Open-Source Live Streaming Software
Free open-source video, audio, and data streaming solutions for developers, startups, and enterprises built by Red5, our community, and the open-source technologies we work closely with.
Red5 Open-Source Streaming Solutions
We are dedicated to contributing back to the community through our open-source developer tools and projects ranging from live-stream load testing to client-side streaming libraries, mobile SDK wrappers, extensions, and tutorials. Our latest contribution to open source is our new TrueTime Solutions™, which are fully functional, real-time, interactive front-end applications that leverage the Red5 platform. If you are interested in contributing to our open source projects, please get in touch.
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Red5 Open-Source Media Server
Red5 media server is an open-source media server for live streaming solutions of all kinds. It is designed to be flexible with a simple plugin architecture that allows for customization of virtually any VOD and live streaming scenario. This software has been installed millions of times and powered applications for organizations like Amazon, the US DoD, Akamai, Harvard University, and more.
20
YEARS
on the market
1
MILLION +
media server installs
10
COUNTRIES
streaming worldwide
Red5 TrueTime Solutions™
TrueTime Solutions™ are open-source plug-and-play tools for creating custom live streaming applications. When one camera is not enough, offer up mixed streams or on-the-fly custom views.
TrueTime MultiView™
A solution that combines multiple video feeds into a single grid view. Discover the value it brings to fans, production, surveillance.
TrueTime Studio™
A solution for managing multi-stream live events, remote teams, and productions with ease, while also enabling ad insertion. Explore how it benefits content creators, production workflows, webinars.
TrueTime WatchParty™
A solution for collaboratively sharing events. Stream to the masses, collaborate with co-workers, and bring communities together. See how it enhances fan engagement, GovTech, and production solutions.
TrueTime DataSync™
A solution that synchronizes data such as telemetry, ball trajectories, or weather conditions with live streaming. Discover the impact it makes in sports broadcasting and surveillance.
TrueTime Meetings™ coming soon.
Red5 Load Testing Tools
Red5 open-source load testing tools are free scripts designed to simulate real-world conditions. The load test “bees” let you run publishers and subscribers with RTMP, RTSP, and WebRTC protocols supporting both Red5 Pro (standalone Red5 Pro server and Stream Manager cluster) and Red5 Cloud (Stream Manager cluster).
Red5 React Native Library
Red5 react native library is an open-source toolkit that enables developers to build real-time streaming applications for iOS and Android. It provides easy integration with Red5 Pro, allowing you to publish and subscribe to live streams directly within React Native apps.
Open-Source Solutions Built by Our Community
We encourage you to build your open-source solutions based on Red5 products. Get in touch if you would like us to list your solution on this page.
Cordova Plugin for Red5
Cordova plugin interface to the Red5 Pro Mobile SDK for Android and IOS built by Joshua Hintze.
Open-Source Solutions We Work With
Learn how to enable real-time streaming pipelines with tight synchronization, support for multiple protocols (e.g. RTMP, RTSP, SRT, WebRTC), and scalable delivery via its XDN infrastructure. For example, Paul Gregoire has shown how to apply GStreamer for stream processing from a drone or remote camera.
Enable ultra-low latency real-time streaming in browsers and native apps with the main open-source project of WebRTC.
Red5 Cloud provides a single input point for publishing RTMP, RTMPS, RTSP, and SRT streams. This service automatically connects to the Stream Manager and republishes streams to the Stream Manager cluster.
Integrate WHIP and WHEP live streaming capabilities into Flutter applications.
OBS can send live video/audio via RTMP and WHIP to a Red5 Pro server. Red5 provides recommended settings and handles ingestion, scaling, and delivery to viewers, enabling production workflows such as screen sharing, live gameplay, or presentation streaming.
Web standards We Works With Closely
Live Streaming Protocols
WebRTC
Web Real-Time Communication standard that enables low-latency audio, video, and data streaming directly between browsers, apps, and devices.
RTSP
Real-Time Streaming Protocol for establishing and managing media sessions, commonly used with IP cameras and surveillance systems.
SRT
Secure Reliable Transport protocol designed for low-latency, high-quality video delivery over unpredictable networks.
RTMP
Real-Time Messaging Protocol widely used for live video ingest to servers and CDNs, with Enhanced RTMP extending compatibility and performance. Create a free RTMP server using this guide.
WHIP and WHEP
WebRTC-HTTP protocols for ingest (WHIP) and playback (WHEP), simplifying live publishing and subscribing to media servers.
HLS
HTTP Live Streaming protocol by Apple that delivers adaptive bitrate video by segmenting streams into small media chunks.
Codecs
h.264 (AVC)
We make good use of the open-source H.264 implementation provided by Cisco.
VP8
It is a royalty-free, open-source compression standard that enables
the delivery of high-quality video with moderate bandwidth efficiency, making it suitable for basic applications.
AV1
AV1 is an open, royalty-free video codec designed for high compression efficiency and optimized for internet video streaming.
h.265 (HEVC)
There are no open-source H.265 implementations, but it is widely supported across hardware. We leverage it wherever possible.
VP9
VP9 is a royalty-free, open-source video compression standard that provides strong support for 4K and widespread hardware acceleration.
Opus Codec
Opus is a versatile, open audio codec optimized for interactive speech, music, and real-time communication at low latency.
FAQ
What is the best streaming software for free?
The best free streaming software for developers depends on your needs. OBS Studio is an open-source tool widely used for live broadcasting, offering flexibility and plugin support. Red5 provides an open-source streaming software including open-source media server. Both providers provide free, developer-friendly solutions that give you control over setup, customization, and integration into your own workflows.
What is the best open-source live streaming software for developers?
The best choice depends on your project requirements. Many developers rely on the open-source Red5 media server because it’s flexible, community-driven, and designed for real-time streaming.
How to create a free live stream?
You can set up a free live stream by deploying an RTMP server with open-source Red5. This gives you complete control over your stream, with no hidden fees or vendor lock-in.
Is OBS open-source?
Yes, OBS Studio is a free, open-source broadcasting application. It’s widely used by gamers, creators, and professionals to capture and stream live video. OBS integrates easily with Red5 Pro or Red5 Cloud via RTMP, allowing you to push high-quality live streams directly to your audience.
What Red5 live streaming solutions are open-source?
Red5 provides several open-source tools including Red5 media server (core streaming server), Load Testing Bees, React Native Library, TrueTime Solutions™.