Honest review
Upstream Review
YouTube Verified 24/7 streaming with a Stream Designer and multistreaming
Updated August 5, 2026
Starting priceFrom $24/mo yearly / $30/mo monthlyOne 1080p stream at 30 fps is $30 a month, or $24 a month billed yearly. 60 fps and 4K cost more, and each extra stream costs less as you add more. Every stream includes the Stream Designer, scheduling, Live Studio and multistreaming to up to 10 platforms.
Best forDesigned 24/7 streams with overlays and multistream reach
Websiteupstream.so
Strengths & limitations
What Upstream does well, and where it falls short
An honest breakdown based on published features, third-party reviews, and their own disclosures.
What's good
- YouTube Verified software encoder
- Stream Designer: overlays, embedded websites, widgets, custom fonts
- Multistream to up to 10 destinations
- Well-reviewed, responsive chat support
- 100GB storage on the free plan
Where it falls short
- Subscription pricing adds up versus pay-as-you-go
- The Stream Designer has a learning curve
- 60fps and 4K cost more than the 1080p 30fps price
Feature breakdown
Upstream feature checklist
What Upstream offers, grouped by category, as Upstream describes it.
| Feature | Upstream |
|---|---|
| 1Pricing & access | |
| Pay-as-you-go, no subscription | ✕ |
| Trial | Free, 24h/mo |
| Starting price | From $24/mo yr / $30 mo |
| 720p 30-day price | 30fps: $24/mo yearly, $30 monthly. 60fps: $36/mo yearly, $40 monthly |
| 1080p 30-day price | 30fps: $24/mo yearly, $30 monthly. 60fps: $36/mo yearly, $40 monthly |
| 1440p / 2K 30-day price | No 1440p option; 4K at 30fps is $63/mo yearly, $70 monthly |
| 2160p / 4K 30-day price | 30fps: $63/mo yearly, $70 monthly. 60fps: $108/mo yearly, $120 monthly |
| 2Streaming quality | |
| 720p / 30fps | ✓ |
| 1080p / Full HD | ✓ |
| 60fps | ✓ |
| Up to 4K @ 60fps | ✓ |
| Vertical / portrait streaming | ✓ |
| HDR streaming publicly documented | ✕ |
| 3Production & design | |
| Stream designer / layout builder | ✓ |
| Image, video & logo overlays | ✓ |
| Embed live websites & graphs | ✓ |
| Interactive alerts & widgets | ✓ |
| Custom fonts in overlays | ✓ |
| Browser Live Studio (camera) | ✓ |
| 4Sources & inputs | |
| MP4 / MKV / AVI / MOV upload | ✓ |
| Separate audio track (music / voiceover) | ✓ |
| Import from Google Drive / Dropbox | ✕ |
| Playlists with custom ordering | ✓ |
| Custom loop logic (shuffle, loop counts) | ✓ |
| Edit the stream live (swap / skip / reorder) | ✓ |
| 5Destinations | |
| YouTube (one-click OAuth) | ✓ |
| Custom RTMP (any platform) | ✓ |
| Twitch / Facebook / Kick / TikTok | ✓ |
| Multistream to several destinations | ✓ |
| One-click YouTube (no stream key) | ✓ |
| SRT ingest | ✕ |
| 6Lifecycle & automation | |
| True 24/7 continuous loop | ✓ |
| YouTube broadcast lifecycle automation | ✓ |
| Scheduling | ✓ |
| MCP / agent integration | MCP server on every plan |
| YouTube ad cue points | ✓ |
| Edit title / description / thumbnail live | ✕ |
| Public API | Live Streaming API on every plan |
| Unlimited loop without manual rescheduling | ✓ |
| 7Limits & inclusions | |
| Storage included | 100GB on the free plan |
| Concurrent streams / slots | 1 on the free plan; paid plans priced per concurrent stream |
| Max multistream destinations | 10 |
| Videos per playlist | No published limit |
| Max upload size / length | ✕ |
| 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 (243) |
| YouTube-Verified encoder | ✓ |
| Two-factor authentication | ✓ |
Pricing & access
Pay-as-you-go, no subscription
- Upstream
- ✕
Trial
- Upstream
- Free, 24h/mo
Starting price
- Upstream
- From $24/mo yr / $30 mo
720p 30-day price
- Upstream
- 30fps: $24/mo yearly, $30 monthly. 60fps: $36/mo yearly, $40 monthly
1080p 30-day price
- Upstream
- 30fps: $24/mo yearly, $30 monthly. 60fps: $36/mo yearly, $40 monthly
1440p / 2K 30-day price
- Upstream
- No 1440p option; 4K at 30fps is $63/mo yearly, $70 monthly
2160p / 4K 30-day price
- Upstream
- 30fps: $63/mo yearly, $70 monthly. 60fps: $108/mo yearly, $120 monthly
Streaming quality
720p / 30fps
- Upstream
- ✓
1080p / Full HD
- Upstream
- ✓
60fps
- Upstream
- ✓
Up to 4K @ 60fps
- Upstream
- ✓
Vertical / portrait streaming
- Upstream
- ✓
HDR streaming publicly documented
- Upstream
- ✕
Production & design
Stream designer / layout builder
- Upstream
- ✓
Image, video & logo overlays
- Upstream
- ✓
Embed live websites & graphs
- Upstream
- ✓
Interactive alerts & widgets
- Upstream
- ✓
Custom fonts in overlays
- Upstream
- ✓
Browser Live Studio (camera)
- Upstream
- ✓
Sources & inputs
MP4 / MKV / AVI / MOV upload
- Upstream
- ✓
Separate audio track (music / voiceover)
- Upstream
- ✓
Import from Google Drive / Dropbox
- Upstream
- ✕
Playlists with custom ordering
- Upstream
- ✓
Custom loop logic (shuffle, loop counts)
- Upstream
- ✓
Edit the stream live (swap / skip / reorder)
- Upstream
- ✓
Destinations
YouTube (one-click OAuth)
- Upstream
- ✓
Custom RTMP (any platform)
- Upstream
- ✓
Twitch / Facebook / Kick / TikTok
- Upstream
- ✓
Multistream to several destinations
- Upstream
- ✓
One-click YouTube (no stream key)
- Upstream
- ✓
SRT ingest
- Upstream
- ✕
Lifecycle & automation
True 24/7 continuous loop
- Upstream
- ✓
YouTube broadcast lifecycle automation
- Upstream
- ✓
Scheduling
- Upstream
- ✓
MCP / agent integration
- Upstream
- MCP server on every plan
YouTube ad cue points
- Upstream
- ✓
Edit title / description / thumbnail live
- Upstream
- ✕
Public API
- Upstream
- Live Streaming API on every plan
Unlimited loop without manual rescheduling
- Upstream
- ✓
Limits & inclusions
Storage included
- Upstream
- 100GB on the free plan
Concurrent streams / slots
- Upstream
- 1 on the free plan; paid plans priced per concurrent stream
Max multistream destinations
- Upstream
- 10
Videos per playlist
- Upstream
- No published limit
Max upload size / length
- Upstream
- ✕
Team / multi-user access
- Upstream
- ✓
No watermark
- Upstream
- ✓
Reliability & support
Automatic monitoring & recovery
- Upstream
- ✓
Backup streams
- Upstream
- ✓
Chat / email support
- Upstream
- ✓
Uptime guarantee / compensation
- Upstream
- ✓
In-app viewer analytics
- Upstream
- ✕
Trust & account
Trustpilot rating
- Upstream
- 4.5 (243)
YouTube-Verified encoder
- Upstream
- ✓
Two-factor authentication
- Upstream
- ✓
Considering an alternative?
Streamloop is built for 24/7 looping
If you want a 24/7 channel with no designer to learn, Streamloop loops your uploaded videos or playlists to YouTube and any RTMP destination, up to 5 per stream, at up to 4K. Pay as you go, or choose an optional monthly plan. If a stream fails, it restarts on its own.
FAQ
Upstream FAQ
Common questions about Upstream's features, pricing, and fit
What is Upstream?
Upstream is a YouTube Verified software encoder for 24/7 streams, with a Stream Designer for overlays and multistreaming to several destinations.
How much does Upstream cost?
One 1080p stream at 30 fps costs $30 a month, or $288 a year ($24 a month). 60 fps, 4K and more streams cost more. The free plan includes 24 hours of streaming a month.
Does Upstream have a free tier?
Yes, a free plan with 24 hours per month and no card required.
What are the best Upstream alternatives?
Streamloop for pay-as-you-go 24/7 looping, plus Castr, Restream and Runnel.live depending on your needs.
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