Understanding Plans and Pricing

Introduction

playout.video offers four pricing tiers based on your stream quality needs. Every plan includes the full feature set: multistreaming, overlays, scheduling, auto-recovery, team collaboration, and more. The only difference between plans is the maximum video quality (resolution and frame rate).

This guide explains each plan, how pricing works, and how to choose the right option for your streaming goals.

Pricing Tiers

Starter: $29/month

Resolution: up to 1080p (Full HD)
Frame rate: 30fps
Storage: 100GB included
Best for: music channels, kids content, educational streams, and most 24/7 use cases

The Starter plan is perfect for the majority of streamers. Full HD at 30fps looks great on all devices and platforms, and 100GB of storage holds approximately 50-100 hours of video content depending on quality.

Smooth: $39/month

Resolution: up to 1080p (Full HD)
Frame rate: 60fps
Storage: 100GB included
Best for: gaming content, sports highlights, fast-paced action content

The Smooth plan adds 60fps support for ultra-smooth playback. If your content has fast motion (gaming, sports, action sequences), 60fps makes a noticeable difference in viewer experience.

Pro: $69/month

Resolution: up to 2160p (4K UHD)
Frame rate: 30fps
Storage: 100GB included
Best for: cinematic content, nature footage, professional productions, high-quality showcases

The Pro plan unlocks 4K resolution for creators who want maximum visual quality. 4K is ideal for content where visual detail matters, like nature documentaries, travel footage, or professional video productions.

Ultimate: $79/month

Resolution: up to 2160p (4K UHD)
Frame rate: 60fps
Storage: 100GB included
Best for: premium gaming content, high-end productions, creators who want the absolute best quality

The Ultimate plan combines 4K resolution with 60fps for the highest possible stream quality. This is the top tier for creators who demand the best.

What's Included in Every Plan

Regardless of which tier you choose, you get access to all features:

24/7 cloud streaming: no hardware or software needed
Unlimited destinations: stream to as many platforms as you want
Multistreaming: YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, TikTok, and 20+ platforms simultaneously
One-click YouTube import: import videos directly from YouTube
Composition editor: add logos, text, audio visualizers, and more
Smart playlists: loop, inline mode, jingles, drag-and-drop management
Scheduling: one-time and recurring scheduled actions
Auto-recovery: automatic stream restart on interruptions
Team collaboration: invite team members with role-based permissions
100GB cloud storage: included with every plan

There is no feature gating. You never have to upgrade just to access a feature.

Annual Billing

Save approximately 17% by choosing annual billing:

Plan Monthly Annual Annual Savings Starter $29/mo $290/yr ($24.17/mo) $58/yr Smooth $39/mo $390/yr ($32.50/mo) $78/yr Pro $69/mo $690/yr ($57.50/mo) $138/yr Ultimate $79/mo $790/yr ($65.83/mo) $158/yr

Annual billing is charged once per year. You can switch between monthly and annual billing at any time.

Storage Add-Ons

Every plan includes 100GB of cloud storage. If you need more, you can add storage in 100GB increments:

Monthly: $25 per 100GB
Annual: $250 per 100GB ($20.83/mo equivalent)

How Much Storage Do You Need?

Storage usage depends on your content:

Content Type Approximate Storage per Hour 720p video 1-2 GB 1080p video 2-4 GB 4K video 8-15 GB Audio only (MP3) 0.05-0.1 GB

With the included 100GB, you can store approximately:

25-50 hours of 1080p video
50-100 hours of 720p video
7-12 hours of 4K video

For most creators starting out, 100GB is more than enough. You can always add more storage as your library grows.

Managing Storage

Check your storage usage in Settings > Billing. Tips to manage storage efficiently:

Delete files you no longer use in your streams
Remove duplicate uploads
Compress source files before uploading if you don't need the original quality

Free Trial

playout.video offers a free trial so you can test the platform before committing:

No credit card required to start
Access to all features during the trial
Upload content, create streams, and test the full workflow
Upgrade to a paid plan when you're ready to go live

Choosing the Right Plan

Start with Starter

If you're unsure which plan you need, start with the Starter plan ($29/mo). It covers the vast majority of use cases:

1080p Full HD looks excellent on all platforms
30fps is smooth enough for most content types
All features are included
You can upgrade anytime if you need higher quality

When to Upgrade

Upgrade to Smooth ($39/mo) if:

Your content has fast motion (gaming, sports, action)
You want the smoothest possible playback
Your viewers specifically request 60fps

Upgrade to Pro ($69/mo) if:

You have 4K source content and want to showcase it
Your content is visually detailed (nature, cinematography, art)
You want to differentiate with premium quality

Upgrade to Ultimate ($79/mo) if:

You need both 4K and 60fps
You're streaming premium gaming or high-end production content
Maximum quality is a priority for your brand

Managing Your Subscription

Upgrading

Go to Settings > Billing
Select a higher tier plan
The upgrade takes effect immediately
You'll be charged the prorated difference for the current billing period

Downgrading

Go to Settings > Billing
Select a lower tier plan
The downgrade takes effect at the end of your current billing period
Your stream quality settings will be adjusted to match the new plan's limits

Canceling

Go to Settings > Billing
Click Cancel Subscription
Your plan remains active until the end of the current billing period
After cancellation, your streams will stop and your content remains in storage for a grace period

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change plans at any time? Yes. You can upgrade, downgrade, or switch between monthly and annual billing at any time from your billing settings.

Is there a contract or commitment? No. Monthly plans are month-to-month with no long-term commitment. Annual plans are paid upfront for the year but can be canceled (no refund for remaining months).

Do I need a separate plan for each stream? No. Your plan covers your entire account. You can create and run multiple streams on a single plan.

What happens if I exceed my storage? You'll be prompted to add more storage or free up space. Existing streams continue running, but you won't be able to upload new files until you have available storage.

Are there any hidden fees? No. The plan price and any storage add-ons are the only charges. There are no per-viewer fees, per-destination fees, or bandwidth charges.

Next Steps

Managing Your Team and Permissions: invite team members
Stream Quality Settings: configure your stream quality
How to Create Your First 24/7 Live Stream: get started streaming