OBS Studio
- About
- Free and open source software for video recording and live streaming. Open-source alternative to Streamlabs and XSplit.
- Catalogue
- No. 056
- Category
- Media
- Founded
- 2012, Global (Open Source)
- GitHub stars
- ★ 77.5k

Overview
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.
What it does well
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 in the collection
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.
On GitHub
- Stars
- 77,529
- Forks
- 10,652
- Commits
- 15,808
- Repository
- obsproject/obs-studio
Languages
- C++ 36%
- C 55.8%
- Objective-C++ 1.6%
- Other 6.6%
Compared with
Streamlabs OBSBuilt on OBS but includes additional streaming-focused features and monetization tools, though it can be more resource-intensive.
XSplitCommercial streaming software with user-friendly interface but requires subscription for full features.
LoomCloud-based screen recording with easy sharing and collaboration features, but limited customization and requires subscription for advanced features.
CleanShotmacOS-focused screenshot and screen recording tool with excellent editing features, but platform-specific and lacks live streaming capabilities.


