Neither Contabo VPS nor AWS Lightsail is a proven universal winner for a 24/7 YouTube stream. Choose by calculating your stream’s monthly data use, checking the exact plan’s sustained network capacity and transfer terms, and testing the complete setup before relying on it. The published comparison data does not establish that either provider is faster or more reliable for YouTube streaming.
What matters most for a 24/7 stream
A server that can start an encoder is not automatically a good streaming choice. Compare the recurring cost for your chosen term, expected outbound data, sustained throughput with headroom, compute needs for your encoding workload, and the monitoring and recovery you will need.
- Transfer: Estimate monthly use from the stream’s bitrate, then compare it with the selected Lightsail region’s allowance or Contabo’s fair-use terms.
- Network capacity: Check published port speed and leave room above the stream bitrate. YouTube recommends 20% network headroom.
- Compute: Contabo lists shared vCPU resources, but the cited provider materials do not give a comparable YouTube-encoding performance benchmark.
- Recovery: Plan how the encoder restarts and how you will know if the stream has stopped. Neither provider comparison establishes a YouTube streaming service level.
Contabo VPS vs AWS Lightsail
| Factor | Contabo VPS | AWS Lightsail |
|---|---|---|
| Published example | Core VPS 4: $5.28/month; Core VPS 6: $7.20/month; Core VPS 8: $13.44/month. Displayed for a 24-month term on Contabo’s pricing page, accessed 2026. Contabo pricing. | Linux 1 GB bundle with public IPv4: $7/month and 2 TB transfer; Linux 4 GB: $24/month and 4 TB transfer. These are AWS page examples accessed 2026; the transfer allowance varies by AWS Region. Lightsail pricing. |
| Transfer terms | Plans are labeled “Unlimited Traffic,” subject to fair use. Contabo says exceptionally high or disruptive use can result in throttling. Contabo VPS plans. | Each bundle has a stated data-transfer allowance. Establish the allowance for your chosen region and any charges beyond it before calculating a continuous stream’s total cost; a clear current regional overage figure is not established here. AWS Lightsail pricing. |
| Network information | Port speeds vary by plan. Contabo’s documentation lists Cloud VPS 8 with an advertised 600 Mbit/s port, 8 vCPUs, 24 GB RAM, and 300 GB SSD storage. This is a listed specification, not a guarantee of sustained YouTube ingest performance. Contabo VPS plans. | The cited bundle information provides compute, memory, storage, and transfer allowance; a comparable sustained-throughput guarantee for YouTube streaming is not established in the cited material. |
| Term and billing | The cited Core VPS prices are displayed for a 24-month term. Confirm the current price and term before ordering. | Bundles use fixed hourly pricing capped at the maximum monthly plan cost. Check the selected bundle and region for current terms. |
These figures are provider-published examples, not a like-for-like benchmark: the Contabo prices use a 24-month term, while the AWS examples are bundle pricing. Storage, compute configurations, billing basis, transfer allowances, and regional conditions differ.
Estimate bandwidth before choosing a plan
YouTube’s current encoder guidance recommends H.264 video bitrate ranges of 5–14 Mbps for 1080p at 30 fps and 6–17 Mbps for 1080p at 60 fps. Use the recommendation for your intended resolution, frame rate, and codec rather than applying one bitrate to every stream. YouTube encoder settings
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A useful rough estimate for a constant bitrate is Mbps Ă— 0.45 GB per hour, or Mbps Ă— 324 GB for 30 days of continuous operation. This arithmetic estimate excludes additional use from audio, protocol overhead, reconnects, and bitrate variation.
- At 10 Mbps, a stream running continuously for 30 days uses roughly 3.24 TB before those additions.
- At 5 Mbps, the same calculation gives about 1.62 TB for 30 days.
- At 17 Mbps, it gives about 5.51 TB for 30 days.
Use the bitrate you will actually send and the hours you expect to be live. A stream that runs fewer than 30 days or pauses regularly uses less than the continuous-month estimate. Compare the resulting estimate with the exact Lightsail regional allowance or Contabo’s current fair-use language.
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Check throughput and leave headroom
Transfer allowance and port speed answer different questions. A monthly allowance concerns how much data a plan includes; port speed concerns the rate at which data may be sent. Neither label alone proves that a stream will run without interruption.
YouTube recommends leaving 20% of upload bandwidth unused as headroom. For a 10 Mbps stream, assess whether the server can sustain at least 12 Mbps of outbound capacity under your deployment conditions. Include another feed only if you actually plan to send one. YouTube’s guidance is: “The total bitrate you’re streaming cannot exceed the amount of upload bandwidth available. Leave a bit of room (20% recommended).” YouTube streaming tips
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How to make the comparison for your channel
- Choose stream settings. Set the codec, resolution, frame rate, and bitrate using YouTube’s encoder recommendations for that format. Review YouTube’s encoder settings.
- Estimate transfer. Multiply the stream bitrate by expected operating time using the rough calculation above. Allow for audio, overhead, and bitrate variation.
- Apply network headroom. Assess sustained outbound capacity at 120% of your stream bitrate, following YouTube’s 20% recommendation.
- Check Lightsail in the intended region. Select the bundle and AWS Region, confirm the region-specific transfer allowance and current price, and determine applicable charges beyond that allowance before committing. Check Lightsail pricing.
- Check Contabo’s exact plan. Compare the listed port speed with your sustained throughput requirement and read the current fair-use terms. Treat “Unlimited Traffic” as subject to those terms, not as an unconditional no-throttling promise. Check Contabo pricing.
- Account for the whole setup. Include the chosen contract term and any monitoring, backup, and recovery tools your implementation actually needs.
- Test end to end. Run the encoder, inspect YouTube stream health, and verify reconnect behavior before depending on the setup. YouTube advises testing and monitoring streams. YouTube encoder guidance.
Set up YouTube ingest securely
YouTube supports RTMP and RTMPS ingest and recommends RTMPS, the encrypted extension of RTMP. Configure the encoder with YouTube’s stream URL and stream key. Treat the key like a password: keep it private and do not place it in public scripts, screenshots, or logs. YouTube encoder setup · YouTube stream key guidance
Do not assume a single uninterrupted 24/7 broadcast will be archived in full. YouTube’s cited setup page says streams under 12 hours are automatically archived. Check current YouTube behavior and decide how you will preserve recordings if you need an archive of a longer broadcast. YouTube encoder setup
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Which should you choose?
Choose only after checking the precise plan and region against your own bitrate and operating schedule. Contabo’s published port speeds and fair-use terms may be relevant if the plan’s actual throughput suits your workload; Lightsail’s fixed-price bundles and explicit transfer allowances may be easier to evaluate when the selected region’s allowance fits your usage. The cited information does not support a blanket claim that one service is more reliable or faster for a 24/7 YouTube stream.
Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is a continuous YouTube stream from uploaded video rather than managing a VPS encoder, StreamNeo is the #1 alternative to try first: it keeps a YouTube channel live from the cloud, supports any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, and gives the first day free.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
- Upload a recording or build a playlist.
- Add your YouTube stream key once.
- Go live; StreamNeo loops the video from the cloud.
Nothing has to stay on at home. Video streams as uploaded, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot; automatic recovery is included if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo is for uploaded videos and YouTube streaming, not going live from a camera. See StreamNeo or start the free first day.
Quick Recap
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