Making the work
Growing an audience
Running the business
7 tools that solve a similar problem. Compare what each costs and what it covers.
Overlays, alerts and a chatbot, all free
StreamElements gives the same overlays, alerts and a chatbot away free rather than on a paid plan, and pairs with OBS instead of replacing it.
Works with YouTube, Twitch, Kick
Windows streaming with a lifetime option
XSplit keeps a free tier and offers a lifetime licence instead of only a subscription, starting at $14.99, for somebody who wants to stop paying eventually.
Works with YouTube, Facebook, Twitch
Stream to eight platforms from one encoder
Restream sends one stream out to eight platforms at once, with a free tier and a $19 plan, for a channel building an audience in more than one place.
Works with YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Podcast, Twitch, Kick
Go live to several places from a browser tab
StreamYard runs entirely from a browser tab with no software to install, a free tier and a $44.99 plan, for an interview show where guests join from a link rather than Streamlabs' desktop app.
Works with YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, LinkedIn, Kick
Live streaming and recording, Mac only
Ecamm Live runs on Mac only and adds recording alongside the stream, starting at $16 with no free tier, for a Mac creator who also wants a local recording of the show.
Works with YouTube, Facebook, Podcast, Twitch, Kick
Windows live production with a licence you keep
vMix is a one-time $60 licence you keep rather than a subscription, aimed at multi-camera production beyond alerts and a donation page.
Works with YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Kick
Free and open source streaming and recording
OBS Studio is the plain option Streamlabs' own guidance names for a machine that struggles running the game and the stream together, free with none of the overlay wrapper's overhead.
Works with YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Kick
