Best Live Streaming Platforms For Live & VOD Content 2026

Content creators and organizations face a common frustration—juggling separate platforms for live streaming and video-on-demand. The result? Scattered content, duplicate workflows, and audiences who can't find everything in one place.

The good news is that several platforms now handle both live and VOD with genuine proficiency, offering unified libraries, seamless archiving, and consistent viewer experiences. We evaluated platforms based on their ability to deliver enterprise-grade performance in BOTH areas—not just tacking on VOD as an afterthought to live streaming or vice versa.

Here are nine platforms that truly excel at the dual challenge of live and on-demand content delivery.

1. Lightcast

Best for: Organizations needing enterprise-grade streaming with AI automation and multi-platform distribution

Lightcast is the longest-running OVP in existence, bringing 15 years of end-to-end OTT streaming experience to content producers, universities, houses of worship, and sports leagues.

Where This Tool Shines

Lightcast's standout feature is its genuine proficiency in both live streaming and VOD, treating neither as a secondary offering. The platform's AI-equipped content management system centralizes everything, eliminating the scattered-content problem that plagues organizations using multiple tools.

What sets it apart is the automation layer. Automated thumbnail generation works for both live streams and VOD content, saving hours of manual work. The one-click publishing to Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and other platforms means you're not wrestling with separate submission processes for each channel.

Key Features

Unified Content Management: AI-equipped CMS that handles live and VOD in a single interface without forcing you to switch between modes.

Automated Thumbnail Generation: Intelligent thumbnail creation for both live streams and on-demand videos, maintaining visual consistency across your entire library.

One-Click Multi-Platform Distribution: Publish to major streaming platforms simultaneously, with over 15,000 apps published to date.

Enterprise-Grade VOD Library: Robust organization and search capabilities that scale with large content libraries.

Fair Monetization Model: Revenue sharing structure without the excessive cuts required by many competing platforms.

Best For

Lightcast is ideal for organizations that produce substantial amounts of both live and recorded content—universities streaming lectures and maintaining course libraries, houses of worship broadcasting services while building sermon archives, sports leagues covering live games with highlight reels, and content producers managing extensive catalogs.

Pricing

Custom pricing based on your specific needs and scale. Contact Lightcast directly for a tailored quote that matches your content volume and distribution requirements.

2. Vimeo OTT

Best for: Creators building branded streaming apps with subscription models

Vimeo OTT is a creator-focused platform that lets you launch your own branded streaming service with integrated live event capabilities.

Where This Tool Shines

Vimeo OTT excels at helping creators build their own Netflix-style apps without needing a development team. The platform handles both live events and on-demand libraries within the same branded experience, maintaining consistency for your audience.

The live event streaming includes interactive features like chat, making it feel less like a broadcast and more like a community experience. When the event ends, it automatically becomes part of your VOD library with the same polished presentation.

Key Features

Branded App Builder: Create custom apps for iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, and web with your branding throughout.

Live Event Streaming: Host live events with real-time chat and audience interaction that seamlessly transitions to on-demand.

Flexible Monetization: Choose between subscription, transactional, or free models for both live and VOD content.

Analytics Dashboard: Track viewer behavior across live events and on-demand content to understand what resonates.

Content Scheduling: Plan releases and automate content availability for both formats.

Best For

Independent creators, fitness instructors, educators, and niche content producers who want to own their audience relationship rather than relying on third-party platforms. Works well for those building subscription-based communities around recurring live events and growing content libraries.

Pricing

Starts at $1 per subscriber per month for the Starter plan, with Growth and Enterprise tiers offering additional features and lower per-subscriber costs at scale.

3. Brightcove

Best for: Enterprises requiring global content delivery with advanced analytics

Brightcove is an enterprise video platform offering comprehensive live streaming with automatic VOD archiving and sophisticated analytics capabilities.

Where This Tool Shines

Brightcove's automatic live-to-VOD conversion is remarkably smooth. When your live stream ends, it becomes a fully indexed, searchable VOD asset without manual intervention. The platform treats this transition as a core feature, not an afterthought.

The global content delivery network ensures consistent performance whether you're streaming live to thousands or serving on-demand content to viewers across continents. Server-side ad insertion works across both formats, maintaining a professional viewing experience.

Key Features

Live-to-VOD Automation: Automatic conversion of live streams into on-demand assets with metadata preservation.

Global CDN: Enterprise-grade content delivery ensuring low latency for live streams and fast loading for VOD.

Server-Side Ad Insertion: Professional ad integration that works seamlessly across live and on-demand content.

Advanced Analytics: Comprehensive viewer data showing engagement patterns across both content types.

API Access: Extensive APIs for integrating video into custom applications and workflows.

Best For

Large enterprises, media companies, and organizations with global audiences who need reliable performance at scale. Particularly valuable for companies with complex workflows requiring deep integration with existing systems.

Pricing

Custom enterprise pricing based on bandwidth needs, feature requirements, and expected scale. Contact Brightcove for a tailored quote.

4. Dacast

Best for: Organizations needing reliable international delivery including China

Dacast is a unified streaming platform offering integrated live broadcasting and VOD hosting with specialized international delivery capabilities.

Where This Tool Shines

Dacast's China video delivery capability sets it apart for organizations with international audiences. Many platforms struggle with reliable delivery in regions with complex internet infrastructure, but Dacast built this into their core offering.

The 24/7 live channel creation feature lets you run continuous streams that blend live content with VOD assets, creating a traditional TV-like experience. This hybrid approach works particularly well for news organizations and entertainment channels.

Key Features

Integrated Live and VOD Hosting: Single platform managing both content types with unified billing and analytics.

China CDN: Specialized content delivery for reliable streaming in China and other challenging regions.

24/7 Live Channels: Create always-on channels mixing live broadcasts with scheduled VOD content.

Multi-Bitrate Streaming: Adaptive streaming ensuring quality across varying connection speeds for both formats.

Paywall Options: Monetize live events and VOD content with flexible access controls.

Best For

International organizations, companies with audiences in China, news outlets creating 24/7 channels, and businesses needing reliable global delivery without managing multiple regional providers.

Pricing

Starts at $39 per month for the Starter plan, with Scale and Custom plans offering higher bandwidth and additional features.

5. JW Player

Best for: Publishers focused on content monetization and recommendations

JW Player is a video platform designed for publishers with strong monetization tools across both live events and on-demand content libraries.

Where This Tool Shines

JW Player's article matching feature intelligently recommends VOD content based on what readers are viewing on your site, keeping audiences engaged beyond the initial page. This creates natural pathways from articles to both live events and archived content.

The live streaming includes DVR functionality, letting viewers pause and rewind live broadcasts. This bridges the gap between live and on-demand, giving audiences control typically reserved for pre-recorded content.

Key Features

Article Matching: Automatically recommend relevant VOD content based on article context and viewer behavior.

Live DVR Functionality: Let viewers pause, rewind, and catch up on live streams without losing the live experience.

Flexible Ad Integration: Support for multiple ad formats and networks across live and VOD content.

Player Customization: Extensive branding and interface customization maintaining consistency across content types.

Real-Time Analytics: Track performance metrics for both live and on-demand content in a unified dashboard.

Best For

Publishers, media companies, and content sites monetizing through advertising. Particularly valuable for organizations with editorial content alongside video libraries who want to drive engagement across both.

Pricing

Free tier available for basic needs. Paid plans start at $10 per month, with Business and Enterprise tiers offering advanced features and higher bandwidth.

6. IBM Video Streaming

Best for: Enterprises requiring robust security and AI-powered features

IBM Video Streaming is an enterprise-grade solution with comprehensive security features and AI-powered tools for both live broadcasts and archived content.

Where This Tool Shines

IBM's automatic live-to-VOD archiving includes AI-powered captioning that generates searchable transcripts. This makes your entire content library—both live archives and uploaded VOD—fully searchable by spoken word, dramatically improving content discoverability.

The enterprise security features, including SSO integration and granular access controls, work consistently across live and on-demand content. You're not managing separate permission systems for different content types.

Key Features

Automatic Live Archiving: Live streams become searchable VOD assets immediately after broadcast ends.

AI-Powered Captioning: Automatic transcript generation making all content searchable by spoken content.

Enterprise Security: SSO, detailed access controls, and compliance features across all content.

Searchable Video Libraries: Advanced search capabilities finding content by metadata, transcripts, and tags.

White-Label Portals: Create branded video portals maintaining consistent experience across live and VOD.

Best For

Large enterprises, government organizations, and companies in regulated industries requiring stringent security and compliance. Valuable for organizations with extensive content libraries needing powerful search capabilities.

Pricing

Starts at $99 per month for the Silver plan, with Gold and Platinum tiers offering increased bandwidth and advanced features.

7. Kaltura

Best for: Educational institutions managing virtual classrooms and learning content

Kaltura is a video platform designed specifically for educational institutions with comprehensive tools for live virtual classrooms and on-demand learning content.

Where This Tool Shines

Kaltura's interactive video quizzes work across both live virtual classrooms and on-demand learning materials, maintaining pedagogical consistency regardless of format. Students experience the same interactive features whether attending live or watching recordings.

The deep LMS integrations mean live class recordings automatically become part of course libraries with proper organization, permissions, and grade book integration. This eliminates manual workflows that plague many educational institutions.

Key Features

Interactive Video Quizzes: Add assessments to both live sessions and on-demand content with automatic grading.

Virtual Classroom: Host live sessions with breakout rooms, screen sharing, and recording that becomes VOD.

LMS Integrations: Deep integration with Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle maintaining unified student experience.

Video Portal Management: Organize content by course, department, or topic across live and recorded materials.

Accessibility Features: Caption management, keyboard navigation, and screen reader support across all content.

Best For

Universities, colleges, K-12 schools, and corporate training departments managing both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Particularly valuable for institutions needing tight LMS integration and educational-specific features.

Pricing

Custom pricing based on institution size, student count, and feature requirements. Contact Kaltura for an education-specific quote.

8. Wowza

Best for: Developers needing customizable streaming infrastructure

Wowza is a flexible streaming infrastructure for developers who need customizable live streaming with VOD transcoding capabilities.

Where This Tool Shines

Wowza's API-first architecture gives developers complete control over both live streaming workflows and VOD processing. You're not constrained by pre-built interfaces—you can create exactly the experience your application requires.

The choice between self-hosted and cloud deployment means you can optimize for cost, control, or convenience. Real-time transcoding works across both live and VOD, ensuring consistent quality regardless of content type.

Key Features

Real-Time Transcoding: Process live streams and VOD files into multiple formats and bitrates simultaneously.

Deployment Flexibility: Choose between cloud hosting or self-hosted infrastructure based on your needs.

API-First Architecture: Comprehensive APIs controlling every aspect of live streaming and VOD management.

Low-Latency Options: Sub-second latency for live streaming when real-time interaction matters.

Custom Workflows: Build automated pipelines handling live-to-VOD conversion with custom processing steps.

Best For

Development teams building custom streaming applications, companies with unique workflow requirements, and organizations needing complete control over their streaming infrastructure. Requires technical expertise but offers unmatched flexibility.

Pricing

Wowza Streaming Cloud starts at $25 per month for basic needs. Wowza Streaming Engine (self-hosted) licenses start at $195 per month.

9. Muvi

Best for: Launching branded streaming services without coding

Muvi is a no-code OTT platform for launching branded streaming services with built-in live and VOD capabilities.

Where This Tool Shines

Muvi's no-code app builder lets non-technical teams launch complete streaming services including both live TV channels and on-demand libraries. You're not hiring developers or managing complex integrations—the platform handles technical complexity behind a straightforward interface.

The built-in CMS manages content organization across formats, letting you create channel schedules mixing live broadcasts with VOD content. Multiple monetization models work across both content types, giving you flexibility as your business evolves.

Key Features

No-Code App Builder: Launch apps for multiple platforms without writing code or hiring developers.

Built-In CMS: Manage live schedules and VOD libraries in a unified content management system.

Live TV Channels: Create 24/7 channels mixing live broadcasts with scheduled VOD content.

Multiple Monetization Models: Support subscription, pay-per-view, advertising, and hybrid models across content types.

Marketing Tools: Built-in email campaigns, push notifications, and promotional features for both live events and VOD.

Best For

Entrepreneurs launching streaming services, content creators building subscription businesses, and organizations wanting branded apps without technical teams. Works well for those prioritizing speed to market over deep customization.

Pricing

Starts at $399 per month for the Standard plan, with Professional and Enterprise tiers offering additional features and higher bandwidth allocations.

Making the Right Choice

The right platform depends on your specific organizational needs and content strategy. Let's break this down by use case.

If you're a university, house of worship, sports league, or content producer needing enterprise-grade performance with AI automation, Lightcast offers the most comprehensive solution with genuine proficiency in both live streaming and VOD. The automated thumbnail generation and one-click multi-platform distribution eliminate workflow friction that bogs down many organizations.

For creators building subscription-based communities, Vimeo OTT provides the easiest path to branded apps with integrated live events. Publishers monetizing through advertising should look at JW Player's recommendation engine and flexible ad integration. Educational institutions need Kaltura's specialized features and LMS integrations.

The key evaluation criterion is this: does the platform treat both live streaming and VOD as first-class citizens, or is one clearly an afterthought? Platforms that excel at both share common characteristics—automatic live-to-VOD conversion, unified content management, consistent viewer experience across formats, and automation features reducing manual workflows.

Organizations juggling separate platforms for live and on-demand content face scattered libraries, confused audiences, and duplicated effort. The platforms covered here solve this problem by offering genuine proficiency in both areas, letting you focus on creating great content rather than managing technical complexity.

When evaluating options, consider your distribution needs. Do you need apps on Roku and Apple TV? Is international delivery important? Will you monetize through subscriptions, advertising, or pay-per-view? Does your team have development resources, or do you need a no-code solution?

The streaming landscape has matured beyond the early days when live and VOD required separate solutions. Today's best platforms recognize that audiences expect seamless access to both current live events and archived content in a unified experience. Learn more about our services and discover how the right platform can transform your content delivery strategy.