In 2025, for both creators and watchers, live streaming has evolved into a powerhouse for creators, some businesses, and professionals alike. If you are a creator, you go live to share the content or keep the audience up to date, or the citizen wants to stay active by knowing what’s happening live throughout the world. The live streams are perfect fits for both the content creators and fans, but a suitable platform can be helpful for many. There are different platforms that allow the user to host different services, but the right app can make the best experience.

This guide is designed to provide you with the top 4 live streaming apps that can really help you to watch the stream with confidence and boost your online productivity.

What is a Live Streaming App?

Generally, a live streaming app is a platform on which you can watch and share streamed content. Think YouTube Live and Twitch: You can stream natively on these platforms and you can watch other creators stream.

There are also live streaming apps that allow you to embed your content onto your website, or apps that allow you to watch streams but not upload them. These aren’t social platforms, but more like content creation platforms or branded apps for businesses. This category could technically also include video conferencing apps like Zoom or Google Meet.

Additionally, many apps can enhance your live streaming creation. That means apps that help you to create better, more exciting livestreamed content, apps that allow you to reach more people, and so on. These apps typically allow you to stream to platforms like YouTube Live, but via their interface, so that you can have control over the output of the livestream.

These companion apps — that is, apps that make live stream creation possible — are some of the popular types of live streaming apps.

What is Multistreaming?

Once you begin considering live streaming apps, you’ll encounter the term “multistreaming” (or occasionally, “simulcasting”). Multistreaming refers to live streaming to multiple platforms at one time, e.g., YouTube Live and Twitch. Multistreaming is something that can only be done through a live streaming app — you can’t natively stream to multiple platforms without the aid of an app that has multistreaming functionality.

In 2025, multistreaming has become even more essential as audiences fragment across platforms. Tools like Restream or Switcher Studio enable seamless broadcasting to multiple sites, maximizing reach without extra effort.

How to Choose a Live Streaming App

Let’s suppose you are the creator, you have many options to go live, but which one is seamless? How do you choose? Naturally, it depends upon the type of audience and the intent that drove the users to the content. If you are a podcaster and trying to grow your audience, or you have a small business and wanna lead the sales point for the different products to be sold. It depends on your goal to use the desired and stable platform that has the perfect fit.

Here’s what to consider when choosing a live streaming app:

1. User Experience: Is the app intuitive? You don’t want to spend more time figuring out the tech than engaging with your viewers. Choose a platform that’s straightforward to navigate.
2. Customizability: Your brand’s personality should shine through every livestream. Look for an app that lets you tweak colors, add logos, or make your stream look polished.
3. Scalability: Whether you’re streaming to a small, intimate group or an international audience of thousands, the app you choose should be able to grow with you. Think about your future needs and whether the app can handle them.
4. Engagement Tools: Livestreaming is all about interacting with your audience and creating genuine human connections. So, look for features like live chat, polls, and Q&A—the more ways you can connect, the better.
5. Integrations with Other Tools: The best livestreaming apps work seamlessly with other platforms. Whether you want to multistream across social media sites or sell products through your ecommerce website, integrations give you room to grow and expand.
6. Analytics: Understanding how your streams are performing helps you make smarter decisions moving forward. So, look for live streaming apps that give you insights into viewer behavior, engagement rates, and performance metrics.

Keep these tips in mind as we compare the features and functionalities of the top 4 best live streaming apps in 2025. We’ve selected these based on user adoption, innovation, and versatility, drawing from industry trends and real-world creator feedback.

Best Native Live Streaming Apps in 2025

1. YouTube Live

For the live streaming, YouTube has been most popular among half a billion users worldwide. The process of signing up for a YouTube account is very easy. After creating the account, you can simply post videos and can go live from the computer or even from your portable mobile phone. On YouTube, we can find many content creators covering broad categories.

The second large search engine award goes to YouTube; people who use YouTube have more opportunities to care about the content. The major pros of YouTube are the advantage of video-on-demand and even the events on YouTube Live. Video on demand means the content creator makes the playlist of the content and keeps it updated from time to time. Along with this, YouTube has many other tons of benefits beyond the recorded videos than the live streams.

In 2025, YouTube Live has introduced major updates like dual-format streaming (horizontal and vertical simultaneously) and minigames for enhanced engagement, making it ideal for mobile-first creators. Over 30% of daily logged-in viewers now watch live content, up from previous years.

Pros of YouTube

• In-depth analytics and reporting
• Massive audience and robust search algorithm
• Integration with Google means that YouTube videos show up in Google search results
• YouTube Partner Program offers built-in monetization tools like Super Chat, Super Stickers, and channel memberships
• Capability to share long-form and short-form videos on the same platform
• Ability to archive previous streams and videos on demand

Cons of YouTube

• Live content isn’t the platform’s priority
• YouTube controls who advertises on your content
• It can be hard for new creators without an established audience to get noticed on such a huge platform
• Membership in the YouTube Partner Program (i.e., monetization) requires 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time
• Monetization features come with hefty revenue shares — e.g. YouTube takes 30% of your Channel Membership money

Uses of YouTube

• News
• Gaming
• Sports
• Live vlogs
• Interviews
• Product announcements
• Tutorials
• Webinars
• Everything in between

2. Facebook Live

Like YouTube, Facebook is a huge platform with plenty of opportunities for live streaming. Facebook is the most popular social media platform with over three billion monthly users (as of 2025). Facebook also offers the opportunity to share longer content and short-form content on the same platform with their Reels and Stories features. Creators can stream from desktop or mobile to a professional page, personal profile, or Facebook group, which supports audience growth and cultivation.

In 2025, Facebook Live continues to prioritize real-time notifications and integrations with Meta’s ecosystem, including easy crossposting to Instagram.

Pros of Facebook

• Prioritized live content: Followers are notified when you go live
• Built-in chat moderation settings
• Real-time livestream performance analytics
• Monetization from in-stream ads

Cons of Facebook

• Maximum livestream length of 8 hours
• No content indexing, meaning that Facebook Live videos don’t appear in search engine results
• Complicated interface
• Limited community engagement tools
• Streaming in HD is restricted to members of Level Up (Facebook’s gaming creator program) and managed partners

Uses of Facebook

• Gaming
• Live shopping
• Live events and performances
• Industry updates
• Live Q and As
• Product announcements

3. LinkedIn Live

LinkedIn is a unique social media platform. It’s been around for two decades and has always focused on business professionals. There are significantly fewer LinkedIn users than there are YouTube and Facebook users, but the platform is used by millions daily to network, find jobs, and engage with industry thought leaders. LinkedIn also offers four premium pricing tiers.

In 2025, LinkedIn Live has seen growth in B2B content, with features for event streaming and professional networking, making it a go-to for thought leaders.

Pros of LinkedIn

• LinkedIn Live offers a unique opportunity to share content relevant to a particular industry or niche
• Streams can be directed to LinkedIn profiles, Pages, or Events
• LinkedIn Lives are public and recorded by default — after a stream ends, the recording stays on your LinkedIn profile or Page
• Robust analytics

Cons of LinkedIn

• LinkedIn Live access is restricted to members and Pages with more than 150 followers, among other criteria
• LinkedIn doesn’t support streaming natively, so creators need to use a third-party broadcast tool to create a LinkedIn Live
• The maximum livestream duration is four hours
• Content generally relates to industry news and professional interests, so the platform won’t support every type of creator
• Limited livestream viewership compared to other platforms

Uses of LinkedIn

• Company announcements
• Recruitment
• Workshops
• Industry updates
• Live events
• Q&As

4. X (Twitter) Live

X (formerly Twitter) has transformed into a dynamic hub for real-time conversations, and its live streaming feature is no exception. With over 500 million users, X Live allows creators to broadcast directly from the mobile app or via RTMP for desktop setups. In 2025, X has integrated AI-powered feeds, shopping functionality, and enhanced live tools, including seamless integration with Spaces for audio-visual hybrids.

Though the premium feature offers the live streaming option on X, to go live, the premium subscription is mandatory. If you subscribe to the premium version of X, you can enjoy many other features like Super Follows and revenue sharing. This standability positions the X as a live tool for the quick and viral broadcast, and is perfect for the news and many other interactions.

Pros of X

• Real-time engagement with global audiences via hashtags and retweets
• Easy mobile-first streaming with portrait/landscape support
• Integration with X’s ecosystem for shopping and monetization (e.g., Super Follows)
• AI enhancements for personalized feeds and moderation
• Ability to embed streams on websites for broader reach

Cons of X

• Live streaming locked behind premium subscription
• Shorter average session times due to fast-paced nature
• Limited advanced analytics compared to YouTube
• Potential for trolls in unmoderated chats
• Maximum duration varies but often capped at 4-8 hours

Uses of X

• Breaking news and live commentary
• Q&As with influencers
• Product launches and teasers
• Political debates and AMAs
• Casual vlogs and behind-the-scenes

Emerging Trends in Live Streaming for 2025

With the integration of Artificial Intelligence into the different platforms, there is personalization, moderation, and analytics for live streaming. /along with the streaming on platforms like Facebook, X, and YouTube, users can also expect more interactive elements like quizzes, polls, and shoppable streams. The recent research shows that the live streams on these platforms drive more engagement. For the creator, the multistreaming is the best option to go live on multiple accounts at the same time, which can help increase the reach by 200%-300%.

Also Read: 6 Critical Signs Your Phone Is Hacked (Plus Emergency Action Plan)

Step-by-Step Guide: Getting Started with Live Streaming

1. Define Your Goals: Are you building a community (Twitch/X) or professional network (LinkedIn)?
2. Choose Your App: Match it to your audience—YouTube for broad reach, X for virality.
3. Set Up Equipment: Start with a smartphone; upgrade to mics/cameras for pro quality.
4. Test Your Stream: Run a private test to check audio/video.
5. Engage Live: Use polls and chats to keep viewers hooked.
6. Analyze and Iterate: Review metrics to refine future streams.

Case Study: A tech reviewer using YouTube Live and multistreaming to X saw a 150% viewership spike by leveraging dual-format features.

FAQs About Live Streaming Apps in 2025

So, What’s the Best Live Streaming App in 2025?

The best platform depends on the goal of going live. You can choose YouTube Live for the massive reach, X for the virality, Facebook for the community building, and LinkedIn is suitable for a professional approach. It’s better to test them out for the versatility; if concluded, consider combining the multistreaming using different tools.

What’s your goal? Selected a platform? Share your chosen favorite app in the comment section below, and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates.