Mobile App Development

How to Build a Live Streaming App: Essential Features, Tech Stack and Monetization Strategies

October 12, 2021

How to Create a Live Streaming App Must-Have Features, Tech Stack, Moneti

Undoubtedly, live video streaming platforms are gaining popularity and the increase in video streaming apps investments proves its success. Yes, the numbers have accelerated by 140% between 2016 and 2018.

Well, if you are planning to convert your start-up idea into a VOD app then this blog would help you understand the types of live-streaming apps, monetization strategies, and live streaming app development costs.

‍What Is A Live Video Streaming App?

It can be defined as a simple app that helps you create, watch and share videos live and is somewhat like TV.

It interconnects social media formats as well as business by facilitating connectivity and other tasks. A lot of businesses rely on live video streaming app to conduct video calls, live meetings, screen sharing, etc

Some of the examples of live-streaming apps are Instagram Live Stores, Facebook Live, Twitch TV, etc.

Types Of Popular Live Streaming Apps

Thinking of live streaming app development? Understand the different types of live-streaming apps before you dive into the development

1. Audio Streaming

You can create a video from a picture and get an audio streaming app. The audio streaming app will let you listen to the audio circulated live on the internet.

Some of these audio streaming apps are Spotify, Pandora, and Apple Music.

2. Live Broadcasting Apps

These apps are undeniably the live video streaming mobile apps that are gaining popularity out of the other live-streaming apps.

The users can broadcast live videos and sound using this app to others who can access the stream. The apps have helped increase the count of internet influencers.

Some of the trending live broadcasting apps are YouTube Live, Periscope, and YouTube Live.

3. Video on Demand Streaming

These apps let users schedule and enjoy watching their favorite television shows online from anywhere and anytime

Some of the common VOD apps are YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video, etc

How To Create a Live Streaming App?

Certainly, live streaming mobile app development is a tedious process. It needs expert tech professionals with extensive knowledge of modern tools & technologies. Let us have a look at the aspects to be considered while building a live video streaming mobile app.

1. Determine Target Audience

It is important to know the needs of your users to proceed with app design. To know users’ needs, survey to know their interests regarding live-streaming apps. Once you know their preferences, you can determine the challenges to be met right from the initial stage of app development. It will further help you focus on the desired features to be integrated into the app.

2. Pick A Relevant Platform For Hosting, Storage, And Live Streaming

Yet another crucial aspect with live streaming app developmentis to finalize the appropriate platform for hosting, storage and streaming.

Do not fall prey to the cheapest provider as it may end up affecting the quality of your app in the end. It can affect the traffic coming to your app and in turn the number of users.

3. Spend Time To Build Elegant UI/UX Design

To keep your customers happy you need to invest in elegant UI/UX design. It will help your app stand out in the sharp competition in the market.

4. Develop And Check Your MVP

At this stage, you must have gathered different ideas to build a live video streaming mobile app. Now, before you get into the development of the app make sure you test it by creating an MVP. Here you can develop an app with just basic features for the consumers to send out responses & feedback. It will help you make improvements during the actual development stage of your app.

Well, by now you must be well-acquainted with the steps needed to build a live streaming app. So, let us explore the basic & advanced features that play a crucial role in your app.

Essential Features Of Live Streaming MVP

User sign up
Search
Live streaming
User gallery
User profile
Commenting/Rating

Advanced Features For Live Streaming App

Social sign up
Extended streaming features
Extended user profile
Extended search features
Feed
Notifications
Chats
Subscriptions
Recommendations

Tech Stack For Live Streaming App

Programming languages - Swift, Java, Kotlin
Media processing platform- Wowz, DaCast
Streaming protocols- RTM, WebRTC
Hosting- Amazon EC2
Content delivery network- CloudFront, Cloudflare/Amazon
API server-Node.js
Messaging queues-AWS Simple Queue System
Database- Oracle, MySQL
Push notifications- Firebase Notifications

Monetization Strategies For Live Streaming App

Finally, you will need to monetize the live streaming app. You can use the 3 different methods to monetize your app

1. Paid app

Make the app downloadable for the users at a charge

2. Premium

Let the users download the app at no cost but allows access to some features at a charge

3. Advertisements

Run advertisement on your app to earn from advertising fees

Cost For Live Streaming App Development

Well, the cost for a live video streaming app development depends on several factors like

Platforms and devices
Size and type of the app
Platforms & devices
Development deadlines
Design basics
Features and functionalities
Target market
Maintenance and promotions
Number of developers involved in building the app and their expertise

Conclusion

By now you must have understood about the appropriate platform suitable for streaming content and the details of the entire process to create a live streaming app. You need to take care of the user experience and business objectives while building an app.

Certainly, hiring an expert streaming app developer can make the job easy for you. They can build a live streaming MVP to help you know about how the app will perform and the scope of improvements.

If you are looking for a reliable mobile app development company to start creating MVP for your live streaming app idea, then X-Byte Enterprise Solutions can give the kickstart to your idea and further develop it into a successful live streaming app.

Bhavesh Parekh

Bhavesh Parekh is a Director of X-Byte Enterprise Solutions, an ever-emerging Top Web and Mobile App Development Company with a motto of turning clients into successful businesses. He believes that client's success is company's success and so that he always makes sure that X-Byte helps their client's business to reach to its true potential with the help of his best team with the standard development process he set up for the company.