How to Live Stream With Multiple People on YouTube for Free

ByJim Miller

Google removed Hangouts on Air from the YouTube app, causing a great mess for live streaming. However, there are always third-party apps to help you out. In this article, we will explore how to live stream with multiple people on YouTube.

Live Stream With Multiple People on YouTube for Free

One way to stream with multiple people on YouTube is to use OBS Studio. You can Skype call your colleagues or fellow streamers and then use OBS Studio to stream the video and audio to YouTube. However, this method requires a lot of set-up and there can be problems with OBS Studio like GPU usage, NDI plugin, color output, etc.

To simplify the process, we will use a web app called StreamYard. StreamYard allows you to stream with other people remotely over platforms like Facebook, Periscope, LinkedIn, and YouTube. However, it works on a freemium model and imposes a few restrictions on the free account. These restrictions include a StreamYard watermark on the YouTube live stream and a limit of 20 hours of streaming per month.

To remove these restrictions, you would have to upgrade to the premium variant starting at $25/month. The premium version provides additional features like a custom logo, background, stream recording, etc.

Setting Up Your Live Stream with StreamYard

  1. Open the StreamYard website and click on the “Get Started” button at the top-right.

  2. Enter your Email ID and click on the “Get Login Code” button.

  3. Once you receive the 6-digit code on your Email ID, enter it in the textbox and click on the “Log In” button.

  4. Connect your YouTube account to the StreamYard service by navigating to the Destinations tab and clicking on the “Add a Destination” button. Select “YouTube Channel” and log in to your Google account linked to the YouTube channel. Grant the necessary permissions to StreamYard.

  5. Once your YouTube account is linked, you will see it under the Destination tab.

  6. Go to the Broadcasts tab and click on the “Create a Broadcast” button. Select your YouTube account and fill in the title, description, and privacy settings. Click on the Create Broadcast button.

  7. Provide webcam and microphone permissions and enter a Broadcast name. Click on the Enter Broadcast Studio button.

  8. You will be directed to the StreamYard live video dashboard. The video preview screen will be initially blank. Click on the video preview at the bottom-left to add yourself to the stream.

  9. To add more participants, click on the Invite option and share the link with other people. They can join the broadcast by clicking on the link. Once they join, their video preview will be available at the bottom. Add each participant to the stream.

  10. Once everything is set up, click on the “Go Live” button at the top-right corner to go live on YouTube.

Please note that the free version of StreamYard supports only 6 people at a time. You can change the video view according to the number of participants by selecting different templates provided below the video preview. The right side of the video preview displays the public YouTube live chat where you can reply and react to comments. There is also a private chat option to communicate with other streamers.

Other Alternatives

If you're looking for alternatives, Lightstream is another web app that allows live streaming with multiple people. However, it features a watermark on the video stream and has an 8-hour monthly limit. Lightstream's interface can be slightly complicated and the web app is resource-heavy.

In conclusion, StreamYard provides a convenient and user-friendly way to live stream with multiple people on YouTube. With its web-based platform and easy setup process, you can create engaging live streams without the hassle of complex setups. Give it a try and start streaming with your colleagues or fellow streamers today!