NEW DELHI: Social live streaming has got lot bigger in the last few months. Mostly used to make media content viral or post some breaking news around the world, live video tools offer companies an opportunity to reach out to their audience in real-time.

Some of the most popular live video services in the market are Facebook Live, YouTube Live and Twitter’s Periscope. With technology giants Facebook, Twitter and Google’s YouTube in the fray, the segment is surely a hotly-contested one.

Wonder which is the best tool among them all? Find out yourself as we compare the three on various parameters.

Availability

Facebook Live was initially rolled out to celebrities last year. The Live Video tool was expanded to all iOS and Android users in April this year. Facebook Live service is also available on the web interface. YouTube Live is so far only available on desktops, however, the company soon plans to make it available to all Android and iOS users. Periscope live streaming app too is available both on iOS and Android platforms.

User base

Out of all three, since Facebook has the largest users base, its Facebook Live is likely to reach more users. In case of Google, more content consumption takes place via YouTube but not YouTube Live. Periscope lags, behind as it is completely a standalone platform. It may have got more traction if it too was integrated with the main Twitter app, similar to that of Facebook.

User interface

User interface is another critical factor that can make or break an app. Although all three tools are easy to use, once you have spent some time with them, the one that appears simplest to use is Facebook Live. It is followed by Periscope and then YouTube Live. To some extent, the interface of Facebook Live and Periscope seems similar as users can ‘like’, ‘comment’, ‘subscribe’ and do certain actions in largely the same way.

Video archiving

When it comes to archiving of videos, both Facebook and YouTube Live offer same features. Users can live stream video, which can later be saved (even permanently) on the platform or deleted as per the video creator’s wish. Periscope live streams, however, are temporary and can stay only for 24 hours.

Third-party camera integration

Both Periscope and YouTube Live are on the same page on this one. Video streamers can use GoPro cameras for Periscope too in addition to their smartphones. YouTube Live video streamers can use any camera to upload it, provided they have the encoders set up. Facebook, however, lets users stream videos only from inside its platform, which might be a let down for some.