Meerkat vs Periscope: Live Streaming Compared

Meerkat and Periscope were both early pioneers of mobile live streaming, but they answered the same question—how to broadcast from your phone—in very different ways. Meerkat was the first to grab attention in early 2015 with its simple, ephemeral streams, while Periscope, launched by Twitter a month later, added replay, comments, and a heart system that made it the more durable product. This article compares the two apps, explains why Periscope ultimately won the race, and what their brief rivalry taught us about live video.

The Background: A Race to Launch

In early 2015, live video from a smartphone was not yet mainstream. Meerkat, built by a small startup called Life on Air, launched at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in March 2015. It was a bare-bones app: you pressed a button, and your stream went out to your Twitter followers. Streams were ephemeral—they disappeared when the broadcast ended, so there was no archive to rewatch.

Meerkat’s simplicity was its genius. It rode Twitter’s social graph for distribution, so anyone with a Twitter account could instantly reach an audience. Within days, it was the talk of the tech world. Then, on March 26, 2015, Twitter launched Periscope, an app it had acquired months earlier. Periscope did everything Meerkat did, but added features Meerkat lacked: streams could be replayed, viewers could comment and send hearts, and the video quality was more stable. Within a few weeks, Periscope had overtaken Meerkat in downloads and daily active users.

How They Worked: The Core Differences

Both apps used your phone’s camera to broadcast live video over the internet, but the user experience differed significantly.

Streaming model: Meerkat was purely live; when you ended the broadcast, it was gone. Periscope saved your stream automatically so people could watch it later.
Social integration: Meerkat relied entirely on Twitter for distribution—you logged in with Twitter, and your stream link went out as a tweet. Periscope also used Twitter, but it had its own follower system, so you could build an audience within the app itself.
Viewer interaction: Periscope had a live comment bar and a “heart” button that viewers could tap to show appreciation. Meerkat had a basic chat, but no hearts or replay.
Video quality: Periscope used a more robust streaming protocol (HLS), which gave it better stability on slower connections. Meerkat used a simpler RTMP-based setup that was more prone to buffering.

These differences might sound small, but they shaped how people used the apps. Periscope was designed for building a community; Meerkat was designed for a fleeting moment.

The Rise and Fall of Meerkat

Meerkat’s decline was swift. Within months of its launch, it became clear that Periscope had the backing of Twitter’s massive user base and its own infrastructure. Meerkat also faced a practical problem: Twitter restricted its API access, which meant that Meerkat’s automatic tweets about new streams were throttled. Without that distribution, Meerkat lost its primary growth engine.

Life on Air pivoted to a new app called Houseparty in 2016, which was a group video chat app—a different concept entirely. Meerkat was officially shut down in 2016. Periscope, despite its early success, was also eventually discontinued in 2021, as Twitter shifted focus to its own live audio rooms (Spaces) and other features. But Periscope’s legacy is significant: it proved that live mobile broadcasting could work at scale, and its features—comments, hearts, replay—became the template for later platforms like Instagram Live and TikTok Live.

How to Choose: Which One Was Better?

If you were a creator in 2015, choosing between Meerkat and Periscope depended on your goals:

For spontaneous, one-off streams: Meerkat was simpler—just hit “Go Live” and you were on. No need to build a follower list within the app.
For building a recurring audience: Periscope was the clear winner. Replays meant your content had a second life, and hearts gave viewers a way to engage beyond typing.
For reliability: Periscope’s video quality was consistently better, especially on 3G/4G connections.

In practice, most serious streamers gravitated to Periscope within a few weeks. Meerkat’s ephemerality was charming, but it also meant that if you missed a stream, you missed it forever—a poor fit for anyone trying to grow a following.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

A common misconception is that Meerkat invented live streaming. In reality, apps like Ustream and Justin.tv (which later became Twitch) had been doing live video for years. Meerkat’s innovation was making it mobile-first and tying it to a social graph. Another misconception is that Periscope “stole” Meerkat’s idea. Twitter had actually acquired Periscope before Meerkat launched; both apps were developed in parallel. The timing made it look like a copycat, but it was more a coincidence of the market.

Both apps also struggled with moderation. Because streams were live, there was no way to pre-screen content. This led to incidents of people broadcasting copyrighted events (like boxing matches) and, occasionally, more serious issues like harassment. Periscope eventually added a “report” button and the ability to block viewers, but these were reactive measures.

Costs and Monetization

Both apps were free to download and use. There were no subscription tiers or paid features. Monetization was minimal: Periscope allowed viewers to send “hearts” that were essentially free, and there was no built-in tipping system. Creators who wanted to make money had to rely on external sponsorships or link to their other platforms. This lack of a revenue model was one reason Periscope struggled to remain a standalone business, despite being owned by Twitter.

Safety and Privacy Considerations

Live streaming raises unique privacy issues. On both apps, your stream was public by default, and anyone with the link could view it. There was no way to restrict a broadcast to a private group, which meant that you could inadvertently share your location, your home, or your face with strangers. Periscope later added a “Private” option that limited viewers to people you approved, but Meerkat never offered this. If you are thinking about live streaming today, the same principles apply: be aware of your surroundings, avoid sharing sensitive information, and check your app’s privacy settings before going live.

Alternatives and Legacy

After Periscope shut down, the live streaming space fragmented. Instagram Live, Facebook Live, and TikTok Live all offer similar features—replays, comments, and virtual gifts. Twitch remains the dominant platform for gaming and creative streams. For professional webinars, Zoom and YouTube Live are common choices. The Meerkat vs Periscope rivalry is now a case study in how timing, platform integration, and feature depth determine success in a fast-moving market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Meerkat fail?

Meerkat failed because it lost its primary distribution channel—Twitter—when the platform restricted its API access. It also lacked the replay and interaction features that Periscope offered, making it harder for creators to build a lasting audience.

Can I still use Meerkat or Periscope today?

No. Meerkat was shut down in 2016, and Periscope was discontinued in 2021. The apps are no longer available for download, and their features have been integrated into other platforms like Instagram Live and TikTok Live.

What was the “heart” feature on Periscope?

Viewers could tap the screen to send hearts during a live stream. The number of hearts was displayed on the streamer’s screen, and it was a way to show appreciation without typing a comment. It was similar to “likes” on other social media.

Did Periscope have a replay feature?

Yes. Periscope automatically saved your broadcast when you ended it, and viewers could watch the replay for up to 24 hours. This was a major advantage over Meerkat, which deleted streams immediately.

Which app was better for privacy?

Neither was great. Both were public by default, but Periscope later added a “Private” mode that let you restrict viewers to people you approved. Meerkat never had this option, so it was less private.

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