OBS Studio review

OBS Studio is the open-source encoder that most other desktop streaming apps are measured against. You build scenes from window captures, images, text, browser windows, webcams and capture cards, and you can create as many scenes as you like and switch between them with custom or stinger transitions. The audio mixer has per-source filters such as noise gate, noise suppression and gain, and accepts VST plugins. Studio Mode lets you edit a scene in preview before it goes live, and the Multiview shows 8 scenes at once for quick cueing. The dock-based interface can be rearranged or popped out into separate windows. The trade-off is that OBS is a blank canvas: alerts, chat overlays, multistreaming and remote guests usually come from plugins, browser sources or a separate service. For anyone willing to spend an evening on setup, nothing else on this list offers this much control at no cost.

Who it is for

Streamers who want full control and no subscription, and are willing to spend time on setup.

Price

Free and open source, no paid plan.

Free and open source software for video recording and live streaming.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 6, 2026.

Key features

• Unlimited scenes built from window captures, images, text, browser sources, webcams and capture cards
• Audio mixer with per-source filters such as noise gate, noise suppression and gain, plus VST plugins
• Studio Mode to preview scenes before they go live
• Multiview that monitors 8 scenes at once
• API for native plugins and Lua or Python scripts

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Costs nothing and has no watermark or plan limits
• Strength: Runs on Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13 or newer, and Linux
• Strength: Hotkeys for nearly every action, including push to talk
• Weakness: Alerts, chat widgets and remote guests need plugins or other services
• Weakness: The settings panel takes time to learn
• Weakness: Support comes from forums, Discord and a knowledge base rather than a paid team

Key facts

• Latest release: 33.0.1, October 29th
• Operating systems: Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13.0 or newer, Linux
• Scenes: Unlimited
• License: Free and open source

Where it ranks

OBS Studio is No. 1 in our Best Streaming Software verdict.