Vidyst vs Restream
Restream is a cloud service: it takes one stream, from its browser studio or from an app like Vidyst or OBS, and relays it to several channels. Vidyst produces the show on your Mac and sends each destination itself. They aren't either-or: Vidyst can stream into Restream as a custom RTMP destination.
Restream details checked on against its own pages. See 5 sources
Apple silicon Mac (M1 or later), macOS 14.2 or later. 14-day free trial, no card.
Which to choose
Choose Vidyst if…
- You want to produce the show on your Mac: layouts, screen capture, local recording, a vertical canvas.
- You reach up to 7 destinations and have the upload for them.
- You want no relay between you and each platform.
Choose Restream if…
- Your upload can't carry several streams: Restream needs one upload however many channels it sends to.
- You want a browser studio that runs on any computer.
- You need more channels, or channels added by your guests (paid plans).
- You want to keep your current encoder and only add distribution.
Feature by feature
Each cell says how the feature is provided (built in, paid plan, plugin, separate service) and cites where it comes from.
| Feature | Vidyst | Restream |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Detail A Mac production app: compose, stream and record on your Mac.1 | Detail A cloud relay plus a browser studio. Accepts streams from encoders such as OBS.2,3 |
| Price | Paid plan Basic $10 a month or $100 a year; Creator $35 a month or $350 a year. 14-day trial, no card.4 | Paid plan Free; Standard $19, Professional $49 and Business $239 a month. Yearly billing advertised at 20% off.2 |
| Destinations | Built in From your Mac: 2 destinations on Basic, 7 on Creator. Each destination is its own upload.4 | Paid plan 2 channels free, 3 on Standard, 5 on Professional, 8 on Business. Relayed from Restream's servers.2 |
| Studio quality | Built in Canvas up to 4K60. YouTube and custom RTMP take up to 4K60; Twitch, Kick and X up to 1080p60; Instagram 1080×1920.5 | Paid plan Browser studio at 720p on Free and Standard, 1080p from Professional. Multistreaming from an encoder up to 4K.2 |
| Guests | Built in Browser link, no account or install. 2 guests on Basic, 10 on Creator. You admit each guest.4 | Built in In the browser studio: 6 on-screen free, 10 on paid plans.2 |
| Branding | Detail No Vidyst logo on your stream.5 | Paid plan Restream branding on the free plan.2 |
Sending Vidyst into Restream
Restream documents how to stream into it from an encoder with a server URL and stream key. Vidyst's Custom RTMP server destination takes the same two values.
Get Restream's ingest details
In Restream, set up an Encoder | RTMP stream and copy its server URL and stream key. Restream also offers an RTMPS address.
Add it to Vidyst
In Vidyst, open Destinations…, choose Add destination › Custom RTMP server, and paste the URL and key.
Pick the canvas
Set the destination's Canvas to Horizontal or Vertical. One Restream stream carries one orientation.
Go live
Press Go live. Restream relays your stream to its channels; Vidyst can send its other destinations directly at the same time.
Pricing and cost
Prices in US dollars as each company lists them, compared on the same billing period.
| What you pay for | Vidyst | Restream |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly4,2 | Basic $10, Creator $35 a month | Free; Standard $19, Professional $49, Business $239 |
| Billed yearly4,2 | Basic $100, Creator $350 a year | Advertised at 20% off; yearly figures weren't shown on the page we checked |
| Using both4,3 | Any plan: Restream takes one destination slot | Any plan that fits your channel count |
Using Vidyst with Restream means paying for both. It makes sense when your upload is the bottleneck or you need more channels than Vidyst's plan allows.
Questions
Can I use Vidyst and Restream together?
Yes. Add Restream as a Custom RTMP server destination in Vidyst, with the server URL and stream key from Restream. Restream then relays it to your channels.
Why would I use a cloud relay?
Your connection uploads one stream and the relay sends copies to each platform. Vidyst on its own uploads a separate stream for every destination, which needs more bandwidth.
Does Restream replace Vidyst?
Not exactly. Restream's browser studio can produce a show and its relay distributes one. Vidyst is a Mac production app with local recording and a vertical canvas. Many setups use a production app with a relay.
How many guests can each have?
Vidyst: 2 on Basic, 10 on Creator, from a browser link. Restream's studio: 6 on-screen free, 10 on paid plans.
Try Vidyst on your next show
14 days free, no card. Apple silicon Mac (M1 or later), macOS 14.2 or later.
Sources
Vidyst’s side was checked in the Mac app and its plan catalog. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
- Vidyst: Download and system requirements. Checked .
- Restream: Pricing. Checked .
- Restream: Connect OBS to Restream. Checked .
- Vidyst: Pricing. Checked .
- Vidyst: Vidyst Mac app (current release), checked in the app itself. Checked .