Alternatives to OBS Studio
The open source streaming and recording standard
OBS Studio ranks #10 of 11 in Screen recording, with an Alt Score of 40. It is licensed under GPL-2.0, free and available on Windows, macOS and Linux. 9 of 9 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Streamers, content creators, and broadcasters who need to record video or stream live to platforms like Twitch and YouTube, from casual hobbyists to professional production setups.
Unlimited scenes built from multiple sources (webcams, window/screen captures, images, text, browser sources) that you can switch between live. An audio mixer with per-source filters like noise suppression and gain, plus VST plugin support. Studio Mode for previewing scenes before they go live, multiview for monitoring up to eight scenes at once, and hotkeys, custom transitions, and stinger clips for polished switching. It's free, open source, and extensible via a plugin/scripting API (Lua, Python).
You build scenes by adding and arranging sources, then use the mixer and filters to shape audio and video output. From there you either start a local recording or connect to a streaming service (via RTMP or platform integration) and go live, switching between scenes and sources in real time.
Why people leave OBS Studio
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
Feature comparison
How OBS Studio compares with its alternatives, feature by feature.
| Screen recording checklist | OBS Studio | Tella | Camtasia | Cap | Screen Studio | ScreenFlow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Max resolution & fps | ||||||
| Webcam overlay | ||||||
| System + mic audio | ||||||
| Editing included | ||||||
| Instant share link | ||||||
| Watermark on free | ||||||
| Annotation during recording | ||||||
| GIF export | ||||||
| Cursor effects |
Every fact and feature listed for OBS Studio is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License GPL-2.0 verified 2026-07-11
Version 2, June 1991
https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio/blob/master/COPYING -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-11
OBS is free for anyone to use, for any reason
https://obsproject.com/help -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux verified 2026-07-11
Download and start streaming quickly and easily on Windows, Mac or Linux.
https://obsproject.com/download -
Status active verified 2026-07-11
OBS Studio 32.1.2
https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio/releases -
Max resolution & fps Yes verified 2026-07-11
On a 1080ti, nvenc encodes 2160p60 at max quality and 2160p120 at performance just fine.
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/a-couple-of-nvenc-related-questions.134576/ -
Webcam overlay Yes verified 2026-07-11
The Video Capture Device Source allows you to add a variety of video devices, including but not limited to webcams and capture cards.
https://obsproject.com/kb/video-capture-sources -
System + mic audio Yes verified 2026-07-11
By default, OBS Studio is set to capture your desktop audio and microphone.
https://obsproject.com/kb/quick-start-guide -
Editing included No verified 2026-07-11
So you've just finished your Ultra-Mega-Marathon Streaming session... but now you need to cut out those not-so-funny-parts, the false starts, all those flubs, add some lower thirds, clean up/normalize
https://obsproject.com/kb/post-production-tools -
Instant share link No verified 2026-07-11
Recording Path is where your recordings will go on your computer.
https://obsproject.com/kb/standard-recording-output-guide -
Watermark on free No verified 2026-07-11
OBS has no watermarks or other limitations and can be used commercially with no restrictions.
https://obsproject.com/help -
Annotation during recording No verified 2026-07-11
i want an option to annotate while screen recording or streaming, many recorders have this option.
https://ideas.obsproject.com/posts/1198/i-want-an-option-to-annotate-while-screen-recording-or-streaming-many-recorders-have-this-option-i -
GIF export No verified 2026-07-11
Expect the output format to support gif
https://ideas.obsproject.com/posts/2050/expect-the-output-format-to-support-gif -
Cursor effects No verified 2026-07-11
The ability to highlight mouse cursor and mouse clicks is helpful when you're making a video tutorial or a video to demonstrate a bug when doing software testing
https://obsproject.com/forum/threads/option-to-highlight-mouse-cursor-and-mouse-clicks.81966/
FAQ
Yes. Cap, Streamlabs and Kap have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Cap, Streamlabs and Kap — every license claim links its source.