The 5 Most Popular Live Streaming Apps

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Julianne Stanley

Another day, another advancement in the mobile industry. Today’s topic, live streaming! Live video and audio footage engagement has taken off this year and is continuing to grow and gain users, but why? Well, to say the least, having the ability to tap into and view far away places is pretty outstanding and not too long ago would have been pretty hard to imagine possible.

So as always, there’s an app for that! In this case, there are five. Today I would like to show you the five most popular live streaming apps and review with you some app features in detail.

Hang on to your hat, you never know what your going to see on a live stream!

5 Most Popular Live Streaming Apps

All available on Google Play and Apple App Store

1. Periscope

Number one on our list of popular live streaming apps is Periscope, a video based social media platform brought to us by Twitter. So, if you have a previously existing Twitter account, you are one step ahead of the game, however the app will work with just a phone number as well. Here is the breakdown in a few works, the makers of Periscope want users to:

“See the world through someone else’s eyes.”

Periscope works anywhere in the world and let’s users capture the here and now even if you are a million miles away. Speaking of a million, within Periscope’s first ten days on the market, the app gained 1 million followers (Social Media Week). With Periscope, users can create a live broadcast that is visible to complete strangers who can react to the broadcast with “likes” and interact with the broadcast with comments.

2. Stringwire

This next app keeps it simple: “Live Video. Made Social.” The makers of the app have given users three simple instructions, according to Stringwire.com:

Step #1 Stream

Step #2 Share

Step #3 Collaborate

The latest Stringwire update (version 2.4) includes a search feature that actually let’s users search for the places in the world that they would like to see, if someone there happens to be streaming of course. If users wish to see how their own stream is doing, they can now see a stream view count. Much like all of our favorite social media platforms Stringwire has also recently added a news feed to deliver updates regarding users an individual follows.

3.Meerkat

The next popular live streaming app on the list is Meerkat. Yes, a Meerkat is also an animal, note the app’s logo. This popular live stream app has notification abilities that lets users know when their friends are live streaming, so you never miss a beat. In addition viewers can re- stream any stream that they have watched to their own followers and friends, great for sharing purposes.

Lastly, users are able to easily save their personal streams to their photo or video library.

4. Hang w/

With this next app, you certainly get life shared live! Hang w/ has millions of users and considers itself the “most advanced live-streaming mobile and social experience on the planet.” For some backup sources, here are media outlets that have featured Hang w/ according to the App Store: Billboard, The NY Post, CNBC, USA Today, Mashable, The Guardian, The OC Register, TNW, and Mactrast

The app itself offers the ability to text chat with viewers when live, let’s users zoom in and out while broadcasting, (a newer feature), and offers the ability to share content to YouTube.

The big perk within this app, it pays you for your valuable content! If a user broadcasts for free, that user can earn up 25% of ad revenue that is generated by their broadcasts. Not a bad deal!

“The power is in the users hands,” with this popular app.

5. Facebook

I bet you didn’t see this one coming! Watch out Snapchat, the leading lion Facebook, with its’ 1.6 billion users, has dipped a toe into the live stream game! How so? By planning to incorporate a stand alone camera app. This app would be a separate application, such as the Facebook messenger app. According to the The Wall Street Journal, the app is still in prototype form and is currently being worked on in London. For now, here is how the app would work:

“The app would open straight into a camera, as Snapchat does, to foster immediate capturing and posting of photos and videos, as well as letting users stream via Facebook Live.” – The Verge

Overall, Facebook demonstrates that they will be investing more into mobile video in the future. The method behind it, create, post, and share, share, share!

We “like” that Facebook!