Upstream.so

Skip to main content

Upstream

Always-on 24/7 Live Streaming Run cloud channels that stay live around the clock.Explore Real-time live Live Studio Invite guests, share screens, and add branded overlays in the browser.Explore One stream, 30+ platforms Multistreaming Send one live feed to YouTube, Twitch, Kick, and RTMP endpoints.Explore Schedule & Automate Pre-recorded Live Streaming Upload pre-recorded videos & Go Live without the stress of live production.Explore

Restream vs StreamYard: Full Comparison (and When Neither Fits) Restream and StreamYard are often among the first options creators... Read the post

YouTube live streaming. 24/7 channels with midroll ads. Twitch live streaming. Streams restart on their own at 48 hours. Kick live streaming. Stay live with your computer off. Facebook live streaming. Schedule lives that start on their own. Instagram live streaming. Go live from your browser or the cloud. TikTok TikTok live streaming. Go live on TikTok and Instagram at once. Rumble live streaming. Add Rumble to your YouTube or Kick stream. Mixcloud live streaming. Run DJ sets from a playlist, no laptop on. 30+ more Plus any custom RTMP or SRT destination.

Scheduling Start streams on time on every platform.

Platform limits Bitrate and duration caps for each platform.

Integrations Setup guides for OBS, vMix, cameras and more.

Free plan 24 hours a month with no watermark.

Support Live Streaming FAQ Answers for YouTube, Twitch, Kick, and RTMP workflows. Scale Enterprise Broadcasting setups for teams, labels, and agencies. Developers Live Streaming API Automate streams, schedules, media, queues, and destinations from code. AI MCP Server Control live streams from compatible AI assistants with Upstream MCP.

Helpdesk Technical docs, troubleshooting, and integration guides.

Blog Guides, ideas, and practical live streaming workflows.

Release Notes Track product updates and shipping cadence.

Free Tools Free calculators, converters, and pre-stream checks.

Live streaming MCP, explained

A live streaming MCP server gives AI assistants tools for managing broadcasts.

Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard that lets AI assistants discover and use tools. Once Upstream is connected, you can ask what is live, check whether media is ready, review a schedule, or propose a change without copying details between apps.

The Upstream MCP server turns those requests into authenticated actions through the Upstream live streaming API. It can check media processing, manage playback queues for 24/7 live streaming, update streams, configure automated live streaming schedules, and work with destinations for multistreaming. Confirmation behavior depends on your AI client and its settings.

Everyday live streaming tasks

Ask about the channel and make the change in the same conversation.

Use the Upstream MCP server to ask what is live, whether a video is ready, where a stream will publish, or what is next in the queue. Then use the relevant tool without hunting through separate screens.

Streams and playback

See which channels are live, start or stop a stream, and inspect or reorder what will play next.

Media and folders

Find videos, audio, images, and fonts; check processing; update details; and organize files into folders.

Schedules and destinations

Plan recurring broadcasts and manage where a stream publishes, including YouTube, Twitch, Kick, custom RTMP, and SRT.

Stream settings and organization

Review encoding, volume, recording, transitions, and video fit, then organize channels and campaigns with tags.

Complete broadcast workflows

Manage the whole broadcast, not just one setting.

Combine schedule, playback, media, and destination checks in one request. Ask for a plan first, then approve only the live streaming changes you want.

Schedule a 24/7 channel

Set scheduled starts and stops, repeat a broadcast, define continuous active and break periods, and preserve playback position between restarts.

Try asking

"Inspect [stream name]. Propose a continuous schedule with 55 minutes live and a 5-minute break, preserve playback position, and wait for my approval before changing it."

Tune playback and output

Adjust resolution, frame rate, bitrate, recording, volume, loop or shuffle behavior, transitions, and how video fits the canvas.

Try asking

"Show the current playback and output settings for [stream name]. Flag anything unusual and propose improvements without applying them."

Organize a growing media library

Search videos, audio, images, and fonts; check processing; update metadata; create folders; and organize multiple files together.

Try asking

"Find processed media containing [keyword], show its current metadata and folders, then propose how to organize it. Do not move anything yet."

Prepare every destination

Create streams and manage YouTube, Twitch, Kick, custom RTMP, and SRT destinations, including whether they follow the stream schedule.

Try asking

"Show every destination for [stream name] and which ones follow its schedule. Give me a preflight summary and wait for approval before changing anything."

Connect in three steps

Connect once, then start with a read-only check.

Add the Upstream MCP server, sign in with OAuth, and verify that it can see the right live streaming account before asking it to make changes.

1. 01 ### Choose your AI client

   Use the setup instructions below. ChatGPT, Claude, Claude Code, Kimi Code, and VS Code can connect through an Upstream OAuth sign-in screen.

2. 02 ### Add the Upstream MCP server

   Add the server URL, then sign in on studio.upstream.so and review the access request. No API key to copy.

3. 03 ### Verify the connection

   Ask the client to list your streams without making changes. If the client offers approval prompts, enable them before asking it to write or delete data.

Client setup

Choose the client you already use.

Use OAuth to connect ChatGPT, Claude, Claude Code, Kimi Code, or VS Code. Choose your client for setup steps, or use Other for connection details. API keys remain available as an alternative for scripts and clients without OAuth.

Already using an API key? Existing connections keep working. To switch to OAuth, remove the saved Authorization header or API-key setting, then reconnect and sign in.

Claude Code ChatGPT Claude Kimi Code VS Code Other

Claude Code

OAuth

Add Upstream at user scope and sign in through your browser.

If Upstream is already configured with an API key, remove its Authorization header before signing in with OAuth.

Claude Code MCP guide

Terminal Copy

claude mcp add --transport http --scope user upstream \
  https://studio.upstream.so/mcp

1. 1. Run the command shown here in your terminal.
2. 2. Open Claude Code, run /mcp, and select Upstream to authenticate.
3. 3. Sign in on studio.upstream.so, review the requested access, and approve the connection.
4. 4. Run /mcp again to check the connection.

Remove access anytime in Upstream Profile → Connected apps.

ChatGPT

OAuth

Connect through developer mode and sign in to Upstream. No API key to copy.

Developer mode availability depends on your account and workspace policy. This is a custom MCP connection; it does not require a published ChatGPT app.

ChatGPT connection guide

MCP server URL Copy

https://studio.upstream.so/mcp

1. 1. In ChatGPT, open Settings → Security and login and enable Developer mode.
2. 2. Open Plugins, select the plus button, and name the connection Upstream.
3. 3. Enter the MCP server URL shown here. Use OAuth for authentication when asked.
4. 4. Sign in on studio.upstream.so, review the requested access, and approve the connection.
5. 5. Start a new conversation and select the Upstream connection from the tools menu.

Remove access anytime in Upstream Profile → Connected apps.

Claude

OAuth

Add a remote custom connector and sign in to Upstream in your browser.

Custom connectors depend on your plan. On Team and Enterprise plans, an owner must add the connector before members can connect their own Upstream accounts.

Claude custom connector guide

MCP server URL Copy

https://studio.upstream.so/mcp

1. 1. Open Customize → Connectors in Claude.
2. 2. Select the plus button, then Add custom connector.
3. 3. Name it Upstream and enter the MCP server URL shown here. Add the connector and select Connect.
4. 4. Sign in on studio.upstream.so, review the requested access, and approve the connection.
5. 5. Enable Upstream from the Connectors menu in your conversation.

Remove access anytime in Upstream Profile → Connected apps.

Kimi Code

OAuth

Add the server URL and use Kimi Code’s browser sign-in flow.

You can also add the remote server interactively with /mcp-config.

Kimi Code MCP guide

~/.kimi-code/mcp.json Copy

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "upstream": {
      "url": "https://studio.upstream.so/mcp"
    }
  }
}

1. 1. Add this server to ~/.kimi-code/mcp.json. Keep any other servers already in the file.
2. 2. Start a new Kimi Code session and run /mcp-config login upstream.
3. 3. Sign in on studio.upstream.so, review the requested access, and approve the connection.
4. 4. Run /mcp to check the connection.

Remove access anytime in Upstream Profile → Connected apps.

VS Code

OAuth

Add Upstream to your user configuration and approve browser sign-in.

VS Code discovers the OAuth settings automatically. No API key or client secret is needed.

VS Code MCP guide

mcp.json Copy

{
  "servers": {
    "upstream": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://studio.upstream.so/mcp"
    }
  }
}

1. 1. Run MCP: Open User Configuration from the Command Palette.
2. 2. Add this server to mcp.json. Keep any other servers already in the file.
3. 3. Start Upstream from the server configuration and follow the authentication prompt.
4. 4. Sign in on studio.upstream.so, review the requested access, and approve the connection.

Remove access anytime in Upstream Profile → Connected apps.

Other MCP clients

Check compatibility

Use these details if your client supports remote Streamable HTTP servers with OAuth or custom request headers.

1. 1. Open your client's MCP or integrations settings.
2. 2. Add a remote HTTP server using the details shown.
3. 3. Follow the OAuth sign-in flow if supported, or store a dedicated API key in the client's secret settings.
4. 4. Reconnect, then confirm that the client discovers Upstream's tools.

Connection details Copy

Transport: Streamable HTTP
Endpoint: https://studio.upstream.so/mcp
Authentication: OAuth (recommended)

Use OAuth discovery when your client supports it. Callback support varies by client; check its guide if sign-in fails. For scripts or clients without OAuth, use the API-key alternative below.

Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_TOKEN

Test with a read-only request

After connecting, ask: "List my Upstream streams. Do not change anything." Review the result before approving tools that write or delete data.

Developer resources

Build directly with the same Upstream live streaming API.

The Upstream MCP tools use the customer API for streams, media, queues, folders, tags, and destinations. Read the server definition and client configuration on GitHub, browse the REST API reference, or download a machine-readable specification for your own integration.

Source GitHub repository Documentation API reference Machine readable OpenAPI specification

These resources are public and contain no customer data or API keys. Calling the API or MCP tools still requires authentication.

FAQ

Upstream MCP and live streaming MCP questions

What a live streaming MCP server is, what Upstream MCP can do, which clients work, and how to connect safely.

01 What is the Upstream MCP server?

Upstream MCP is a remote live streaming MCP server. It connects an MCP-compatible AI assistant to authenticated tools for managing Upstream streams, schedules, playback queues, media, folders, tags, and multistream destinations.

02 What is a live streaming MCP server?

A live streaming MCP server gives an AI assistant a structured set of tools for inspecting or managing broadcast workflows. Instead of relying only on chat, the assistant can request current stream data and call supported live streaming actions through an authenticated connection. Upstream MCP is built specifically for live streams managed on Upstream.

03 Which MCP clients work with Upstream?

ChatGPT developer mode, Claude custom connectors, Claude Code, Kimi Code, and VS Code support Upstream OAuth sign-in, subject to the client's plan and workspace settings. API keys remain available for scripts and clients that do not support OAuth. OpenAI's Responses API supports the same endpoint from server-side code.

04 Does the MCP server receive my Upstream password?

Your AI client does not receive your password. With OAuth, you sign in directly on studio.upstream.so and approve the connection. Revoke it from Profile → Connected apps. API-key clients use a separate key that you can revoke from Profile → API Keys.

05 Do I need an Upstream account to use the MCP server?

Yes. The live streaming tools work with streams and media in an authenticated Upstream account. You can create an Upstream account for free, then connect with OAuth or create a dedicated API key. The actions available remain subject to your account's features and limits.

06 Can an AI assistant start, change, or delete a live stream?

Yes. A connected client can use write or delete tools when its connection is authorized. Confirmation behavior depends on the AI client and its settings, so enable approvals when available and ask the assistant to inspect first and propose changes before they run.

07 What can a connected AI client access through MCP?

Both OAuth connections and API keys grant access to the supported MCP tools for your Upstream account, including tools that change or delete data. OAuth does not provide a read-only permission option. API keys are also not read-only or permission-limited keys. Enable approval prompts in your AI client and remove unused access from Profile → Connected apps or Profile → API Keys.

08 What Upstream data can my AI client receive?

When a client calls an MCP tool, it can receive the Upstream data returned by that tool, such as stream settings, schedules, queue items, media details, or destinations. The AI client or provider handles that data under its own settings and terms. Do not paste your API key into a prompt; store it only in the client's secret or connection settings.

09 Is the MCP server the same as the live stream API?

No. The Upstream MCP server is an AI-client-friendly layer on top of the Upstream live streaming API. MCP gives compatible assistants a standard way to discover tools, while the underlying API continues to enforce account ownership, validation, authorization, and rate limits.

10 Can I schedule recurring or 24/7 streams through MCP?

Yes. The current tools can set scheduled start and end times, repeat a schedule, configure continuous active and break periods, and preserve playback position between continuous-mode restarts.

11 Can an AI assistant upload media to Upstream?

The MCP server can create a TUS upload ticket and return the information needed to upload a batch. A client capable of transferring files must complete the upload itself. The assistant can then check processing status and organize the uploaded media.

12 Which stream settings can MCP change?

It can update stream details, encoding, volume, playback order, transitions, video fit, recording, schedules, and tags. It can also manage playback queues and multistream destinations.

13 Can MCP control Live Studio or Stream Designer?

Not in the current release. The available tools manage streams, schedules, playback, media, folders, tags, and destinations. They do not control Live Studio guests or scenes, overlays, unified chat, or Stream Designer elements.

Manage your next broadcast from the AI client you already use.

Connect the Upstream live streaming MCP server with OAuth or a dedicated API key, then start with a read-only check. Then schedule broadcasts, organize media, tune playback, and prepare destinations from the same conversation.

Connect your AI client New to Upstream? Sign up for free

{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://upstream.so/#website","url":"https://upstream.so/","name":"Upstream.so","description":"","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://upstream.so/mcp/#webpage","url":"https://upstream.so/mcp/","name":"Upstream MCP Server for Live Streaming","description":"Upstream MCP is a live streaming MCP server for AI assistants. Schedule broadcasts, manage 24/7 playback, media, queues, and multistream destinations.","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://upstream.so/#website"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://upstream.so/#organization"},"dateModified":"2026-10-01T00:00:00+00:00","about":[{"@type":"Thing","name":"Model Context Protocol","alternateName":"MCP"},{"@type":"Thing","name":"Live streaming"}],"mainEntity":{"@type":"SoftwareApplication","@id":"https://upstream.so/mcp/#software","name":"Upstream MCP Server","alternateName":["Upstream MCP","Upstream Live Streaming MCP Server"],"applicationCategory":"DeveloperApplication","applicationSubCategory":"Model Context Protocol server for live streaming","operatingSystem":"Platform independent","softwareRequirements":"A client or integration that supports remote Streamable HTTP MCP servers with OAuth or the Authorization: Bearer request header","url":"https://upstream.so/mcp/","description":"Upstream MCP is a live streaming MCP server for AI assistants. Schedule broadcasts, manage 24/7 playback, media, queues, and multistream destinations.","provider":{"@id":"https://upstream.so/#organization"},"audience":{"@type":"Audience","audienceType":"Live stream creators, broadcasters, and developers"},"keywords":["Upstream MCP","live streaming MCP server","Model Context Protocol","AI live streaming tools"],"featureList":["Inspect, create, update, start, and stop Upstream live streams","Schedule repeating broadcasts and continuous 24/7 playback","Configure encoding, volume, playback, transitions, video fit, and recording","Search, update, and organize live streaming media","Inspect and reorder stream playback queues","Manage YouTube, Twitch, Kick, custom RTMP, and SRT destinations"]}}]}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://upstream.so/#organization","name":"Upstream.so","alternateName":["Upstream","upstream.so"],"url":"https://upstream.so/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://upstream.so/#logo","url":"https://upstream.so/dist/themes/upstream/images/sections/comparisons/upstream-logo.svg","contentUrl":"https://upstream.so/dist/themes/upstream/images/sections/comparisons/upstream-logo.svg","caption":"Upstream.so"},"description":"Cloud live streaming platform for live broadcasts, browser-based Live Studio, multistreaming, scheduled pre-recorded streams, 24/7 playback, and backups.","foundingDate":"2023","founder":[{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://upstream.so/#mario-jankovic","name":"Mario Jankovic","jobTitle":"Co-founder, Product","description":"Co-founder of Upstream, a cloud live streaming platform. Works on product, design, and the frontend.","url":"https://mariojankovic.com/","worksFor":{"@id":"https://upstream.so/#organization"},"knowsAbout":["24/7 live streaming","multistreaming","live production","creator tools","frontend engineering","product design"],"sameAs":["https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-jankovi%C4%87-42879626","https://x.com/mariojankovic","https://github.com/mariojankovic","https://bsky.app/profile/mariojankovic.com"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://upstream.so/#domagoj-franc","name":"Domagoj Franc","jobTitle":"Co-Founder & CTO","description":"Co-founder and CTO of Upstream, responsible for platform engineering and infrastructure automation: servers, networking, storage, and the systems that keep thousands of channels live.","url":"https://domagojfranc.com/","worksFor":{"@id":"https://upstream.so/#organization"},"sameAs":["https://www.linkedin.com/in/domagojfranc","https://domagojfranc.com/","https://x.com/DomagojFranc","https://github.com/dokicro"],"knowsAbout":["Live streaming infrastructure","24/7 live streaming","Multistreaming","Video ingest and RTMP","Video transcoding","WebRTC","FFmpeg","Platform engineering","Infrastructure automation","Backend architecture","Kubernetes","Linux"]}],"employee":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Bojan Opacak","jobTitle":"Content and Partnerships Lead","worksFor":{"@id":"https://upstream.so/#organization"},"sameAs":["https://www.linkedin.com/in/bojan-opa%C4%8Dak-bb444b26/"]}],"sameAs":["https://www.youtube.com/@upstreamso","https://www.facebook.com/upstream.so","https://www.instagram.com/upstream.so","https://twitter.com/upstreamso","https://www.linkedin.com/company/upstream-so","https://github.com/upstream-so","https://www.trustpilot.com/review/upstream.so"],"legalName":"Zukunft d.o.o.","address":"Groznjanska 32, 10000 Zagreb","vatID":"HR62560895839"}]}
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the Upstream MCP server?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>Upstream MCP is a remote live streaming MCP server. It connects an MCP-compatible AI assistant to authenticated tools for managing Upstream streams, schedules, playback queues, media, folders, tags, and multistream destinations.</p>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is a live streaming MCP server?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>A live streaming MCP server gives an AI assistant a structured set of tools for inspecting or managing broadcast workflows. Instead of relying only on chat, the assistant can request current stream data and call supported live streaming actions through an authenticated connection. Upstream MCP is built specifically for live streams managed on Upstream.</p>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Which MCP clients work with Upstream?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>ChatGPT developer mode, Claude custom connectors, Claude Code, Kimi Code, and VS Code support Upstream OAuth sign-in, subject to the client's plan and workspace settings. API keys remain available for scripts and clients that do not support OAuth. OpenAI's Responses API supports the same endpoint from server-side code.</p>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Does the MCP server receive my Upstream password?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>Your AI client does not receive your password. With OAuth, you sign in directly on studio.upstream.so and approve the connection. Revoke it from Profile → Connected apps. API-key clients use a separate key that you can revoke from Profile → API Keys.</p>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Do I need an Upstream account to use the MCP server?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>Yes. The live streaming tools work with streams and media in an authenticated Upstream account. You can create an Upstream account for free, then connect with OAuth or create a dedicated API key. The actions available remain subject to your account's features and limits.</p>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can an AI assistant start, change, or delete a live stream?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>Yes. A connected client can use write or delete tools when its connection is authorized. Confirmation behavior depends on the AI client and its settings, so enable approvals when available and ask the assistant to inspect first and propose changes before they run.</p>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What can a connected AI client access through MCP?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>Both OAuth connections and API keys grant access to the supported MCP tools for your Upstream account, including tools that change or delete data. OAuth does not provide a read-only permission option. API keys are also not read-only or permission-limited keys. Enable approval prompts in your AI client and remove unused access from Profile → Connected apps or Profile → API Keys.</p>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What Upstream data can my AI client receive?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>When a client calls an MCP tool, it can receive the Upstream data returned by that tool, such as stream settings, schedules, queue items, media details, or destinations. The AI client or provider handles that data under its own settings and terms. Do not paste your API key into a prompt; store it only in the client's secret or connection settings.</p>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Is the MCP server the same as the live stream API?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>No. The Upstream MCP server is an AI-client-friendly layer on top of the Upstream live streaming API. MCP gives compatible assistants a standard way to discover tools, while the underlying API continues to enforce account ownership, validation, authorization, and rate limits.</p>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can I schedule recurring or 24/7 streams through MCP?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>Yes. The current tools can set scheduled start and end times, repeat a schedule, configure continuous active and break periods, and preserve playback position between continuous-mode restarts.</p>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can an AI assistant upload media to Upstream?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>The MCP server can create a TUS upload ticket and return the information needed to upload a batch. A client capable of transferring files must complete the upload itself. The assistant can then check processing status and organize the uploaded media.</p>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Which stream settings can MCP change?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>It can update stream details, encoding, volume, playback order, transitions, video fit, recording, schedules, and tags. It can also manage playback queues and multistream destinations.</p>"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can MCP control Live Studio or Stream Designer?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"<p>Not in the current release. The available tools manage streams, schedules, playback, media, folders, tags, and destinations. They do not control Live Studio guests or scenes, overlays, unified chat, or Stream Designer elements.</p>"}}]}