What is RTMP and How to setup a Free RTMP server in 7 Steps? [2025 Update]

Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) is a communication protocol for streaming audio, video, and data over the Internet. Originally developed as a proprietary protocol by Macromedia for streaming between Flash Player and the Flash Communication Server, Adobe (which acquired Macromedia) has released an incomplete version of the specification of the protocol for public use.

In this article, we explained RTMP, RTMP servers, other protocols, and how you can set up a free RTMP server. In other words, a free live streaming server.

Hopefully, you now have a good understanding of what an RTMP server is, how to use a free RTMP server, how it can support your live streams, and what the current alternatives are.

You can use this server to stream using broadcasting tools such as OBS, XSplit, and Vmix and as an RTMP test server. If you want to use a free RTMP server on Windows, you can check out this guide.

Live streaming is here to stay. Be it games, video conferences, webinars, e-learning, entertainment streaming platforms, online bidding, or some other area, the demand for live streams is only going to increase in the coming years.