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OBS Studio

Free and open source software for video recording and live streaming

OBS Studio is a free and open-source software suite for recording and live streaming. Written in C/C++ and built with Qt, OBS Studio provides real-time source and device capture, scene composition, encoding, recording, and broadcasting via RTMP. It's cross-platform and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Benefits:

OBS Studio offers professional-grade features completely free, including unlimited scene configurations, audio mixer with per-source filters, powerful configuration options, modular 'Dock' UI, and extensive plugin ecosystem. It supports multiple streaming platforms simultaneously, has low resource usage, and provides advanced features like green screen, image masking, and color correction.

Why It's Good:

OBS Studio is the industry standard for content creators, streamers, and professionals because it's completely free with no limitations, highly customizable, actively maintained by a dedicated team, and has a massive community ecosystem. It's trusted by millions of users worldwide, from beginners to professional broadcasters, and offers enterprise-level features without any cost.

OBS Studio is alternative to:

  • Streamlabs OBS: Built on OBS but includes additional streaming-focused features and monetization tools, though it can be more resource-intensive.
  • XSplit: Commercial streaming software with user-friendly interface but requires subscription for full features.
  • Loom: Cloud-based screen recording with easy sharing and collaboration features, but limited customization and requires subscription for advanced features.
  • CleanShot: macOS-focused screenshot and screen recording tool with excellent editing features, but platform-specific and lacks live streaming capabilities.

GitHub Stats

Stars: 69,678

Forks: 8,964

Commits: 15,325

Business Info

Founded: 2012

Origin: Global (Open Source)

Languages

C++:36%
C:55.8%
Objective-C++:1.6%
Other:6.6%