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While StreamYard and Zoom are online video software services, comparing them is not exactly apples to apples.
In short, StreamYard, as the name implies, is intended more for streaming audio and videos. However, people frequently use it for interviews, screen-sharing, and live-streaming in general.
Zoom, on the other hand, is better used as a video and audio conferencing app. People frequently use it for conferences, webinars, and meetings.
Today we’re going to pour over their differences to help you identify which tool is best suited for you.
Reasons Why StreamYard is Better
Multistreaming.
StreamYard seamlessly connects to Facebook, YouTube, Linkedin, Twitter, Twitch, and more.
StreamYard also handles all multistreaming on their servers, so the amount of data sent on your behalf doesn’t change. As a result, you don’t need extra-fast internet to stream to multiple platforms.
In 2020, StreamYard was named the fastest-growing software in live streaming by SaaSworthy.com.
Zoom only allows you to stream live to one location.
Branding.
StreamYard allows hosts to change the stream’s theme colors, add their brand logo, banners, and clickable pop-ups.
No Download Required.
While Zoom requires a download to work, StreamYard can be accessed directly online through a browser. Convenient!
Reasons Why Zoom is Better
More Participants.
StreamYard only allows up to 6 participants for free and up to 10 participants on their paid plan. On the other hand, zoom allows 100 active participants for free and up to 1,000 participants with a paid plan.
Popularity.
In June of 2020, Zoom hosted over 300 million meetings every day. Zoom was also downloaded 300 million times in a single quarter.
Mobile-Friendly.
Zoom allows users to screen-share even on mobile devices.
No Ugly Watermarks.
Zoom does not brand free users’ screens with its logo.
Virtual Backgrounds.
Zoom offers free virtual backgrounds (green screen use), while StreamYard charges for this service.
Unlimited Number of Meetings.
Zoom users can host as many meetings as they want. However, group meetings on their Basic plan can only last a maximum of 40 minutes. Individual 101 meetings do not have a time limit.
More Customer Support Options
With a paid Zoom plan, users can reach the support team 24/7. In addition, video and messaging chat options are available.
Similarities Between StreamYard and Zoom
Cloud Recordings/Downloads.
Both allow for video and audio recordings; however, limitations depend on which plan you select.
Level One (the Free Versions)
StreamYard Free allows users to stream up to 20 hours every month.
Zoom Basic (their free version) allows broadcasts to last as long as you want, so long as you’re the only one at the conference. However, if you’re going to host a meeting, you’re limited to 40 minutes per conference.
Level Two (Paid Version)
StreamYard Basic allows for unlimited streaming (regardless of how many users you have participating) and records up to 4 hours of every stream. StreamYard holds these recordings in the cloud for 15 days.
Zoom Pro allows broadcasts to last for up to 30 hours. Zoom will save up to 1GB of meetings for you in the cloud. Additionally, you can save Zoom recordings locally.
Level Three (Paid Version)
StreamYard Professional still allows unlimited streaming and records up to 8 hours of every stream. But, again, they hold these recordings for you in the cloud for 15 days.
Zoom Business still only allows up to 30-hour broadcasts and saves up to 1GB of meetings for you. As a perk, though, Zoom also automatically saves a transcription of your discussion.
Level Four (Paid Version)
StreamYard does not currently offer a fourth-tier plan.
Zoom Enterprise still only allows broadcasts to last 30 hours. At this level, though, Zoom records and holds an unlimited amount of cloud storage for all of your broadcasts.
Some Broadcasting/Streaming Limits for the Free Versions.
Community.
Viewers’ comments and reactions pop up right on the screen, allowing them to be seen and feel more connected.
Stability.
Both platforms are impressively stable, even with a poor internet connection.
Desktop Screen-Sharing.
Share your screen with others on either platform. Zoom even allows you to screen-share mobile devices.
Free Versions Available.
StreamYard and Zoom offer free versions, and neither platform requires a credit card to access their free plans.
Event Scheduling.
You can schedule, set up, countdown to, and invite viewers to watch your event on either platform.
In-app Chats.
Users can message one another privately using either of the platforms’ chats.
Adding Guests is Easy.
Send links to invite new people to join your stream or meeting.
Hosts can mute all users.
This can be especially useful for large groups.
No credit card is required to use the free plans.
Nice, huh? Also, each platform offers free trials on their paid plans.
StreamYard vs. Zoom: Pricing
How Much Does StreamYard Cost?
The StreamYard Free plan is free.
The StreamYard Basic plan is $240 per year if billed annually; $25 per month ($300 per year in total) if billed monthly.
The StreamYard Professional plan is $468 per year if billed annually; $49 per month ($588 per year in total) if billed monthly.
See StreamYard’s plans for yourself.
How Much Does Zoom Cost?
The Zoom Basic plan is free.
The Zoom Pro plan is $149.90 per year if billed annually; $14.99 per month ($179.88 per year in total) if billed monthly. Limit of 9 licenses per account.
The Zoom Business plan is $199.90 per year if billed annually; $19.99 per month ($239.88 per year in total) if billed monthly. Must purchase a minimum of 10 licenses.
The Zoom Enterprise plan is $240 per year if billed annually; $19.99 per month ($239.88 per year in total) if billed monthly. Must purchase a minimum of 50 licenses.
See Zoom’s plans for yourself.
StreamYard Vs. Zoom FAQ
People who want to host video or audio conferences. It’s ideal for individuals, small, medium, and large businesses. Large organizations and churches also prefer Zoom.
People who want to live stream video or audio. It’s ideal for freelancers, small and medium businesses. Creators, gamers, and podcasters seem to prefer StreamYard.
In some ways, yes. StreamYard allows you to broadcast your face (and your screen) to many viewers.
StreamYard is better than Zoom in the sense that you can simultaneously multi-stream to several platforms at once. However, StreamYard has its limits and only allows up to 10 active steamers at once.
Zoom can be used for live streaming and broadcasting.
If you want to stream to one platform, Zoom is good at that.
If you want to stream to multiple platforms at once, StreamYard is the better option.
Yes, but only if you’re streaming with friends and family, and you are not charging viewers to watch.
To Stream Netflix (or Hulu, or Disney+, or Amazon Watch) on Zoom, click Share Screen at the bottom-center of the Zoom meeting.
The Conclusion: StreamYard vs. Zoom
Each software has its pros and cons, and the intended applications for StreamYard and Zoom are not quite similar enough to thoroughly compare.
But here’s the bottom line:
StreamYard is for live streamers who need less than ten active participants. StreamYard is for creators, gamers, freelancers, and podcasters.
Zoom is for broadcasting and hosting meetings of all sizes. In addition, zoom is for hosting webinars, conferences, organizations, and businesses of every size.
Lori Ballen is a real estate agent in Las Vegas. She’s a digital marketing specialist, speaker, and marketing coach and loves to share her “Ballen Method” to generate website traffic and leads online. Lori’s specialties are SEO content writing (ranking on the search engines), social media strategies, and affiliate marketing. Need a website? Contact Lori’s brothers Jeff and Paul Helvin at Ballen Brands.
