Head-to-head
Streamloop
UpstreamStreamloop vs Upstream
Updated August 5, 2026
An honest head-to-head: features, pricing, and which tool actually fits your 24/7 stream.
| At a glance | Streamloop | Upstream |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Pay as you go or monthly credit plan | $30/mo or $288/year ($24/mo equivalent); free plan includes 24 streaming hours/month |
| Best for | 24/7 looping without a PC | Designed streams + multistream |
| Free tier / trial | Free trial credits, no card | Free plan, 24h/month |
| Primary focus | Pre-recorded 24/7 streaming | 24/7 streaming + Stream Designer |
Starting price
- Streamloop
- Pay as you go or monthly credit plan
- Upstream
- $30/mo or $288/year ($24/mo equivalent); free plan includes 24 streaming hours/month
Best for
- Streamloop
- 24/7 looping without a PC
- Upstream
- Designed streams + multistream
Free tier / trial
- Streamloop
- Free trial credits, no card
- Upstream
- Free plan, 24h/month
Primary focus
- Streamloop
- Pre-recorded 24/7 streaming
- Upstream
- 24/7 streaming + Stream Designer
Real cost
What a 24/7 stream actually costs, by quality
Streamloop bills by the minute — pick a resolution and frame rate and pay only while you're live. Optional monthly credit plans are also available. Below is the cost of a stream running nonstop for a full 30 days.
| Quality | 30 fps / mo | 60 fps / mo |
|---|---|---|
| 720p | $5 | $8 |
| 1080pMost popular | $10 | $15 |
| 1440p (2K) | $20 | $30 |
| 4K (2160p) | $30 | $45 |
720p
- 30 fps
- $5
- 60 fps
- $8
1080p
Most popular
- 30 fps
- $10
- 60 fps
- $15
1440p (2K)
- 30 fps
- $20
- 60 fps
- $30
4K (2160p)
- 30 fps
- $30
- 60 fps
- $45
Metered by the minute, so a week of streaming costs about a quarter of these figures, and a day about a thirtieth. Plus a one-time ~$0.005 per minute of video to encode it once. Uploads, storage, and idle loops are free.
A 1080p stream running 24/7 on Streamloop is about $10/month — and you only pay while it's live. Upstream charges a flat From $24/mo yearly / $30/mo monthly whether you stream all month or not.
Full feature comparison
Streamloop vs Upstream, side by side
Every feature that matters, with standout differences flagged by a star.
| Feature | Streamloop | Upstream |
|---|---|---|
| 1Pricing & access | ||
| Pay-as-you-go, no subscription | Pay as you go is available; official pages also reference optional monthly credit plans | ✕ |
| Free trial (no card) | Eligible accounts may receive starter credits; no guaranteed public amount or duration | Free, 24h/mo |
| Starting price | 720p24: $4.02 per 30 live days; usage billed, not a subscription | From $24/mo yr / $30 mo |
| 720p 30-day price | $4.02 at 24fps; $5.01 at 30fps | $24/mo yr / $30 mo |
| 1080p 30-day price | $9.98 at 30fps | $24/mo yr / $30 mo |
| 1440p / 2K 30-day price | $20.00 at 30fps | $63/mo yr / $70 mo |
| 2160p / 4K 30-day price | $29.98 at 30fps; $45.01 at 60fps | $63/mo yr / $70 mo |
| 2Streaming quality | ||
| 720p / 30fps | ✓ | ✓ |
| 1080p / Full HD | ✓ | ✓ |
| 60fps | 24, 25, 30, or 60fps | ✓ |
| Up to 4K @ 60fps | Up to 2160p/4K | ✓ |
| Vertical / portrait streaming | Portrait and landscape output | ✓ |
| HDR streaming publicly documented | HDR supported where destination and playback device support it | ✕ |
| 3Production & design | ||
| Stream designer / layout builder | No general-purpose live scene/layout builder | ✓ |
| Image, video & logo overlays | No general-purpose overlay designer is documented | ✓ |
| Embed live websites & graphs | ✕ | ✓ |
| Interactive alerts & widgets | No live games, polls, alerts, or audience widgets | ✓ |
| Custom fonts in overlays | ✕ | ✓ |
| Browser Live Studio (camera) | No webcam, guest, screen, or gaming production studio | ✓ |
| 4Sources & inputs | ||
| MP4 / MKV / AVI / MOV upload | Docs list MP4, MOV, MKV with AV1/HEVC/H.264; homepage file-limit copy conflicts | ✓ |
| Separate audio track (music / voiceover) | Separate audio and audio playlists: MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, Opus | ✓ |
| Import from Google Drive / Dropbox | Google Drive, Dropbox, YouTube, and direct-download URL imports | ✕ |
| Playlists with custom ordering | Ordered, non-repeating shuffle, and natural-language custom order | ✓ |
| Custom loop logic (shuffle, loop counts) | Ordered playback, shuffle without repeats, and rule-based sequencing | ✓ |
| Edit the stream live (swap / skip / reorder) | Publish playlist edits live; changes apply after the current clip | ✓ |
| 5Destinations | ||
| YouTube (one-click OAuth) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom RTMP (any platform) | Any compatible RTMP destination | ✓ |
| Twitch / Facebook / Kick / TikTok | Twitch, Facebook, Kick, TikTok, and others through compatible RTMP endpoints | ✓ |
| Multistream to several destinations | No one-to-many fan-out; create separate streams for several destinations | ✓ |
| One-click YouTube (no stream key) | Official Google OAuth connection; manual stream-key option also available | ✓ |
| SRT ingest | ✕ | ✕ |
| 6Lifecycle & automation | ||
| True 24/7 continuous loop | Continuous cloud loop while active and funded | ✓ |
| YouTube broadcast lifecycle automation | Can create and synchronize broadcast metadata, privacy, thumbnail, latency, DVR, recording, and schedule | ✓ |
| Scheduling | Immediate/future start; duration, end time, or open-ended | ✓ |
| MCP / agent integration | OAuth-protected hosted MCP for streams, playlists, uploads, destinations, usage, and billing | ✕ |
| YouTube ad cue points | ✕ | ✓ |
| Edit title / description / thumbnail live | ✓ | ✕ |
| Public API | Public OpenAPI REST interface plus documented GraphQL | ✕ |
| Unlimited loop without manual rescheduling | Can run indefinitely until stopped, credit is exhausted, or destination action is required | ✓ |
| 7Limits & inclusions | ||
| Storage included | Uploads and storage are free; no published hard total quota | 100GB |
| Concurrent streams / slots | Multiple separate streams are supported; no public account hard cap is documented | 1 |
| Max multistream destinations | One destination per stream | 10 |
| Videos per playlist | No published limit | No published limit |
| Max upload size / length | Current docs say 10 GB/file; homepage still says 1.5 GB free and 5 GB paid | ✕ |
| Team / multi-user access | Shared workspaces with separate sign-ins; no public RBAC or seat limit | ✓ |
| No watermark | No Streamloop output watermark documented | ✓ |
| 8Reliability & support | ||
| Automatic monitoring & recovery | Reports over 99.9% uptime with automatic monitoring, restart, and reconnection | ✓ |
| Backup streams | Standby capacity is reported; zero downtime and recovery time are not guaranteed | ✓ |
| Chat / email support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Uptime guarantee / compensation | No contractual uptime compensation or recovery-time SLA published | ✓ |
| In-app viewer analytics | ✓ | ✕ |
| 9Trust & account | ||
| Trustpilot rating | No profile yet | 4.7 (200) |
| YouTube-Verified encoder | ✓ | ✓ |
| Two-factor authentication | Passkeys | ✓ |
Pricing & access
Pay-as-you-go, no subscription
- Streamloop
- Pay as you go is available; official pages also reference optional monthly credit plans
- Upstream
- ✕
Free trial (no card)
- Streamloop
- Eligible accounts may receive starter credits; no guaranteed public amount or duration
- Upstream
- Free, 24h/mo
Starting price
- Streamloop
- 720p24: $4.02 per 30 live days; usage billed, not a subscription
- Upstream
- From $24/mo yr / $30 mo
720p 30-day price
- Streamloop
- $4.02 at 24fps; $5.01 at 30fps
- Upstream
- $24/mo yr / $30 mo
1080p 30-day price
- Streamloop
- $9.98 at 30fps
- Upstream
- $24/mo yr / $30 mo
1440p / 2K 30-day price
- Streamloop
- $20.00 at 30fps
- Upstream
- $63/mo yr / $70 mo
2160p / 4K 30-day price
- Streamloop
- $29.98 at 30fps; $45.01 at 60fps
- Upstream
- $63/mo yr / $70 mo
Streaming quality
720p / 30fps
- Streamloop
- ✓
- Upstream
- ✓
1080p / Full HD
- Streamloop
- ✓
- Upstream
- ✓
60fps
- Streamloop
- 24, 25, 30, or 60fps
- Upstream
- ✓
Up to 4K @ 60fps
- Streamloop
- Up to 2160p/4K
- Upstream
- ✓
Vertical / portrait streaming
- Streamloop
- Portrait and landscape output
- Upstream
- ✓
HDR streaming publicly documented
- Streamloop
- HDR supported where destination and playback device support it
- Upstream
- ✕
Production & design
Stream designer / layout builder
- Streamloop
- No general-purpose live scene/layout builder
- Upstream
- ✓
Image, video & logo overlays
- Streamloop
- No general-purpose overlay designer is documented
- Upstream
- ✓
Embed live websites & graphs
- Streamloop
- ✕
- Upstream
- ✓
Interactive alerts & widgets
- Streamloop
- No live games, polls, alerts, or audience widgets
- Upstream
- ✓
Custom fonts in overlays
- Streamloop
- ✕
- Upstream
- ✓
Browser Live Studio (camera)
- Streamloop
- No webcam, guest, screen, or gaming production studio
- Upstream
- ✓
Sources & inputs
MP4 / MKV / AVI / MOV upload
- Streamloop
- Docs list MP4, MOV, MKV with AV1/HEVC/H.264; homepage file-limit copy conflicts
- Upstream
- ✓
Separate audio track (music / voiceover)
- Streamloop
- Separate audio and audio playlists: MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, Opus
- Upstream
- ✓
Import from Google Drive / Dropbox
- Streamloop
- Google Drive, Dropbox, YouTube, and direct-download URL imports
- Upstream
- ✕
Playlists with custom ordering
- Streamloop
- Ordered, non-repeating shuffle, and natural-language custom order
- Upstream
- ✓
Custom loop logic (shuffle, loop counts)
- Streamloop
- Ordered playback, shuffle without repeats, and rule-based sequencing
- Upstream
- ✓
Edit the stream live (swap / skip / reorder)
- Streamloop
- Publish playlist edits live; changes apply after the current clip
- Upstream
- ✓
Destinations
YouTube (one-click OAuth)
- Streamloop
- ✓
- Upstream
- ✓
Custom RTMP (any platform)
- Streamloop
- Any compatible RTMP destination
- Upstream
- ✓
Twitch / Facebook / Kick / TikTok
- Streamloop
- Twitch, Facebook, Kick, TikTok, and others through compatible RTMP endpoints
- Upstream
- ✓
Multistream to several destinations
- Streamloop
- No one-to-many fan-out; create separate streams for several destinations
- Upstream
- ✓
One-click YouTube (no stream key)
- Streamloop
- Official Google OAuth connection; manual stream-key option also available
- Upstream
- ✓
SRT ingest
- Streamloop
- ✕
- Upstream
- ✕
Lifecycle & automation
True 24/7 continuous loop
- Streamloop
- Continuous cloud loop while active and funded
- Upstream
- ✓
YouTube broadcast lifecycle automation
- Streamloop
- Can create and synchronize broadcast metadata, privacy, thumbnail, latency, DVR, recording, and schedule
- Upstream
- ✓
Scheduling
- Streamloop
- Immediate/future start; duration, end time, or open-ended
- Upstream
- ✓
MCP / agent integration
- Streamloop
- OAuth-protected hosted MCP for streams, playlists, uploads, destinations, usage, and billing
- Upstream
- ✕
YouTube ad cue points
- Streamloop
- ✕
- Upstream
- ✓
Edit title / description / thumbnail live
- Streamloop
- ✓
- Upstream
- ✕
Public API
- Streamloop
- Public OpenAPI REST interface plus documented GraphQL
- Upstream
- ✕
Unlimited loop without manual rescheduling
- Streamloop
- Can run indefinitely until stopped, credit is exhausted, or destination action is required
- Upstream
- ✓
Limits & inclusions
Storage included
- Streamloop
- Uploads and storage are free; no published hard total quota
- Upstream
- 100GB
Concurrent streams / slots
- Streamloop
- Multiple separate streams are supported; no public account hard cap is documented
- Upstream
- 1
Max multistream destinations
- Streamloop
- One destination per stream
- Upstream
- 10
Videos per playlist
- Streamloop
- No published limit
- Upstream
- No published limit
Max upload size / length
- Streamloop
- Current docs say 10 GB/file; homepage still says 1.5 GB free and 5 GB paid
- Upstream
- ✕
Team / multi-user access
- Streamloop
- Shared workspaces with separate sign-ins; no public RBAC or seat limit
- Upstream
- ✓
No watermark
- Streamloop
- No Streamloop output watermark documented
- Upstream
- ✓
Reliability & support
Automatic monitoring & recovery
- Streamloop
- Reports over 99.9% uptime with automatic monitoring, restart, and reconnection
- Upstream
- ✓
Backup streams
- Streamloop
- Standby capacity is reported; zero downtime and recovery time are not guaranteed
- Upstream
- ✓
Chat / email support
- Streamloop
- ✓
- Upstream
- ✓
Uptime guarantee / compensation
- Streamloop
- No contractual uptime compensation or recovery-time SLA published
- Upstream
- ✓
In-app viewer analytics
- Streamloop
- ✓
- Upstream
- ✕
Trust & account
Trustpilot rating
- Streamloop
- No profile yet
- Upstream
- 4.7 (200)
YouTube-Verified encoder
- Streamloop
- ✓
- Upstream
- ✓
Two-factor authentication
- Streamloop
- Passkeys
- Upstream
- ✓
★ Key differentiator✓ Feature included✕ Not included– Not publicly documented
Which should you pick?
When each tool is the right call
There's no objective winner — only which tool fits your actual job.
Pick Streamloop if…
Always-on 24/7 channels without OBS or a PC
- Pay as you go or choose an optional monthly credit plan
- Up to 4K 60fps with automatic recovery if a stream drops
- Upload once and loop a video or playlist around the clock
- YouTube one-click plus custom RTMP to any platform
Pay-as-you-go credits or an optional monthly credit plan; free trial credits, no card required.
Start with StreamloopPick Upstream if…
Designed streams with heavy overlays and multistream reach
- Canva-like Stream Designer with overlays, websites and widgets
- Multistream to up to 10 destinations today
- YouTube Verified encoder with 100GB storage on paid plans
- Well-reviewed chat support
$30/mo or $288/year ($24/mo equivalent); free plan includes 24 streaming hours/month.
(We'll leave you to find them — we don't pass link equity to competitors.)
FAQ
Streamloop vs Upstream: FAQ
The questions people actually ask before picking one
What is the main difference between Streamloop and Upstream?
Streamloop offers pay-as-you-go credits and optional monthly credit plans, and is built purely around looping pre-recorded video to a 24/7 stream. Upstream is a subscription tool with a heavier Stream Designer and multistreaming focus.
Is Streamloop cheaper than Upstream?
For most always-on channels, yes. Streamloop lets you pay as you go or choose an optional monthly credit plan, while Upstream charges a recurring monthly fee.
Does Upstream do anything better than Streamloop?
Upstream ships a more elaborate overlay designer and multistreaming to up to 10 destinations today. If those are your priority, Upstream may fit better.
Can I try Streamloop for free?
Yes. New users get free trial credits with no card required.
Why should I trust this comparison if you built Streamloop?
We describe Upstream from its public materials, flag where it is stronger, and let you decide. If Upstream fits your job better, pick it.
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