Not everyone who wants to be at a funeral can be there. Sometimes it’s distance, sometimes poor health, sometimes something else entirely.
Most crematoriums now have built-in live streaming, usually costing £60 to £90 and arranged through your funeral director. Guests are sent a private link and don’t need to pay to watch. For a venue without built-in streaming, families often run it themselves via Zoom or Facebook Live, or hire an independent specialist from around £300.
This guide covers how it works, a comparison of costs, and exactly how to watch a funeral online, whether that’s through the crematorium’s own system, Zoom, or Facebook Live.
How online funeral streaming works
Most crematorium services in the UK now have streaming already built in, though a place of worship, graveside or other venue is less likely to have its own system. Two widely-used systems are called Obitus and Wesley Media. You don’t need to set anything up yourself, as it’s normally booked as a simple add-on through your funeral director.
These built-in systems use a single camera that stays fixed in one spot, giving a clear view of the service. Guests are sent a private link to watch live, and families can usually choose to keep the recording available online for about a month afterwards, with a copy to keep sent on once it’s ready.
If you’re holding the service somewhere without this built in – a place of worship, a family home, or a graveside, for example – you have two options if you’re arranging the funeral: hire someone who specialises in filming funerals, or run the stream yourselves using an app like Zoom or Facebook Live. Doing it yourself doesn’t cost anything, as long as you or someone helping you already knows how to use one of these apps, though it’s worth knowing the trade-off: a phone held up during the service can mean shaky footage and patchy sound, particularly somewhere like a graveside or an older place of worship with a weak signal. It tends to suit a smaller, more informal gathering better than it does the main service for a large number of guests.
What streaming a funeral online costs
Live streaming funeral services doesn’t come at one fixed price – it depends on the route you choose.
The crematorium’s own system typically costs £60 to £90. This price is set by the crematorium itself, not your funeral director. It usually covers the live stream, the chance to watch it again for a while afterwards, and a copy to keep once it’s been processed.
Hiring someone to film it costs more, generally starting from around £300 for a single camera, and rising to £1,000 or more if you’d like more than one camera, or coverage of more than one location, such as both the venue and the wake afterwards. Running it yourselves via Zoom or Facebook Live doesn’t cost anything beyond what you already have. Whichever route you choose, guests should never be asked to pay to watch. That cost sits entirely with the family arranging the funeral.
When comparing quotes from independent specialists, it’s worth asking exactly what’s included – some offer extras like an edited highlights reel, a keepsake USB, or a private online gallery, and these can affect the price significantly.
Here’s how the main options compare:
Option | Typical cost | Who arranges it | Video & audio quality | Recording included? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Crematorium’s own system | £60–£90 | Your funeral director, as an add-on | Good – a single fixed camera | Optional, usually chosen at booking | Standard crematorium services |
Independent streaming specialist | From £300, rising to £1,000+ for multiple cameras or locations | You hire them directly, often on your funeral director’s recommendation | Excellent – multiple cameras and proper microphones | Yes, usually included | Places of worship, gravesides, or venues without their own system, or if you want higher production quality |
DIY via Zoom or Facebook Live | Free | You, or a family member or friend | Variable – depends on your device and the venue’s signal | Depends on the platform and settings | Smaller, informal gatherings, or as a backup if nothing else is available |
Arranging an online funeral service
For anyone organising the service and wondering how to live stream a funeral, the simplest starting point is to ask your funeral director whether the venue already has streaming built in. If it doesn’t, or you’d like something more personal, they can usually recommend someone who specialises in this instead.
A few things worth deciding in advance:
- How soon to sort this – ideally as soon as you start making arrangements, so your funeral director has time to check what’s available
- Who needs the link, and how you’ll send it (email is standard, though WhatsApp is also an option)
- Whether you’d like a recording kept afterwards, for anyone who couldn’t watch live or wants to watch it again
- Whether you want the stream to cover just the main service, or also the burial, wake, or other parts of the day
- If anyone watching is likely to be hard of hearing, it’s worth asking whether the venue’s system can offer captions or subtitles. This varies by provider, so it’s best to check directly rather than assume
If you’re hiring an independent specialist rather than using a crematorium’s own system, it’s worth asking a few questions upfront: how many funerals they’ve filmed before, whether someone will be monitoring the stream throughout in case of technical issues, and what happens to the recording if the connection drops.
Our step-by-step guide to planning a funeral covers everything else, from registering the death to paying for it.
How to watch a funeral online
If you’ve been sent a link to a crematorium’s own stream, this is the simplest option: click the link at the time you’re given, and you’ll be taken straight to the video. There’s usually nothing to download or sign up for.
Some families choose to run the stream themselves instead, often for a wake, a graveside service, a place of worship, or another venue without its own system, and usually through Zoom or Facebook Live.
A word of caution: scammers sometimes post fake funeral livestream links on social media, hoping people searching for a way to watch will click them. Only use a link sent to you directly by the family or funeral director, and be wary of any shared publicly or by someone you don’t recognise.
Watching on Zoom
You don’t need your own Zoom account to watch. You’re just joining as a guest, and it’s simpler than it sounds:
- Open the link you’ve been sent, usually by email or WhatsApp. Tap or click the link to open it.
- Your device may ask whether you’d like to open it in the Zoom app (if you already have it) or in your usual internet browser instead. Either option works, so choose whichever one is offered.
- Type in your name when it asks, then tap “Join.”
- You might see a message saying you’re waiting to be let in. This is normal, and the video will begin shortly.
- Once you’re in, it’s considerate to keep your own microphone switched off during the service, so background noise doesn’t disturb other guests. Whether you keep your camera on or off is entirely up to you.
- If you’re hard of hearing, Zoom has a live captions feature you can turn on once you’ve joined. Look for a “CC” or “Show Captions” option on screen.
Watching on Facebook Live
Facebook Live can work in one of two ways, depending on how the family has set it up.
If the video has been shared publicly, you can usually watch without a Facebook account at all – just click the link, and if you’re asked to log in, look for a “Not now” option to skip past it.
If it’s shared through a private Facebook group instead (which some families prefer, for a bit more privacy), you’ll need your own Facebook account, and the family will need to add you or send you an invitation to join.
Either way:
- At the time of the service, open the link you were sent, or look for the video on the page or group.
- Tap the play button – there’s nothing to download or install.
- If you’d like to leave a message of support, you can do so in the comments underneath, though many families prefer guests to wait until after the service.
- Facebook Live videos usually have automatic captions too, which you can switch on from the video’s on-screen controls.
Frequently asked questions on funeral live streaming
Do most crematoriums offer live streaming?
Yes. The vast majority now have systems such as Obitus or Wesley Media built in, and it's routinely offered as an add-on through your funeral director.
How much does it cost to live stream a funeral?
The crematorium's own system typically costs £60 to £90. Running it yourselves via Zoom or Facebook Live is free. Hiring someone to film it professionally costs more, usually from around £300 upwards.
Do guests have to pay to watch?
No. Any cost is paid by the family arranging the funeral, not by anyone watching.
Do I need a Facebook account to watch a funeral on Facebook Live?
Only if it's shared through a private group – a public video can usually be watched without an account.
Can I keep a recording of the funeral?
Yes. Most streaming options let you order a copy to keep, as well as a period where you can watch it again online – though with a crematorium's own system, this is usually something you choose to add, rather than something included automatically.
Can family watching from abroad join in?
Yes. As long as they have an internet connection and the link, guests can watch from anywhere in the world, whatever the time zone.
What happens if the internet connection fails during the stream?
With a crematorium's own system or an independent specialist, there's usually a backup in place, and the service is often still recorded locally even if the live stream drops. A DIY stream via Zoom or Facebook Live doesn't have that safety net, so it's worth having a backup plan – such as a phone on a different network – if you're relying on a venue's wifi.
Can we have the funeral recorded without streaming it live?
Yes. Some families prefer this, so they have a copy to share privately afterwards rather than broadcasting the service as it happens.
What if the venue doesn't offer live streaming?
You can run one yourselves via Zoom or Facebook Live, or hire someone who specialises in filming funerals, wherever it's being held.
This article has been written using information from trusted organisations. Their guidance helps ensure the information here is accurate and reflects current UK advice and best practice.
- Obitus, 'Funeral Live Streaming'
- Isle of Wight Council, 'Crematorium fees and charges'
- Watford Borough Council, crematorium fees schedule
- UK Funeral Video Services, 'Obitus & Fixed Crematorium Webcasts vs Professional Funeral Streaming'
- Funeral Live Streams, 'UK service costs at a glance.
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