The Best Twitch Alternatives [June 2019]

Twitch is the most popular live streaming video service, and it has over 1.5 million monthly viewers. While it mostly focuses on streaming popular video games and esports events, it has started expanding to live events such as music shows and sports.

Since live streaming is becoming increasingly important in today’s entertainment world, many platforms are trying to follow Twitch’s example. This article will focus on popular streaming platforms which are similar to Twitch and also focus on video game streaming.

1. Mixer

The Microsoft-owned Mixer platform is one of Twitch’s biggest competitors. Here, you can find official esports competitions, walkthroughs of single-player video games, as well as streaming of multiplayer games.

This streaming service attracts mostly Xbox One and Windows users since it is integrated into Microsoft’s cross-platform gaming. When it comes to streaming features, Mixer has its own high-quality streaming software. Unlike Twitch, you don’t need any third-party tool to stream on the platform.

What separates Mixer from other streaming services is the streaming speed. It says that with its Faster Than Light (FTL) protocol, the difference between real-time and the streaming video is less than a second. When you compare it to some other streaming platforms, which can have 30-second delays, Mixer has one of the lowest latency rates.

Also, in some instances, viewers can interact directly with the game using ‘Sparks,’ a form of in-platform currency. You can also look for featured streamers, search the platform for a specific game or channel, or search streams by language. With all these amazing features, Mixer may outrank Twitch in the future.

2. Caffeine

Caffeine is a novelty in the world of video game streaming and it offers a different experience from Twitch.

First of all, it acts more like a social network than a regular video content website. There’s a feed similar to Twitter or Facebook that you scroll through until you find something that interests you. You can also connect with other users, watch their streams on your feed, or stream your own content. On this platform, each user is a streamer at the same time.

Its interface is slightly different compared to other streaming platforms. The comments box is not on the side, and the comments are displayed in the form of chat bubbles. Users can upvote the best comments which will move to the top of the chat box, and your friends’ comments will also gain priority.

Being a relatively new platform, Caffeine is still finding its feet and there are things to iron out. For example, support for certain browsers like Firefox and Edge is fairly bad or doesn’t exist at all. This won’t be a problem for Chrome users, but it will definitely put off a number of users.

3. Mirrativ

As smartphone-based games are becoming more and more popular, so is the demand for a smartphone streaming platform. Luckily, Mirrativ (a term coined from mirror and narrative) offers just that.

The Mirrativ app doesn’t require any additional third-party software or hardware. You can stream your smartphone screen directly from the app. So, if you want to stream popular mobile games like Clash Royale, Color Switch, or PUBG mobile, this is the platform to turn to.

Just like Twitch, your viewers can interact with you in real time using chatboxes and ask you questions. There’s also an option for other users to like the stream and boost its visibility. The platform gives you a screen-sharing possibility. This means that you can stream some useful app guides, reviews, or other smartphone interface videos besides gaming.

4. YouTube Gaming

For a while, YouTube Gaming was an app that existed separately from YouTube. Its aim was to gather the gaming community to a platform similar to Twitch, where you could perform activities like streaming, donating, subscribing, commenting on games, etc. However, the experiment backfired, since the app brought more confusion than clarity to YouTube users. The app shut down on May 2019, and YouTube Gaming became a part of the official YouTube app.

YouTube users can now use this gaming hub to find streams of their favorite games. There are videos-on-demand related to games and news from the gaming industry. The user interface and streaming options are similar to Twitch. You can also donate money to streamers and subscribe to individual channels.

Even though YouTube is trying to draw streamers to the platform, this hub is still mostly used for videos and news from the tech and gaming industry.

Stream Everywhere

It will be interesting to follow the rise of video game streaming platforms in the future. They are already becoming a vital part of the gaming industry.

Twitch still rules the streaming world, but more and more platforms are looking to dethrone it. Which platform do you use to follow your favorite streamers? Or do you stream your own content anywhere? If you have any other platforms to recommend, leave a comment below.