Last updated: 2026-01-15

For most people in the U.S. who want to multistream to YouTube, the fastest and least stressful path is to use a browser-based studio like StreamYard on a paid plan and push the same show to YouTube plus a few other platforms at once. If you specifically need deep local-encoder control or highly customized scenes, you can pair OBS with a multistream plugin or a relay service, knowing it will take more setup and maintenance.

Summary

• StreamYard lets you go live to YouTube and other major platforms from your browser, with multistreaming available on paid plans and destination caps designed for real-world use. (StreamYard Help Center)
• Typical creators care more about reliability, easy guest workflows, and good recordings than about streaming to dozens of niche platforms.
• Alternatives like OBS, Streamlabs, and Restream can work for multistreaming to YouTube but often add complexity, plugins, or higher-tier pricing for similar outcomes. (obs-multi-rtmp GitHub) (Streamlabs Multistream) (Restream YouTube Guide)
• StreamYard focuses on “it just works” multistreaming plus studio-quality recordings and AI repurposing, so you spend more time on your content and less time on settings.

What does “multistream to YouTube” actually mean for you?

When people say “multistream to YouTube,” they usually mean one of two things:

1. Send one show to YouTube and at least one other platform at the same time. Think YouTube + Facebook, or YouTube + LinkedIn + X (Twitter). With StreamYard on paid plans, you can send the same live show to multiple platforms and even multiple accounts per platform (except LinkedIn) from a single browser studio. (StreamYard Help Center)

2. Stay focused on YouTube but keep the workflow simple. Many U.S.-based creators care less about “every platform under the sun” and more about: high-quality, zero-drama streams, solid recordings, easy guest joins, and light branding. That’s exactly the zone where StreamYard tends to become the default.

If that sounds like you, multistreaming shouldn’t feel like a whole new technical hobby. It should feel like checking one more box before you hit “Go live.”

Why is StreamYard a strong default for multistreaming to YouTube?

A typical multistream checklist looks like this:

• Can my guests join without installing anything?
• Will it still work if my co-host is not technical at all?
• Can I brand the show and capture high-quality recordings for repurposing?
• Will my computer and internet hold up when I add more destinations?

StreamYard is built around that exact list.

From a browser, you can:

• Connect YouTube plus other major platforms and custom RTMP destinations, then go live to several of them at once on paid plans. (StreamYard Help Center)
• Bring up to 10 people on screen, with extra participants backstage, all joining from a link.
• Control mic and screen-share audio separately, which matters when you’re demoing something while talking over it.
• Apply logos, overlays, and layouts live so your YouTube stream looks like a show, not just a webcam feed.
• Capture studio-quality multi-track local recordings in up to 4K with 48 kHz WAV audio, so you can re-cut episodes later.
• Use AI Clips to auto-generate captioned shorts and reels from your recordings, then regenerate with a text prompt if you want clips around a specific topic.

When people switch from OBS or Streamlabs to StreamYard, they often say some version of: “I prioritize ease of use over complex setups—that’s why I use StreamYard.” They want to host the show, not manage the control room.

How do you multistream to YouTube with StreamYard?

Here’s the high-level flow when you’re ready to go live to YouTube plus other destinations.

1. Connect your YouTube channel.
   You need to be the owner of the channel or the manager/owner of a Brand account to connect YouTube to StreamYard. (Connect a YouTube Channel)

2. Add your other destinations.
   On paid plans, you can connect Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Twitch, or custom RTMP destinations and select several at once for a single broadcast. (StreamYard Help Center)

3. Set up your show in the studio.

   • Choose your layout and overlays.
   • Invite guests by sending them the studio link.
   • Add presenter notes that only you can see.
   • Share your screen or let guests share theirs for walkthroughs.

4. Select destinations before you go live.
   Check YouTube and any other platforms you want to hit. StreamYard’s cloud handles the actual distribution, so your computer still sends just one upstream feed.

5. Go live and interact.
   You can monitor chat, run your show, and let StreamYard handle sending that show to YouTube plus your other destinations.

6. Download your recordings after.
   On paid plans we record your broadcasts in HD for up to 10 hours per stream, which gives you long-form replays and clean tracks for later editing. (StreamYard paid plan features)

In practice, once you’ve done this once or twice, it feels like starting a regular single-destination stream—just with more boxes checked on the destination list.

How does this compare to OBS, Streamlabs, and Restream for YouTube?

You have other options; the question is what you want to trade for them.

OBS

OBS is free and extremely powerful, but by default it only streams to one destination at a time. To multistream to YouTube plus other platforms, you typically add a plugin (such as obs-multi-rtmp) or send your OBS feed to a relay service. (obs-multi-rtmp GitHub)

That unlocks a lot of control but also means:

• More local CPU and upload usage as you add outputs.
• Plugin management and configuration.
• A steeper learning curve for scenes, sources, audio routing, and transitions.

Some people love this level of control. Many creators, especially those running interview shows or webinars, decide they’d rather have a clean browser studio and skip the tinkering.

Streamlabs

Streamlabs offers cloud-based multistreaming and a Dual Output feature that lets you send a horizontal and a vertical canvas at the same time, including to YouTube. (Streamlabs vertical + horizontal guide)

The trade-off is that full multistreaming is tied to their paid Ultra subscription, and their own docs note that Ultra is required for broader multistreaming use cases across Desktop and Mobile. (Streamlabs multistream guide)

If you’re already deep in the Streamlabs ecosystem, that may make sense. If you mainly want a simple, browser-based studio where non-technical guests can join easily and where pricing is per workspace rather than per seat, StreamYard tends to be a better fit.

Restream

Restream also functions as a relay: you send one feed and they forward it to multiple platforms, with official docs that cover YouTube encoder recommendations like codec, bitrate, and keyframe interval. (Restream YouTube Guide)

Restream’s marketing highlights “30+ platforms,” but many of those rely on custom RTMP rather than deep native integrations. In practice, most U.S. creators care about YouTube plus a handful of mainstream platforms, and you can already reach those from StreamYard without extra complexity.

A key difference in real-world usage: streaming to 8 destinations on Restream requires upgrading to a high-end Business plan, while the same destination count is available on a lower-priced StreamYard plan that’s aimed at everyday creators and small teams.

Can you stream vertical and horizontal to YouTube at the same time?

YouTube now cares about both classic landscape video and Shorts-style vertical content. There are a few ways to approach that:

• One show, multiple aspects.
  With Multi-Aspect Ratio Streaming (MARS), we let you broadcast both landscape and portrait from the same StreamYard studio. That means you can reach desktop viewers with a traditional layout while mobile viewers get a vertical-optimized version—all in one workflow.

• Dedicated vertical feed.
  Tools like Streamlabs support separate horizontal and vertical canvases to YouTube using Dual Output, which is useful if you’re designing two very different layouts for the same show. (Streamlabs vertical + horizontal guide)

For most people just getting into YouTube multistreaming, it’s usually simpler to start with one studio session and let the tool handle aspect ratios, then layer on more advanced layouts later if you truly need them.

What YouTube settings matter when you’re multistreaming?

Even with a cloud-based studio, YouTube still expects a sane encoder configuration. Restream’s YouTube guide, for example, recommends H.264 video, resolutions from 240p up to 2160p, bitrates in the 3,000–40,000 Kbps range, and a 2-second keyframe interval. (Restream YouTube Guide)

The specific numbers you pick depend on your internet upload speed and whether you’re streaming in 1080p or higher. The bigger point: when you let a browser-based tool handle encoding presets and multistream routing, you spend less time worrying about knobs and more time focusing on your run of show.

What we recommend

• Default path: Use StreamYard on a paid plan to multistream to YouTube plus a few key platforms from your browser, with simple guest links and built-in recording.
• If you need deep scene control: Use OBS plus a multistream plugin or a relay, knowing you’ll invest more time in setup and troubleshooting. (obs-multi-rtmp GitHub)
• If you’re optimizing for Shorts and vertical content: Start with a single StreamYard studio using Multi-Aspect Ratio Streaming, then expand into separate vertical workflows only if you truly need them.
• If budget and simplicity both matter: Compare not just headline prices but what you actually get at each level—StreamYard’s destination caps, workspace-based pricing, and low-friction guest experience tend to be a strong value for most small teams and solo creators.