How to Create a Live Streaming App [A Full Guide]

• More than 90 million subscribers will use live streaming by 2024.
• 7.2 billion hours of content watched during the third quarter of 2022.
• More than 93% of internet users aged 16 to 64 watch TV content via streaming services each month.
• Live videos capture attention between 10 and 20 times longer than prerecorded, on-demand content.
• In Q3 2022, nearly 7.5 million hours of online games were streamed via Facebook Gaming.
• 88% of people want to see more videos from brands in 2022.

A TV live streaming app allows users to watch live television on their devices over the internet. When they switch to on-demand video streaming services, they lose their favorite TV shows, sports channels, series, etc.

The apps allow users to watch live television from anywhere and anytime, as long as they have an internet connection. They don’t need a traditional cable or satellite TV subscription.

Examples of live TV streaming apps include Sling TV, YouTube TV, and AT&T TV Now. Some live streaming apps also allow users to record live TV to watch later.

In order to create a live streaming app, requires investing in an online streaming platform. It should be feasible for streaming, hosting, and storage of content. Your video content will live on this platform; you just need to embed its video players in your app.

The platform you choose relies on its unique streaming needs. To build a live streaming app that should be fault-tolerant, you have to choose reliable hosting for smooth streaming services for your customers.

Have a robust server infrastructure and ensure that users have quality video delivery. All your content should be stored in a reliable place that allows users to watch a video without disruption and unexpected failures.

Cloud services are the best option for live-streaming app development as they have cost-effective plans and scalability. Use cloud solutions like Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, Akamai, and many more.

It is not preferable to sacrifice quality for cost as it will diminish the app. Users have no patience for laggy streams or low-resolution videos. Ask your development team to help you select the most appropriate solution for your specific case.

You have ample ideas to implement in your live video streaming app, right? The right way to put them to the test is by developing an MVP app.

A minimal viable product (MVP) is a lightweight version of an app that includes basic and important features needed to function the app. It allows you to get early feedback which will drive you on the right path. Also, you had your first group of beta users secured.

Finally, you have completed the discovery, testing, and MVP development steps, and your live-streaming app is ready to launch!

But wait, the work still needs to be completed. You should track the analytics of users’ behavior on your app. Keep a close eye on the KPIs you have set for your app and customize the UX to improve it. Consider what perception comes up and test and implement its existing functionality.

You must market your app in such a way that it stands apart from your competitors and your users have a fun experience using it.

Here are the essential features without which your live-streaming app can’t exist.

• Sign up/sign in: Users will have a basic registration form to create an account and log in to the app with those credentials.
• User profile: It shows the user’s profile picture and personal information to their subscribers.
• Live streaming: The core feature allows users to stream live video content.
• Push Notifications: Notifications for new live streams and updates from followed users.
• Search bar: A search box that allows users to search content by interests, popularity, trending channel, and more.
• Commenting/Rating system: Allow users to leave feedback on the video.

Consider incorporating advanced features to take your live-streaming app to the next level. Here are some advanced features that set your app apart from the competition.

• Extended streaming features: Consider adding multistreaming features where users can stream to multiple platforms simultaneously. Add filters or screen-sharing options for more innovation to the usage of apps.
• Extended user profile: Allow users to sign up using their social accounts. Add advanced options like preferences, location, and interests.
• Interactive Elements: Add a chat feature to communicate with the audience in real-time. Include a more interactive feed to control & personalize the types of content delivered.
• Subscriptions: Add different subscription options and allow users to easily manage them from the app.
• Recommendations: Based on their interest and viewing history, recommend content to the user.
• Send Virtual Gifts: Encourage stream hosts by sending them your love with virtual gifts. This ultimately helps live-stream app owners to earn more revenue by selling credits for sending virtual gifts.
• Integrate AR Filters: Integrate funny and innovative face filters to live stream to make the streaming experience more interactive

Advanced technology has made live-streaming platforms even better. Similarly to other mobile apps, you must decide on programming languages, databases, and other development elements. However, a couple of areas deserve your attention more.

When it comes to professional broadcasting, two types of API are there: player and video.

Player API is used to customize the video player.

Video API is used to customize the backend broadcasting experience and access additional features.

To build a live streaming app, use player API, which allows developers to create a player that works smoothly with customized mobile apps.

Video broadcasting API is like a group of instructions, and video streaming SDK is a toolkit that helps you put those instructions into use.

There are iOS and Android SDKs available to make live-streaming app development easy. These SDKs help to build, test and launch it to the app store in a minimal time.

Two standard protocols for video streaming are RTMP and WebRTC protocols.

RTMP
RTMP is used for high-definition streaming of audio or video. For example, live streams broadcasted at concerts and conferences through RTMP. However, this comes at the cost of longer processing time, as there will be a delay of 10-20 secs between the screen capture and the viewer’s screen.

WebRTC
WebRTC focused on real-time communication. For example, find it on video-call platforms like Zoom, Google Hangouts, and more. WebRTC is best in speed, but if bandwidth is poor, it will revoke the transmission quality.

When it comes to choosing a tech stack for live-streaming apps, nothing is fixed. Define the problem you wish to solve and modify your tech stack accordingly.

When it comes to monetizing your live-streaming app, there are several strategies to consider. Some common monetization methods include:

To use a live-streaming application, the user should purchase a subscription. After purchasing, the user will have access to the app’s functionality.

Also, there is no advertising and in-app purchases available. For example, in the Netflix app, users can view or listen to the content if they pay an ongoing fee. The basic cost is $9.99/month.

One of the most common strategies when building a live-streaming app. When you download it, some of the features are free to use. If you want additional privileges, you need to purchase them (either for a feature or for subscribing).

For example, the Twitch platform has a prime subscription that provides users with free games, free subscriptions to their favorite channels, various content related to the game, and more for only $12.99 per month.

In-app streaming monetization with advertising is fairly common. You allow advertisers to advertise in the videos on your app. Such advertising can be in the form of banners or full-fledged commercials appearing on different parts of the screen or blocking the ability to use the application for a few seconds.

In live streaming applications, the feature is used by streamers to monetize their streams. Contrarily, you can charge a small fee to viewers to get rid of ads. For example, Spotify and YouTube Premium.