StreamYard
Whereby
| Feature | StreamYard | Whereby |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $20/mo | Free / from $8.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | live-streamers, webinar-hosts, content-creators, social-media-managers | small-teams, consultants, telehealth-providers, embedded-video-apps |
| Founded | 2018 | 2013 |
| Multistreaming | ✓ | ✗ |
| Custom Overlays | ✓ | ✗ |
| Guest Management | ✓ | ✗ |
| Screen Sharing | ✓ | ✓ |
| On Screen Comments | ✓ | ✗ |
| Custom Branding | ✓ | ✓ |
| Recording | ✓ | ✓ |
| Backstage | ✓ | ✗ |
| Browser Based | ✗ | ✓ |
| Permanent Rooms | ✗ | ✓ |
| Breakout Groups | ✗ | ✓ |
| Embeddable Api | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ StreamYard Pros
- Stream to multiple platforms simultaneously (multicast)
- Professional-looking streams without OBS complexity
- Browser-based with no software installation
- Easy guest management and on-screen comments
✗ StreamYard Cons
- StreamYard branding on free plan
- Less customizable than OBS for advanced users
- Recording quality lower than dedicated tools
✓ Whereby Pros
- No downloads or plugins required for anyone
- Permanent meeting room URLs
- Embeddable video API for custom integrations
- Clean and minimal interface
✗ Whereby Cons
- Limited to 200 participants on highest plan
- Fewer features than Zoom or Teams
- Recording only available on paid plans
The Verdict
StreamYard is built for live streamers and webinar hosts, with a focus on multistreaming and custom-overlays. Whereby targets small teams and consultants and leads with browser-based and permanent-rooms.
On pricing, Whereby is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $8.99/mo compared to $20/mo for StreamYard. That $11.01/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, StreamYard offers broader built-in capabilities (8 features vs 7), while Whereby takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.