Are you planning an event and wondering whether you can handle the live stream yourself or would you rather leave it in professional hands? This decision depends on more than just your budget, and that's exactly what we'll look at together here. In this article you will find out what technical requirements you will face, what professional production costs and when it is really worth bringing a professional on board.
The most important thing in brief
- You can produce virtual live streams yourself with a little training. On-site productions with multiple cameras and speakers almost always require a service provider.
- The budget ranges from a few hundred euros (virtual, homemade) to the five-figure range (professional on-site broadcast with crew).
- Live directing software like OBS Studio is available free of charge and is sufficient for many scenarios.
- Anyone who regularly streams live will be better served in the long term by building up their know-how internally rather than outsourcing every event.
You are planning a webinar, a hybrid conference or a digital event and are wondering: Do I produce the live stream myself or do I commission a service provider? And how much does each cost?
This article answers exactly these questions. We'll show you when in-house production makes sense, when a professional is essential, and which decision-making criteria really count.
No previous knowledge yet? Then read our article firstHow is a live stream produced and what is live directing?before you continue here.
On-site or virtual: The most important difference in livestream production
Before you decide who will produce the live stream, you need to clarify one fundamental question: Will the signal be recorded on site or transmitted virtually?
On-site production
During on-site production, images and sound are recorded by multiple devices at the same time. Cameras film from different angles, microphones record several speakers. All of these signals need to be synchronized, mixed and merged in real time.
You can still do this yourself with a single camera and a microphone. As soon as multiple cameras, multiple speakers or a live stage with changing scenes come into play, you need trained specialist staff. This is not a question of affinity, but of reaction speed and experience under live conditions.
A simple case: You regularly stream lectures from a permanently installed camera. You can do this yourself with a little training time.
Virtual production
Virtual live streams are technically much more accessible. In the simplest version, you invite your speakers to a video call (Zoom, Teams, Webex) and broadcast this call directly as a stream. No additional hardware, no crew.
With live directing software like OBS Studio or vMix you can professionalize the stream: show speaker names, change scenes, adjust backgrounds, play music. This can be learned, and most setups are less complex than they initially seem.
How much does professional livestream production cost?
The costs directly depend on the form of production and complexity.
On-site production with service provider
For example, if you want to stream a panel discussion on a live stage, you need at least:
- 2 cameras (long shot and close-up)
- 1 microphone per speaker
- 2 camera technicians
- 1 sound engineer
- 1 live director
Material, transport, assembly and dismantling come on top of that. For such an order, calculate a budget in the low to mid five-figure range. This increases accordingly if there are several parallel stages or streams.
Virtual production with service providers
Here the effort is considerably lower. A single live director captures the video and sound signals from the video call and produces the finished stream. Hardware: a powerful desktop PC with multiple displays. Plan on a budget in the low to mid four-figure range.
Own production
If you produce it yourself, the service provider costs are completely eliminated. The relevant cost points are then:
- One-off hardware (webcam, microphone, capture card if necessary): €200, €800
- Software: OBS Studio is free. vMix costs from around $60 depending on the license
- Training time: realistically 4.8 hours for a solid basic configuration
Anyone who streams regularly will quickly offset this investment against the service provider costs.
Am I technically capable of producing the live stream myself?
For virtual productions: Yes, almost always. This is not a question of special technical talent. A simple virtual live stream can be set up in under an hour. OBS Studio has an active community, hundreds of tutorials on YouTube and a very clear user interface.
For on-site productions with just one camera: Also feasible, with a little training.
For complex on-site productions with multiple cameras, a mixing console and live direction: We recommend an experienced service provider as long as no internal know-how is available. The error tolerance under live conditions is minimal.
If you regularly livestream events, it's worth building up the know-how internally. The one-off training effort pays off from the second or third event onwards.
Decision support: when to do it yourself, when to commission it?
Use this overview as a quick guide:
On-site live stream
- A camera, a microphone, a stage: Can be implemented yourself with basic technical knowledge.
- Multiple cameras, multiple microphones, multiple stages: hire an experienced service provider.
Virtual live stream
- Simple transmission of a video call: Can be done even without prior knowledge.
- Few scenes (e.g. lecture with names displayed): Can be implemented yourself with a little technical affinity.
- Lots of scenes, complex program, high visibility: Can be implemented yourself with technical knowledge or hire a service provider for live directing.
Budget tight but regular events planned?Then it's definitely worth getting started with your own production. The software is free, the hardware is manageable.
Live directing software: What you need for your own production
Whether on site or virtually: If you want to stream professionally, you need live directing software. This takes over the editing in real time, displays graphics and sends the finished signal to the streaming platform.
The main options:
OBS Studio(free, open source)Market standard for beginners and advanced users. Scenes, sources, transitions, streaming output: everything is there. Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
vMix(from about $60, Windows)More features, more professional interface, more suitable for complex setups with multiple cameras or NDI signals.
Ecamm Live(from around $15/month, macOS)Popular option for Mac users. Very user-friendly, good for interview formats.
Which setup actually makes sense depends on your requirements. More about this in our articleWhat equipment do I need for professional live directing?
Livestream production with Streavent: What the platform does
Streavent is not only an event management platform but also brings a native oneDigital event platformwith that embeds your live stream directly. This means: No separate streaming tool, no mess of links for participants, no manual integration of external players.
What this means specifically for your production:
- The stream runs directly in your branded event interface
- Participants log in once and see everything (agenda, stream, chat, Q&A) in one place
- You can have one at the same timeMobile event appoffer that mirrors the same stream and content
- For hybrid formats, on-site check-in runs via the same system as digital participation
Do you want to know how this feels for your specific event setup?Book a free demoand we will show you the exact workflow.
FAQ: Livestream production
Can I produce a live stream without professional equipment?
Yes, for virtual events, a current laptop with a webcam and headset is enough to get started. For better quality, we recommend an external webcam (1080p), a USB condenser microphone and OBS Studio. The total budget for a solid entry-level setup is €150, €400.
How much does a livestream production with a service provider cost?
This depends heavily on the format. Virtual productions with an external live director are typically in the low to mid four-figure range per event. Professional on-site productions with crew and equipment start in the low five-figure range and increase significantly depending on the complexity.
What is the difference between a live stream and a live directing?
A live stream is the transmission of a video signal in real time to an online audience. Live direction is the process of editing multiple signals (cameras, screen shares, graphics, sound) together in real time into a finished, professionally prepared stream. You can stream without live directing, but you can't live direct without streaming output.
Which platform is best suited for events with an integrated live stream?
Streavent is the obvious choice for B2B events in the DACH region where registration, check-in, event app and stream need to come together in one interface. The platform is Made in Germany, GDPR-compliant and built specifically for professional B2B events with 200 or more participants. More about this on thePricing pageor in a demo.
Is it worth setting up livestream production internally?
If you livestream more than two to three events per year: yes, almost always. The entry costs for hardware and software are manageable. The training effort is realistically one working day for a solid basic configuration. From the second event onwards you have amortized the investment compared to the costs of an external service provider.
