Transparency note: This page comes from elPortalO, a live streaming app. So we are not neutral — which is why further down we state openly what Tango is the better choice for and what it isn’t.

What Tango Live is

Tango started in 2009 as a messenger for video calls and text messages — long before live streaming was a genre of its own. The live section was added in 2017, and it shapes the app today: hosts broadcast from rooms, viewers watch, write in the chat and send gifts.

The second part of the app is private 1:1 video calls. Either you are connected with someone at random, or you start a private call with a host from within a live stream. This mix of public stream and private conversation sets Tango apart from pure streaming platforms.

How to install Tango

In most countries the installation is straightforward: on iPhone you get Tango from the Apple App Store, on Android from Google Play. There is also a browser version: Tango opens in Safari, Chrome, Edge or Firefox without installing anything. In the browser you can watch and make calls, but you can’t start your own stream.

One thing surprises many people in Europe: on the iPhone, Tango is no longer in the App Store in the EU. Since 2026 the app has been distributed in the EU through the third-party marketplace Onside, which became possible through the Digital Markets Act. So you first have to install that marketplace and then download Tango from there.

What that means in practice

An extra app marketplace on the iPhone is a hurdle many users don’t take — and a point to plan for if you want to bring your audience over from somewhere else. Anyone who is supposed to follow you on iPhone has to install a second app before they can even see your stream.

Coins, gifts and what they cost

The payment model is the usual one for live apps and works in three steps.

1. Watching is free. Entering rooms, reading along and writing in the chat cost nothing.
2. Coins are bought through in-app purchase. They are the currency inside the app. You’ll find the package prices directly in the app — they differ by country and platform.
3. Coins become gifts or call time. Either you send a host a virtual gift in the stream, or you pay for longer and private video calls with them.

Important to know: coins are not a balance you can have paid back out. They are spending inside the app. Only on the host side does something arise that can be converted into money.

Earning money as a host on Tango

Hosts earn through their viewers’ gifts. Streaming itself isn’t paid — what matters is whether there are people in the room who are willing to send something.

On Tango, as on most large international live apps, this is organised through agencies. An agency takes you on, looks after you and receives a share. In practice that also brings targets: hours per month, days per week, sometimes revenue goals. How high these requirements are depends on the agency and is rarely published anywhere.

What we deliberately don’t claim here

Plenty of specific figures circulate online about Tango payouts, diamond rates and minimum amounts. We don’t repeat any of them, because we can’t verify them first-hand and they change regularly. If you want to start with Tango, get the current terms from the agency in writing before you commit.

Alternatives to Tango Live

If you’re looking for alternatives, it’s worth first working out what you’re missing on Tango. After that, the recommendations differ a lot.

In detail: the direct comparison is on the page Tango Live alternatives, and all live apps side by side are in the livestreaming app alternatives overview.

And if you’re not streaming at all yet but thinking about starting: the guide Become a streamer explains what you really need for it.