"Find Your Perfect Mobile Video Companion  Apart From YouTube"

"Find Your Perfect Mobile Video Companion Apart From YouTube"

Steven Lv12

Find Your Perfect Mobile Video Companion: Apart From YouTube

Youtube Video Maker - Wondershare Filmora

Provide abundant video effects and templates

Designed with all-in-one and easy-to-use video editing features.

Support with Professional user guide and interactive tutorials.

Try It Free Try It Free

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Now, YouTube becomes the second largest search engine in the world, over 1 billion hours of YouTube videos are watched per day. People will be using Google apps to access videos on YouTube. Unfortunately, there are existing issues in using the official application such as the stopping of the playback when you minimize the app and the number of annoying ads displayed on the YouTube application. If you want to get rid of these issues, then you might want to choose YouTube App Alternatives for iPhone and Android.

In this article

Part 1: 5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for iPhone

Part 2: 5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for Android Phone

5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for iPhone

For Apple users, here are some of the best YouTube App Alternatives. We analyzed their top feature and why we decided to include them in this top 5 list.

1. Tube Master

Price: Free

The abundance of features this app provides makes it one of the best alternatives for the YouTube app. Tube Master lets you watch videos while browsing through the millions of videos that are available on the world’s largest video-sharing platform. This iOS-based app enables you to search or play videos without having to sign in to your account, and it allows you to change the video playback speed so you can watch videos in slow motion. The Tube Master app lets you create an unlimited amount of playlists and allows you to answer comments or chat messages instantly.

Tube Mater Features

  • Available on Google Play Store and third-party app stores
  • You can browse videos using the built-in browser
  • Allows you to download videos and audios at different resolutions
  • Play videos offline with a built-in video player
  • You can download videos from multiple social media platforms
  • Lightweight app and requires low RAM and storage space

Download Tube Master

Tube Master - Free Music Video Player for YouTube

Pros

Users can play the video in fast forward or go back

Easy to use

A rich selection of features

Cons

Slow speed

2. YouTube ++

Price: Free

The YouTube++ app is designed to make watching and downloading YouTube videos to your device a fun and easy process. What’s more, it blocks ads, so you won’t have to wait for the ad to finish to be able to continue watching a video. Changing the video playback speed, forward and rewind controls or the auto-reply options are just a few among the many useful features the YouTube++ app offers to its users. Furthermore, the app lets you disable age restrictions, but it only plays videos in default playback quality.

YouTube++ Features

  • Runs without Google Play Services
  • Download videos and play them offline on your device
  • Share videos on WhatsApp and other social media apps
  • Comes with an ads blocker
  • You can play audio and video in the background
  • Allows you to play videos on loop
  • You can disable the age restriction
  • Comes with a fast-forwarding or rewinding feature for users
  • Also comes with an audio and video format converter

Download Youtube ++

Pros

Audio player available for downloaded videos

Allows you to play video and audio files while using other apps

Removes ads from the videos you watch

Cons

The app isn’t available at the AppStore

Limited playback quality capabilities

3. MyTube

Price: Free

YouTubers who are passionate about music are going to love using this app because it offers superb search tools that enable them to find their favorite songs within seconds. You can either search songs by name, album or artist. MyTube’s users can create their playlists that can continuously play, while the app also provides the option to share videos to Facebook or via email. You can save a song you like on your YouTube account and listen to it whenever you want in just a few simple taps in the MyTube app.

MyTube Features

  • Create and manage various playlists
  • Supports HD quality videos
  • Continue watching your current video while you browse the app
  • Play music videos in the background while you use other apps
  • Download videos and audio to watch or listen offline
  • Post and reply to comments

Download MyTube

YouTube Alternative app for iPhone MyTube

Pros

Powerful search tools

The app offers a simple way to create playlists and organize videos or music

Repeat and Shuffle options

Cons

MyTube doesn’t allow you to download videos from YouTube

No fast forward or rewind options

4. VideoTube

Price: Free

If you would like to manage your YouTube, Vimeo, and DailyMotion account from a single app on your iPhone or iPad, then the right choice for you is the VideoTube app. Simply log in to your YouTube account and start browsing through the platform’s endless collection of videos. The app provides one of the kind widgets that lets you open videos you want to watch from the Notification Center. Browsing through YouTube channels, commenting on videos, or subscribing to channels you like are among the numerous features this app offers to its users.

VideoTube Features

  • Features popular videos from all leading platforms
  • You can browse from multiple categories
  • User-interface and website layout is similar to YouTube
  • You can also submit your own video content
  • Download videos and play them offline

Download Video Tube

YouTube Watch Alternative: Video Tube

Pros

You can browse through your search history and watch your favorite videos again

Add videos to the watch list

The app is not prone to crashing

Cons

Even though it is free, it contains in-app purchases

Relatively poor codec support

5. Tubex - Video & Music Player

Price: Free

Keeping in touch with the latest trends in the music industry or discovering your new favorite song is easy with Tubex. The iOS-based app shows the hottest music trends for the country from which it is accessed, while its intuitive interface makes searching for new songs a fun process. You can add each song you like to a wishlist or include it in the playlist you created with Tubex. The app lets you create as many playlists as you want so you can easily sort all music you discover. Tubex also features a video player that can be activated by a single tap on the video you’d like to watch.

Tubex Features

  • Watch and listen to the latest music videos
  • Contains unlimited videos arranged reasonably
  • Comes with an attractive and user-friendly design
  • Allows you to download and share songs and videos
  • You can like, share and comment on videos
  • Add your favorite videos to the watchlist
  • Also comes with a playlist manager

Download Tubex

Tubex Tobidy Music iPlay Video

Pros

Elegant and functionally designed interface

Users can create an unlimited number of playlists

Makes managing large quantities of video files look easy

Cons

In-app purchases are required to unlock all of the app’s features

Turbex doesn’t offer a video download option

5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for Android Phone

We will not be leaving our Android phone readers behind. For the best YouTube App for their gadgets, here are our top picks for this year.

1. NewPipe

Price: Free

This Freeware, open-source app is basically a lighter version of the YouTube app that doesn’t require any Google Play services to run smoothly. NewPipe collects the URL source from YouTube and displays the information it gathers in the app that is completely independent of this platform. The app’s users can search videos, view the video’s info, or choose which streaming player they are going to use to watch the video. The app offers support for videos in 1080p, 2K, or 4K resolution, which means that you watch high-quality videos from your phone. The NewPipe app is a great choice for YouTubers who don’t have powerful Android phones but still want to enjoy the benefits of browsing the world’s largest video-sharing platform.

NewPipe Features

  • Runs without Google Play Services
  • Unlimited downloads
  • You can set and change the quality of video play
  • Play videos in the background while you use other apps
  • Download the video and audio at different resolutions.
  • Play video as a Pop-up box for multitasking
  • Lightweight and consumes low storage and battery

Download New Pipe

NewPipe YouTube Alternative

Pros

Great browsing and search features

Lets you download videos to your device

Offers support for high-resolution videos

Cons

The app is not available on the Google Play store

Limited tools for creating playlists

2. OGYouTube

Price: Free

Like most YouTube client apps, OGYouTube lets you browse the platform, listen to music or watch videos in different resolutions. As a matter of fact, this app is just an older version of the YouTube client app, that still provides the option to download videos. However, if you log into your account on YouTube, with the OGYouTube app you won’t be able to download videos. The app’s interface is identical to YouTube’s interface, which means that you won’t have to waste a lot of time trying to figure out how to use OGYouTube.

OGYouTube Features

  • Play and download videos directly from the app
  • Supports different video qualities
  • Play video in background
  • Comes with a dark mode on android devices
  • Runs parallel with the default YouTube app
  • No annoying ads to disturb you

Download OGYouTube

OGYouTube YouTube Alternative

Pros

A great option for people who don’t have powerful Android phones

Lets you play videos while using other apps

The app doesn’t contain ads

Cons

Not an official YouTube client app

Not available on Google Play Store

3. YouTube GO

Price: Free

YouTube’s official app can be quite demanding since it requires a fast Internet connection. That’s the reason why the company launched a lighter version of their official app, which is currently available in 130 countries around the world. One of the greatest advantages of the YouTube Go app is the fact that it lets you choose how many MB you spend on videos. Furthermore, the app is built to work seamlessly even at low Internet speeds, so its users can listen to music or download videos even if they don’t have access to an ultra-fast WiFi connection.

YouTube Go Features

  • Official YouTube app for rapid downloads and sharing
  • Download the app directly from Google Play Store
  • You can preview videos before watching
  • Download videos to your device and watch offline
  • You can watch videos in different qualities
  • Lets you control data speed

Download YouTube GO

YouTube Go YouTube Alternative

Pros

Video transfers don’t use data

Remarkable video sharing capabilities

Compatible with older versions of Android OS

Cons

Users can’t create playlists

The app contains ads

4. FlyTube APK

Price: Free

Even though FlyTube APK doesn’t offer many options, it is still one of the best YouTube app alternatives, because it lets you watch videos directly from YouTube while preserving your data. In order to be able to install it on your device, you must make sure that the OS you have on your phone is at least Android 4.0 or later. FlyTube APK enables you to listen to music from YouTube while chatting or using other apps on your phone. The app’s small window is fully adjustable and you can place it in the background while doing other things.

FlyTube APK Features

  • Play videos in the pop-up while you use other apps
  • Multiple YouTube videos are available to browse from
  • Share videos on multiple platforms
  • Does not run on Google Play Services
  • A small sized app so does not drain battery and storage

Download FlyTube APK

FlyTube APK   YouTube Alternative

Pros

A lightweight app that allows you to gain access to YouTube’s rich music collection

FlyTube doesn’t contain ads or surveys

Great multitasking potential

Cons

It easily drains the phone’s battery

The app’s not available on the Google Play store

5. iTube

Price: Free

If you are looking for an app that will let you listen to music from YouTube on your phone while you are using apps such as Facebook or WhatsApp, then iTube is one of the best choices you can make. The app is specifically designed to save battery and to enable its users to have access to music while they are in areas with no Internet reception. What’s more, if you don’t want to spend all your monthly data on YouTube videos, iTube offers a great solution for limited bandwidth plans, because it uses a minimum amount of data to play videos.

iTube Features

  • Download full-playlists in audio and video formats
  • You can convert and download videos in different formats like mp4, AVI, WMV, etc.
  • Download videos from multiple different websites and apps
  • You can record and upload videos using the built-in screen recorder
  • You can adjust data usage
  • Easy to use and browse your favorite videos

Download iTube

iTube   YouTube Alternative

Pros

The app works without Internet

No ads before or during a video

Great source of music on long flights

Saves battery

Cons

The app’s users can’t comment on YouTube videos

Limited sharing capabilities

Conclusion

In recent years, short videos and instant music videos are getting popular, Instagram even launched an app Called IGTV for people to share videos, let alone the hot lip-sync music video sharing app Musical.ly (now Tik Tok) which has 500+ million active users globally. So, if you are eager to create and watch short social media videos, you can try these two apps as well.

Whenever you want to get more subscribers and make money with videos, you really need to pay attention to the video content as content is the king in video marketing. Besides the creative ideas, powerful video editing software for YouTubers will help you to step to the next level. Here are some cool video effects that you may be interested in. Do not hesitate to download Filmora and edit with some cool visual effects to your video today.

Wanted to make YouTube videos by yourself and share them with your audiences? Check this easy-to-use and powerful video editor for YouTube - Wondershare’s Filmora , and ignite your video with clicks. Filmora allows you to create 9:16, 1:1 videos for your phone. What’s more, you can export your work directly from the computer to YouTube with Filmora.

Try It Free Try It Free

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Try It Free Try It Free

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Now, YouTube becomes the second largest search engine in the world, over 1 billion hours of YouTube videos are watched per day. People will be using Google apps to access videos on YouTube. Unfortunately, there are existing issues in using the official application such as the stopping of the playback when you minimize the app and the number of annoying ads displayed on the YouTube application. If you want to get rid of these issues, then you might want to choose YouTube App Alternatives for iPhone and Android.

In this article

Part 1: 5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for iPhone

Part 2: 5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for Android Phone

5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for iPhone

For Apple users, here are some of the best YouTube App Alternatives. We analyzed their top feature and why we decided to include them in this top 5 list.

1. Tube Master

Price: Free

The abundance of features this app provides makes it one of the best alternatives for the YouTube app. Tube Master lets you watch videos while browsing through the millions of videos that are available on the world’s largest video-sharing platform. This iOS-based app enables you to search or play videos without having to sign in to your account, and it allows you to change the video playback speed so you can watch videos in slow motion. The Tube Master app lets you create an unlimited amount of playlists and allows you to answer comments or chat messages instantly.

Tube Mater Features

  • Available on Google Play Store and third-party app stores
  • You can browse videos using the built-in browser
  • Allows you to download videos and audios at different resolutions
  • Play videos offline with a built-in video player
  • You can download videos from multiple social media platforms
  • Lightweight app and requires low RAM and storage space

Download Tube Master

Tube Master - Free Music Video Player for YouTube

Pros

Users can play the video in fast forward or go back

Easy to use

A rich selection of features

Cons

Slow speed

2. YouTube ++

Price: Free

The YouTube++ app is designed to make watching and downloading YouTube videos to your device a fun and easy process. What’s more, it blocks ads, so you won’t have to wait for the ad to finish to be able to continue watching a video. Changing the video playback speed, forward and rewind controls or the auto-reply options are just a few among the many useful features the YouTube++ app offers to its users. Furthermore, the app lets you disable age restrictions, but it only plays videos in default playback quality.

YouTube++ Features

  • Runs without Google Play Services
  • Download videos and play them offline on your device
  • Share videos on WhatsApp and other social media apps
  • Comes with an ads blocker
  • You can play audio and video in the background
  • Allows you to play videos on loop
  • You can disable the age restriction
  • Comes with a fast-forwarding or rewinding feature for users
  • Also comes with an audio and video format converter

Download Youtube ++

Pros

Audio player available for downloaded videos

Allows you to play video and audio files while using other apps

Removes ads from the videos you watch

Cons

The app isn’t available at the AppStore

Limited playback quality capabilities

3. MyTube

Price: Free

YouTubers who are passionate about music are going to love using this app because it offers superb search tools that enable them to find their favorite songs within seconds. You can either search songs by name, album or artist. MyTube’s users can create their playlists that can continuously play, while the app also provides the option to share videos to Facebook or via email. You can save a song you like on your YouTube account and listen to it whenever you want in just a few simple taps in the MyTube app.

MyTube Features

  • Create and manage various playlists
  • Supports HD quality videos
  • Continue watching your current video while you browse the app
  • Play music videos in the background while you use other apps
  • Download videos and audio to watch or listen offline
  • Post and reply to comments

Download MyTube

YouTube Alternative app for iPhone MyTube

Pros

Powerful search tools

The app offers a simple way to create playlists and organize videos or music

Repeat and Shuffle options

Cons

MyTube doesn’t allow you to download videos from YouTube

No fast forward or rewind options

4. VideoTube

Price: Free

If you would like to manage your YouTube, Vimeo, and DailyMotion account from a single app on your iPhone or iPad, then the right choice for you is the VideoTube app. Simply log in to your YouTube account and start browsing through the platform’s endless collection of videos. The app provides one of the kind widgets that lets you open videos you want to watch from the Notification Center. Browsing through YouTube channels, commenting on videos, or subscribing to channels you like are among the numerous features this app offers to its users.

VideoTube Features

  • Features popular videos from all leading platforms
  • You can browse from multiple categories
  • User-interface and website layout is similar to YouTube
  • You can also submit your own video content
  • Download videos and play them offline

Download Video Tube

YouTube Watch Alternative: Video Tube

Pros

You can browse through your search history and watch your favorite videos again

Add videos to the watch list

The app is not prone to crashing

Cons

Even though it is free, it contains in-app purchases

Relatively poor codec support

5. Tubex - Video & Music Player

Price: Free

Keeping in touch with the latest trends in the music industry or discovering your new favorite song is easy with Tubex. The iOS-based app shows the hottest music trends for the country from which it is accessed, while its intuitive interface makes searching for new songs a fun process. You can add each song you like to a wishlist or include it in the playlist you created with Tubex. The app lets you create as many playlists as you want so you can easily sort all music you discover. Tubex also features a video player that can be activated by a single tap on the video you’d like to watch.

Tubex Features

  • Watch and listen to the latest music videos
  • Contains unlimited videos arranged reasonably
  • Comes with an attractive and user-friendly design
  • Allows you to download and share songs and videos
  • You can like, share and comment on videos
  • Add your favorite videos to the watchlist
  • Also comes with a playlist manager

Download Tubex

Tubex Tobidy Music iPlay Video

Pros

Elegant and functionally designed interface

Users can create an unlimited number of playlists

Makes managing large quantities of video files look easy

Cons

In-app purchases are required to unlock all of the app’s features

Turbex doesn’t offer a video download option

5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for Android Phone

We will not be leaving our Android phone readers behind. For the best YouTube App for their gadgets, here are our top picks for this year.

1. NewPipe

Price: Free

This Freeware, open-source app is basically a lighter version of the YouTube app that doesn’t require any Google Play services to run smoothly. NewPipe collects the URL source from YouTube and displays the information it gathers in the app that is completely independent of this platform. The app’s users can search videos, view the video’s info, or choose which streaming player they are going to use to watch the video. The app offers support for videos in 1080p, 2K, or 4K resolution, which means that you watch high-quality videos from your phone. The NewPipe app is a great choice for YouTubers who don’t have powerful Android phones but still want to enjoy the benefits of browsing the world’s largest video-sharing platform.

NewPipe Features

  • Runs without Google Play Services
  • Unlimited downloads
  • You can set and change the quality of video play
  • Play videos in the background while you use other apps
  • Download the video and audio at different resolutions.
  • Play video as a Pop-up box for multitasking
  • Lightweight and consumes low storage and battery

Download New Pipe

NewPipe YouTube Alternative

Pros

Great browsing and search features

Lets you download videos to your device

Offers support for high-resolution videos

Cons

The app is not available on the Google Play store

Limited tools for creating playlists

2. OGYouTube

Price: Free

Like most YouTube client apps, OGYouTube lets you browse the platform, listen to music or watch videos in different resolutions. As a matter of fact, this app is just an older version of the YouTube client app, that still provides the option to download videos. However, if you log into your account on YouTube, with the OGYouTube app you won’t be able to download videos. The app’s interface is identical to YouTube’s interface, which means that you won’t have to waste a lot of time trying to figure out how to use OGYouTube.

OGYouTube Features

  • Play and download videos directly from the app
  • Supports different video qualities
  • Play video in background
  • Comes with a dark mode on android devices
  • Runs parallel with the default YouTube app
  • No annoying ads to disturb you

Download OGYouTube

OGYouTube YouTube Alternative

Pros

A great option for people who don’t have powerful Android phones

Lets you play videos while using other apps

The app doesn’t contain ads

Cons

Not an official YouTube client app

Not available on Google Play Store

3. YouTube GO

Price: Free

YouTube’s official app can be quite demanding since it requires a fast Internet connection. That’s the reason why the company launched a lighter version of their official app, which is currently available in 130 countries around the world. One of the greatest advantages of the YouTube Go app is the fact that it lets you choose how many MB you spend on videos. Furthermore, the app is built to work seamlessly even at low Internet speeds, so its users can listen to music or download videos even if they don’t have access to an ultra-fast WiFi connection.

YouTube Go Features

  • Official YouTube app for rapid downloads and sharing
  • Download the app directly from Google Play Store
  • You can preview videos before watching
  • Download videos to your device and watch offline
  • You can watch videos in different qualities
  • Lets you control data speed

Download YouTube GO

YouTube Go YouTube Alternative

Pros

Video transfers don’t use data

Remarkable video sharing capabilities

Compatible with older versions of Android OS

Cons

Users can’t create playlists

The app contains ads

4. FlyTube APK

Price: Free

Even though FlyTube APK doesn’t offer many options, it is still one of the best YouTube app alternatives, because it lets you watch videos directly from YouTube while preserving your data. In order to be able to install it on your device, you must make sure that the OS you have on your phone is at least Android 4.0 or later. FlyTube APK enables you to listen to music from YouTube while chatting or using other apps on your phone. The app’s small window is fully adjustable and you can place it in the background while doing other things.

FlyTube APK Features

  • Play videos in the pop-up while you use other apps
  • Multiple YouTube videos are available to browse from
  • Share videos on multiple platforms
  • Does not run on Google Play Services
  • A small sized app so does not drain battery and storage

Download FlyTube APK

FlyTube APK   YouTube Alternative

Pros

A lightweight app that allows you to gain access to YouTube’s rich music collection

FlyTube doesn’t contain ads or surveys

Great multitasking potential

Cons

It easily drains the phone’s battery

The app’s not available on the Google Play store

5. iTube

Price: Free

If you are looking for an app that will let you listen to music from YouTube on your phone while you are using apps such as Facebook or WhatsApp, then iTube is one of the best choices you can make. The app is specifically designed to save battery and to enable its users to have access to music while they are in areas with no Internet reception. What’s more, if you don’t want to spend all your monthly data on YouTube videos, iTube offers a great solution for limited bandwidth plans, because it uses a minimum amount of data to play videos.

iTube Features

  • Download full-playlists in audio and video formats
  • You can convert and download videos in different formats like mp4, AVI, WMV, etc.
  • Download videos from multiple different websites and apps
  • You can record and upload videos using the built-in screen recorder
  • You can adjust data usage
  • Easy to use and browse your favorite videos

Download iTube

iTube   YouTube Alternative

Pros

The app works without Internet

No ads before or during a video

Great source of music on long flights

Saves battery

Cons

The app’s users can’t comment on YouTube videos

Limited sharing capabilities

Conclusion

In recent years, short videos and instant music videos are getting popular, Instagram even launched an app Called IGTV for people to share videos, let alone the hot lip-sync music video sharing app Musical.ly (now Tik Tok) which has 500+ million active users globally. So, if you are eager to create and watch short social media videos, you can try these two apps as well.

Whenever you want to get more subscribers and make money with videos, you really need to pay attention to the video content as content is the king in video marketing. Besides the creative ideas, powerful video editing software for YouTubers will help you to step to the next level. Here are some cool video effects that you may be interested in. Do not hesitate to download Filmora and edit with some cool visual effects to your video today.

Wanted to make YouTube videos by yourself and share them with your audiences? Check this easy-to-use and powerful video editor for YouTube - Wondershare’s Filmora , and ignite your video with clicks. Filmora allows you to create 9:16, 1:1 videos for your phone. What’s more, you can export your work directly from the computer to YouTube with Filmora.

Try It Free Try It Free

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Try It Free Try It Free

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Now, YouTube becomes the second largest search engine in the world, over 1 billion hours of YouTube videos are watched per day. People will be using Google apps to access videos on YouTube. Unfortunately, there are existing issues in using the official application such as the stopping of the playback when you minimize the app and the number of annoying ads displayed on the YouTube application. If you want to get rid of these issues, then you might want to choose YouTube App Alternatives for iPhone and Android.

In this article

Part 1: 5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for iPhone

Part 2: 5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for Android Phone

5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for iPhone

For Apple users, here are some of the best YouTube App Alternatives. We analyzed their top feature and why we decided to include them in this top 5 list.

1. Tube Master

Price: Free

The abundance of features this app provides makes it one of the best alternatives for the YouTube app. Tube Master lets you watch videos while browsing through the millions of videos that are available on the world’s largest video-sharing platform. This iOS-based app enables you to search or play videos without having to sign in to your account, and it allows you to change the video playback speed so you can watch videos in slow motion. The Tube Master app lets you create an unlimited amount of playlists and allows you to answer comments or chat messages instantly.

Tube Mater Features

  • Available on Google Play Store and third-party app stores
  • You can browse videos using the built-in browser
  • Allows you to download videos and audios at different resolutions
  • Play videos offline with a built-in video player
  • You can download videos from multiple social media platforms
  • Lightweight app and requires low RAM and storage space

Download Tube Master

Tube Master - Free Music Video Player for YouTube

Pros

Users can play the video in fast forward or go back

Easy to use

A rich selection of features

Cons

Slow speed

2. YouTube ++

Price: Free

The YouTube++ app is designed to make watching and downloading YouTube videos to your device a fun and easy process. What’s more, it blocks ads, so you won’t have to wait for the ad to finish to be able to continue watching a video. Changing the video playback speed, forward and rewind controls or the auto-reply options are just a few among the many useful features the YouTube++ app offers to its users. Furthermore, the app lets you disable age restrictions, but it only plays videos in default playback quality.

YouTube++ Features

  • Runs without Google Play Services
  • Download videos and play them offline on your device
  • Share videos on WhatsApp and other social media apps
  • Comes with an ads blocker
  • You can play audio and video in the background
  • Allows you to play videos on loop
  • You can disable the age restriction
  • Comes with a fast-forwarding or rewinding feature for users
  • Also comes with an audio and video format converter

Download Youtube ++

Pros

Audio player available for downloaded videos

Allows you to play video and audio files while using other apps

Removes ads from the videos you watch

Cons

The app isn’t available at the AppStore

Limited playback quality capabilities

3. MyTube

Price: Free

YouTubers who are passionate about music are going to love using this app because it offers superb search tools that enable them to find their favorite songs within seconds. You can either search songs by name, album or artist. MyTube’s users can create their playlists that can continuously play, while the app also provides the option to share videos to Facebook or via email. You can save a song you like on your YouTube account and listen to it whenever you want in just a few simple taps in the MyTube app.

MyTube Features

  • Create and manage various playlists
  • Supports HD quality videos
  • Continue watching your current video while you browse the app
  • Play music videos in the background while you use other apps
  • Download videos and audio to watch or listen offline
  • Post and reply to comments

Download MyTube

YouTube Alternative app for iPhone MyTube

Pros

Powerful search tools

The app offers a simple way to create playlists and organize videos or music

Repeat and Shuffle options

Cons

MyTube doesn’t allow you to download videos from YouTube

No fast forward or rewind options

4. VideoTube

Price: Free

If you would like to manage your YouTube, Vimeo, and DailyMotion account from a single app on your iPhone or iPad, then the right choice for you is the VideoTube app. Simply log in to your YouTube account and start browsing through the platform’s endless collection of videos. The app provides one of the kind widgets that lets you open videos you want to watch from the Notification Center. Browsing through YouTube channels, commenting on videos, or subscribing to channels you like are among the numerous features this app offers to its users.

VideoTube Features

  • Features popular videos from all leading platforms
  • You can browse from multiple categories
  • User-interface and website layout is similar to YouTube
  • You can also submit your own video content
  • Download videos and play them offline

Download Video Tube

YouTube Watch Alternative: Video Tube

Pros

You can browse through your search history and watch your favorite videos again

Add videos to the watch list

The app is not prone to crashing

Cons

Even though it is free, it contains in-app purchases

Relatively poor codec support

5. Tubex - Video & Music Player

Price: Free

Keeping in touch with the latest trends in the music industry or discovering your new favorite song is easy with Tubex. The iOS-based app shows the hottest music trends for the country from which it is accessed, while its intuitive interface makes searching for new songs a fun process. You can add each song you like to a wishlist or include it in the playlist you created with Tubex. The app lets you create as many playlists as you want so you can easily sort all music you discover. Tubex also features a video player that can be activated by a single tap on the video you’d like to watch.

Tubex Features

  • Watch and listen to the latest music videos
  • Contains unlimited videos arranged reasonably
  • Comes with an attractive and user-friendly design
  • Allows you to download and share songs and videos
  • You can like, share and comment on videos
  • Add your favorite videos to the watchlist
  • Also comes with a playlist manager

Download Tubex

Tubex Tobidy Music iPlay Video

Pros

Elegant and functionally designed interface

Users can create an unlimited number of playlists

Makes managing large quantities of video files look easy

Cons

In-app purchases are required to unlock all of the app’s features

Turbex doesn’t offer a video download option

5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for Android Phone

We will not be leaving our Android phone readers behind. For the best YouTube App for their gadgets, here are our top picks for this year.

1. NewPipe

Price: Free

This Freeware, open-source app is basically a lighter version of the YouTube app that doesn’t require any Google Play services to run smoothly. NewPipe collects the URL source from YouTube and displays the information it gathers in the app that is completely independent of this platform. The app’s users can search videos, view the video’s info, or choose which streaming player they are going to use to watch the video. The app offers support for videos in 1080p, 2K, or 4K resolution, which means that you watch high-quality videos from your phone. The NewPipe app is a great choice for YouTubers who don’t have powerful Android phones but still want to enjoy the benefits of browsing the world’s largest video-sharing platform.

NewPipe Features

  • Runs without Google Play Services
  • Unlimited downloads
  • You can set and change the quality of video play
  • Play videos in the background while you use other apps
  • Download the video and audio at different resolutions.
  • Play video as a Pop-up box for multitasking
  • Lightweight and consumes low storage and battery

Download New Pipe

NewPipe YouTube Alternative

Pros

Great browsing and search features

Lets you download videos to your device

Offers support for high-resolution videos

Cons

The app is not available on the Google Play store

Limited tools for creating playlists

2. OGYouTube

Price: Free

Like most YouTube client apps, OGYouTube lets you browse the platform, listen to music or watch videos in different resolutions. As a matter of fact, this app is just an older version of the YouTube client app, that still provides the option to download videos. However, if you log into your account on YouTube, with the OGYouTube app you won’t be able to download videos. The app’s interface is identical to YouTube’s interface, which means that you won’t have to waste a lot of time trying to figure out how to use OGYouTube.

OGYouTube Features

  • Play and download videos directly from the app
  • Supports different video qualities
  • Play video in background
  • Comes with a dark mode on android devices
  • Runs parallel with the default YouTube app
  • No annoying ads to disturb you

Download OGYouTube

OGYouTube YouTube Alternative

Pros

A great option for people who don’t have powerful Android phones

Lets you play videos while using other apps

The app doesn’t contain ads

Cons

Not an official YouTube client app

Not available on Google Play Store

3. YouTube GO

Price: Free

YouTube’s official app can be quite demanding since it requires a fast Internet connection. That’s the reason why the company launched a lighter version of their official app, which is currently available in 130 countries around the world. One of the greatest advantages of the YouTube Go app is the fact that it lets you choose how many MB you spend on videos. Furthermore, the app is built to work seamlessly even at low Internet speeds, so its users can listen to music or download videos even if they don’t have access to an ultra-fast WiFi connection.

YouTube Go Features

  • Official YouTube app for rapid downloads and sharing
  • Download the app directly from Google Play Store
  • You can preview videos before watching
  • Download videos to your device and watch offline
  • You can watch videos in different qualities
  • Lets you control data speed

Download YouTube GO

YouTube Go YouTube Alternative

Pros

Video transfers don’t use data

Remarkable video sharing capabilities

Compatible with older versions of Android OS

Cons

Users can’t create playlists

The app contains ads

4. FlyTube APK

Price: Free

Even though FlyTube APK doesn’t offer many options, it is still one of the best YouTube app alternatives, because it lets you watch videos directly from YouTube while preserving your data. In order to be able to install it on your device, you must make sure that the OS you have on your phone is at least Android 4.0 or later. FlyTube APK enables you to listen to music from YouTube while chatting or using other apps on your phone. The app’s small window is fully adjustable and you can place it in the background while doing other things.

FlyTube APK Features

  • Play videos in the pop-up while you use other apps
  • Multiple YouTube videos are available to browse from
  • Share videos on multiple platforms
  • Does not run on Google Play Services
  • A small sized app so does not drain battery and storage

Download FlyTube APK

FlyTube APK   YouTube Alternative

Pros

A lightweight app that allows you to gain access to YouTube’s rich music collection

FlyTube doesn’t contain ads or surveys

Great multitasking potential

Cons

It easily drains the phone’s battery

The app’s not available on the Google Play store

5. iTube

Price: Free

If you are looking for an app that will let you listen to music from YouTube on your phone while you are using apps such as Facebook or WhatsApp, then iTube is one of the best choices you can make. The app is specifically designed to save battery and to enable its users to have access to music while they are in areas with no Internet reception. What’s more, if you don’t want to spend all your monthly data on YouTube videos, iTube offers a great solution for limited bandwidth plans, because it uses a minimum amount of data to play videos.

iTube Features

  • Download full-playlists in audio and video formats
  • You can convert and download videos in different formats like mp4, AVI, WMV, etc.
  • Download videos from multiple different websites and apps
  • You can record and upload videos using the built-in screen recorder
  • You can adjust data usage
  • Easy to use and browse your favorite videos

Download iTube

iTube   YouTube Alternative

Pros

The app works without Internet

No ads before or during a video

Great source of music on long flights

Saves battery

Cons

The app’s users can’t comment on YouTube videos

Limited sharing capabilities

Conclusion

In recent years, short videos and instant music videos are getting popular, Instagram even launched an app Called IGTV for people to share videos, let alone the hot lip-sync music video sharing app Musical.ly (now Tik Tok) which has 500+ million active users globally. So, if you are eager to create and watch short social media videos, you can try these two apps as well.

Whenever you want to get more subscribers and make money with videos, you really need to pay attention to the video content as content is the king in video marketing. Besides the creative ideas, powerful video editing software for YouTubers will help you to step to the next level. Here are some cool video effects that you may be interested in. Do not hesitate to download Filmora and edit with some cool visual effects to your video today.

Wanted to make YouTube videos by yourself and share them with your audiences? Check this easy-to-use and powerful video editor for YouTube - Wondershare’s Filmora , and ignite your video with clicks. Filmora allows you to create 9:16, 1:1 videos for your phone. What’s more, you can export your work directly from the computer to YouTube with Filmora.

Try It Free Try It Free

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Try It Free Try It Free

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

Now, YouTube becomes the second largest search engine in the world, over 1 billion hours of YouTube videos are watched per day. People will be using Google apps to access videos on YouTube. Unfortunately, there are existing issues in using the official application such as the stopping of the playback when you minimize the app and the number of annoying ads displayed on the YouTube application. If you want to get rid of these issues, then you might want to choose YouTube App Alternatives for iPhone and Android.

In this article

Part 1: 5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for iPhone

Part 2: 5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for Android Phone

5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for iPhone

For Apple users, here are some of the best YouTube App Alternatives. We analyzed their top feature and why we decided to include them in this top 5 list.

1. Tube Master

Price: Free

The abundance of features this app provides makes it one of the best alternatives for the YouTube app. Tube Master lets you watch videos while browsing through the millions of videos that are available on the world’s largest video-sharing platform. This iOS-based app enables you to search or play videos without having to sign in to your account, and it allows you to change the video playback speed so you can watch videos in slow motion. The Tube Master app lets you create an unlimited amount of playlists and allows you to answer comments or chat messages instantly.

Tube Mater Features

  • Available on Google Play Store and third-party app stores
  • You can browse videos using the built-in browser
  • Allows you to download videos and audios at different resolutions
  • Play videos offline with a built-in video player
  • You can download videos from multiple social media platforms
  • Lightweight app and requires low RAM and storage space

Download Tube Master

Tube Master - Free Music Video Player for YouTube

Pros

Users can play the video in fast forward or go back

Easy to use

A rich selection of features

Cons

Slow speed

2. YouTube ++

Price: Free

The YouTube++ app is designed to make watching and downloading YouTube videos to your device a fun and easy process. What’s more, it blocks ads, so you won’t have to wait for the ad to finish to be able to continue watching a video. Changing the video playback speed, forward and rewind controls or the auto-reply options are just a few among the many useful features the YouTube++ app offers to its users. Furthermore, the app lets you disable age restrictions, but it only plays videos in default playback quality.

YouTube++ Features

  • Runs without Google Play Services
  • Download videos and play them offline on your device
  • Share videos on WhatsApp and other social media apps
  • Comes with an ads blocker
  • You can play audio and video in the background
  • Allows you to play videos on loop
  • You can disable the age restriction
  • Comes with a fast-forwarding or rewinding feature for users
  • Also comes with an audio and video format converter

Download Youtube ++

Pros

Audio player available for downloaded videos

Allows you to play video and audio files while using other apps

Removes ads from the videos you watch

Cons

The app isn’t available at the AppStore

Limited playback quality capabilities

3. MyTube

Price: Free

YouTubers who are passionate about music are going to love using this app because it offers superb search tools that enable them to find their favorite songs within seconds. You can either search songs by name, album or artist. MyTube’s users can create their playlists that can continuously play, while the app also provides the option to share videos to Facebook or via email. You can save a song you like on your YouTube account and listen to it whenever you want in just a few simple taps in the MyTube app.

MyTube Features

  • Create and manage various playlists
  • Supports HD quality videos
  • Continue watching your current video while you browse the app
  • Play music videos in the background while you use other apps
  • Download videos and audio to watch or listen offline
  • Post and reply to comments

Download MyTube

YouTube Alternative app for iPhone MyTube

Pros

Powerful search tools

The app offers a simple way to create playlists and organize videos or music

Repeat and Shuffle options

Cons

MyTube doesn’t allow you to download videos from YouTube

No fast forward or rewind options

4. VideoTube

Price: Free

If you would like to manage your YouTube, Vimeo, and DailyMotion account from a single app on your iPhone or iPad, then the right choice for you is the VideoTube app. Simply log in to your YouTube account and start browsing through the platform’s endless collection of videos. The app provides one of the kind widgets that lets you open videos you want to watch from the Notification Center. Browsing through YouTube channels, commenting on videos, or subscribing to channels you like are among the numerous features this app offers to its users.

VideoTube Features

  • Features popular videos from all leading platforms
  • You can browse from multiple categories
  • User-interface and website layout is similar to YouTube
  • You can also submit your own video content
  • Download videos and play them offline

Download Video Tube

YouTube Watch Alternative: Video Tube

Pros

You can browse through your search history and watch your favorite videos again

Add videos to the watch list

The app is not prone to crashing

Cons

Even though it is free, it contains in-app purchases

Relatively poor codec support

5. Tubex - Video & Music Player

Price: Free

Keeping in touch with the latest trends in the music industry or discovering your new favorite song is easy with Tubex. The iOS-based app shows the hottest music trends for the country from which it is accessed, while its intuitive interface makes searching for new songs a fun process. You can add each song you like to a wishlist or include it in the playlist you created with Tubex. The app lets you create as many playlists as you want so you can easily sort all music you discover. Tubex also features a video player that can be activated by a single tap on the video you’d like to watch.

Tubex Features

  • Watch and listen to the latest music videos
  • Contains unlimited videos arranged reasonably
  • Comes with an attractive and user-friendly design
  • Allows you to download and share songs and videos
  • You can like, share and comment on videos
  • Add your favorite videos to the watchlist
  • Also comes with a playlist manager

Download Tubex

Tubex Tobidy Music iPlay Video

Pros

Elegant and functionally designed interface

Users can create an unlimited number of playlists

Makes managing large quantities of video files look easy

Cons

In-app purchases are required to unlock all of the app’s features

Turbex doesn’t offer a video download option

5 Best YouTube App Alternatives for Android Phone

We will not be leaving our Android phone readers behind. For the best YouTube App for their gadgets, here are our top picks for this year.

1. NewPipe

Price: Free

This Freeware, open-source app is basically a lighter version of the YouTube app that doesn’t require any Google Play services to run smoothly. NewPipe collects the URL source from YouTube and displays the information it gathers in the app that is completely independent of this platform. The app’s users can search videos, view the video’s info, or choose which streaming player they are going to use to watch the video. The app offers support for videos in 1080p, 2K, or 4K resolution, which means that you watch high-quality videos from your phone. The NewPipe app is a great choice for YouTubers who don’t have powerful Android phones but still want to enjoy the benefits of browsing the world’s largest video-sharing platform.

NewPipe Features

  • Runs without Google Play Services
  • Unlimited downloads
  • You can set and change the quality of video play
  • Play videos in the background while you use other apps
  • Download the video and audio at different resolutions.
  • Play video as a Pop-up box for multitasking
  • Lightweight and consumes low storage and battery

Download New Pipe

NewPipe YouTube Alternative

Pros

Great browsing and search features

Lets you download videos to your device

Offers support for high-resolution videos

Cons

The app is not available on the Google Play store

Limited tools for creating playlists

2. OGYouTube

Price: Free

Like most YouTube client apps, OGYouTube lets you browse the platform, listen to music or watch videos in different resolutions. As a matter of fact, this app is just an older version of the YouTube client app, that still provides the option to download videos. However, if you log into your account on YouTube, with the OGYouTube app you won’t be able to download videos. The app’s interface is identical to YouTube’s interface, which means that you won’t have to waste a lot of time trying to figure out how to use OGYouTube.

OGYouTube Features

  • Play and download videos directly from the app
  • Supports different video qualities
  • Play video in background
  • Comes with a dark mode on android devices
  • Runs parallel with the default YouTube app
  • No annoying ads to disturb you

Download OGYouTube

OGYouTube YouTube Alternative

Pros

A great option for people who don’t have powerful Android phones

Lets you play videos while using other apps

The app doesn’t contain ads

Cons

Not an official YouTube client app

Not available on Google Play Store

3. YouTube GO

Price: Free

YouTube’s official app can be quite demanding since it requires a fast Internet connection. That’s the reason why the company launched a lighter version of their official app, which is currently available in 130 countries around the world. One of the greatest advantages of the YouTube Go app is the fact that it lets you choose how many MB you spend on videos. Furthermore, the app is built to work seamlessly even at low Internet speeds, so its users can listen to music or download videos even if they don’t have access to an ultra-fast WiFi connection.

YouTube Go Features

  • Official YouTube app for rapid downloads and sharing
  • Download the app directly from Google Play Store
  • You can preview videos before watching
  • Download videos to your device and watch offline
  • You can watch videos in different qualities
  • Lets you control data speed

Download YouTube GO

YouTube Go YouTube Alternative

Pros

Video transfers don’t use data

Remarkable video sharing capabilities

Compatible with older versions of Android OS

Cons

Users can’t create playlists

The app contains ads

4. FlyTube APK

Price: Free

Even though FlyTube APK doesn’t offer many options, it is still one of the best YouTube app alternatives, because it lets you watch videos directly from YouTube while preserving your data. In order to be able to install it on your device, you must make sure that the OS you have on your phone is at least Android 4.0 or later. FlyTube APK enables you to listen to music from YouTube while chatting or using other apps on your phone. The app’s small window is fully adjustable and you can place it in the background while doing other things.

FlyTube APK Features

  • Play videos in the pop-up while you use other apps
  • Multiple YouTube videos are available to browse from
  • Share videos on multiple platforms
  • Does not run on Google Play Services
  • A small sized app so does not drain battery and storage

Download FlyTube APK

FlyTube APK   YouTube Alternative

Pros

A lightweight app that allows you to gain access to YouTube’s rich music collection

FlyTube doesn’t contain ads or surveys

Great multitasking potential

Cons

It easily drains the phone’s battery

The app’s not available on the Google Play store

5. iTube

Price: Free

If you are looking for an app that will let you listen to music from YouTube on your phone while you are using apps such as Facebook or WhatsApp, then iTube is one of the best choices you can make. The app is specifically designed to save battery and to enable its users to have access to music while they are in areas with no Internet reception. What’s more, if you don’t want to spend all your monthly data on YouTube videos, iTube offers a great solution for limited bandwidth plans, because it uses a minimum amount of data to play videos.

iTube Features

  • Download full-playlists in audio and video formats
  • You can convert and download videos in different formats like mp4, AVI, WMV, etc.
  • Download videos from multiple different websites and apps
  • You can record and upload videos using the built-in screen recorder
  • You can adjust data usage
  • Easy to use and browse your favorite videos

Download iTube

iTube   YouTube Alternative

Pros

The app works without Internet

No ads before or during a video

Great source of music on long flights

Saves battery

Cons

The app’s users can’t comment on YouTube videos

Limited sharing capabilities

Conclusion

In recent years, short videos and instant music videos are getting popular, Instagram even launched an app Called IGTV for people to share videos, let alone the hot lip-sync music video sharing app Musical.ly (now Tik Tok) which has 500+ million active users globally. So, if you are eager to create and watch short social media videos, you can try these two apps as well.

Whenever you want to get more subscribers and make money with videos, you really need to pay attention to the video content as content is the king in video marketing. Besides the creative ideas, powerful video editing software for YouTubers will help you to step to the next level. Here are some cool video effects that you may be interested in. Do not hesitate to download Filmora and edit with some cool visual effects to your video today.

Wanted to make YouTube videos by yourself and share them with your audiences? Check this easy-to-use and powerful video editor for YouTube - Wondershare’s Filmora , and ignite your video with clicks. Filmora allows you to create 9:16, 1:1 videos for your phone. What’s more, you can export your work directly from the computer to YouTube with Filmora.

Try It Free Try It Free

iOS Android

Try It Free >>

The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Live Streaming

The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Live Streaming

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live streaming on YouTube is a great way to get more engagement from your audience, even if you do not have a huge following. As long as you have some reliable subscribers leaving comments on your videos you should be able to schedule a live stream and know it will have an audience. People feel a personal connection with their favorite vloggers so if you give your subscribers a chance to interact with you in real time they will probably plan to join in. The key to a good live streaming is to respond to comments and questions from people who are watching. Besides watching the live chat of your video you can create a hashtag for your stream and monitor it on twitter.

Table of Contents

Why Livestream?

You have grown your audience, and now you want to take your channel to the next level and diversify your content.

Whether you are vlogging, gaming, or running tutorials on YouTube, there is potential to host a live broadcast. It’s not limited to any genre, you simply need to create content that people are interested in watching.

Before we get started into the How, let’s start with a few reasons Why you should be live streaming your content.

Connect and engage with your audience

When a viewer leaves a comment during a livestream you will be able to see it right away and respond. Having an instantaneous conversation with a viewer while they are watching your video will encourage more engagement and establish a ber relationship with your viewers — and you will know that these viewers are not bots.

Increase watch time and session watch time on your channel

If you are making YouTube videos on average 10 minutes long, and the viewer only watches half of it, that’s only 5 minutes of watch time, which is fine… But if you are live streaming for 45 minutes, and you are able to hold the viewer’s attention, you can surpass what your regular videos can do.

Make videos faster

As a YouTuber, you are always striving to be more efficient. Live streaming allows you to do that as you can set up and go. The content you end up creating during the duration of your livestream can then also be condensed into a highlight reel or a recap.

With a bit of planning before you go live, you can create a week’s worth of content in one go, instead of having multiple schedules for livestream content and your standard publishing videos.

Type of Content to Livestream

Live streaming has a lot of value, but what type of content should you be streaming?

Here are a few popular ideas for content that will attract viewers to your livestream:

Q&A session

Unboxing

Game or challenge

Sneak preview or review

Live events (just make sure the Internet can support it)

A demo or a tutorial

A live commentary or (if you are a gamer) Let’s Play video

What You Need to Livestream On YouTube

A Plan or Outline

It’s good to know what your livestream is going to be about before you start. Is there a key message you want to hit, an action you want your viewers to take, or a structure you want to follow.

Just because it’s live, doesn’t mean it all has to be improvised. If you go in without a plan, you might end up feeling flustered or getting stressed out. Allow for spontaneous comments or events to take you off your initial plan, but always return to your outline so you know how to wrap up your livestream when you have to.

Stable Internet Connection

You cannot conduct a quality livestream, if your Internet is bad. When evaluating your internet connection for live streaming on YouTube, look at the Upload speed. Depending on the quality of your video, these are the minimum upload speed rates your Internet will need to perform:

480p = 1.5 mbps

720p = 3 mbps

1080 = 5 mbps

In addition, be aware of external causes that may be slowing down your internet such as someone else using it, a poorly performing router, or a damaged cable.

Camera

If you have a smartphone or a laptop with a webcam built in, that is the best camera for you to get started live streaming. It’s good to have a milestone and work towards a more advanced camera, but until then, don’t feel discouraged because you don’t have expensive gear. If you have a smartphone, a laptop, or a basic webcam, that’s perfectly fine.

Microphone

You don’t need a great microphone for live streaming, you only need a good one. If you do want to spend several hundred to a thousand dollars for a professional studio microphone, nobody will stop you, but know this, a mic that is easy to use is as important as the audio quality as you develop a consistent live streaming schedule.

Streaming Software (For Higher Quality Streams)

Once upon a time, to livestream on YouTube, you needed additional software to capture content from desktop, camera, microphone, etc, called encoding software — but not anymore.

Those encoding software, such as OBS , Wirecast , and VMix , are required if you are producing content that requires a high frame rate such as gaming, but not mandatory if you are simply vlogging or running a tutorial.

If you are using Chrome, you canstream live on YouTube without using an encoder .

A Capture Card (For Higher Quality Streams)

You will need a capture card when you are capturing footage from a different PC or console. If you are a gamer and you are using one PC to stream and one PC to play your game, then you should consider getting a capture card.

4 Ways to Setup Your Livestream On YouTube

There are 4 main ways you can start live streaming on YouTube. The one that works best for you depends on the content you are going to be streaming.

1. Camera/Go Live (Chrome Browser)

By accessing www.youtube.com/webcam on the Google Chrome browser, you can start streaming immediately through your connected webcam. This way is best for a simple Q&A or letting your viewers know your thoughts in a timely situation. This method does not require an encoder.

There are 3 ways to access livestream this way:

1. Click here to connect to your YouTube channel

2. You can access it from the top menu on YouTube

access livestream

3. You can access it by clicking Camera under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

2. Google Hangouts On Air (Quick)

Another way to livestream without an encoding software is by using the Google Hangouts On Air feature.

This is great if you want the feel of your livestream to be similar to a board meeting, where you can invite people, split screen, and share screen to illustrate your point.

Here’s how you can access this Google Hangouts On Air:

Step 1: Go to Events under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

Step 2: Click New Live Event button on the top right corner

new live event button

Step 3: Enter the event’s Info and Setting page. Fill out the details of your Livestream, and under Type, select Quick (using Google Hangouts On Air).

new event info and setting

Step 4: You can schedule your livestream or Go Live immediately by clicking one of the blue buttons on the left-hand side.

3. Mobile

Live streaming via your mobile device gives you a lot more freedom to maneuver. You can walk around and give your viewers a tour — but remember to stay within the WiFi or LTE range. That means you still won’t be able to livestream well inside an elevator.

Here’s how you can livestream on mobile:

Step 1: Access the YouTube app and make sure you are signed in to the account you want to livestream from.

Step 2: At the top, click on the camera icon

Step 3: Click on Go Live

Pro Tip: When live streaming, always hold your smartphone horizontally. This allows your video to be oriented as a landscape, instead of a portrait.

4. Custom Encoder

The fourth way of live streaming on YouTube is with encoding software. This is the recommended method if video quality is essential, such as gaming videos.

Step 1: Download and install an encoding software. In this example, we’ll be using OBS .

Step 2: Open OBS

Step 3: Go to YouTube Creator Studio and enter the Stream Now page

youtube creator studio

Step 4: Under Encoder Setup, copy Stream name/key (Warning: DO NOT share this key with anyone)

Step 5: Return to OBS and enter the Setting menu on the lower right-hand side of the application

Step 6: Click into the Stream tab

a) Under Stream Type, select Streaming Services

b) Under Service, select YouTube/YouTube Gaming

c) Under Server, select Primary YouTube ingest server

d) In Stream Key box, paste the Stream Key you copied from YouTube

e) Click Apply and then OK

Step 7: Plug in your webcam

Step 8: In the main OBS dashboard, under the Sources menu, click the + icon and add Video Capture Device. You should now see visuals from your Webcam.

Step 9: Select the Resolution you want for your video and click OK

Step 10: Return to your YouTube Streaming Page and fill out the details of your livestream

Step 11: Go back to OBS and click Start Streaming

Step 12: See on YouTube Streaming Page at the top that you are Live. You are officially streaming. Once You are finished streaming, return to OBS and click Stop Streaming to end the stream.

8 Tips to Improve Your Livestream on YouTube

Do Speed Test

Before you start your livestream, do a speed test of your Internet. Check out from here.

Have Good Lighting

Be aware of your surroundings when you are about to livestream. You don’t need the top-notch lighting kit, you can simply sit beside a window and allow natural lights to illuminate your stream.

Shoot A Live Test (Unlisted)

Have a technical rehearsal by doing a livestream test, then rewatching it, and evaluating the quality of the audio and visual.

You don’t have to worry about your audience logging in and seeing your test if you set the Privacy of the stream to Unlisted.

Look at the Lens, Not the Screen

If you are streaming with the selfie camera on your smartphone or using your camera’s viewfinder to make sure you are in the frame, remember that you need to be looking at the lens — not the image of yourself.

Eye contact is important in building trust, and if you are looking at yourself, it will appear as if you are looking past your viewers instead of at them.

Show It To Your Viewers

Whatever you are talking about, if you can, show it to your viewers. YouTube is a visual medium, and that means your viewers can become disinterested if there’s nothing visual holding their attention.

In the beginning, you probably won’t have a multi-camera setup, so you cannot cut away from your livestream. However, you can share the screen and you can bring physical objects into a frame.

If you are talking about your dog, show her on camera. If you’re presenting something with a lot of steps, create a Powerpoint slideshow.

Consider what visuals or props you can add to your livestream to enhance your performance.

Find A Way to Make it Evergreen

Evergreen content refers to content that is relevant for a great length of time. Talking about an event isn’t evergreen, because the event will soon pass and become old news. However, giving some tips for how to plan an event would be evergreen content.

Since your livestream will be saved on YouTube and your viewers can replay and watch it. They’re more likely to enjoy it if the content is relevant and interesting.

It Doesn’t Have to Be Long

A livestream doesn’t need to be 40 minutes long. It only needs to be long enough for you to get your story across — and if you want to answer some questions and engage with your audience. As soon as your story is over, even if it’s only 5 minutes, that’s okay. Don’t stress about the length of your stream, it’s not an endurance competition.

Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes

Another thing you shouldn’t worry about at all is making mistakes. When you are doing livestreams pretend you are engaging with someone in real life. In real life, you aren’t able to edit out your mistakes, whether it’s a word mispronounced or coffee spilling. Roll with it and laugh it off.

How to Grow As A Livestreamer on YouTube

Let People Know When You Are Streaming

Give people enough time to schedule it in, don’t spring it on them in the last minute. Share it on social media, your website, and any other means.

Share your livestream link via social media to remind everyone to tune in when you go live. Looking for your link? It should look something like this: <www.youtube.com/user/\[channelname\]/live>

Reach Out To the Communities Most Interested

If you are going to be live streaming about a specific topic, such as photography, you should reach out to those who are interested in the topic. Highlight what aspect of photography you are going to be streaming and attract new viewers to your content.

Be Aware of Time Difference

If you have an international audience, find time to livestream where you can get the optimal amount of viewers.

You can find the location of your main demographic in your YouTube analytics .

Create a Channel Trailer to Promote Livestream

Make a video and host it as your channel trailer, that way anyone who lands on your YouTube page will see the promo for your livestream.

Promote Through Feature Content and Channel

YouTube has a feature that enables you to use your existing content to promote your upcoming livestream.

Here’s how to set it up:

Key Takeaways

  1. Live streaming will help you make more videos, engage with your audience, and grow your channel.
  2. You don’t need expensive equipment to livestream on YouTube, you only need a webcam and a microphone.
  3. YouTube has made live streaming as easy as a few clicks, no additional software needed unless you are gaming.
  4. Always do a test run of your livestream to ensure the internet, audio, and visual are all working properly.
  5. Create content and reach out to communities to promote your livestream.

Have you encountered any obstacles when setting up your livestream on YouTube? Let us know in the comments below, we are happy to help!

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live streaming on YouTube is a great way to get more engagement from your audience, even if you do not have a huge following. As long as you have some reliable subscribers leaving comments on your videos you should be able to schedule a live stream and know it will have an audience. People feel a personal connection with their favorite vloggers so if you give your subscribers a chance to interact with you in real time they will probably plan to join in. The key to a good live streaming is to respond to comments and questions from people who are watching. Besides watching the live chat of your video you can create a hashtag for your stream and monitor it on twitter.

Table of Contents

Why Livestream?

You have grown your audience, and now you want to take your channel to the next level and diversify your content.

Whether you are vlogging, gaming, or running tutorials on YouTube, there is potential to host a live broadcast. It’s not limited to any genre, you simply need to create content that people are interested in watching.

Before we get started into the How, let’s start with a few reasons Why you should be live streaming your content.

Connect and engage with your audience

When a viewer leaves a comment during a livestream you will be able to see it right away and respond. Having an instantaneous conversation with a viewer while they are watching your video will encourage more engagement and establish a ber relationship with your viewers — and you will know that these viewers are not bots.

Increase watch time and session watch time on your channel

If you are making YouTube videos on average 10 minutes long, and the viewer only watches half of it, that’s only 5 minutes of watch time, which is fine… But if you are live streaming for 45 minutes, and you are able to hold the viewer’s attention, you can surpass what your regular videos can do.

Make videos faster

As a YouTuber, you are always striving to be more efficient. Live streaming allows you to do that as you can set up and go. The content you end up creating during the duration of your livestream can then also be condensed into a highlight reel or a recap.

With a bit of planning before you go live, you can create a week’s worth of content in one go, instead of having multiple schedules for livestream content and your standard publishing videos.

Type of Content to Livestream

Live streaming has a lot of value, but what type of content should you be streaming?

Here are a few popular ideas for content that will attract viewers to your livestream:

Q&A session

Unboxing

Game or challenge

Sneak preview or review

Live events (just make sure the Internet can support it)

A demo or a tutorial

A live commentary or (if you are a gamer) Let’s Play video

What You Need to Livestream On YouTube

A Plan or Outline

It’s good to know what your livestream is going to be about before you start. Is there a key message you want to hit, an action you want your viewers to take, or a structure you want to follow.

Just because it’s live, doesn’t mean it all has to be improvised. If you go in without a plan, you might end up feeling flustered or getting stressed out. Allow for spontaneous comments or events to take you off your initial plan, but always return to your outline so you know how to wrap up your livestream when you have to.

Stable Internet Connection

You cannot conduct a quality livestream, if your Internet is bad. When evaluating your internet connection for live streaming on YouTube, look at the Upload speed. Depending on the quality of your video, these are the minimum upload speed rates your Internet will need to perform:

480p = 1.5 mbps

720p = 3 mbps

1080 = 5 mbps

In addition, be aware of external causes that may be slowing down your internet such as someone else using it, a poorly performing router, or a damaged cable.

Camera

If you have a smartphone or a laptop with a webcam built in, that is the best camera for you to get started live streaming. It’s good to have a milestone and work towards a more advanced camera, but until then, don’t feel discouraged because you don’t have expensive gear. If you have a smartphone, a laptop, or a basic webcam, that’s perfectly fine.

Microphone

You don’t need a great microphone for live streaming, you only need a good one. If you do want to spend several hundred to a thousand dollars for a professional studio microphone, nobody will stop you, but know this, a mic that is easy to use is as important as the audio quality as you develop a consistent live streaming schedule.

Streaming Software (For Higher Quality Streams)

Once upon a time, to livestream on YouTube, you needed additional software to capture content from desktop, camera, microphone, etc, called encoding software — but not anymore.

Those encoding software, such as OBS , Wirecast , and VMix , are required if you are producing content that requires a high frame rate such as gaming, but not mandatory if you are simply vlogging or running a tutorial.

If you are using Chrome, you canstream live on YouTube without using an encoder .

A Capture Card (For Higher Quality Streams)

You will need a capture card when you are capturing footage from a different PC or console. If you are a gamer and you are using one PC to stream and one PC to play your game, then you should consider getting a capture card.

4 Ways to Setup Your Livestream On YouTube

There are 4 main ways you can start live streaming on YouTube. The one that works best for you depends on the content you are going to be streaming.

1. Camera/Go Live (Chrome Browser)

By accessing www.youtube.com/webcam on the Google Chrome browser, you can start streaming immediately through your connected webcam. This way is best for a simple Q&A or letting your viewers know your thoughts in a timely situation. This method does not require an encoder.

There are 3 ways to access livestream this way:

1. Click here to connect to your YouTube channel

2. You can access it from the top menu on YouTube

access livestream

3. You can access it by clicking Camera under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

2. Google Hangouts On Air (Quick)

Another way to livestream without an encoding software is by using the Google Hangouts On Air feature.

This is great if you want the feel of your livestream to be similar to a board meeting, where you can invite people, split screen, and share screen to illustrate your point.

Here’s how you can access this Google Hangouts On Air:

Step 1: Go to Events under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

Step 2: Click New Live Event button on the top right corner

new live event button

Step 3: Enter the event’s Info and Setting page. Fill out the details of your Livestream, and under Type, select Quick (using Google Hangouts On Air).

new event info and setting

Step 4: You can schedule your livestream or Go Live immediately by clicking one of the blue buttons on the left-hand side.

3. Mobile

Live streaming via your mobile device gives you a lot more freedom to maneuver. You can walk around and give your viewers a tour — but remember to stay within the WiFi or LTE range. That means you still won’t be able to livestream well inside an elevator.

Here’s how you can livestream on mobile:

Step 1: Access the YouTube app and make sure you are signed in to the account you want to livestream from.

Step 2: At the top, click on the camera icon

Step 3: Click on Go Live

Pro Tip: When live streaming, always hold your smartphone horizontally. This allows your video to be oriented as a landscape, instead of a portrait.

4. Custom Encoder

The fourth way of live streaming on YouTube is with encoding software. This is the recommended method if video quality is essential, such as gaming videos.

Step 1: Download and install an encoding software. In this example, we’ll be using OBS .

Step 2: Open OBS

Step 3: Go to YouTube Creator Studio and enter the Stream Now page

youtube creator studio

Step 4: Under Encoder Setup, copy Stream name/key (Warning: DO NOT share this key with anyone)

Step 5: Return to OBS and enter the Setting menu on the lower right-hand side of the application

Step 6: Click into the Stream tab

a) Under Stream Type, select Streaming Services

b) Under Service, select YouTube/YouTube Gaming

c) Under Server, select Primary YouTube ingest server

d) In Stream Key box, paste the Stream Key you copied from YouTube

e) Click Apply and then OK

Step 7: Plug in your webcam

Step 8: In the main OBS dashboard, under the Sources menu, click the + icon and add Video Capture Device. You should now see visuals from your Webcam.

Step 9: Select the Resolution you want for your video and click OK

Step 10: Return to your YouTube Streaming Page and fill out the details of your livestream

Step 11: Go back to OBS and click Start Streaming

Step 12: See on YouTube Streaming Page at the top that you are Live. You are officially streaming. Once You are finished streaming, return to OBS and click Stop Streaming to end the stream.

8 Tips to Improve Your Livestream on YouTube

Do Speed Test

Before you start your livestream, do a speed test of your Internet. Check out from here.

Have Good Lighting

Be aware of your surroundings when you are about to livestream. You don’t need the top-notch lighting kit, you can simply sit beside a window and allow natural lights to illuminate your stream.

Shoot A Live Test (Unlisted)

Have a technical rehearsal by doing a livestream test, then rewatching it, and evaluating the quality of the audio and visual.

You don’t have to worry about your audience logging in and seeing your test if you set the Privacy of the stream to Unlisted.

Look at the Lens, Not the Screen

If you are streaming with the selfie camera on your smartphone or using your camera’s viewfinder to make sure you are in the frame, remember that you need to be looking at the lens — not the image of yourself.

Eye contact is important in building trust, and if you are looking at yourself, it will appear as if you are looking past your viewers instead of at them.

Show It To Your Viewers

Whatever you are talking about, if you can, show it to your viewers. YouTube is a visual medium, and that means your viewers can become disinterested if there’s nothing visual holding their attention.

In the beginning, you probably won’t have a multi-camera setup, so you cannot cut away from your livestream. However, you can share the screen and you can bring physical objects into a frame.

If you are talking about your dog, show her on camera. If you’re presenting something with a lot of steps, create a Powerpoint slideshow.

Consider what visuals or props you can add to your livestream to enhance your performance.

Find A Way to Make it Evergreen

Evergreen content refers to content that is relevant for a great length of time. Talking about an event isn’t evergreen, because the event will soon pass and become old news. However, giving some tips for how to plan an event would be evergreen content.

Since your livestream will be saved on YouTube and your viewers can replay and watch it. They’re more likely to enjoy it if the content is relevant and interesting.

It Doesn’t Have to Be Long

A livestream doesn’t need to be 40 minutes long. It only needs to be long enough for you to get your story across — and if you want to answer some questions and engage with your audience. As soon as your story is over, even if it’s only 5 minutes, that’s okay. Don’t stress about the length of your stream, it’s not an endurance competition.

Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes

Another thing you shouldn’t worry about at all is making mistakes. When you are doing livestreams pretend you are engaging with someone in real life. In real life, you aren’t able to edit out your mistakes, whether it’s a word mispronounced or coffee spilling. Roll with it and laugh it off.

How to Grow As A Livestreamer on YouTube

Let People Know When You Are Streaming

Give people enough time to schedule it in, don’t spring it on them in the last minute. Share it on social media, your website, and any other means.

Share your livestream link via social media to remind everyone to tune in when you go live. Looking for your link? It should look something like this: <www.youtube.com/user/\[channelname\]/live>

Reach Out To the Communities Most Interested

If you are going to be live streaming about a specific topic, such as photography, you should reach out to those who are interested in the topic. Highlight what aspect of photography you are going to be streaming and attract new viewers to your content.

Be Aware of Time Difference

If you have an international audience, find time to livestream where you can get the optimal amount of viewers.

You can find the location of your main demographic in your YouTube analytics .

Create a Channel Trailer to Promote Livestream

Make a video and host it as your channel trailer, that way anyone who lands on your YouTube page will see the promo for your livestream.

Promote Through Feature Content and Channel

YouTube has a feature that enables you to use your existing content to promote your upcoming livestream.

Here’s how to set it up:

Key Takeaways

  1. Live streaming will help you make more videos, engage with your audience, and grow your channel.
  2. You don’t need expensive equipment to livestream on YouTube, you only need a webcam and a microphone.
  3. YouTube has made live streaming as easy as a few clicks, no additional software needed unless you are gaming.
  4. Always do a test run of your livestream to ensure the internet, audio, and visual are all working properly.
  5. Create content and reach out to communities to promote your livestream.

Have you encountered any obstacles when setting up your livestream on YouTube? Let us know in the comments below, we are happy to help!

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live streaming on YouTube is a great way to get more engagement from your audience, even if you do not have a huge following. As long as you have some reliable subscribers leaving comments on your videos you should be able to schedule a live stream and know it will have an audience. People feel a personal connection with their favorite vloggers so if you give your subscribers a chance to interact with you in real time they will probably plan to join in. The key to a good live streaming is to respond to comments and questions from people who are watching. Besides watching the live chat of your video you can create a hashtag for your stream and monitor it on twitter.

Table of Contents

Why Livestream?

You have grown your audience, and now you want to take your channel to the next level and diversify your content.

Whether you are vlogging, gaming, or running tutorials on YouTube, there is potential to host a live broadcast. It’s not limited to any genre, you simply need to create content that people are interested in watching.

Before we get started into the How, let’s start with a few reasons Why you should be live streaming your content.

Connect and engage with your audience

When a viewer leaves a comment during a livestream you will be able to see it right away and respond. Having an instantaneous conversation with a viewer while they are watching your video will encourage more engagement and establish a ber relationship with your viewers — and you will know that these viewers are not bots.

Increase watch time and session watch time on your channel

If you are making YouTube videos on average 10 minutes long, and the viewer only watches half of it, that’s only 5 minutes of watch time, which is fine… But if you are live streaming for 45 minutes, and you are able to hold the viewer’s attention, you can surpass what your regular videos can do.

Make videos faster

As a YouTuber, you are always striving to be more efficient. Live streaming allows you to do that as you can set up and go. The content you end up creating during the duration of your livestream can then also be condensed into a highlight reel or a recap.

With a bit of planning before you go live, you can create a week’s worth of content in one go, instead of having multiple schedules for livestream content and your standard publishing videos.

Type of Content to Livestream

Live streaming has a lot of value, but what type of content should you be streaming?

Here are a few popular ideas for content that will attract viewers to your livestream:

Q&A session

Unboxing

Game or challenge

Sneak preview or review

Live events (just make sure the Internet can support it)

A demo or a tutorial

A live commentary or (if you are a gamer) Let’s Play video

What You Need to Livestream On YouTube

A Plan or Outline

It’s good to know what your livestream is going to be about before you start. Is there a key message you want to hit, an action you want your viewers to take, or a structure you want to follow.

Just because it’s live, doesn’t mean it all has to be improvised. If you go in without a plan, you might end up feeling flustered or getting stressed out. Allow for spontaneous comments or events to take you off your initial plan, but always return to your outline so you know how to wrap up your livestream when you have to.

Stable Internet Connection

You cannot conduct a quality livestream, if your Internet is bad. When evaluating your internet connection for live streaming on YouTube, look at the Upload speed. Depending on the quality of your video, these are the minimum upload speed rates your Internet will need to perform:

480p = 1.5 mbps

720p = 3 mbps

1080 = 5 mbps

In addition, be aware of external causes that may be slowing down your internet such as someone else using it, a poorly performing router, or a damaged cable.

Camera

If you have a smartphone or a laptop with a webcam built in, that is the best camera for you to get started live streaming. It’s good to have a milestone and work towards a more advanced camera, but until then, don’t feel discouraged because you don’t have expensive gear. If you have a smartphone, a laptop, or a basic webcam, that’s perfectly fine.

Microphone

You don’t need a great microphone for live streaming, you only need a good one. If you do want to spend several hundred to a thousand dollars for a professional studio microphone, nobody will stop you, but know this, a mic that is easy to use is as important as the audio quality as you develop a consistent live streaming schedule.

Streaming Software (For Higher Quality Streams)

Once upon a time, to livestream on YouTube, you needed additional software to capture content from desktop, camera, microphone, etc, called encoding software — but not anymore.

Those encoding software, such as OBS , Wirecast , and VMix , are required if you are producing content that requires a high frame rate such as gaming, but not mandatory if you are simply vlogging or running a tutorial.

If you are using Chrome, you canstream live on YouTube without using an encoder .

A Capture Card (For Higher Quality Streams)

You will need a capture card when you are capturing footage from a different PC or console. If you are a gamer and you are using one PC to stream and one PC to play your game, then you should consider getting a capture card.

4 Ways to Setup Your Livestream On YouTube

There are 4 main ways you can start live streaming on YouTube. The one that works best for you depends on the content you are going to be streaming.

1. Camera/Go Live (Chrome Browser)

By accessing www.youtube.com/webcam on the Google Chrome browser, you can start streaming immediately through your connected webcam. This way is best for a simple Q&A or letting your viewers know your thoughts in a timely situation. This method does not require an encoder.

There are 3 ways to access livestream this way:

1. Click here to connect to your YouTube channel

2. You can access it from the top menu on YouTube

access livestream

3. You can access it by clicking Camera under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

2. Google Hangouts On Air (Quick)

Another way to livestream without an encoding software is by using the Google Hangouts On Air feature.

This is great if you want the feel of your livestream to be similar to a board meeting, where you can invite people, split screen, and share screen to illustrate your point.

Here’s how you can access this Google Hangouts On Air:

Step 1: Go to Events under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

Step 2: Click New Live Event button on the top right corner

new live event button

Step 3: Enter the event’s Info and Setting page. Fill out the details of your Livestream, and under Type, select Quick (using Google Hangouts On Air).

new event info and setting

Step 4: You can schedule your livestream or Go Live immediately by clicking one of the blue buttons on the left-hand side.

3. Mobile

Live streaming via your mobile device gives you a lot more freedom to maneuver. You can walk around and give your viewers a tour — but remember to stay within the WiFi or LTE range. That means you still won’t be able to livestream well inside an elevator.

Here’s how you can livestream on mobile:

Step 1: Access the YouTube app and make sure you are signed in to the account you want to livestream from.

Step 2: At the top, click on the camera icon

Step 3: Click on Go Live

Pro Tip: When live streaming, always hold your smartphone horizontally. This allows your video to be oriented as a landscape, instead of a portrait.

4. Custom Encoder

The fourth way of live streaming on YouTube is with encoding software. This is the recommended method if video quality is essential, such as gaming videos.

Step 1: Download and install an encoding software. In this example, we’ll be using OBS .

Step 2: Open OBS

Step 3: Go to YouTube Creator Studio and enter the Stream Now page

youtube creator studio

Step 4: Under Encoder Setup, copy Stream name/key (Warning: DO NOT share this key with anyone)

Step 5: Return to OBS and enter the Setting menu on the lower right-hand side of the application

Step 6: Click into the Stream tab

a) Under Stream Type, select Streaming Services

b) Under Service, select YouTube/YouTube Gaming

c) Under Server, select Primary YouTube ingest server

d) In Stream Key box, paste the Stream Key you copied from YouTube

e) Click Apply and then OK

Step 7: Plug in your webcam

Step 8: In the main OBS dashboard, under the Sources menu, click the + icon and add Video Capture Device. You should now see visuals from your Webcam.

Step 9: Select the Resolution you want for your video and click OK

Step 10: Return to your YouTube Streaming Page and fill out the details of your livestream

Step 11: Go back to OBS and click Start Streaming

Step 12: See on YouTube Streaming Page at the top that you are Live. You are officially streaming. Once You are finished streaming, return to OBS and click Stop Streaming to end the stream.

8 Tips to Improve Your Livestream on YouTube

Do Speed Test

Before you start your livestream, do a speed test of your Internet. Check out from here.

Have Good Lighting

Be aware of your surroundings when you are about to livestream. You don’t need the top-notch lighting kit, you can simply sit beside a window and allow natural lights to illuminate your stream.

Shoot A Live Test (Unlisted)

Have a technical rehearsal by doing a livestream test, then rewatching it, and evaluating the quality of the audio and visual.

You don’t have to worry about your audience logging in and seeing your test if you set the Privacy of the stream to Unlisted.

Look at the Lens, Not the Screen

If you are streaming with the selfie camera on your smartphone or using your camera’s viewfinder to make sure you are in the frame, remember that you need to be looking at the lens — not the image of yourself.

Eye contact is important in building trust, and if you are looking at yourself, it will appear as if you are looking past your viewers instead of at them.

Show It To Your Viewers

Whatever you are talking about, if you can, show it to your viewers. YouTube is a visual medium, and that means your viewers can become disinterested if there’s nothing visual holding their attention.

In the beginning, you probably won’t have a multi-camera setup, so you cannot cut away from your livestream. However, you can share the screen and you can bring physical objects into a frame.

If you are talking about your dog, show her on camera. If you’re presenting something with a lot of steps, create a Powerpoint slideshow.

Consider what visuals or props you can add to your livestream to enhance your performance.

Find A Way to Make it Evergreen

Evergreen content refers to content that is relevant for a great length of time. Talking about an event isn’t evergreen, because the event will soon pass and become old news. However, giving some tips for how to plan an event would be evergreen content.

Since your livestream will be saved on YouTube and your viewers can replay and watch it. They’re more likely to enjoy it if the content is relevant and interesting.

It Doesn’t Have to Be Long

A livestream doesn’t need to be 40 minutes long. It only needs to be long enough for you to get your story across — and if you want to answer some questions and engage with your audience. As soon as your story is over, even if it’s only 5 minutes, that’s okay. Don’t stress about the length of your stream, it’s not an endurance competition.

Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes

Another thing you shouldn’t worry about at all is making mistakes. When you are doing livestreams pretend you are engaging with someone in real life. In real life, you aren’t able to edit out your mistakes, whether it’s a word mispronounced or coffee spilling. Roll with it and laugh it off.

How to Grow As A Livestreamer on YouTube

Let People Know When You Are Streaming

Give people enough time to schedule it in, don’t spring it on them in the last minute. Share it on social media, your website, and any other means.

Share your livestream link via social media to remind everyone to tune in when you go live. Looking for your link? It should look something like this: <www.youtube.com/user/\[channelname\]/live>

Reach Out To the Communities Most Interested

If you are going to be live streaming about a specific topic, such as photography, you should reach out to those who are interested in the topic. Highlight what aspect of photography you are going to be streaming and attract new viewers to your content.

Be Aware of Time Difference

If you have an international audience, find time to livestream where you can get the optimal amount of viewers.

You can find the location of your main demographic in your YouTube analytics .

Create a Channel Trailer to Promote Livestream

Make a video and host it as your channel trailer, that way anyone who lands on your YouTube page will see the promo for your livestream.

Promote Through Feature Content and Channel

YouTube has a feature that enables you to use your existing content to promote your upcoming livestream.

Here’s how to set it up:

Key Takeaways

  1. Live streaming will help you make more videos, engage with your audience, and grow your channel.
  2. You don’t need expensive equipment to livestream on YouTube, you only need a webcam and a microphone.
  3. YouTube has made live streaming as easy as a few clicks, no additional software needed unless you are gaming.
  4. Always do a test run of your livestream to ensure the internet, audio, and visual are all working properly.
  5. Create content and reach out to communities to promote your livestream.

Have you encountered any obstacles when setting up your livestream on YouTube? Let us know in the comments below, we are happy to help!

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Live streaming on YouTube is a great way to get more engagement from your audience, even if you do not have a huge following. As long as you have some reliable subscribers leaving comments on your videos you should be able to schedule a live stream and know it will have an audience. People feel a personal connection with their favorite vloggers so if you give your subscribers a chance to interact with you in real time they will probably plan to join in. The key to a good live streaming is to respond to comments and questions from people who are watching. Besides watching the live chat of your video you can create a hashtag for your stream and monitor it on twitter.

Table of Contents

Why Livestream?

You have grown your audience, and now you want to take your channel to the next level and diversify your content.

Whether you are vlogging, gaming, or running tutorials on YouTube, there is potential to host a live broadcast. It’s not limited to any genre, you simply need to create content that people are interested in watching.

Before we get started into the How, let’s start with a few reasons Why you should be live streaming your content.

Connect and engage with your audience

When a viewer leaves a comment during a livestream you will be able to see it right away and respond. Having an instantaneous conversation with a viewer while they are watching your video will encourage more engagement and establish a ber relationship with your viewers — and you will know that these viewers are not bots.

Increase watch time and session watch time on your channel

If you are making YouTube videos on average 10 minutes long, and the viewer only watches half of it, that’s only 5 minutes of watch time, which is fine… But if you are live streaming for 45 minutes, and you are able to hold the viewer’s attention, you can surpass what your regular videos can do.

Make videos faster

As a YouTuber, you are always striving to be more efficient. Live streaming allows you to do that as you can set up and go. The content you end up creating during the duration of your livestream can then also be condensed into a highlight reel or a recap.

With a bit of planning before you go live, you can create a week’s worth of content in one go, instead of having multiple schedules for livestream content and your standard publishing videos.

Type of Content to Livestream

Live streaming has a lot of value, but what type of content should you be streaming?

Here are a few popular ideas for content that will attract viewers to your livestream:

Q&A session

Unboxing

Game or challenge

Sneak preview or review

Live events (just make sure the Internet can support it)

A demo or a tutorial

A live commentary or (if you are a gamer) Let’s Play video

What You Need to Livestream On YouTube

A Plan or Outline

It’s good to know what your livestream is going to be about before you start. Is there a key message you want to hit, an action you want your viewers to take, or a structure you want to follow.

Just because it’s live, doesn’t mean it all has to be improvised. If you go in without a plan, you might end up feeling flustered or getting stressed out. Allow for spontaneous comments or events to take you off your initial plan, but always return to your outline so you know how to wrap up your livestream when you have to.

Stable Internet Connection

You cannot conduct a quality livestream, if your Internet is bad. When evaluating your internet connection for live streaming on YouTube, look at the Upload speed. Depending on the quality of your video, these are the minimum upload speed rates your Internet will need to perform:

480p = 1.5 mbps

720p = 3 mbps

1080 = 5 mbps

In addition, be aware of external causes that may be slowing down your internet such as someone else using it, a poorly performing router, or a damaged cable.

Camera

If you have a smartphone or a laptop with a webcam built in, that is the best camera for you to get started live streaming. It’s good to have a milestone and work towards a more advanced camera, but until then, don’t feel discouraged because you don’t have expensive gear. If you have a smartphone, a laptop, or a basic webcam, that’s perfectly fine.

Microphone

You don’t need a great microphone for live streaming, you only need a good one. If you do want to spend several hundred to a thousand dollars for a professional studio microphone, nobody will stop you, but know this, a mic that is easy to use is as important as the audio quality as you develop a consistent live streaming schedule.

Streaming Software (For Higher Quality Streams)

Once upon a time, to livestream on YouTube, you needed additional software to capture content from desktop, camera, microphone, etc, called encoding software — but not anymore.

Those encoding software, such as OBS , Wirecast , and VMix , are required if you are producing content that requires a high frame rate such as gaming, but not mandatory if you are simply vlogging or running a tutorial.

If you are using Chrome, you canstream live on YouTube without using an encoder .

A Capture Card (For Higher Quality Streams)

You will need a capture card when you are capturing footage from a different PC or console. If you are a gamer and you are using one PC to stream and one PC to play your game, then you should consider getting a capture card.

4 Ways to Setup Your Livestream On YouTube

There are 4 main ways you can start live streaming on YouTube. The one that works best for you depends on the content you are going to be streaming.

1. Camera/Go Live (Chrome Browser)

By accessing www.youtube.com/webcam on the Google Chrome browser, you can start streaming immediately through your connected webcam. This way is best for a simple Q&A or letting your viewers know your thoughts in a timely situation. This method does not require an encoder.

There are 3 ways to access livestream this way:

1. Click here to connect to your YouTube channel

2. You can access it from the top menu on YouTube

access livestream

3. You can access it by clicking Camera under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

2. Google Hangouts On Air (Quick)

Another way to livestream without an encoding software is by using the Google Hangouts On Air feature.

This is great if you want the feel of your livestream to be similar to a board meeting, where you can invite people, split screen, and share screen to illustrate your point.

Here’s how you can access this Google Hangouts On Air:

Step 1: Go to Events under the Live Streaming tab in your Creator Studio

Step 2: Click New Live Event button on the top right corner

new live event button

Step 3: Enter the event’s Info and Setting page. Fill out the details of your Livestream, and under Type, select Quick (using Google Hangouts On Air).

new event info and setting

Step 4: You can schedule your livestream or Go Live immediately by clicking one of the blue buttons on the left-hand side.

3. Mobile

Live streaming via your mobile device gives you a lot more freedom to maneuver. You can walk around and give your viewers a tour — but remember to stay within the WiFi or LTE range. That means you still won’t be able to livestream well inside an elevator.

Here’s how you can livestream on mobile:

Step 1: Access the YouTube app and make sure you are signed in to the account you want to livestream from.

Step 2: At the top, click on the camera icon

Step 3: Click on Go Live

Pro Tip: When live streaming, always hold your smartphone horizontally. This allows your video to be oriented as a landscape, instead of a portrait.

4. Custom Encoder

The fourth way of live streaming on YouTube is with encoding software. This is the recommended method if video quality is essential, such as gaming videos.

Step 1: Download and install an encoding software. In this example, we’ll be using OBS .

Step 2: Open OBS

Step 3: Go to YouTube Creator Studio and enter the Stream Now page

youtube creator studio

Step 4: Under Encoder Setup, copy Stream name/key (Warning: DO NOT share this key with anyone)

Step 5: Return to OBS and enter the Setting menu on the lower right-hand side of the application

Step 6: Click into the Stream tab

a) Under Stream Type, select Streaming Services

b) Under Service, select YouTube/YouTube Gaming

c) Under Server, select Primary YouTube ingest server

d) In Stream Key box, paste the Stream Key you copied from YouTube

e) Click Apply and then OK

Step 7: Plug in your webcam

Step 8: In the main OBS dashboard, under the Sources menu, click the + icon and add Video Capture Device. You should now see visuals from your Webcam.

Step 9: Select the Resolution you want for your video and click OK

Step 10: Return to your YouTube Streaming Page and fill out the details of your livestream

Step 11: Go back to OBS and click Start Streaming

Step 12: See on YouTube Streaming Page at the top that you are Live. You are officially streaming. Once You are finished streaming, return to OBS and click Stop Streaming to end the stream.

8 Tips to Improve Your Livestream on YouTube

Do Speed Test

Before you start your livestream, do a speed test of your Internet. Check out from here.

Have Good Lighting

Be aware of your surroundings when you are about to livestream. You don’t need the top-notch lighting kit, you can simply sit beside a window and allow natural lights to illuminate your stream.

Shoot A Live Test (Unlisted)

Have a technical rehearsal by doing a livestream test, then rewatching it, and evaluating the quality of the audio and visual.

You don’t have to worry about your audience logging in and seeing your test if you set the Privacy of the stream to Unlisted.

Look at the Lens, Not the Screen

If you are streaming with the selfie camera on your smartphone or using your camera’s viewfinder to make sure you are in the frame, remember that you need to be looking at the lens — not the image of yourself.

Eye contact is important in building trust, and if you are looking at yourself, it will appear as if you are looking past your viewers instead of at them.

Show It To Your Viewers

Whatever you are talking about, if you can, show it to your viewers. YouTube is a visual medium, and that means your viewers can become disinterested if there’s nothing visual holding their attention.

In the beginning, you probably won’t have a multi-camera setup, so you cannot cut away from your livestream. However, you can share the screen and you can bring physical objects into a frame.

If you are talking about your dog, show her on camera. If you’re presenting something with a lot of steps, create a Powerpoint slideshow.

Consider what visuals or props you can add to your livestream to enhance your performance.

Find A Way to Make it Evergreen

Evergreen content refers to content that is relevant for a great length of time. Talking about an event isn’t evergreen, because the event will soon pass and become old news. However, giving some tips for how to plan an event would be evergreen content.

Since your livestream will be saved on YouTube and your viewers can replay and watch it. They’re more likely to enjoy it if the content is relevant and interesting.

It Doesn’t Have to Be Long

A livestream doesn’t need to be 40 minutes long. It only needs to be long enough for you to get your story across — and if you want to answer some questions and engage with your audience. As soon as your story is over, even if it’s only 5 minutes, that’s okay. Don’t stress about the length of your stream, it’s not an endurance competition.

Allow Yourself to Make Mistakes

Another thing you shouldn’t worry about at all is making mistakes. When you are doing livestreams pretend you are engaging with someone in real life. In real life, you aren’t able to edit out your mistakes, whether it’s a word mispronounced or coffee spilling. Roll with it and laugh it off.

How to Grow As A Livestreamer on YouTube

Let People Know When You Are Streaming

Give people enough time to schedule it in, don’t spring it on them in the last minute. Share it on social media, your website, and any other means.

Share your livestream link via social media to remind everyone to tune in when you go live. Looking for your link? It should look something like this: <www.youtube.com/user/\[channelname\]/live>

Reach Out To the Communities Most Interested

If you are going to be live streaming about a specific topic, such as photography, you should reach out to those who are interested in the topic. Highlight what aspect of photography you are going to be streaming and attract new viewers to your content.

Be Aware of Time Difference

If you have an international audience, find time to livestream where you can get the optimal amount of viewers.

You can find the location of your main demographic in your YouTube analytics .

Create a Channel Trailer to Promote Livestream

Make a video and host it as your channel trailer, that way anyone who lands on your YouTube page will see the promo for your livestream.

Promote Through Feature Content and Channel

YouTube has a feature that enables you to use your existing content to promote your upcoming livestream.

Here’s how to set it up:

Key Takeaways

  1. Live streaming will help you make more videos, engage with your audience, and grow your channel.
  2. You don’t need expensive equipment to livestream on YouTube, you only need a webcam and a microphone.
  3. YouTube has made live streaming as easy as a few clicks, no additional software needed unless you are gaming.
  4. Always do a test run of your livestream to ensure the internet, audio, and visual are all working properly.
  5. Create content and reach out to communities to promote your livestream.

Have you encountered any obstacles when setting up your livestream on YouTube? Let us know in the comments below, we are happy to help!

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Also read:

  • Title: "Find Your Perfect Mobile Video Companion Apart From YouTube"
  • Author: Steven
  • Created at : 2024-05-25 19:21:15
  • Updated at : 2024-05-26 19:21:15
  • Link: https://youtube-clips.techidaily.com/find-your-perfect-mobile-video-companion-apart-from-youtube/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
On this page
"Find Your Perfect Mobile Video Companion Apart From YouTube"