Frequently Asked
Questions.

To start streaming with TurboKast, you'll need:

• A streaming encoder: We recommend OBS Studio (opens in new tab) (free and open source), but any streaming encoder works
• A Twitch or YouTube account: Used for sign-in; connect your channel to use it as a streaming destination
• Basic streaming content: A webcam, game capture, or any video source configured in your encoder

Don't have OBS yet? We'll guide you through downloading and setting it up during onboarding.

Onboarding takes under 2 minutes. After signing in with Twitch or YouTube, you'll complete 2 steps:

1. Step 1 (30 seconds): Copy your ingest URL and stream key
2. Step 2 (90 seconds): Test your stream connection with OBS

Signing in with Twitch only identifies you. Connect your channel from onboarding or Connections to add it as a destination, then you can start streaming right after setup.

No. You send one stream from OBS to TurboKast and our servers send it to each platform, so multistreaming takes no more PC than streaming to one platform. What you need is a steady upload for that one stream. Any re-encoding to fit a platform's limits happens on our servers, not on your PC.

Setting up OBS is simple with our step-by-step guidance. During onboarding, you'll:

1. Copy your unique TurboKast ingest URL and stream key
2. Open OBS Studio and go to Settings → Stream
3. Select "Custom" as the service
4. Paste your TurboKast ingest URL in the Server field
5. Paste your stream key in the Stream Key field
6. Click OK to save settings
7. Click "Start Streaming" in OBS

Need more help? Visit the OBS knowledge base (opens in new tab) for detailed setup instructions.

The stream test (Step 2) verifies that TurboKast can receive your stream and forward it to your connected platforms. Here's what happens:

• Start streaming in OBS: Your encoder connects to TurboKast's ingest server
• Real-time detection: We detect your connection within 2 seconds and show a success message
• Automatic verification: Your stream is forwarded to your connected platforms (Twitch, YouTube, etc.)
• Auto-redirect: Once connected, you're automatically sent to your dashboard

The test has a 2-minute timeout. If we don't detect your stream, we'll show troubleshooting tips to help resolve common issues.

You can skip onboarding at any time and complete it later from your dashboard. If you skip:

• You can connect your platforms later from Connections or your dashboard
• You'll see a banner on your dashboard with a link to complete setup
• You can access your ingest URL and stream key anytime from your dashboard
• The banner is dismissible if you prefer to set up OBS on your own

To restart onboarding, just click the "Complete your first stream test" banner on your dashboard, or navigate to Settings → Stream Settings.

If your stream test times out or doesn't connect, try these common solutions:

Still having issues? Click "Get Help" during the test or reach out to our support team at [email protected].

TurboKast requests streaming permissions when you connect your channel, so we can forward your streams to multiple platforms simultaneously. This eliminates the need to manually configure stream keys and settings.

Signing in with Twitch only asks to identify your account and read your email address. When you connect your channel from Connections, onboarding or your dashboard, we request permission to:

• Manage your streaming settings and live broadcasts
• Access your stream keys to forward your content

Each platform is authorized once, when you connect it, so you can start multi-streaming in under 2 minutes instead of manually configuring each platform.

Signing in with Twitch doesn't ask for streaming permissions. If you decline them when you connect your channel, you can still use TurboKast, but that platform won't be connected as a destination until you approve them.

If you declined permissions, you can connect again anytime by:

1. Going to your Dashboard
2. Clicking "Connect Twitch" or "Connect YouTube"
3. Approving the streaming permissions when prompted

Yes. We take security seriously:

• Encryption: All OAuth tokens and stream keys are encrypted at rest using industry-standard encryption
• OAuth 2.0: We use OAuth 2.0, which means we never see or store your passwords
• Minimal access: We only request the minimum permissions needed for streaming
• Revocable: You can revoke our access anytime from your Twitch or YouTube account settings

Your stream passes through our servers for forwarding. A short-lived preview copy expires after 24 hours and is then deleted automatically; auto-clip is on by default and saves clips for you to review, and you can turn it off per stream. See the answer under Encryption above for the full retention detail.

For Twitch (sign-in, then connecting your channel):

• user:read:email — To identify your account at sign-in
• channel:manage:broadcast — To manage stream settings (asked when you connect your channel)
• channel:read:stream_key — To access your stream key (asked when you connect your channel)

For Google/YouTube:

• email and profile — To identify your account
• youtube — To create and manage your live broadcasts, read and send live chat, and upload clips you choose to publish

Yes. You can turn streaming destinations on or off in Connections. To revoke TurboKast's OAuth access, use your Google or Twitch account settings.

Note: If you disconnect all accounts, you won't be able to sign back in. Keep at least one connected account for authentication.

Multistreaming and autoclip are free. Captioned Shorts are pay-as-you-go. The pricing page has current prices, the monthly cap and a calculator.

Use the calculator on our pricing page to estimate what content costs.