15+ best live streaming apps

Modern live streaming apps enable users and organizations to broadcast content instantly, interact with viewers, and build communities at scale. Depending on the platform, these apps support different goals — from monetization and social growth to brand visibility and business communication.

In this guide, we review popular live streaming apps and explain how to choose the right platform based on your audience, content format, and use case.

In this article, you’ll learn:

• What a live streaming app is
• How to choose the best live streaming app for your needs
• Which live streaming apps are widely used today

What is a live streaming app?

A live streaming app is an app that allows users to record and share live video with viewers in real time. The users can also interact with the viewers via a built-in chat and comments.

Live streaming apps are created with different sets of features. The basic live stream apps can only capture and stream content, whereas more complex ones include features for media production purposes.

How to choose the best live streaming app?

To make choosing a live streaming app easy for you, we’ve compiled a list of simple questions.

Ask yourself these to define the best video streaming app for you:

• “Do I have a budget?” A paid video streaming app is better for businesses while free live stream apps should be enough for private and small business use.
• “Do I need analytics?” Some live broadcasting apps have viewer analytics that businesses can use to understand the audience’s behavior. Choose an app with analytics if you’d like to learn more about viewers.
• “Do I need to generate leads?” Pick a live streaming app with marketing and lead generation features in this case.
• “How many live videos will I broadcast?” One hour of 720p live video uses about 2GB, so plan accordingly. Consider an app with unlimited streaming if you’re planning 10 or more events every month.
• “What kind of audience do I want to attract?” Pick a live stream app created specifically for a platform(s) where your audience is. Example: if you’d like to engage social media users, pick among live streaming social media apps.

With that in mind—

Here’s a list of the best live streaming apps, in no particular order. Each app comes with its type, user reviews, and tips for choosing.

Best live streaming apps

1. Tango

Rating: 4.5 (Google Play Store), 4.4 (App Store)

Source: Google Play

Tango is a live streaming app made for content creators who want to make money from their talents. You can create cool experiences for others with performances, earn gifts, and exchange those for real cash. Such platforms enable creators to monetize live content through platform-specific revenue models such as subscriptions, virtual items, and viewer engagement tools.

Why choose Tango:

• Easy registration
• Great video quality
• Can help you earn money
• Compatible with all popular devices
• Show off your talents to millions of people

2. Trovo

Rating: 4.2 (Google Play Store), 4.4. (App Store)

Source: App Store

Love watching your favorite gamers play? Or maybe you’re a hardcore gamer yourself with impressive skills to show off? In both cases, you should check out Trovo. It’s one of the best video streaming apps where you can watch gamers in action and share your experiences, too.

Why choose Trovo:

• Share your own game experience
• Hundreds of streams of video games
• Interact with gamers in a chatroom

3. Twitch

Rating: 4.5 (Google Play Store), 4.7 (App Store)

Source: App Store

Twitch is considered the most popular live streaming app for gamers. Indeed, the platform has 140+ million monthly active users and 9+ million streams. Although most streams on Twitch are related to gaming or technology, you’ll also find many videos with artists and musicians, or simply chats.

Why choose Twitch:

• Simple to use
• Very easy to earn money
• Millions of gaming streams
• Watch and interact with gamers in real time
• Most known game streamers use the platform

4. Vimeo

Rating: 4.0 (Google Play Store), 4.4 (App Store)

Source: App Store

Vimeo is a Swiss Army Knife among live streaming apps. The platform has options for social media video, multiple streams, and business streaming. Users say that this mobile streaming works well across platforms and the video quality is good (full 1080p HD).

Why choose Vimeo:

• No ads on videos
• Easy-to-use video management options
• Viewer engagement options like QAs and polls
• Helpful viewer analytics to learn about the audience
• Broadcast your stream across multiple apps and social media platforms

5. 17LIVE

Rating: 4.2 (Google Play Store), 4.7 (App Store)

Source: App Store

If you want to find streamers who make good content about your interests, try 17LIVE. This live streaming app has millions of streams that mainly cover three topic areas: entertainment, gaming, and art sharing. Users suggest 17LIVE is a stable, secure, and safe video streaming app for Android and iOS.

Why choose 17LIVE:

• 24/7 stream of live entertainment
• Great app to talent shows and performances
• Users can compete in events along with streamers
• Closed communities can be created for like-minded people
• Users can interact with streamers through messages, gifts, and shout-outs

6. Bigo LIVE

Rating: 3.9 (Google Play Store), 4.1 (App Store)

Source: App Store

Want to showcase your talent to millions and get fans? Or maybe you’d like to chat and make friends from abroad? This live streaming app is perfect in both cases. With 400+ million users (mostly Gen Z and Millennials), Bigo is full of live music, chats, gaming, and dances.

Why choose Bigo:

• 24/7 live streams
• One of the largest social networks
• Plenty of live gaming streams
• Cool stickers, filters, and rewards
• Millions of dancers, singers, comedians, and influencers

7. Live Now

Rating: 4.4 (App Store)

Source: App Store

This alternative to big players like Twitch is worth the attention of gamer streamers because of several reasons. First, it’s got excellent video quality—iPhone users gave this live streaming app a great 4.4 rating. Second, there are no time limits, so you can record gameplays as long as you want. Also, Live Now supports simultaneous streaming on 30 platforms.

Why choose Live Now:

• No time limits
• No watermarks
• Easy-to-use and clean app
• Secure, encrypted streaming
• Top-quality screen recording in full HD

8. YouNow

Rating: 4.5 (Google Play Store), 4.5 (App Store)

Source: App Store

If you’re a lifestyle blogger, influencer, or artist, YouNow is the best app to go live on. It’s got a modern interface, quality video, easy controls, and plenty of engagement features. If you choose to entertain people in your broadcasts, you can also earn money.

Why choose YouNow:

• Large, positive community
• Popular with Millennials and Gen Z
• Chat with people from across the globe
• Make money by earning gifts and subscriptions
• Broadcast streams on both YouNow and social media

9. Omlet Arcade

Rating: 4.3 (Google Play Store), 4.6 (App Store)

Source: App Store

Omlet Arcade is another great mobile streaming app for gamers. You can broadcast your gaming experience, team up with friends, and play in communities created by streamers. The app supports PUBG Mobile, Fortnite, Minecraft, and other games for a smooth team playing experience.

Why choose Omlet Arcade:

• Minecraft multiplayer mode
• In-game text and voice chat
• Stream your games to Omlet and social media
• Team streaming feature for collaborative playing
• In-app currency and donations are available for monetization

10. Streamlabs

Rating: 3.7 (Google Play Store), 4.1 (App Store)

Source: App Store

One of the best free video streaming apps for content creators. Besides the usual fan monetization methods like tips, Streamlabs also allows users to open stores and sell merch inside the app. The service even handles product manufacturing and shipping.

Why choose Streamlabs:

• Multistreaming available
• Stream to multiple platforms simultaneously
• Earn money with channel subscriptions and tips
• Use themes, overlays, and stickers to personalize streams
• Integrate with other live streaming apps (Trovo, Twitch, TikTok Live)

11. TikTok Live

Rating: 4.5 (Google Play Store), 4.5 (App Store)

Source: App Store

This live streaming app needs no introduction. It’s one of the top-rated apps with a huge broadcasting community and thousands of live streams happening 24/7. Note, though, that TikTok requires you to be at least 16 years old and have 1,000 or more followers to go live.

Why choose TikTok Live:

• Great for building a large audience
• Thousands of live streams happening 24/7
• Extremely engaging and popular platform
• Plenty of monetization features (virtual gifts, tips, etc.)
• Perfectly geared towards creating marketing content

12. LiveMe Pro

Rating: 4.2 (Google Play Store), 4.3 (App Store)

Source: App Store

This live streaming mobile app was created for entertainment. People join LiveMe to stream interesting moments from their lives, get fans, and receive rewards. So, if you’re looking for some entertainment or a social media influencer career, this one is a good option.

Why choose LiveMe:

• Easy to register and start streaming
• Group video chats with up to nine users
• Voice chat rooms are available for karaoke fans
• Over 20 million streamers create 200,000 hours of entertainment daily
• Great for monetization (LiveMe creators made over $1 million in 7 months)

13. LinkedIn Live

Rating: 4.3 (Google Play Store), 4.3 (App Store)

Source: App Store

Besides being a job board, LinkedIn also is a live streaming app. Businesses can broadcast meetings, conferences, workshops, and other professional events and get more exposure. Note that you need to apply for LinkedIn Live to use this feature.

Why choose LinkedIn Live:

• High video stream quality
• Safe and secure streaming
• Known to generate 600,000 views on LinkedIn
• Useful to generate engagement with professional audiences
• Get help with getting viewers thanks to LinkedIn in-app notifications

14. Nimo TV

Rating: 4.0 (Google Play Store), 4.5 (App Store)

Source: App Store

Nimo TV is a dedicated mobile streaming app for gamers. You can broadcast and watch streams from talented gamers and get involved in conversations with them. Also, Nimo hosts broadcasts of popular global and local esports tournaments—another huge reason to join.

Why choose Nimo TV:

• Play and broadcast your games
• Get access to over 1,000 live games
• Share streams on popular social media
• Monetize your talent in gaming and get followers
• Meet like-minded gamers from around the world

15. YouTube Live

Rating: 4.3 (Google Play Store), 4.7 (App Store)

Source: App Store

Whether you’re hosting a gaming experience, a professional conference, a live charity event, or an interview with a president—YouTube is the best app to go live on. You can get lots of viewers and exposure thanks to the platform’s huge popularity.

Here’s how to create a live stream on YouTube for mobile. Note you’ll have to verify your channels and have at least 50 subscribers to be able to stream.

Why choose YouTube Live:

• Effective chat moderation tools
• Real-time interaction with viewers
• Suitable for any kind of live events
• Second biggest search engine in the world
• Many ways to monetize streams: ads, memberships, stickers, etc.

16. Facebook Live

Rating: 3.3 (Google Play Store), 2.2 (App Store)

Source: App Store

Facebook is an easy way to stream live videos. As a user of the platform, you just need to click Live when creating a post to start a broadcast. Thanks to its immense popularity, Facebook can be a great mobile streaming app for everybody.

Why choose Facebook Live:

• Real-time interaction with viewers
• Useful viewer analytics and statistics
• Broadcast videos directly to groups
• Simple way to share an event with friends
• Perfectly optimized for mobile broadcasting and viewing

17. Instagram Live

Rating: 4.1 (Google Play Store), 4.7 (App Store)

Source: App Store

Another super easy way to stream live videos. Just like with Facebook, tap “Live” when creating a new post—and you’re ready to go. Instagram Live is great for both personal and individual use, which makes it one of the ​​top live streaming apps.

Why choose Instagram Live:

• Fast way to go live
• Live streams are saved for later
• Create private video chats with Rooms
• You can attract more followers and increase their engagement
• Viewers can comment, react, and ask questions during streams

Conclusion

Live streaming apps vary significantly in purpose, feature sets, and target audiences. Some platforms are designed primarily for entertainment and social interaction, while others focus on professional broadcasting, content monetization, or large-scale event streaming.

The platforms covered in this guide represent a broad cross-section of live streaming use cases, from gaming and creator-driven content to business communication and online communities. Choosing the right app depends on factors such as audience reach, interaction features, monetization options, and technical requirements.

General use-case guidance:

• Gaming-focused platforms are suited for real-time gameplay broadcasting and community interaction
• Free social streaming apps work well for casual broadcasts and rapid audience growth
• Business-oriented platforms support professional events, webinars, and branded content
• Community-driven apps emphasize social interaction and user engagement
• Creator-focused platforms provide tools for monetization and audience building

By aligning platform capabilities with your goals and content format, you can select a live streaming solution that supports sustainable growth and effective audience engagement.