The Best Tools for 24/7 YouTube Live Streaming in 2026
Key takeaways
- For one always-on YouTube channel from a prerecorded playlist, the cheapest dedicated option is Loopcast at $11 a month, with no end date on the stream.
- OneStream Live, Upstream and LiveReacting are multistreaming or live studio tools that also offer 24/7 streaming. They fit best when you also need to send streams to many platforms at once.
- Gyre is the pick for 4K, vertical or 360 degree streams and native Instagram or X streaming, starting at $49 a month.
- Self-hosted FFmpeg and a home computer running OBS cost the least in fees, but you are the one who fixes every crash.
A 24/7 YouTube stream plays a prerecorded playlist live around the clock, so the channel is always on. Lo-fi radio, ambience, study music, label catalogs and rerun channels all work this way. Below are the tools people actually use for it in 2026, what each costs, and who each one is built for. Prices were checked in October 2026 and can change, so confirm on each company's own pricing page.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Built for | 24/7 starting price | Stream end date | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loopcast | 24/7 looping only | $11/mo (1 stream), $33/mo (3) | None | One or a few always-on YouTube channels |
| OneStream Live | Scheduling and multistreaming | $30/mo add-on on a paid plan, or $139/mo Enterprise | Up to 30 days, then reschedule | Scheduled shows sent to many platforms |
| Upstream | Live studio and multistreaming | About $30/mo for one paid stream | Repeating schedules | Teams running live shows on up to 10 platforms |
| Gyre | 24/7 cloud streaming | $49/mo (playlists from $99/mo) | None | 4K, vertical, 360 degree, Instagram or X |
| LiveReacting | Interactive live studio | $39.99/mo 24/7 plan | None | Polls, trivia, overlays, up to 5 destinations |
| Castr | Business video hosting and CDN | $199.99/mo for infinite looping | 15 to 30 days | Companies that also need hosting and a player |
| Streamloop | 24/7 looping | Check current pricing | None | One looping channel |
| Self-hosted FFmpeg | Do it yourself | Server cost only | None | People who can run and repair a server |
| OBS at home | Desktop streaming software | Free, plus power and internet | Until the computer stops | Testing, short runs |
The tools, one by one
Loopcast
Loopcast does one job: keep a video playlist live on YouTube with no end date. You upload videos, build a playlist, connect your YouTube channel and go live. Loopcast creates the broadcast for you (title, description, thumbnail) and keeps it running on its own servers, so your computer can be off. Creator is $11 a month for one always-on stream and 25GB of storage. Pro is $33 a month for up to three streams at once on different channels, with 100GB. It can restart the broadcast every 6, 8 or 11 hours so each part is saved as a YouTube replay, which matters because YouTube only archives streams under 12 hours. A stream key also works for Twitch, Facebook Live or any RTMP platform. There's a free 24 hour live trial with no card in supported countries.
Choose it if an always-on channel is the whole job and you want the lowest price per channel. Skip it if you need one stream sent to several platforms at once, or a live studio with guests.
OneStream Live
OneStream Live schedules live, prerecorded and playlist streams and sends them to many platforms at once, up to 50 destinations on the top plan. Paid plans run from $15 to $139 a month. True 24/7 streaming needs its 24 Hours Streams add-on ($30 a month on a paid plan) or the Enterprise plan. Its 24/7 streams are YouTube only and run up to 30 days before you schedule them again. Full comparison: Loopcast vs OneStream Live.
Choose it if you schedule lots of streams across many platforms and 24/7 is one piece of that.
Upstream
Upstream is a browser based live studio and multistreaming platform for teams and agencies. It sends a stream to up to 10 destinations at once, hosts guests and screen sharing, and can repeat a stream on a daily schedule, which covers some always-on uses. Plans start around $30 a month for one paid stream. Full comparison: Loopcast vs Upstream.
Choose it if you run live, multi guest shows on several platforms and want an always-on option in the same tool.
Gyre
Gyre streams prerecorded video to YouTube 24/7 from its own servers, the same core job as Loopcast. Paid plans start at $49 a month, and playlists and the scheduler start on the $99 a month Start+ plan. It supports 4K, vertical and 360 degree streams and native streaming to Instagram and X. Full comparison: Loopcast vs Gyre.
Choose it if you need 4K, vertical video, or Instagram and X as destinations.
LiveReacting
LiveReacting is a live studio with polls, trivia, countdowns and overlays. Its 24/7 Streaming plan is $39.99 a month, runs with no time limit, sends to up to 5 destinations, and lets you edit the playlist while live. Full comparison: Loopcast vs LiveReacting.
Choose it if you want interactive overlays on top of an always-on stream.
Castr
Castr is a business video platform: hosting, a CDN, an embeddable player, multistreaming and TV style playout. Infinite looping starts on its Premium plan at $199.99 a month, and loops need an end date (15 days on Premium, 30 on Ultra). Full comparison: Loopcast vs Castr.
Choose it if your company also needs video hosting and its own player.
Streamloop
Streamloop also turns a playlist into a 24/7 YouTube stream without OBS. The main differences from Loopcast are in how each prices extra simultaneous streams. Full comparison: Loopcast vs Streamloop.
Self-hosted FFmpeg on a server
You rent a server and run FFmpeg to loop your files to YouTube's RTMP address. Fees are only the server cost, but you build it, normalize your video formats, and fix it when it crashes at 3am. YouTube integration (titles, thumbnails, replays) means writing your own code against the YouTube API. Loopcast vs a DIY FFmpeg server.
OBS on a computer at home
OBS is free and you may already have a spare computer. But the stream stops whenever the computer updates, sleeps, loses power or loses internet, and you have to be there to restart it. Good for testing, not for a channel people count on. OBS vs cloud streaming for an always-on channel.
Tools people mention that aren't built for 24/7
- Restream sends one live feed to many platforms at once. It is a multistreaming tool, not a looping one. Loopcast vs Restream.
- StreamYard is a live studio for interviews and podcasts. Its prerecorded option is capped at a few hours, with no looping. Loopcast vs StreamYard.
- Streamlabs is production software for streaming live yourself, with scenes and alerts. It has no mode for looping a playlist around the clock. Loopcast vs Streamlabs.
How to choose
- One always-on YouTube channel, lowest cost: Loopcast Creator, $11 a month.
- Two or three always-on channels: Loopcast Pro, $33 a month for up to three at once.
- One stream to many platforms at once: OneStream Live, Upstream or LiveReacting.
- 4K, vertical, or Instagram and X: Gyre.
- Video hosting and a player for a business: Castr.
- Full control and you can run a server: self-hosted FFmpeg.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to stream 24/7 on YouTube?
A spare computer running OBS costs nothing in fees but stops whenever the computer does. The cheapest hosted option built for 24/7 is Loopcast at $11 a month for one always-on stream with no end date.
Can OneStream Live stream 24/7?
Yes, with its 24 Hours Streams add-on ($30 a month on a paid plan) or its $139 a month Enterprise plan. Its 24/7 streams are YouTube only and run up to 30 days before they need rescheduling.
Is Gyre or Loopcast better for a 24/7 YouTube channel?
Both stream a playlist to YouTube around the clock from the cloud. Gyre adds 4K, vertical and 360 degree video and Instagram and X, from $49 a month. Loopcast is $11 a month for one YouTube stream with playlists included, and $33 for three.
Do I need to keep my computer on for a 24/7 YouTube stream?
Not with a cloud tool like Loopcast, Gyre or OneStream Live, which stream from their own servers. You do with OBS at home.
Does YouTube save replays of 24/7 streams?
YouTube only archives live streams under 12 hours. To keep replays of a 24/7 stream, the broadcast has to restart before 12 hours. Loopcast can do this automatically every 6, 8 or 11 hours.