Restream vs vMix (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Restream if

• Fits if you go live on YouTube, Twitch and LinkedIn at the same time and want their comments in one place
• Works for streamers who already use OBS and want one feed sent to several channels

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want 1080p from the browser studio without paying for Professional at $49 a month
• Pricey if you mostly want webinars: $99 a month for 100 attendees on top of the plan, or $299 for 500 on Business
• Tight if you're staying free, with Restream branding, only 2 channels and no cloud recording
• Watch out: recordings are kept 15 days (30 on Business), and extra seats are $25 a month each, sold only on Professional and Business
• Not for you if you want a desktop or phone app, since it's web only

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

Restream

• Webinars cost extra: $99 a month for 100 attendees on Standard and Professional, and $299 a month for 500 on Business.
• The Free plan carries Restream branding, streams to only 2 channels and has no cloud recording.
• Studio streams at 720p on Free and Standard; 1080p needs Professional, and recordings are kept 15 days (30 on Business).
• Extra team seats cost $25 a seat a month and are sold only on Professional and Business.

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.

Restream

Multistreaming

Sends one stream to 30 or more platforms, from 2 at once on Free to 8 on Business, plus custom RTMP and SRT destinations and paired channels added by guests.

Restream Studio

A browser studio with up to 10 people on screen, scenes, overlays, logos, a scrolling ticker, QR codes and background music. Professional and up stream in 1080p and record in 4K.

Encoder support

Instead of Studio, you can stream from OBS, Zoom, mobile encoders or game consoles into Restream and let it fan the stream out to every channel.

Cross-platform chat and analytics

Comments from every channel arrive in one feed, and viewer and engagement stats from all channels are shown together, with a live health monitor during the stream.

Webinars add-on

One link handles registration, the live webinar and the replay. Attendees watch in a browser without an account, and the webinar can also be streamed into a Slack channel.

Upload & Stream and clips

Pre-recorded videos can be broadcast as live streams, and the Clips add-on cuts streams into short vertical clips for TikTok, Shorts and Reels.

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.

Restream

• Free$0

  Stream to 2 channels at once with Restream branding; Studio at 720p with 6 people on screen.

• Standard$19

  per month, billed monthly ($190 a year billed annually)

  3 channels, no Restream branding, guest channels, 10 people on screen, cloud recording of 6 hours per stream kept for 15 days, and transcription.

• Professional$49

  per month, billed monthly ($470 a year billed annually)

  5 channels, 1080p from Studio, 4K recording, horizontal and vertical streams at once, 10 hours recorded per stream and 2 team seats.

• Business$239

  per month, billed monthly ($2,390 a year billed annually)

  8 channels, a website player for 1,000 viewers, 2 seats, co-producer mode, team workspaces and 30 days of recording storage.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Custom channels and seats, SSO, multiple workspaces, SRT ingest, stream backup and an account manager.

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.

Restream

• Annual discount

  Annual billing labelled Save 20%

  Restream's pricing page offers annual billing marked "Save 20%". Its price data gives $190 a year for Standard, $470 for Professional and $2,390 for Business, against $19, $49 and $239 a month.

vMix

No public discounts listed.