A creator who wants to go live on three platforms at once usually finds the tool before they find the fine print. Restream and StreamYard both market multistreaming as a free feature, and both mean something narrower by “free” than “three platforms.” Restream’s free plan allows two destinations. StreamYard’s free plan allows one. Neither hits three without a paid plan, and the point where a signup turns into a paywall is the second or third destination you try to add, not the first.
The pitch versus the free plan
“Multistream for free” appears on both vendors’ marketing pages, and it is technically true. It just does not mean what a reader planning a three-platform stream would assume. Restream’s homepage and pricing page both lead with free multistreaming, and StreamYard’s multistreaming page does the same. The free plan destination caps are the actual gate, and they sit well below three. This is a head to head between Restream and StreamYard specifically, since these are the two tools most often recommended to a creator asking how to go live on Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn simultaneously without paying for anything.
What Restream’s free plan includes
| Plan | Price | Simultaneous channels | Restream branding | Studio resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 2, chosen from 30+ supported destinations | Present | HD, 720p |
| Standard | $19/mo | 3 | Removed | HD, 720p |
| Professional | $49/mo | 5 | Removed | Full HD, 1080p |
Restream’s own pricing page states the free plan lets a user “stream on 2 channels at once” and carries Restream branding on the output. The plan’s FAQ confirms this directly: a user can choose 2 from more than 30 social channels to multistream for free, with paid plans unlocking extra channels. The Standard plan, at $19 a month, is the first tier that removes Restream’s branding and raises the channel count to 3. Video resolution does not move at that step. Restream’s own video quality comparison lists both the Free and Standard plans at “HD, 720p” in Restream Studio. Full HD, 1080p in Studio is a Professional plan feature, alongside a rise to 5 simultaneous channels at $49 a month.
What StreamYard’s free plan includes
StreamYard’s multistreaming FAQ answers the destination question without hedging: “Up to 8 destinations simultaneously on the Advanced and Teams plans, 3 on Core, and 1 on the free plan.” One destination is not multistreaming in the literal sense of the word, since multistreaming means sending a single feed out to more than one platform at the same time. A free StreamYard account can go live, but it can only go live in one place. The same FAQ states that new users get a 7 day trial of full multistreaming, after which “regular multistreaming” requires a paid plan starting at $20 a month, for new users in the first year, billed annually. StreamYard’s pricing page lists the StreamYard logo as a feature of the Free plan row and lists “No StreamYard logo on your streams” as something the Core plan adds, confirming the free tier carries the logo on both live streams and recordings. Core is the plan that actually enables multistreaming past a single destination, at three destinations.
Free plan comparison, side by side
| Dimension | Restream free | StreamYard free |
|---|---|---|
| Destination count | 2 | 1 |
| Branding on stream | Restream branding present | StreamYard logo present |
| Resolution | HD, 720p in Studio | [EVIDENCE NEEDED: StreamYard’s pricing and multistreaming pages do not state an exact resolution ceiling for the free plan. Core is listed with “Full HD (1080p)” as an added feature, which implies the free tier sits below 1080p, but the vendor does not name the free tier’s cap directly] |
Neither plan is the three platform pitch a reader is usually chasing, and this is a limits comparison rather than a verdict. Restream’s two free destinations will cover a reader who only needs two platforms live at once. StreamYard’s single free destination will not cover anyone planning to multistream at all, even to two platforms, without moving to Core.
Where the free plan actually breaks for a three-platform stream
Picture a creator setting up a stream to go out on three platforms at once, say a livestream host who wants their broadcast on YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn simultaneously. On Restream, the free plan gets that person exactly two of the three destinations live. Adding the third requires the Standard plan, at $19 a month, which raises the channel cap to 3 and also removes Restream’s branding. On StreamYard, the free plan does not even reach the second destination. Adding a second platform, let alone a third, requires the Core plan, which StreamYard’s multistreaming FAQ prices starting at $20 a month for new users in the first year, billed annually. In both cases the signup flow itself will not stop anyone. The stop happens live, at the moment a creator tries to add the second destination on StreamYard or the third on Restream, and finds the option gated behind a plan they have not bought yet.
What to check before choosing either tool
- Count the number of destinations that actually need to be live at the same time for the stream in question, then compare that number against the free plan’s cap rather than the plan’s name. A plan labeled “free” is not the same claim as “multistreams to three platforms.”
- Decide whether a vendor watermark is acceptable for the stream’s purpose. Restream’s branding sits on the free and, per its pricing page, is removed only from Standard upward. StreamYard’s logo sits on free plan streams and recordings and is removed starting at Core. Neither vendor removes its mark on the free tier.
- Check the resolution cap on the plan being considered before relying on it for a stream where picture quality matters. Restream states its Studio resolution plainly: 720p on Free and Standard, 1080p only from Professional up. StreamYard’s own pages do not state the free tier’s resolution ceiling directly, only that Core adds Full HD 1080p, so that figure needs confirming on StreamYard’s site directly if it matters for a given stream.
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FAQ
Can I multistream to three platforms for free on Restream or StreamYard?
No, on either. Restream’s free plan caps at 2 destinations, so a third destination requires the Standard plan at $19 a month. StreamYard’s free plan caps at 1 destination, and reaching 3 requires the Core plan, which StreamYard’s multistreaming FAQ prices starting at $20 a month for new users in the first year, billed annually.
Does Restream’s or StreamYard’s free plan add a watermark?
Both do. Restream’s pricing page lists Restream branding as present on the free plan and removed starting on the Standard plan. StreamYard’s pricing page lists the StreamYard logo as a free plan feature and lists its removal as something the Core plan adds.
Sources
- Restream pricing page, fetched 2026-09-09
- StreamYard multistreaming FAQ, fetched 2026-09-09
- StreamYard pricing page, fetched 2026-09-09
—LEDGER—
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