Owncast vs YouTube
Owncast
owncast.online
YouTube
youtube.comSide by side
| Figure | Owncast | YouTube |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $1.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 5 |
| Spec score · Live TV streaming services | 8.3 (#49) | 9.0 (#7) |
| Spec score · Live streaming software | 8.2 (#48) | 8.9 (#11) |
| Spec score · Live Streaming Software | 8.2 (#50) | 8.9 (#11) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Privacy | The site says Owncast requires no accounts, does no tracking or data harvesting, and can let streamers and viewers remain anonymous. | YouTube says it does not sell personal information and provides controls to review and manage data saved and used across Google services. |
| Support | The contact page directs general usage and support questions to its community chat and bugs to its issue tracker. | YouTube directs users to its Help Center, Help Community, and TeamYouTube for troubleshooting and updates. |
Plans
YouTube
- Sports + News Plan$49.99 a month
- YouTube TV$59.99 a month
- Sports Plan$64.99 a month
- 4K Plus$9.99 a month
- More premium TV add-ons$1.99 a month
In their own words
YouTube
YouTube is a service for discovering, watching, and sharing videos and other content, as well as a platform for creators and advertisers. People can browse and search without a Google account, though some features require one. Channel owners can upload videos, comment, and make Shorts and playlists; YouTube Studio is the place to post videos and edit a channel. Shorts are vertical videos of 60 seconds or less, alongside longer videos. Recommendations use signals such as viewing behavior, likes, dislikes, subscriptions, and satisfaction feedback. Users can pause, edit, or delete their search and watch history. Developers can use YouTube APIs to embed playback, search and manage content, review analytics, add subscribe buttons, and manage live streams. Eligible Partner Program creators may access multiple revenue streams, subject to regional availability and program criteria. The free service is listed for Android, iOS, and web, with an API. YouTube Premium adds ad-free viewing on millions of videos, offline downloads, background play, and ad-free music in YouTube Music, though some creator and event promotions may remain. Premium plan options include individual, household family, and annually verified student plans.