Streamlabs alternatives: 11 live streaming tools compared
People leave Streamlabs for four reasons: they want the OBS engine without an add-on layer, they need a tool that fits a business rather than a gaming channel, they dislike paying a subscription to reach several platforms, or they want a browser studio for guests. Destinations include free open source software, Mac-only and Windows-only switchers, and relay services.
Short answer: OBS Studio, Ecamm Live and XSplit Broadcaster head the list of Streamlabs alternatives drawn from our live streaming software ranking. The first three places are kept for challengers when the category has enough of them; the best-known brands come after that, in ranked order. OBS Studio is the one to try if you want the same engine without a subscription and are happy to configure it yourself. These 11 products are all in Best Live Streaming Software in 2026; the notes say how each one compares with Streamlabs.
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Pricing: Free desktop app; Ultra and Ultra Plus subscriptions for multistreaming
Established in: Not stated by the vendor
Built for: Gaming and chat streamers who want alerts, overlays and tipping in one app
Not for: Corporate event teams wanting scene control and webinars
01
Why buyers look past Streamlabs
01
Multistreaming sits behind a subscription
The free Streamlabs plan limits Dual Output to one portrait and one landscape platform. Going live to several platforms or a custom RTMP address needs Ultra, which its FAQ lists at 27 dollars a month or 189 dollars billed yearly. Ultra Plus adds support calls but no price is shown on the pages we read.
02
The product is aimed at creators and gamers
Much of the Ultra list is game-oriented: Sidekick interactions, Reactive Overlays that animate from in-game events, a Merch Store and tipping. A company streaming webinars or town halls uses little of that and pays for it inside one bundle. The site footer names Logitech Services S.A. as the owner.
03
Limits grow in steps by plan
Free allows 5 stream automations, 100 Sidekick interactions and 1 GB of cloud storage. Ultra gives 10 automations, 1,000 interactions a month, 10 GB and Collab Cam for up to 11 guests. Ultra Plus gives 30, 5,000 and 30 GB. Teams that hit those ceilings climb a tier or look elsewhere.
you want live events held next to a video library on one account
#12
03
What each one does differently
1
OBS Studio
Not stated by the vendor · Published
OBS Studio is the free engine under Streamlabs Desktop, released under GPL-2.0 for Windows, macOS and Linux. Its homepage lists sponsors and backers as the funding, and version 33.0.1 was current on our visit. You assemble scenes, audio and plugins yourself, and guests, a hosted player or multistream relays come from separate tools.
Switch from Streamlabs if you want the same engine without a subscription and are happy to configure it yourself.
Ecamm Live runs only on macOS. Standard costs 16 dollars a month billed as 192 dollars a year and includes 10 multistream destinations; Pro is 32 dollars a month billed as 384 dollars and adds 4K streaming and isolated recording. A 14-day trial needs no card, though it puts a watermark on broadcasts.
Switch from Streamlabs if your whole team works on Macs and wants a single paid app for live shows.
XSplit Broadcaster is published by SplitmediaLabs Limited and installs on 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 with an Intel, AMD or NVIDIA graphics setup. Premium comes monthly, yearly or as a lifetime licence. The free tier restricts scenes and resolution, and its plugin store adds tools such as a replay source and audio effects.
Switch from Streamlabs if you stream from Windows and would rather buy a lifetime licence than rent.
vMix, sold by StudioCoast in Australia, is a Windows production switcher with a published price list. Editions climb from one capped at four inputs to Max, and a monthly subscription sits beside perpetual licences with twelve months of updates. Your own PC does the encoding, so hardware spend replaces the subscription.
Switch from Streamlabs if you run multi-camera events from a capable Windows machine.
Restream prices by simultaneous channels: the free plan allows two with Restream branding, Standard three, Professional five and Business eight. Its browser Studio takes remote guests, and the pricing page lists vertical and horizontal output together on Professional. SRT ingest and stream backup are reserved for the enterprise tier.
Switch from Streamlabs if you mainly need to reach many platforms and want guests from a browser.
Castr, run by Castr Live Streaming, Inc. in Vancouver, relays an RTMP or SRT feed from your own encoder to destinations and an embedded player. Its pricing page shows plans from 19.99 dollars a month, or 16.67 dollars billed yearly, with a 7-day trial. Starter carries 200 GB of bandwidth, so audience size sets your tier.
Switch from Streamlabs if you already own an encoder and want hosted delivery plus an embeddable player.
Wirecast works on Mac and Windows and is sold as Studio and Pro subscriptions on wirecast.io, operated by Telestream 2 LLC. Pro holds cloud multistreaming, NDI output, ISO recording and seven remote guests, against two for Studio. The trial has no time limit, which makes testing unhurried.
Switch from Streamlabs if you need a broadcast-style switcher on both Mac and Windows.
StreamYard runs in the browser with a greenroom for guests; the footer names Bending Spoons Operations S.p.A. in Milan. Paid individual plans start with Essential at 2 destinations, Core at 3 and Advanced at 8, after a 7-day trial. Those plans are for individual use only, and company plans are priced on request.
Switch from Streamlabs if your streams are interviews with guests who join from a link.
BoxCast publishes four streaming plans, each with 10,000 viewer hours a month at least and no cap on viewers. Standard streams 1080p30 and keeps recordings 90 days, while higher plans add 1080p60, 4K60 and one-year storage. A trial is offered, and its Spark hardware encoder is a separate purchase.
Switch from Streamlabs if you stream services or events to a large audience and need recordings stored.
Switchboard Live passes one RTMP or SRT feed to an unlimited number of destinations, including unlimited Facebook pages. Seat licences come in SMB, Public Sector and Enterprise tiers, and a GSA contract is listed. Prices are not shown, so you book a call; the SMB tier allows one RTMP input and two team members.
Switch from Streamlabs if you are a public body or organisation that needs one feed sent to many places.
Vimeo bundles live events into its per-seat video subscription. Event tools, simulcasting, Q&A and chat start on Advanced, which allows two concurrent streams and up to seven guest speakers. Failover and backup streams belong to Enterprise. You pay for a hosting and player suite, not a gamer's overlay kit.
Switch from Streamlabs if you want live events held next to a video library on one account.
OBS Studio: It is free and open source on Windows, macOS and Linux, funded by sponsors, and you configure scenes and audio yourself.
02
Your team works only on Macs
Ecamm Live: Standard is 16 dollars a month billed yearly with 10 destinations, and the 14-day trial needs no card.
03
You want to reach more platforms and invite guests from a browser
Restream: Plans are priced by channel count, from two on the free plan up to eight, with a browser Studio.
04
You run multi-camera events on a strong Windows PC
vMix: It is a production switcher with perpetual licences and a monthly option, and your own PC encodes.
05
You already have an encoder and need relay plus an embedded player
Castr: Plans start at 19.99 dollars a month with a 7-day trial; Starter carries 200 GB of bandwidth.
04
When Streamlabs is still the right choice
Streamlabs stays sensible for an individual gamer or creator on Windows or Mac who wants alerts, overlays, tipping and chat tools inside one free app. The free plan covers Desktop, Mobile and the editors, and cancelling Ultra drops you back to that. If your plan is simply to stream to Twitch or YouTube, check whether the free tier already does it before switching.
05
What moving off Streamlabs involves
01
Overlays and alerts have to be rebuilt
Streamlabs widgets and themes are hosted in your Streamlabs account. Elsewhere you recreate scenes, alert boxes and chat overlays, or add them as browser sources, so list every scene and widget URL before cancelling.
02
Check what Ultra was doing for you
Multistreaming runs on Streamlabs servers so your PC does not carry the load. A new tool may encode on your own machine or charge by channel, so test an hour-long stream on the target platforms before moving a regular show.
03
Tips, merch and bots live on the platform
The tip page, Cloudbot commands and Merch Store belong to the Streamlabs ID. Tell your audience about a new tip link early, and export chatbot commands where the tool allows it.
06
Questions about replacing Streamlabs
6 answers
What does Streamlabs Ultra cost?
The FAQ gives 27 dollars a month or 189 dollars a year when billed annually, and the Ultra page shows a starting price of 15.75 dollars a month. Promo codes change often, and Ultra Plus has no price on the pages we read.
Is Streamlabs Desktop the same as OBS?
It is built on the OBS engine, which its FAQ says is licensed under GPLv2, and adds Streamlabs overlays, widgets and apps. OBS Studio itself is the free project and has no Streamlabs account layer.
Which alternative to Streamlabs is free?
OBS Studio is free and open source, and Restream has a free plan for two channels with its branding. StreamYard and XSplit Broadcaster also have free tiers with limits such as a logo or fewer scenes.
Which alternatives work on Mac?
OBS Studio, Ecamm Live (macOS only), Wirecast, and the browser tools Restream and StreamYard work on a Mac. vMix and XSplit Broadcaster need Windows.
Can I multistream without Ultra?
Yes. Restream offers two channels free, StreamYard Essential offers 2 destinations, and Castr or Switchboard Live relay one encoder feed to several places. Restream and Castr charge by channel or stream, so compare the count you need.
Does Streamlabs run on Linux or Xbox?
Desktop supports Windows 10 and later and macOS 12 and later. Streamlabs Console streams from Xbox to Twitch, YouTube, Kick and TikTok. OBS Studio is the option here that also installs on Linux.
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Sources
Checked 2 November 2026
Streamlabs FAQ: Ultra 27 dollars a month or 189 a year, OBS engine under GPLv2, Windows 10+ and macOS 12+, Console platforms, Logitech Services S.A. footer.
Streamlabs Ultra: Free, Ultra and Ultra Plus limits: 5/10/30 automations, 100/1,000/5,000 Sidekick interactions, 1/10/30 GB, Collab Cam, from 15.75 a month.
OBS Project: Free open source, Windows, macOS and Linux, version 33.0.1, sponsor funding.
Ecamm pricing: Standard 16 a month billed 192, Pro 32 billed 384, 10 destinations, 14-day trial, watermark, 4K.
Founder of The Knowledge Engineers and of 2 Steps Ahead, an AI search visibility agency. Editorially responsible for every page on this site; research and drafting are AI-assisted.
Author and fact-checker: Sebastiaan Smits. This page was last reviewed on 3 November 2026; our review process is public.
