Live event streaming
Live Event Streaming on Your Own Website
Test the venue. Sell the tickets. Keep the replay.
How to live stream an event from start to finish: the gear, encoder settings, upload speed, tickets, the replay, and a plan sized in hours.
Saturday cup final
Ticketed from your club websiteHow to live stream an event in three steps
Connect the encoder to your channel
Create a channel on your WordPress site. Paste the server URL and stream key into OBS. Turn on recording before going live.
Measure the upload at the venue
Run the WpStream speed tester at speedtest.wpstream.live during the event. Keep audio and video bitrate below the lowest reading. Use broadcast hours for test broadcasts.
Ticket holders watch on your site
Ticket holders buy tickets via your checkout and watch on your event page. After the event ends, turn the recording into a replay.
Attendees pay through WooCommerce and watch on your WordPress page. Publish the replay after the event, with Lock to Website keeping it on your site.
Live event streaming equipment, audio first
Three kits cover most events: a phone, one camera, or multiple cameras into a switcher.
Buy the microphone before upgrading to a better camera. Our mistakes checklist highlights audio as a common afterthought, leading to distorted or missing speech. Illuminate faces from the front.
Prices are manufacturer list prices as of September 2026. See the full equipment guide.
Microphone first
A wireless lavalier like the RODE Wireless GO (Gen 3) costs $199. It clips to the speaker. Alternatively, feed the venue's sound desk into the camera or encoder.
Phone kit
Use Larix Broadcaster, a free app for iPhones (iOS) and Android, to send to your channel. The WpStream browser broadcaster works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge.
Single-camera kit
An HDMI camera connects to a laptop through a capture card. The Elgato Cam Link 4K, priced at $99.99, takes HDMI input and connects to the computer via USB 3.0.
Multi-camera kit
The Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro, listed at $349, has four HDMI inputs, a hardware streaming engine, and an audio mixer. This allows the AV team to switch between angles.
Backup internet
For venues with weak or shared connections, bonded cellular uses multiple mobile connections simultaneously. LiveU Solo PRO Connect retails at $450 with two modems or $995 with four, plus a Solo PRO encoder.
A second person
One person operates the cameras and sound. A second person monitors the Live Statistics page and a phone logged in as a ticket holder. This way, problems can be spotted before attendees report them.
Encoder settings and upload speed for live event streaming
The encoder transforms camera and microphone input into the stream.
OBS is free, open-source software for video recording and live streaming, available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Setup guides also cover vMix, Wirecast, XSplit, and Larix.
In OBS, select Service, then Custom, and paste your channel's Server URL and Stream key. More details are in our encoder guide.
Resolution and Bitrate
YouTube recommends 4 Mbps for 720p at 30 frames per second and 10 Mbps for 1080p30. Twitch suggests 4,500 kbps for 1080p30.
If your venue's upload is tight, drop one step. A stable stream is more important than a sharper one. For the full settings ladder, check our settings guide.
Keyframe, CBR, and Audio
Set the keyframe interval to 2 seconds. Use CBR and send audio at 128 kbps stereo. YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch all recommend the same keyframe and CBR settings.
Set these once at rehearsal and leave them unchanged on event day.
Upload Speed at the Venue
Run the WpStream speed tester at the venue during the event, several times. The combined audio and video bitrate "must be less than the lowest upload speed reading."
YouTube and Facebook suggest keeping about 20% spare. For example, 4,500 kbps video plus 128 kbps audio means the lowest reading should be near 5.8 Mbps. Remember, upload speed counts, not download.
Wired, Wi-Fi, or Bonded Cellular
Connect the encoder to Ethernet. Our mistakes checklist highlights "Wi-Fi, not wired" as a common issue, so keep venue Wi-Fi as a backup.
A bonded cellular kit, like the LiveU Solo PRO Connect, can cover venues without reliable internet.
Low Latency and Adaptive Bitrate
Typically, streams reach viewers at home about 20 seconds after the event.
Low Latency (beta) reduces that to roughly 2 to 5 seconds. It requires a 1-second keyframe and at least double your upload bitrate.
Our docs highlight live auctions and sports as good cases for it.
Most events can skip this. As our docs say, "For the vast majority of live streams, a 20-second delay simply doesn’t matter."
Adaptive Bitrate (beta) requires a 5-second keyframe. It isn’t recommended with Low Latency and "cannot fix a broadcast that is already struggling."
Platform Choice
Where Should Your Event Stream Live?
Choosing a live event streaming platform determines who owns the audience and handles checkout. Social platforms excel in reach.
Eventbrite sells tickets while the video streams elsewhere. In the US, this costs 3.7% + $1.79 per ticket, plus 2.9% processing, typically paid by buyers. Hosted event streaming services combine both.
Your own site keeps everything together.
Run one $15 ticket through two services. Before costs, BoxCast leaves the organizer $10.70, while your own WooCommerce checkout with a Stripe US card leaves $14.27.
That's $3.57 more per ticket for the organizer.
WpStream isn’t ideal if ads are your model, as it lacks an ad-supported option. YouTube fits that need.
It also doesn’t suit conferences requiring multiple stages, networking, exhibitor booths, or continuing-education credit tracking (like the American Psychiatric Nurses Association's conference with 115+ contact hours).
A full event platform handles that. Our conference guide covers the details.
| What you compare | YouTube or Facebook | BoxCast | Zoom Events | Your site with WpStream |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What you compare: How you charge | YouTube or Facebook: Not through your own checkout | BoxCast: Ticketing add-on; $4 minimum ticket | Zoom Events: Ticket types; plan billed annually upfront | Your site with WpStream: Your WooCommerce checkout: ticket, season pass or members-only |
| What you compare: Kept from a $15 ticket | YouTube or Facebook: Not applicable | BoxCast: $10.70 (2.9% + $0.30, then 75%), before plan cost | Zoom Events: Not stated on its pricing page | Your site with WpStream: $14.27 with a Stripe US card, before plan cost |
| What you compare: Replay | YouTube or Facebook: Archive on the platform; small mobile channels private by default | BoxCast: Channel ticket: access until deleted | Zoom Events: Cloud recordings offered; replay terms not stated | Your site with WpStream: You convert the recording; the same ticket keeps access |
| What you compare: Rules to know | YouTube or Facebook: Facebook live limit 8 hours; copyright matches can restrict live streaming | BoxCast: No ticket sales in its TV apps; payouts quarterly over $100 | Zoom Events: $2.50 per attendee overage on legacy pay-per-attendee | Your site with WpStream: Hours metered; viewers at once capped by plan; no ads; chat via Better Messages in the Hello WpStream theme, not built in |
| What you compare: Who owns the audience | YouTube or Facebook: The platform | BoxCast: BoxCast player and apps | Zoom Events: Registrant list in Zoom | Your site with WpStream: Your domain and your customer list |
| What you compare: Best for | YouTube or Facebook: Reach, free viewing, ad revenue | BoxCast: All-in-one hosting with TV apps | Zoom Events: Multi-stage conferences with networking | Your site with WpStream: Ticketed events on your own site, replay behind the same ticket |
Run the Event on Your Own Website
To stream live events on your website, you need a WordPress site with the WpStream plugin and WooCommerce for paid tickets. If you want to offer a season pass, you also need the WooCommerce Subscriptions extension.
You can start with a free trial—no credit card needed. This gives you 100 viewer hours, 20 broadcast hours, and 10 recording hours. For setup, check our WordPress live streaming guide.
Ticket
Create a Pay-Per-View Channel
Go to All Channels, then Add New Pay-Per-View Channel. Set Product Data to Live Channel and add a price.
Each ticket allows buyers to watch later broadcasts on that channel, so create a separate channel for each ticketed event.
Encoder
Paste the Server and Stream Key
In OBS, go to Settings, then Stream. Choose Custom and paste the channel's Server and Stream Key. With Auto TURN ON, you can start streaming from OBS next time easily.
Record
Turn on Recording Before You Go Live
Enable Record Live Stream in Channel Settings before turning on the channel. This uses recording hours, and without it, ticket holders can't replay missed events.
Go Live
Watch the Live Statistics Page
Ticket holders access the stream from their confirmation email or My Orders.
The Live Statistics page shows the channel state, frame rate, keyframe interval, incoming bitrate, and warns you if something's wrong.
Replay After the Event
Turn the Recording into the Replay
The recording appears under WpStream, then Recordings, shortly after the channel ends. It isn't a video on demand until you create one from it.
For a paid event, open the same product, change it from Live Stream to Video on Demand, and select the recording.
Everyone who bought a ticket retains access without paying again, as shown in our video membership guide.
You decide how long the replay stays up. For example, SF Opera offers a "48-hour on-demand period," while Bury FC keeps matches for 30 days.
Video unavailable. Please try again later.
Plan Sizing
One Event or a Whole Season: Which Plan Fits?
Four numbers determine your plan. Broadcast hours measure total time on air across all channels, including test streams. Viewer hours are the total of people times hours watched.
Recording hours count the recordings you keep. The fourth number indicates how many can watch at once. Video quality doesn't affect these hours.
One-time plans don't expire, fitting a single tournament, service, or conference day.
Monthly and yearly plans reset broadcast and viewer hours every month, suitable for a fixture list, service calendar, or weekly sessions.
For example, a league fixture with 300 viewers uses 2.75 broadcast hours, 675 viewer hours, and 2.25 recording hours, with 300 watching simultaneously.
The Lite one-time plan caps at 200 viewers, so the Plus one-time plan ($89 as of September 2026) is a better fit. Costs increase with plan tiers. Check the full cost breakdown.
| Event and assumptions | Broadcast / viewer hours | Recording hours | At once | Plan that fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event and assumptions: League fixture: 2 h match, 15 min pre-match, 30 min test; 300 watch 2.25 h | Broadcast / viewer hours: 2.75 / 675 | Recording hours: 2.25 | At once: 300 | Plan that fits: Plus one-time, $89 (Lite caps 200 at once) |
| Event and assumptions: Christmas Eve service: 1.5 h, 30 min test; 150 watch | Broadcast / viewer hours: 2 / 225 | Recording hours: 1.5 | At once: 150 | Plan that fits: Lite one-time, $36 |
| Event and assumptions: School musical: 2 performances x 2.5 h, 30 min test; 120 each night | Broadcast / viewer hours: 5.5 / 600 | Recording hours: 5 | At once: 120 | Plan that fits: Plus one-time, $89 (one night fits Lite) |
| Event and assumptions: Community festival: 4 h, 30 min test; 800 watch 1 h, 400 at peak | Broadcast / viewer hours: 4.5 / 800 | Recording hours: 4 | At once: 400 | Plan that fits: Plus one-time, $89 |
| Event and assumptions: Association conference day: 2 rooms, 8 h, 1 h tests; 500 watch 5 h | Broadcast / viewer hours: 17 / 2,500 | Recording hours: 16 | At once: 500 | Plan that fits: Pro one-time, $249 |
| Event and assumptions: Club season: 4 home fixtures a month, 300 watch each | Broadcast / viewer hours: 11 / 2,700 a month | Recording hours: 9 a month | At once: 300 | Plan that fits: Pro monthly $169 or yearly $1,490 |
Buy hours for your event. One-time hours never expire.
Lite
Lite one-time, $36: 100 broadcast hours, 500 viewer hours, 200 viewers at once, 5 channels, and 25 recording hours.
A cohort training day uses 6.5 broadcast hours, 240 viewer hours, and 6 recording hours, accommodating 40 participants at once.
Plus
Plus one-time, $89: 250 broadcast hours, 2,000 viewer hours, 1,000 viewers at once, 15 channels, and 100 recording hours.
This fits a community festival (4.5 broadcast, 800 viewer, 4 recording hours, 400 at once). Pro one-time, $249, supports 25,000 viewers for a conference day.
The trial
Running a fixture list or weekly service? Monthly plans start at $24; yearly plans at $190, with hours resetting each month.
Start with a free trial—no credit card needed. Prices as of September 2026.
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See full reviewBefore doors open: nine checks
Run these checks during the rehearsal and again at the final briefing, held “at least 90 minutes before the doors open or the stream goes live,” per the stagetimer.io production checklists.
Add it to your run of show.
01
Check remaining broadcast and viewer hours, and your viewers-at-once cap against your expected audience.
02
Turn on “Record Live Stream” in Channel Settings before activating the channel. No recording means no replay.
03
Run speedtest.wpstream.live at the venue multiple times during event time. Plan around the lowest reading.
04
Connect the encoder to Ethernet. Use venue Wi-Fi or a bonded cellular kit as a backup.
05
Set the encoder below your measured upload speed: choose resolution, bitrate, a 2-second keyframe interval, and CBR.
06
Test sound with real microphones and someone speaking at event volume, as YouTube recommends for test streams.
07
Run a short test broadcast with the Live Statistics page open. Test streams use broadcast hours, so keep it brief.
08
Write a paused message before doors open, so attendees see it during a short break.
09
Publish the event page, then test a purchase and login with a non-admin account, as a ticket holder would.
Nine checks done. Open the doors and turn on the channel.
If the stream stops mid-event,
check these three first.
The encoder drops
Attendees see "not yet started" or "paused," not a blank screen, with your paused message covering a short break.
If nothing reaches the channel for a set time, it turns off; with Auto TURN ON, restart from the encoder.
The hours run out
Check remaining hours before blaming the network. The encoder can't tell a low account from a dead router. Emails alert you at 20% remaining and again at zero.
With a paid plan, you can top up and continue, leaving attendees with nothing to do.
The venue line fails
Switch the encoder to the backup connection, either bonded cellular or a second wired line, and drop one bitrate step.
Twitch says: "it's always better to have a stable stream than to push for higher video quality."
In our view, a steady 720p is better than a stalling 1080p.
More live event streaming guides
Complete Guide to Livestreaming an Event (Step By Step)
Planning, gear and going live for a first event, step by step.
How to Live Stream Conferences and Virtual Events (Complete Guide)
Streaming a conference or virtual event, from the keynote to breakout sessions, for attendees who can't travel.
How Much Does It Cost To Live Stream Events? (2026 Update)
What an event stream costs: camera, microphone and the plan that carries the hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Install the WpStream plugin on WordPress, create a channel, and paste its server URL and stream key into OBS. Test the venue upload, then go live. WooCommerce sells the tickets.
Start with a free trial—no credit card required.
Keep combined audio and video bitrate below the lowest reading on the WpStream speed tester, with about 20% spare.
A 1080p30 stream at 4,500 kbps video plus 128 kbps audio needs a lowest reading near 5.8 Mbps at the venue.
For a single event, a one-time WpStream plan fits; its hours don’t expire, starting at $36 as of September 2026.
For a fixture list or service calendar, monthly or yearly plans fit better, as hours reset each month.
Multiply attendees by hours watched: 300 attendees at a 3-hour event use up to 900 viewer hours, plus 3 broadcast and 3 recording hours.
WpStream Lite stops at 500 viewer hours and 200 at once; Plus allows 2,000 and 1,000, so it fits.
Yes. A Pay-Per-View channel is a WooCommerce product with a price, and all paid WpStream plans include unrestricted PPV.
There’s no revenue share, only the gateway fee, such as Stripe US at 2.9% + 30¢. Season passes need WooCommerce Subscriptions.
It appears under Recordings minutes after the channel turns off, but it’s not a replay until you make it a video on demand.
For a paid event, switch the same WpStream product to Video on Demand and select the recording; ticket holders keep access.
They see “not yet started” or “paused,” with your paused message if you wrote one, not a blank player. Check your remaining WpStream hours before blaming the network.
With no broadcast for a set time, the channel turns off.
Often. CCLI’s church streaming licence, from $84 a year for licensed churches, excludes charging for the stream, so check before selling a WpStream ticket.
League rules can block home live streams: Bury FC’s Saturday 3pm league fixtures stream live only outside the UK.
Ready when you are
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