $0.07 for HD, $0.20 for UHD and $0.50 for 4K. Runnel shows the exact price, based on the file's bitrate, before you upload.
There is no free plan or free trial. You start by adding credit, from $1.
What does Runnel's “unlimited streams” wording mean?
You can create as many streams as you like, and each one costs another $6 a month. Each stream also needs its own YouTube event and stream key.
Runnel's help page also says support may need to raise your account limits, and a stream can wait to start when no server is free. So “unlimited” does not mean unlimited channels for one price.
Which destinations does Runnel.live support?
Runnel describes itself as built for YouTube. Its current homepage calls Rumble and Twitch partially supported and says Instagram, Facebook and TikTok are unsupported.
Runnel's comparison table lists Kick, but its homepage does not mention it. Ask Runnel before you count on Kick.
What files can Runnel.live accept?
Runnel's upload guide accepts MP4, MOV, MKV and WebM files from 100 MB to 100 GB, and from 20 seconds to four days long. Neither side of the video may be smaller than 300 pixels or larger than 6,000 pixels, and audio is capped at 400 kbps.
The homepage advertises output up to 4K60 in horizontal or vertical formats. MP4 is recommended, and Runnel warns against some CapCut and ClipChamp exports.
What playlist and scheduling controls does Runnel document?
Users can bulk-upload a queue, add more videos while the stream is running, and enable shuffle. The setup interface can start immediately or at a selected future date and time, while the homepage describes continuous playlist operation.
Runnel does not describe recurring schedules or a broadcast calendar, and it says overlays are not available.
Does Runnel.live keep uploaded media permanently?
No. Runnel's help page says streams with videos are deleted automatically after two months without activity.
Runnel advertises unlimited storage, but you pay a one-time fee for each upload.
When is Streamloop the more relevant alternative?
Streamloop fits better if you want your YouTube broadcasts created and managed for you, stream to more RTMP destinations, add audio playlists, import videos from Google Drive or a link, or control streams through an API or MCP.
Runnel is still a good low-cost choice for a simple YouTube loop, if its upload fees and destination limits work for you.
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