Dacast
Live commerce software
Live stream software
OTT platforms
Video hosting platforms
E-commerce software
Video software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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$468 per year
Free Trial
Free version unavailable
Small
Medium
Large
- Professional services (engineering, legal, consulting, etc.)
- Media and communications
- Accommodation and food services
What is Dacast
Dacast is a live streaming and video hosting platform that provides tools to ingest, manage, and deliver live and on-demand video through web players and APIs. It is used by businesses, media organizations, event producers, and educators that need branded video delivery with access control and monetization options. The product combines streaming workflows (live channels, VOD libraries, encoding integrations) with distribution features such as CDN delivery, embeddable players, and analytics. It also supports pay-per-view and subscription-style monetization for OTT-like use cases.
Monetization and paywall options
Dacast includes built-in monetization features such as pay-per-view and subscription access for video content. This supports organizations that want to sell access without building a separate payment-gating layer from scratch. It is particularly relevant for ticketed live events and paid VOD libraries. These capabilities align with OTT-style distribution needs more than basic streaming-only tools.
API and embedding flexibility
The platform provides embeddable players and API-based controls to integrate video delivery into existing websites and applications. This helps teams that need to fit video into established customer journeys rather than redirecting viewers to a separate portal. It also supports white-label style presentation where the viewer experience stays on the publisher’s domain. This is useful for organizations with in-house development resources.
Access control and security features
Dacast supports common access-control mechanisms used in professional streaming, such as password protection and other restrictions intended to limit unauthorized viewing. These controls help businesses manage internal communications, paid content, or region-limited distribution. The platform also supports HTTPS delivery and other standard web security practices for playback. This makes it more suitable for controlled distribution than consumer video hosting tools.
Limited native commerce workflows
While Dacast supports video monetization, it is not primarily an end-to-end e-commerce system for live shopping. Typical live commerce needs—product catalogs, cart/checkout UX, inventory sync, and order management—generally require external commerce platforms and custom integration. As a result, teams focused on shoppable livestreams may need additional software to match dedicated live commerce workflows. This can increase implementation effort and total cost.
Requires streaming domain expertise
Configuring live channels, encoders, and delivery settings can require familiarity with streaming concepts and operational practices. Organizations without technical staff may need onboarding time to establish reliable live production workflows. Troubleshooting issues such as encoder settings, bitrate ladders, and network constraints often sits with the customer. This can be a barrier compared with more guided, commerce-first live video tools.
OTT app ecosystem not turnkey
Dacast can support OTT-like distribution, but building full OTT experiences (e.g., branded TV apps, multi-device app management, and app store publishing) typically requires additional development or third-party services. Companies seeking a turnkey OTT app suite may find gaps in out-of-the-box app creation and lifecycle management. This can extend time-to-launch for multi-platform OTT initiatives. It is better suited to web-first delivery unless supplemented by custom work.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $39 per month (billed annually at $468/year) | 2.4 TB bandwidth per year, 500 GB storage; Live streaming, 1080p HD, unlimited concurrent viewers, RTMP/HLS, live transcoding, simulcast, VOD, advanced analytics, 24/7 support. Starter plans are billed annually and monthly Starter plans are not available. |
| Event | $63 per month (billed annually at $750/year) | Intended for one-time/occasional events; 6 TB upfront bandwidth, 250 GB storage; includes live stream monitoring, China Live, Multi-CDN, paywall, ad insertion. Event plans are billed annually and monthly Event plans are not available. |
| Scale | $165 per month (billed annually at $1,980/year) OR $250 per month (month-to-month) | 24 TB bandwidth per year, 2,000 GB storage; unlimited channels, DRM/AES for VOD, VOD chapter markers, advanced library management, player CNAME, phone support. Monthly Scale requires an initial 90-day (3-month) prepayment of $750 (then $250/month). |
| Custom | Custom pricing (contact sales) | High-volume / enterprise plans with custom SLAs, migrations, integrations, additional support; contact Dacast for a quote. |
Notes: All data pulled from Dacast's official pricing page and support knowledgebase (annual billing and 3-month commitment details). The site also advertises a free 14-day trial (no credit card required).
Seller details
Dacast, Inc.
San Francisco, CA, USA
2010
Private
https://www.dacast.com/
https://x.com/dacast
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dacast/
