I was like those guys, “Why would I ever need a live streaming app for Android, I’m a private person!” That all changed when I had to live stream a wedding to relatives on Skype. Let me tell you, it was a nightmare to do so. Thankfully just before I was about to cry with frustration, a good friend of mine suggested live streaming the proceedings. I promptly downloaded the app and started broadcasting the wedding with ease! I even placed my phablet in the shallow front pocket of my coat and didn’t even have to use my hands. At one point 3 different streams were being broadcasted of the same wedding, it was truly one amazing experience, especially for family living abroad. However, there is always a catch in pitches sounding too good to be true. Likewise, the best live streaming apps for Android all come with some minor annoyances. But almost all of them have the tendency to crash after extended usage. I would recommend that you stream in 30-minute sessions as the smartphones tend to get hot under this much duress. Also, only use top of the line devices for live streaming purposes, the mid to low end will simply crash immediately or won’t even launch the app. Note: The 5 best live streaming apps for Android were tested on a Samsung Galaxy Note III smartphone. This mid-range ex-flagship worked well considering the load these apps put on the hardware. There were crashes faced with each of the apps at one point or another, but they were very rare. I noticed a direct relation between the smartphone getting hot and the app crashing, so I would advise that you either use a latest flagship or broadcast in small bursts. All of the apps in the list require an active, stable and good internet connection to work.
1. Ustream
This app is one of the most stable ones on the list. Ustream works just as intended, if it boots up on your device, it will work fine. Some people have trouble starting up the app, however, so there is a slight chance it won’t even run for you. I used this very app to stream a wedding to relatives and it worked for about an hour, after that my smartphone rebooted. That’s right, my phone crashed, not the app. The temperature of the device was quite high so I attribute this to hardware failure rather than the app’s fault. Now that the performance is out of the way, let’s talk more about the app itself. Ustream has a very clean and well-categorized design. It doesn’t do anything unique and borrows from the standard template we have seen countless times. You will be able to easily broadcast from your phone or tablet. The controls are not as elaborate as a professional streamer would want but they are great for common usage. Free Version
2. Periscope
If you are somewhat popular or want to be the next big streamer, Periscope has a bigger scope, pun intended. The app has some interesting features that make following others a lot of fun. I was surprised to see a lot of live streamers streaming actively on the app. One of the best features of the app is the replay feature. This feature allows you to enable re-watching of an already finished live stream. It basically makes the video and saves it online for others to watch at their leisure. You will also be able to make private broadcasts and stream to a selective pool of people. This feature is amazing if you are streaming stuff for close friends and family and don’t want random internet citizens to peak. I also liked how the app shows the live streamers on the world map, this is a great way to find localized content with just a glance. Periscope wins hands down when it comes to great interface and design. Free Version
3. Meerkat
First off, I would like to admit I simply love this logo for some reason. This funny logo instantly made me feel better about the app, it’s the power of making an impactful logo. That aside, Meerkat is one of the easiest to use live streaming apps for Android. A few taps and you are broadcasting live to the world. The app is integrated with Twitter, so if you have a healthy following on Twitter, you will most definitely benefit from using Meerkat. Apart from that, the streams will be pushed to the followers with push notifications; this is a great way to alert your followers. The watchers will also be able to retweet the stream instantly. Free Version
4. Stre.am
Streaming your face on the internet has never been easier! Stre.am allows you to start a broadcast really fast. The app basically has all the features you would expect from a live streaming app on Android. You can browse live streams that are created by people all over the planet. Find the people you like or maybe your friends and start following their internet escapades. Sharing your live video with friends over at Facebook, Twitter and even Google+ is just one tap away. Now you can take all of your friends to that amazing roller coaster ride with you! And with the benefit of less puke too. Free Version
5. Mirrativ
What if you don’t want to stream real life from your smartphone? Maybe you want to stream a smartphone videogame to the world and show your thumb-skills. Mirrativ has the right answer for you; this is a great app that allows you to mirror your Android screen and broadcast it to the viewers. This feature is a god send for troubleshooting and tutorials. I will be using this app to pin point what my relatives are having trouble with their Android and help them in minutes instead of wasting hours. The app has a great feature set which is essential in streaming screens. While all the other live streaming apps on the list have rigid buttons on the screen, this one allows you to move them with ease. I had a great time with the app but there were some problems as well. You cannot stream a resource heavy title on mid-range devices. I tried to run GTA San Andreas and stream it but the app simply crashed. It might have to do something with the RAM usage but I’m not sure. Free Version
Conclusion
This concludes the best live streaming apps for Android list. I know there are a few more available on the Google Play Store, but they all crashed either instantly or when starting the streams for me. I highly recommend that you install at least 2 of the apps from this list and keep them on the phone in case the other starts acting up. So, what do you seek in a live streaming app? And most importantly, what will you stream when you get these apps? Drop a comment below with your stream link and I’ll check out what you are up to. Featured Image Credits
