Comparing live-streaming apps

It’s never been so easy to just hop on a live video stream and broadcast to the world from wherever you are. So now that anyone with a smartphone can do this, the question is which tool makes the most sense to use? In this episode, we compare three different live-streaming services — Facebook Live, Kanvas for Tumblr and Periscope. We also take a look at what YouTube has in development for going live.
Reporting by Hailey Godburn

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• Facebook Live works from both the Facebook mobile app and website.
• Facebook offers a look at videos streaming in real time around the world on its live map feature.
• Periscope first launched in March 2015, about a month after its earliest competitor Meerkat debuted. Both apps integrated directly with Twitter, but Meerkat failed to keep up with Periscope and called it quits earlier this year.
• Tumblr launched live-streaming capabilities in June. The platform allows streaming only through third-party services, including Kanvas, YouNow, Upclose and YouTube.
• For some, the appeal of Kanvas is the creativity it allows and the ability to add effects, filters, GIFs and drawing overlays.
• In June, YouTube announced it would begin rolling out a new mobile live-streaming option for select users. Currently, any user can stream live to YouTube from a desktop or laptop computer.