os-alt

self-host the SaaS you're paying for

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Owncast vs PeerTube

Self-host pick — both replace YouTube (creator) (Video hosting + publishing).

Both Owncast and PeerTube self-host as a replacement for YouTube (creator) (Video hosting + publishing). Pick Owncast if you want the lighter footprint — 10min single-binary or docker run, $10-20/mo vps; bandwidth dominates if you stream regularly. Pick PeerTube if you need creators with a video archive they want to own end-to-end and who value federation/Fediverse reach — 1h docker-compose (PeerTube + Postgres + Redis + transcoder) and $15-50/mo depending on transcoding load; bandwidth is the real cost line and peertube uses webtorrent peer-assist to cut it.

Owncastopen-sourcePeerTubeopen-source
LicenseMITAGPL-3.0
Setup time10min single-binary or docker run1h docker-compose (PeerTube + Postgres + Redis + transcoder)
Monthly cost$10-20/mo VPS; bandwidth dominates if you stream regularly.$15-50/mo depending on transcoding load; bandwidth is the real cost line and PeerTube uses WebTorrent peer-assist to cut it.
GitHubowncast/owncast ★ 11.2k · last commit todayaliveChocobozzz/PeerTube ★ 14.7k · last commit 1d agoalive
ReplacesYouTube (creator) + 1 otherYouTube (creator) + 1 other

Good fit for

Owncast

Live streamers who want their own URL, no platform algorithm, and full chat/moderation control.

Weak at:Not a VOD platform — for a back-catalogue archive, pair with PeerTube.

PeerTube

Creators with a video archive they want to own end-to-end and who value federation/Fediverse reach.

Weak at:Discovery — there's no global recommendation engine; growth comes from cross-posting and embedded players, not YouTube-style suggested videos.

In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli youtube prints YouTube (creator)'s self-host options including both — how the CLI works →

FAQ

Which is easier to self-host, Owncast or PeerTube?

Owncast: 10min single-binary or docker run. PeerTube: 1h docker-compose (PeerTube + Postgres + Redis + transcoder).

What does each cost to run?

Owncast: $10-20/mo VPS; bandwidth dominates if you stream regularly.. PeerTube: $15-50/mo depending on transcoding load; bandwidth is the real cost line and PeerTube uses WebTorrent peer-assist to cut it.. Both projects are free and open source.

Do Owncast and PeerTube replace the same SaaS?

Yes — both are open-source alternatives to YouTube (creator).