Ecamm vs Lightstream (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Lightstream grades higher than Ecamm: 2.8 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Lightstream grades higher on value for money, the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Ecamm
Mac app for live streaming, recording and multistreaming
Lightstream
Browser-based live streaming studio, built for console streamers
Which one is for you
Pick Ecamm if
- Fits if you stream solo shows or interviews from a Mac
- Works for switching cameras and adding graphics without extra hardware
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you or your co-host work on Windows, as it's Mac only on macOS 11.2 or newer
- Not for you if you need webinar sign-up pages and reminder emails
- Tight if you want 4K, Zoom output or separate tracks per guest, which need Pro at $32 a month
- Watch out: the free trial puts an Ecamm watermark on broadcasts, and refunds end 14 days after sign-up
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $20 for Standard or $40 for Pro
Pick Lightstream if
- Fits if you stream from an Xbox or PlayStation and have no capture card
- Works for creators who want to simulcast to up to 5 places for free
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need a clean stream for free, as the free plan carries a Lightstream logo
- Tight if you want 1080p, guests or URL imports, which need Premium at $12 a month
- Not for you if you run webinars: it has no registration or attendee tools
- Watch out: RTMP video sources are marked as coming soon on the pricing section
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAEcammFair | 2.8GPALightstreamGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BStandard is $16 a month billed annually ($192 a year, $20 by the month) and streams to 10 destinations, so three platforms is covered. That's level with Restream and Castr and under half of StreamYard's Core. Pro is $32. | APremium is $12 a month, or $9 on an annual plan, well under the $16.20 mark (60% of the category's cheaper quarter of $27). |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan, but a 14-day free trial of Standard and Pro with no credit card. Broadcasts carry an Ecamm watermark until you pay. | BA free plan streams to up to 5 destinations for up to 10 hours at a time, but with a Lightstream logo and 720p video. |
| Features | COn Standard: multistreaming to 10 destinations, scenes, overlays, green screen, screen sharing, comments on screen and automatic recording. The gaps: Interview, Zoom output, 4K and isolated recordings need Pro, and there are no sign-up pages or attendee emails. | CConsole capture, simulcasting, scenes, overlays and alerts, but RTMP sources are marked coming soon and there is no registration or attendee tool. |
| Ease of use | CNo App Store rating on record. It's a Mac app you install, but building scenes, titles and camera setups takes a while before the first show. | CWeb only, with no rating on record, and you connect each destination account first. |
| Platforms and integrations | DOne operating system: the Mac, on macOS 11.2 or newer. It streams to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitch, works with a Stream Deck, and Pro sends its picture into Zoom. | BWeb only, with Xbox, PlayStation, Twitch, YouTube, Facebook and custom RTMP. |
| Best for | live shows streamed from a Mac | console streamers who want to skip the PC |
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: Ecamm and Lightstream. How we grade
Price against what you get
Ecamm starts at $16 a month and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Lightstream starts at $9 a month and scores 2.3.
Lightstream scores higher and starts $7 a month lower. Of the other webinar and live streaming tools on the chart, 3 score higher than Ecamm for less, and 1 scores higher than Lightstream 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
- Ecamm also covers screen recording.
- Lightstream also covers video calls.
At a glance
| Ecamm | Lightstream | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $16 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly) | $12 per month, or $9 per month on an annual subscription |
| Free plan | None | Simulcasting to up to 5 destinations, 720p, 10-hour limit per stream and up to 3 scenes at once, with a Lightstream Studio logo on all streams. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of Standard and Pro features, no credit card required; broadcasts carry a watermark | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Made by | Ecamm Network, LLC | Infiniscene, Inc. |
| Price read from | appg2.ecamm.com | golightstream.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Ecamm
- It runs only on the Mac and requires macOS 11.2 or newer.
- Ecamm for Zoom, Ecamm Interview, 4K streaming and isolated recordings need the Pro plan.
- The free trial adds an Ecamm watermark to broadcasts, and refunds are offered within 14 days of signing up.
- It is a streaming studio rather than a webinar platform, with no registration pages or attendee emails.
Lightstream
- The free plan puts a Lightstream Studio logo on every stream and caps video at 720p.
- Guests, 1080p and URL imports are Premium-only.
- RTMP video sources are marked as coming soon on the pricing section.
- It is a streaming studio for creators and has no webinar registration or attendee tools.
Key features
Ecamm
- Multistreaming
- Streams to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and other destinations at once, up to 10 on Standard, and schedules Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn Live broadcasts.
- Camera switching and scenes
- Switch cameras and screen shares live, compose saved scenes with titles and split screens, and control them from an Elgato Stream Deck.
- Remote guests
- Up to ten video guests join from any web browser for a split-screen or a custom layout; an iPhone or iPad can be plugged in as a camera.
- Branding and effects
- Logos, animated titles, countdowns, scrolling tickers, green screen backdrops, color LUTs and digital pan and zoom.
- Comments on screen
- Shows viewer comments from Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, X, Amazon Live and Twitch, and can put them on screen during the stream.
- Recording and Zoom output
- Every broadcast is saved to the Mac; Pro adds isolated audio and video tracks and sends Ecamm's output to Zoom, Chrome and other apps as a camera.
Lightstream
- Cloud capture for consoles
- Captures Xbox and PlayStation gameplay in the cloud, so a stream does not need a PC.
- Simulcasting
- Streams to up to 5 destinations at once on both plans, including a custom RTMP destination.
- Guests
- Premium lets up to 10 guests join a stream, aimed at multiplayer games and talk-style shows.
- Overlays, alerts and templates
- Preset templates, overlays and XPN alerts are available inside Studio, and custom overlays can be uploaded.
- Scenes
- The free plan goes live with up to 3 scenes at once and Premium with up to 20.
Plans
Ecamm
Standard$16
per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly)
No watermark, multistreaming to 10 destinations, custom overlays and branding, screen sharing, automatic recording, on-screen comments and green screen.
Pro$32
per month, billed annually ($40 billed monthly)
Everything in Standard plus Ecamm for Zoom, Ecamm Interview, a virtual mic and webcam, 4K streaming, isolated recordings and VIP support.
Lightstream
Free$0
Core Studio features with a Lightstream logo on every stream, 720p, up to 5 destinations, 10-hour limit per stream, 3 scenes at once.
Premium$12
per month, billed monthly ($9 per month on an annual subscription)
Removes the logo, adds up to 10 guests, 1080p, a 48-hour stream limit, URL imports from third-party services and up to 20 scenes at once.
Ways to pay less
Ecamm
- Annual discount
Save 20% with annual billing
Ecamm's plans page labels annual billing as 20% off: Standard is $192 a year ($16 a month) against $20 monthly, and Pro $384 a year against $40.
Lightstream
- Annual discount
Annual subscription at $9 a month
Premium shows $12 a month, or $9 a month on an annual subscription.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Ecamm or Lightstream?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Lightstream is cheaper to start with: $9 a month, against $16 a month for Ecamm. Ecamm starts at $16 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly), and Lightstream starts at $12 per month, or $9 per month on an annual subscription.
Which has a free plan, Ecamm or Lightstream?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Lightstream has a free plan. Ecamm does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Ecamm and Lightstream run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Ecamm lists a macOS app and only Lightstream lists a web 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.