Ecamm Live vs XSplit Broadcaster Comparison 2026
Both cover live streaming and screen recording. Here is what separates them on price, billing, what you can take with you, and coverage.
Live streaming and recording, Mac only
Windows streaming with a lifetime option
At a glance
- XSplit Broadcaster starts cheaper, at $14.99.
- Only XSplit Broadcaster has a free tier.
- Ecamm Live bills annually only, so there is no month to try it for.
Side by side
Ecamm Live | XSplit Broadcaster | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $16 | From $14.99 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free trial, then paid | Free plan, paid tiers |
| Free tier (they differ) | No | Yes |
| Billing (they differ) | Annual only | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial | 14 days | Not stated |
| API | Not stated |
Ecamm Live
Live streaming and recording, Mac only
Ecamm Live is what a Mac-based show runs on when OBS is more configuration than the host wants: scenes, guests, overlays, camera control and a recording of it all, in a window that behaves like a Mac app. Multi-camera and interview layouts are the reasons podcasters pick it. It exists only for macOS, which settles the decision either way.
Only on this side
- Works with Podcast
- Works with Kick
XSplit Broadcaster
Windows streaming with a lifetime option
XSplit Broadcaster is the paid alternative to OBS on Windows, and the money buys polish rather than capability: scene handling that does not fight you, background removal without a green screen, and a plugin store for the things a stream ends up needing. There is a free version that streams. The lifetime licence is the unusual part of the pricing, and it is aimed squarely at somebody tired of another monthly bill.
Our note
The lifetime licence is the only pricing here worth thinking hard about, because streaming software is a tool people keep for years and the subscription maths turns against you quickly. Run the free version for a month first; if you never hit its limits, the decision makes itself.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.