Dacast vs vMix (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Dacast and vMix share a 2.2 GPA, neither has a free plan, and Dacast starts cheaper, at $39 a month against $50 a month.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Dacast grades higher on platforms. vMix grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Dacast
Live streaming and video hosting with bandwidth-based plans
vMix
Windows live video production and streaming software
Which one is for you
Pick Dacast if
- Fits if you stream and host video for a paying audience
- Works for events where you can estimate the bandwidth you will use
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want registration, polls or attendee chat, because none are listed
- Watch out: overage costs $0.30 per GB of bandwidth and $0.15 per GB of storage
- Pricey if you need paywalls or ads, since they start on the $63 Event plan
- Tight if you pay monthly, as that carries a three-month minimum
- Watch out: extra team seats are $10 each a month, and multi-CDN and China streaming are add-ons
Pick vMix if
- Fits if you produce live video on a Windows PC
- Makes sense if you want a one-time license over a subscription
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac, as there is no Mac version
- Not for you if you want a webinar tool with registration and polls
- Tight if you buy Basic HD: 4 inputs and 1080p
- Pricey if you want updates after 12 months: another year costs $60
- Watch out: 4K, replay with more cameras and scripting need $700 to $1,200
How we grade them
| 2.2GPADacastFair | 2.2GPAvMixFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$39 a month billed yearly for Starter, between the cheaper quarter ($27) and the middle ($49) of webinar tools, with only 2.4 TB of bandwidth a year. | ABasic HD is $60 once and HD is $350 once, under a year of the category's $49 middle subscription, though Pro is $1,200. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 14-day trial needs no card, and there is no free plan. | CA 60-day fully working trial with no watermark is offered; there is no free plan. |
| Features | CLive channels with RTMP and HLS, a video library, paywall and ads from the Event plan, and analytics. It lists no webinar tools. | CInputs, overlays, replay and calling in a production app, but no registration, polls or attendee chat, and features differ by edition. |
| Ease of use | CWeb only, with no rating on record, and the encoder side is yours to set up. | CNo rating on record, and it is production software with editions and a learning curve. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, but there is a public API and Google Analytics and Google Drive links. | DWindows only; the download page says there is no Mac version. |
| Best for | live streaming and video hosting by bandwidth | Windows live video production |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Dacast and vMix. How we grade
Price against what you get
Dacast starts at $39 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. vMix starts at $50 a month and scores 1.7.
Dacast scores higher and starts $11 a month lower. Of the other webinar and live streaming tools on the chart, 2 score higher than Dacast for less, and 13 score higher than vMix for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- vMix can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Dacast also covers reports and webinars.
- vMix also covers screen recording and video calls.
At a glance
| Dacast | vMix | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $39 per month, billed annually | $60 one-time for Basic HD, or $50 per month for vMix MAX |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | Free, fully functional 60-day trial with no watermark |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Dacast | StudioCoast Pty Ltd |
| Price read from | dacast.com | vmix.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Dacast
- Overage runs $0.30 per GB of bandwidth and $0.15 per GB of storage.
- Monthly payment carries a three-month minimum, and extra team seats cost $10 per user per month.
- Multi-CDN, China Live and China VOD are paid add-ons.
- The page lists no webinar-specific features such as registration or polls.
vMix
- It runs on Windows only; the download page says there is no Mac version.
- Lifetime licenses include 12 months of updates; further updates cost $60 for another 12 months.
- It is a production tool, not a webinar platform: registration, polls and attendee chat are not part of it.
- Features differ a lot by edition, so check the comparison table before buying the cheapest one.
Key features
Dacast
- Live streaming
- Full 1080p broadcasting with RTMP and HLS channels and browser or mobile streaming.
- Video hosting
- VOD library with bulk upload from Google Drive and VOD to Live.
- Monetization
- Paywall and pre, mid and post roll advertising start on the Event plan.
- Security
- Domain and country restriction on all plans; DRM and AES for VOD on Scale.
- Analytics
- Advanced analytics and a Google Analytics integration are listed.
- Support
- 24/7 support on all plans, with phone support on Scale.
vMix
- Multi-source switching
- Mix cameras, NDI sources, video files, images, PowerPoint, web streams and desktop capture in one production.
- Remote guests with vMix Call
- Bring video callers into a production: 1 on Basic HD, 4 on HD and 8 on 4K and above.
- Streaming to several services
- Stream to services such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitch and Vimeo while recording the same production.
- Titles and graphics
- GT Designer provides animated titles, scoreboards and tickers, and higher editions import custom designs.
- Recording and replay
- The 4K and Pro editions add MultiCorder ISO recording of each camera, and instant replay for sports and events.
- Zoom integration
- The comparison table lists Zoom integration, with one input on Basic HD and multiple inputs on higher editions.
Plans
Dacast
Starter$39
per month, billed annually
2.4 TB bandwidth a year and 500 GB storage, with live streaming, simulcast and VOD hosting.
Event$63
per month, billed annually
6 TB upfront and 250 GB storage; adds paywall, ads, countdown and stream monitoring.
Scale$165
per month, billed annually
24 TB a year, 2,000 GB storage, unlimited channels, DRM, 3 team members and phone support.
CustomCustom
High-volume plans with custom SLAs, migrations and extra support.
vMix
Basic HD$60
one-time lifetime license, 12 months of free updates
4 inputs (3 camera or NDI), 1920 x 1080 maximum, 1 overlay channel, 1 vMix Call caller.
HD$350
one-time lifetime license, 12 months of free updates
Up to 1000 inputs, 1920 x 1080 maximum, 8 overlay channels, 4 vMix Call callers.
4K$700
one-time lifetime license, 12 months of free updates
Adds 4096 x 2160 output, 8 callers, MultiCorder recording and instant replay with 1 camera.
Pro$1200
one-time lifetime license, 12 months of free updates
Adds instant replay with 8 cameras, extra external and virtual outputs, scripting and PTZ control.
MAX$50
per month, with updates while subscribed
Subscription with all the features of vMix Pro.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Dacast or vMix?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Dacast is cheaper to start with: $39 a month, against $50 a month for vMix. Dacast starts at $39 per month, billed annually, and vMix starts at $60 one-time for Basic HD, or $50 per month for vMix MAX.
Which has a free plan, Dacast or vMix?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Dacast nor vMix has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do Dacast and vMix run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Dacast lists a web app and only vMix lists a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.