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Software · head to head

Hopin vs StreamYard

Hopin logo

Hopin

Software

Virtual and hybrid events at scale

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
StreamYard logo

StreamYard

Software

Professional live streaming made easy

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hopin platform complexity with feature breadth that results in no single feature being particularly strong compared to specialized competitors; 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: Hopin covers Virtual stages, StreamYard covers Multi-streaming.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hopin and StreamYard actually diverge.

Attributes where Hopin and StreamYard differ
AttributeHopinStreamYard
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded20192018

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Hopin

  • Virtual stages
  • Networking sessions
  • Expo areas
  • Breakout rooms
  • Live streaming
  • Stripe
  • HubSpot
  • Salesforce

Only in StreamYard

  • Multi-streaming
  • Custom branding
  • Screen sharing
  • Guest management
  • Recording
  • YouTube
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Hopin

  • Event planningnot StreamYard
  • Ticket salesnot StreamYard
  • Attendee managementnot StreamYard
  • Virtual eventsnot StreamYard
  • Event marketingnot StreamYard

StreamYard

  • Browser based live streaming to YouTube, Facebook and other destinations at oncenot Hopin
  • Recording remote guest interviews and podcasts with on screen brandingnot Hopin
  • Running small webinars with a live viewer audiencenot Hopin

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Hopin

  • Platform complexity with feature breadth that results in no single feature being particularly strong compared to specialized competitors
  • Hard registration caps with additional charges if events exceed 100 registrations
  • Post-acquisition delays with slow account activation taking up to 45 days and slow responses to onboarding questions
  • High pricing particularly problematic for organizations running occasional or simple webinars
  • No Facebook or YouTube live streaming integration and limited caption support for accessibility

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

Hopin

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Hopin review.

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 Hopin if

  • You need virtual stages.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want networking sessions.
Hopin review

Choose StreamYard if

  • You need multi-streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want custom branding.
StreamYard review

Questions people ask

Is Hopin or StreamYard better?
Neither clearly leads. Hopin 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, Hopin or StreamYard?
Hopin starts at Free and StreamYard at Free.
Does Hopin or StreamYard run on more platforms?
Hopin runs on Web, iOS, Android. StreamYard runs on Web.
Can I use Hopin for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hopin best used for?
Hopin is most often used for event planning, ticket sales, attendee management, virtual events. Of those, event planning and ticket sales are not what StreamYard is typically brought in for.
What can Hopin do that StreamYard cannot?
Hopin covers Virtual stages, Networking sessions, Expo areas, Breakout rooms. StreamYard covers Multi-streaming, Custom branding, Screen sharing, Guest management. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hopin: What is Hopin's pricing?

Hopin (now RingCentral Events) starts at approximately $99 per organizer per month (billed annually) for the Events Pro plan, with higher tiers at $199 and $299 per month adding onsite capabilities and advanced integrations. A free plan is available with limited features.

Source
Hopin: What features does Hopin include?

Hopin provides registration, live streaming, networking tools (1:1 video matchmaking, breakout rooms), virtual reception and expo areas, real-time analytics and reporting, and integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, and Pardot.

Source
Hopin: Can Hopin live stream to Facebook or YouTube?

No. Hopin does not offer native options to live stream video conferencing directly to Facebook or YouTube. This requires manual setup or third-party solutions.

Source
Hopin: Does Hopin provide automated captions during events?

Hopin does not offer built-in caption support across all features, which is a limitation for accessibility and engagement during live sessions.

Source
Hopin: Who acquired Hopin?

RingCentral acquired Hopin in late 2023. The platform is now sold as RingCentral Events with ongoing support and updates managed by RingCentral.

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