Streaming fundamentals
SRT vs. RTMP for IRL streaming
Choose an ingest protocol based on recovery, latency, device support, and the network you actually have.
- For
- Streamers and producers
- Level
- beginner
- Read time
- 1 min
- Updated
- Jul 29, 2026
The short answer
Use SRT when both ends support it and the feed must cross an unreliable network. Use RTMP when compatibility and a simple setup matter more than recovering packets lost in transit.
How they differ
| SRT | RTMP | |
|---|---|---|
| Loss recovery | Configurable retransmission | TCP retransmission |
| Latency control | Explicit latency buffer | Mostly implementation-defined |
| Device support | Growing | Nearly universal |
| Encryption | Built in | Use RTMPS for TLS |
Pick SRT when
- Your encoder and ingest server both support it.
- Cellular loss or jitter is common.
- You can trade a controlled amount of latency for recovery.
- You need encryption without an additional tunnel.
Pick RTMP when
- You need to work with an older encoder or service.
- Your destination only publishes an RTMP ingest address.
- The network path is stable and predictable.
Neither protocol creates bandwidth. SRT can recover from brief loss, but a connection that stays below your configured bitrate will still fall behind. Set the bitrate for the worst repeatable part of the route, not the best speed test.