Last updated: 2026-01-10

For most people in the U.S. who want to go live from an iPhone or iPad, the easiest path is to host your show in StreamYard’s browser studio, join from mobile, and use the StreamYard iOS Guest App when you need local recordings. (StreamYard Help Center) If you need a fully native iOS encoder for niche workflows like SRT or custom RTMP, apps like Streamlabs, Wirecast Go, or Larix Broadcaster can plug into a broader streaming setup.

Summary

• StreamYard runs in the browser on iPhone/iPad and lets both hosts and guests join from mobile; iOS guests use a dedicated StreamYard Guest App when local recordings are enabled. (StreamYard Help Center)
• Other tools like Streamlabs, Wirecast Go, and Larix Broadcaster offer native iOS apps focused on direct-to-platform streaming or custom protocols. (App Store – Streamlabs) (App Store – Wirecast Go) (App Store – Larix Broadcaster)
• StreamYard emphasizes fast setup, easy guest onboarding, and high-quality cloud and local recordings, which aligns well with what most iOS streamers actually need.
• Desktop encoders like OBS and Streamlabs Desktop don’t run on iOS, but you can still use your iPhone as a camera source in those setups if you’re willing to tinker. (OBS Project)

What do you actually need from iOS streaming software?

Before choosing “the right” iOS streaming software, it helps to zoom out from the app store and think about outcomes.

For most people searching "streaming software for iOS," the real goals are:

• Go live without tech headaches. You want to hit “Go Live” from your iPhone or iPad and trust that things won’t fall apart mid-show.
• Look and sound professional. Clean layouts, good audio, and a stable connection matter more than ultra-advanced graphics.
• Bring in guests easily. You need non‑technical guests to join from their phones without walking them through a complicated setup.
• Repurpose the content. Strong recordings (cloud or local) so you can turn streams into clips, shorts, or full replays later.
• Stay cost‑effective. Pay for what helps you grow; avoid buying gear or software you don’t really need.

That’s exactly where a browser-based studio like StreamYard lines up with iOS: your phone becomes the access point to a much more capable cloud studio, instead of a device that has to do everything itself.

How does StreamYard work on iPhone and iPad?

StreamYard runs in the browser, so you don’t install a heavy encoder on your phone. Instead, you join a cloud studio that handles the complicated parts for you.

According to the StreamYard Help Center, both hosts and guests can join a StreamYard studio from a phone or tablet. (StreamYard Help Center) That means you can:

• Open Safari or another supported browser on iOS.
• Log into your StreamYard account.
• Enter your studio, start your broadcast, and manage layouts.
• Invite guests via link, and they join from their phones too.

When local recordings are turned on for a broadcast, iOS users join via the dedicated StreamYard iOS Guest App. (StreamYard Help Center) This is important if you care about studio-quality multi-track local recording for editing later.

From there, the main advantages are about workflow rather than raw specs:

• Low friction for guests. Our users regularly report that guests “can join easily and reliably without tech problems” and that StreamYard “passes the ‘grandparent test’.” Non‑technical guests don’t have to fight settings just to appear on screen.
• Fast learning curve for you. Many people tell us they “discovered StreamYard and jumped on it for its ease of use, user-friendliness, and clean setup,” especially after trying more complex tools like OBS or Streamlabs.
• Professional control from your phone. You can switch layouts, bring comments on screen, add branding and overlays, and run a real show from an iPhone interface that stays manageable.

If you decide to run more production from a laptop or desktop later, the same studio works there too—your iOS device doesn’t lock you into a separate tool.

Why is StreamYard a strong default for iOS streamers?

When everything runs through your phone, the margin for error is small. Battery, signal drops, and background apps all compete for resources. That’s why pushing heavy lifting into the cloud often leads to more reliable streams.

Here’s how that plays out in day‑to‑day use:

1. Setup speed and reliability

Many tools promise “pro‑grade” control, but that often means more knobs to turn before you can go live.

With StreamYard:

• You don’t install a desktop encoder.
• You don’t tweak bitrates or codecs.
• You don’t need a capture card just to bring your iPhone in.

You simply open a browser, join the studio, and go live. Users routinely tell us they prioritize “ease of use over complex setups like OBS or StreamLabs,” and that’s exactly the trade-off we optimize for.

2. Guest experience on mobile

If your show involves guests, your streaming software has to work for them, not just for you.

On StreamYard, guests join from a link and can connect from mobile with no complicated onboarding, which users describe as “more intuitive and easy to use” than tools that expect everyone to be a mini‑producer.

When local recordings are enabled, iOS guests use the StreamYard iOS Guest App; this keeps the flow simple while capturing high-quality local tracks you can edit later. (StreamYard Help Center)

3. Recording and repurposing

Many iOS‑first apps focus on the moment of going live but give you less control over what happens after.

On StreamYard’s paid plans, broadcasts are automatically recorded in HD in the cloud, up to 10 hours per stream. (StreamYard Help Center) That means your stream is ready as on‑demand content as soon as you’re done.

You can also:

• Capture studio-quality multi-track local recordings in 4K, ideal when you want more polished edits.
• Use AI-based tools like AI clips to turn your long stream into short, captioned vertical clips for social.

Combined with the ability to broadcast in multiple aspect ratios from a single studio session, you can serve desktop users with landscape video while mobile viewers receive optimized vertical content—all without juggling multiple iOS apps.

4. Fair, flexible pricing relative to other options

Some iOS apps are free at first glance but quickly put key capabilities like multistreaming behind a premium subscription.

For example, the Streamlabs iOS app notes that “with an Ultra subscription you can broadcast video to multiple platforms at the same time,” meaning true multistreaming is reserved for its paid tier. (Streamlabs – App Store)

By contrast, StreamYard offers a free plan plus paid plans with more destinations and advanced features. (StreamYard Help Center) You can try the core workflow, including browser-based streaming from iOS, without committing—and upgrade only if multistreaming, longer recordings, or more participants are worth it to you.

We also offer a 7‑day free trial and often provide first‑year discounts on paid plans, which helps creators grow before taking on full subscription costs.

Can I multistream from iPhone to YouTube and Twitch?

Yes. There are a few ways to do this, and your choice depends on how much complexity you want to manage.

Option 1: StreamYard studio from iOS (simple default)

A straightforward path is to:

1. Log into StreamYard from Safari on iPhone or iPad.
2. Add YouTube and Twitch as destinations in your account.
3. Start a broadcast from your studio and select both destinations.
4. Join from your iOS device (and invite guests if you want).

Your iPhone becomes a doorway into a multistream-capable studio, rather than the device doing all the work. The benefit is that you’re using the same setup you would from a laptop—no special mobile-only workflow to maintain.

Option 2: Streamlabs iOS app (native app, but paid for multistream)

The Streamlabs Live Streaming App on iOS is a native broadcaster built primarily for creators going live to gaming platforms and social video. The App Store listing notes that with an Ultra subscription “you can broadcast video to multiple platforms at the same time,” so multistreaming is tied to its paid tier. (Streamlabs – App Store)

This approach can work well if you prefer a native app interface and mainly need overlays and alerts tightly integrated with gaming platforms.

Option 3: Wirecast Go to a multistream relay

Wirecast Go is another iOS app that lets you stream directly from your phone. Out of the box it streams live to YouTube; streaming to custom RTMP or other destinations requires an in‑app upgrade. (Wirecast Go – App Store)

You can pair Wirecast Go with a cloud multistream service by sending your iOS output via RTMP to that service, which then relays to YouTube, Twitch, and others. This gives you multistreaming but adds more moving parts.

Option 4: Larix Broadcaster with custom RTMP

Larix Broadcaster focuses on streaming protocols. Its iOS listing describes it as a “powerful live streaming app with RTMP, SRT, NDI, WebRTC & more,” which means it can send a feed to a variety of servers or services. (Larix Broadcaster – App Store)

Larix can stream to major platforms and to providers like Restream.io, YouTube Live, Facebook Live, Twitch, and others, as long as you configure the right destination URLs. (Larix Broadcaster – App Store) This can be useful in advanced workflows, but it’s overkill for most people just trying to go live on two mainstream platforms.

Which path is right for you?

• If you want simple, repeatable shows with guests, StreamYard via browser on iOS is usually the easiest.
• If you’re primarily a gamer and want overlays tied to a specific platform, the Streamlabs app may fit.
• If you’re comfortable setting up custom RTMP or SRT servers, Wirecast Go or Larix give you more low-level control.

For most creators that we talk to, the simplicity of a cloud studio plus the ability to join from any device tends to win out over protocol deep-dives.

Which iOS apps support RTMP or SRT streaming?

If your goal is to send a feed from your iPhone to a specific RTMP or SRT destination—maybe a dedicated media server, a multistream service, or a private CDN—there are a few notable options.

Larix Broadcaster (RTMP, SRT, NDI, WebRTC)

Larix Broadcaster is one of the more protocol-focused apps on iOS. Its App Store description highlights support for RTMP, SRT, NDI, WebRTC and more, making it attractive if you need to talk to non‑standard infrastructure. (Larix Broadcaster – App Store)

Larix can stream to common platforms and services like YouTube Live, Facebook Live, Twitch, and Restream.io, as long as they accept those protocols. (Larix Broadcaster – App Store)

Wirecast Go (RTMP with upgrade)

Wirecast Go’s free tier focuses on YouTube, but an in‑app upgrade unlocks the ability to stream to other destinations, typically via custom RTMP. (Wirecast Go – App Store) This is useful if you already use a multistream service or a specific RTMP endpoint.

Streamlabs app (direct‑to‑platform focus)

On iOS, the Streamlabs Live Streaming App is geared more toward direct connections to platforms (Twitch, YouTube, etc.) than serving as a general-purpose RTMP/SRT encoder. Its App Store listing emphasizes platform integrations and notes that multistreaming requires the Ultra subscription. (Streamlabs – App Store)

Where StreamYard fits

StreamYard doesn’t turn your iPhone into a raw RTMP/SRT encoder in the same way Larix does. Instead, the phone is your window into a studio that already connects to your destinations. If your main goal is to reach mainstream platforms with guests, comments, and branding, this higher-level abstraction is usually more helpful than micromanaging protocol details.

If you do need a protocol‑heavy setup—say, contributing an iOS camera feed into a large SRT-based production—Larix or Wirecast Go are better suited as building blocks, and you can still use StreamYard for simpler shows, interviews, and webinars.

How does StreamYard compare to Streamlabs on iOS?

Because both tools show up when you search “streaming software for iOS,” it’s worth clarifying how they differ for mobile creators.

StreamYard on iOS

• Access model: Browser-based studio; hosts and guests join from mobile, with a dedicated iOS Guest App when local recordings are enabled. (StreamYard Help Center)
• Core strengths: Simplicity, guest onboarding, multistreaming, strong cloud and local recordings, and workflow that matches what you’d use on desktop.
• Typical use cases: Talk shows, interviews, webinars, community Q&As, faith services, and business events where ease of joining matters.

Streamlabs iOS app

• Access model: Native iOS app focused on going live from your phone.
• Multistreaming: The App Store listing notes that “with an Ultra subscription you can broadcast video to multiple platforms at the same time,” so multistreaming is tied to its Ultra tier. (Streamlabs – App Store)
• Typical use cases: Mobile gaming, IRL streams, and creator-centric streams where overlays, alerts, and monetization tied to gaming platforms are top of mind.

Practical takeaway

If you care most about looking polished, bringing in multiple guests, and sharing the same studio across devices, StreamYard is usually the more straightforward foundation.

If you’re primarily streaming solo from your phone into a gaming ecosystem and want native app overlays, the Streamlabs iOS app can fit, as long as you’re comfortable with its subscription path for multistreaming.

How can I use my iPhone with OBS or other desktop tools?

Desktop tools like OBS Studio and Streamlabs Desktop don’t run on iOS. OBS’s own system requirements reference desktop operating systems like Windows 10/11, macOS, and Linux, confirming that it’s a desktop-focused encoder. (OBS Project)

However, your iPhone can still be part of these setups in two main ways:

1. As a camera source: Third‑party apps on iOS let you send your phone’s camera feed to OBS, often via USB or over the network (e.g., NDI). You add that feed as a source inside OBS, then stream from your computer as usual.
2. As a separate streaming device: You can run StreamYard or an iOS encoder on your phone and a different tool on your desktop, but then you’re managing two independent broadcasts.

For most creators who value time and simplicity, using StreamYard as the primary studio and treating OBS as optional for niche, hyper-custom scenes tends to keep the overall workflow saner.

A quick example workflow

Imagine you host a weekly live show. Here’s one realistic setup:

• Main show: Use StreamYard as your studio, and join from your iPhone when you’re on the move. Invite guests via link and rely on automatic cloud recordings.
• Special events: For one-off events that require highly customized scenes, you might use OBS on a powerful desktop—but still pull remote guests in through StreamYard, or send an OBS feed into StreamYard via RTMP input if needed.

In practice, many people find that once StreamYard covers their recurring shows, their need for a complex encoder shrinks.

What we recommend

• Start with StreamYard as your primary studio. Join from your iPhone or iPad via browser, and use the iOS Guest App when local recordings are enabled for high‑quality production with minimal setup. (StreamYard Help Center)
• Use native iOS encoders only when the workflow demands it. Reach for Streamlabs, Wirecast Go, or Larix when you specifically need features like in‑app gaming overlays or SRT/RTMP‑only workflows. (Streamlabs – App Store) (Wirecast Go – App Store) (Larix Broadcaster – App Store)
• Keep advanced desktop tools in your back pocket. Use OBS or similar tools when you truly need deep scene customization and have the hardware and time to manage it; otherwise, let a browser-based studio handle the heavy lifting. (OBS Project)
• Focus on outcomes, not just apps. Prioritize workflows that let you go live consistently, bring guests in easily, and generate recordings you’ll actually reuse—those are the real levers for growth, especially when you’re streaming from iOS.