Restream Review: Multi-Streaming Service That Aids Content Creators

Today, live streaming has become one of the most promising technologies maximized by many people. Along with social media, it has become a powerful tool that can be utilized for business and pleasure to reach a broader audience. Thus, in this article, we will look at Restream, an online media streaming service that allows you to stream content to various social media platforms simultaneously.

If you’re an aspiring vlogger or streamer, read on to learn how Restream can help you deliver the best content and gain more followers.

What Is Restream?

Restream is a platform that is used to help many individuals boost their online presence by distributing videos across several social media channels, including LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch. Here, you can customize your live streams, engage, and drive actions with your audience in real-time.

Audience engagement is essential, especially when it comes down to businesses. With Restream, you can establish rapport as it allows you to create customizable chat boxes for various social media platforms from within a unified dashboard. This also lets its users broadcast personal live streams from their browsers to different social networking sites.

If you’re looking for other streaming platforms, here is our review articles for StreamYard and BeLive.

Restream Subscription & Pricing

Subscription plans will entirely depend on your preference, budget, and needs. There are the plans offered along with the added features it comes with once you subscribe.

Free Trial Version / Free Access

Restream offers a free access version but with limited features and access. This means its advanced features are restricted. With this, you can only access the following features:

• Streaming to up to 30 platforms
• Compatibility with third-party software
• Screensharing
• Participants of up to six persons
• On-screen comments and captions
• Cross-platform chat
• Overlay layouts and templates
• Relaybot
• 15-second message delivery
• Stream health monitoring

Standard Account

A standard account is an upgraded version offered to users. This costs $16 a month or $190 annually. The Standard Account comes with the following features:

• Simultaneous streaming to up more than 30 platforms
• Compatibility with third-party software
• Streaming to public groups and pages on Facebook
• One extra destination
• Six hours per stream video upload limit
• 15 days of storage for videos
• Screen sharing with up to ten participants
• On-screen comments and captions
• Cross-platform chat
• Overlay layouts and templates
• Relaybot
• 5-second message delivery
• Stream health monitoring

Professional Account

This offers a more upgraded version of the Standard account. The plan costs $41 a month or $490 per year. Inclusions are the following:

• Simultaneous streaming to up more than 30 platforms
• Compatibility with third-party software
• Streaming on public pages and groups on Facebook
• Can accommodate three extra destinations.
• Streaming pre-recorded videos
• Ten hours per stream video upload limit
• Screen sharing with ten participants
• On-screen comments and captions
• Cross-platform chats
• Overlay layouts and templates, relaybot, and stream health monitoring.
• 5-second message delivery
• Three secured RTMP Pull links

Premium Account

This account is offered for businesses and companies who want to boost their online presence through social media. It costs $83 a month and comes with features such as:

• Simultaneous streaming to up more than 30 platforms
• Compatibility with third-party software
• Streaming on public pages and groups on Facebook
• Streaming pre-recorded videos
• Ten extra destinations.
• 20 hours per stream with 30 days of storage
• Screen sharing
• On-screen comments and captions
• Cross-platform chat
• Overlay layouts and template
• Relaybot
• Stream health monitoring
• Streaming amplifier
• Ten participants
• 5-second message delivery
• Five secured RTMP Pull links

Business Account

This plan offers a more upgraded version that can accommodate more participants and best for webinars and presentations with more than one presenter. It has the same features as the Premium account; however, this offers 20 extra destinations instead of 10, and 10 secured RTMP Pull links instead of 5. The plan costs $249 a month.

Restream Features and How to Use Them

Restream offers a free trial version wherein it has limitations or restrictions. Here are some of the features of Restream for the free trial version compared to the paid version.

Free Tools and Features

• Multi/split-screen – This allows the user to stream to more than 30 platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and more at the same time.
• Live stream from a browser – It allows the user to live stream directly from the browser.
• Invite guests – With Restream, inviting guests does not need any third-party applications.

Custom Destination

With Restream, you can multistream to more than 30 platforms, and this is free. Consequently, for you to enjoy other platforms, you may need to avail the subscription plan. With this feature, you can stream your profile, groups, or even pages on Facebook.

Conversely, this ultimately provides you the power to publish your content to one platform. Unfortunately, this does not come in the free trial version. Also, each paid subscription permits a limited number of custom destinations.

Real-Time Channel Toggling

This feature makes tasks easier as it permits you to turn off and on any streaming channel that is in your dashboard without interrupting or interfering with the ongoing stream. For example, you can stop your stream via YouTube and still resume streaming on selected platforms like Facebook.

No Restream Branding for Paid Subscription

In Restream’s paid subscription plan, you can remove the Restream watermark on your stream. Here, you can now add your watermarks or logos, as well as your preferred overlays and background images. Moreover, you can also implement visual effects via the Restream Studio and start your stream with only two clicks!

RTMP Pull Links

This feature allows its users to use content from Restream and employ it in different streaming software. This will allow you to include a Restream live video as a source.

Analytics Report

During the stream, the audience is enabled to leave comments and reactions, so you can use these to evaluate your performance and figure out what to improve in your upcoming live streams. This feature can also be accessed in the free trial version. In contrast, if you opt to acquire the paid subscription plan, then you can easily keep an eye on your performance and analyze data through the metrics Restream will provide you.

Aside from that, here, you can know your monthly viewers, streamed time, and average. Lastly, you can determine what time where you have the most viewers. The paid subscription plan not only gives you useful insights but also lets you keep these data through your computer.

Proxy Streaming

This trait allows you to proceed with your stream without any interference or interruptions. Aside from having a fail-safe backup switch, it also ensures your viewers the best experience. Sad to say, it is not recommended to stream for more than 120 hours because of technical impediments.

Restream Scheduler

Restream is also capable of uploading your pre-recorded videos and publishing them through your platforms of choice. Furthermore, you can schedule them at any date or time. This also means that you no longer have to be present and broadcast your streams through your computer because the scheduler is an autonomous tool that will publicize your content on your selected time and channels.

Stream Recording

Implementing new ideas and features to the users as often as possible is what Restream is all about. This feature allows you to record and download your videos for later purposes. This empowers you to convert your audio and video files to excellent podcasts and appealing social media content.

Audience Engagement

This attribute allows you to read and reply to messages and comments during the video. You can interact and engage with the viewers by replying to them or answering their queries and comments.

Multiple Camera Feeds

With Restream, you won’t need multiple cameras to record your live stream and publish it on different platforms. You will only need the primary camera, and you can broadcast your video with various social media accounts.

Performance Monitoring

This feature allows you to monitor your performance during live streams and take into consideration what to improve.

Overlay Restream Chats

If you want to access your messages on top of a video game or a single display, here is what you need to do:

1. Go to the chat setting by clicking on the “Settings” button at the bottom right corner. After that, a pop up will appear.
2. Click on the “Appearance” button that is available on your screen.
3. Then, you will be redirected to the appearance settings of the chat.
4. From there, click on the “Window Always on Top” buttons and select “Click-Through Mode.”
5. If you do this, you can click anywhere without having to engage in the conversation.
6. Even so, if you want to chat again, just press the Control or Command button on your keyboard.

Starting a Stream

1. Go to Restream.io and sign up. Upon opening the site, the interface will ask you to log in or sign up. You can sign up using an email and create your password for those who don’t have an account.
2.  Once you created your account and logged in. Then, you will be directed to the dashboard feature. The dashboard is where you can add channels that you will use for streaming.
3. Select “Add Channel” and then the service you prefer to publish your stream. Soon after, choose “Connect” and put the Stream key information.
4. If you intend on streaming on IBM Watson Media, click on the “Custom Platform” to add. However, this feature requires an additional cost to be used.
5. Once you succeed in establishing with the stream provider, the channel will immediately reflect on your dashboard. To change a channel’s availability, click the on/off button.
6. Choose a server that is within or nearest to your location. This will then create a Steam Key and RTMP URL for your content on the specific streaming service.

Pros & Cons of Using Restream

Every software, no matter how excellent or appealing it may be, still comes with its pros and cons. We have here some of the pros and cons encountered by some users.

Restream vs Competitors

In the business world, there is always competition, but this is how businesses grow and improve. Comparisons are present, and this is where we get ideas on what to improve. Here are some of the comparisons of the competitors of Restream.

Restream vs. GoToMeeting

GoToMeeting allows users to create videos and content. This enables stronger relationships and boosts post-meeting productivity. It offers a faster collaboration and meeting to save you time and get right to the point. It can also accommodate more than 1000 viewers. The monthly subscription to Go To Meeting is currently at $12 a month per user.

Restream vs. GoToWebinar

GoToWebinar erases the hassle from webinars. It enables you to prepare a presentation more efficiently. It is also equipped with more powerful integrations and features that allow flexible webinar modes and better insight analysis. Similar to Restream, this can authorize more than 1,000 participants. The monthly fee for this is currently at $49 per user a month.

Restream vs. Zoom

For a more engaging and interactive meeting, Zoom can amass multiple participants who can simultaneously share their screen. It can support more than one thousand video participants and forty-nine videos on a screen. Filters, reactions, polls, music, or video-sharing makes sessions more fun and engaging. You can have all this for only $14.99 a month per user.