Software · head to head
Anchorfree vs StreamYard
A
Anchorfree
Software
Platform for hosting and distributing live events
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Anchorfree the vendor's own domain (anchorfree.com), as captured by the Internet Archive on 11 January 2023, redirects to and displays the Pango Group corporate site, stating Pango Group is owned and operated by Aura and describes itself as a portfolio of consumer security brands; AnchorFree's original product (Hotspot Shield) survives only under the Pango/Aura ownership structure, confirming the acquisition in the vendor's own words rather than a third party account; StreamYard the free plan stamps a StreamYard logo on every stream, caps local recordings at 2 hours per month, allows 6 on screen participants and 1 seat
- They diverge on capability: Anchorfree covers Live streaming, StreamYard covers Multi-streaming.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Anchorfree and StreamYard actually diverge.
| Attribute | Anchorfree | StreamYard |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2017 | 2018 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Anchorfree
- Live streaming
- Audience management
- Analytics
- Multi-platform delivery
- Zapier
Only in StreamYard
- Multi-streaming
- Custom branding
- Screen sharing
- Guest management
- Custom RTMP
Both cover
- Recording
- YouTube
- Twitch
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Anchorfree
- Professional Worknot StreamYard
- Content Creationnot StreamYard
StreamYard
- Browser based live streaming to YouTube, Facebook and other destinations at oncenot Anchorfree
- Recording remote guest interviews and podcasts with on screen brandingnot Anchorfree
- Running small webinars with a live viewer audiencenot Anchorfree
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Anchorfree
- The vendor's own domain (anchorfree.com), as captured by the Internet Archive on 11 January 2023, redirects to and displays the Pango Group corporate site, stating Pango Group is owned and operated by Aura and describes itself as a portfolio of consumer security brands; AnchorFree's original product (Hotspot Shield) survives only under the Pango/Aura ownership structure, confirming the acquisition in the vendor's own words rather than a third party account
StreamYard
- The free plan stamps a StreamYard logo on every stream, caps local recordings at 2 hours per month, allows 6 on screen participants and 1 seat
- 1080p full HD, watermark removal and unlimited streaming require the Core plan at $44.99 per month billed monthly
- Core limits multistreaming to 3 destinations; 8 destinations require Advanced at $88.99 per month
- Core caps permanent recording storage at 50 hours
- 4K local recording, on air webinars for up to 100 viewers, extra camera and transcript downloads are Advanced only
- The free trial on paid plans runs 7 days
Pricing, plan by plan
Anchorfree
Free- FreeFree
- Basic streaming
- Limited audience
- Professional$49/month
- Advanced features
- Larger audience
- Enterprise$199/month
- Custom solutions
- Premium support
StreamYard
Free- FreeFree
- 20-hour streaming
- StreamYard branding
- Basic features
- Basic$25/month
- No branding
- Custom overlays
- 6 guests
- Professional$49/month
- Full HD
- 10 guests
- Recording
Which should you pick?
Choose Anchorfree if
- You need live streaming.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want audience management.
Choose StreamYard if
- You need multi-streaming.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want custom branding.
Questions people ask
- Is Anchorfree or StreamYard better?
- Neither clearly leads. Anchorfree starts at Free and StreamYard at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Anchorfree or StreamYard?
- Anchorfree starts at Free and StreamYard at Free.
- Does Anchorfree or StreamYard run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Anchorfree for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Anchorfree best used for?
- Anchorfree is most often used for professional work, content creation. Of those, professional work and content creation are not what StreamYard is typically brought in for.
- What can Anchorfree do that StreamYard cannot?
- Anchorfree covers Live streaming, Audience management, Analytics, Multi-platform delivery. StreamYard covers Multi-streaming, Custom branding, Screen sharing, Guest management. Both handle Recording, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch.