OBS Studio vs Streamlabs
Streamlabs Desktop is built on the OBS engine, so the two share a core and differ in what surrounds it. OBS Studio costs nothing and asks you to assemble everything yourself. Streamlabs adds alerts, overlays and tipping for creators, with multistreaming kept for the paid Ultra plan.
Sebastiaan SmitsFounderVendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. How that works.
Choose OBS Studio ifyou are comfortable configuring scenes and audio by hand, want no subscription at all, and need Linux support or a GPL-licensed tool.
Choose Streamlabs ifyou stream games or chat shows, want alerts, widgets and tipping working on day one, and will pay for Ultra if more than one platform matters.
OBS Studio and Streamlabs side by side
| OBS Studio | Streamlabs | |
|---|---|---|
| Our live streaming software rank | #2 of 12 | #11 of 12 |
| Established in | Not stated by the vendor | Not stated by the vendor |
| List price, 3 November 2026 | Free, open source (GPL v2 or later), funded by sponsors and donations | Free desktop app; Ultra $27 per month or $189 per year; Ultra Plus price not shown |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Self-hostable | — | — |
| Built for | Technical users who want free, unrestricted local recording and streaming | Gaming and chat streamers who want alerts, overlays and tipping in one app |
| Not for | Colleagues who want to record and send a link | Corporate event teams wanting scene control and webinars |
Both are reviewed in full in our live streaming software ranking: OBS Studio and Streamlabs.
Where they differ
OBS Studio 2 · Streamlabs 2 · open 0- 01
What you pay
OBS Studio is free and open source, funded by sponsors and donations, so there is no seat count and no tier to outgrow. The Streamlabs desktop app is also free, but its FAQ lists Ultra at $27 per month or $189 per year. The yearly rate is the cheaper way to buy it.
Edge: OBS Studio
- 02
Getting live quickly
Streamlabs ships widgets, Cloudbot and a free dual output, with up to 5 automations on the free plan. OBS Studio gives you unlimited scenes, a mixer with filters and a plugin API, but every source is set up manually. A new streamer reaches a first stream sooner with Streamlabs.
Edge: Streamlabs
- 03
Multistreaming and guests
On the Ultra page, multistream, the full overlay set and Collab Cam for up to 11 guests are Ultra features, while the free plan allows one guest. The OBS homepage lists no guest invitations or multistream service, so those need other tools. Streamlabs covers more of this itself, if you pay.
Edge: Streamlabs
- 04
Platforms and licence
OBS Studio runs on Windows, macOS and Linux under GPL v2 or later. Streamlabs Desktop lists downloads for Windows 10+ and macOS 12+ and no Linux build on the page we read. Its FAQ states the OBS engine is licensed under GPLv2, and the footer names Logitech Services S.A.
Edge: OBS Studio
When neither fits
Teams running corporate events or webinars with guests should look at vMix or Restream, since both tools here lean toward solo creators.
OBS Studio or Streamlabs: questions
3 answersIs Streamlabs the same as OBS Studio?
No. Streamlabs Desktop is built on the OBS engine, per its own FAQ, but adds alerts, overlays and tipping on top. OBS Studio is the separate open source project.
Can I multistream for free?
Not with Streamlabs, where multistream is listed under Ultra. The OBS homepage does not list a multistream service either, so you would add one yourself.
Which one is cheaper?
OBS Studio, which has no licence cost. Streamlabs is free to start, and Ultra costs $27 per month or $189 per year.
Sources
Checked 3 November 2026- OBS Studio home page: Free open source, Windows, macOS, Linux, unlimited scenes, mixer, plugin API, sponsor funding.
- OBS Studio repository: GPL v2 or later licence.
- Streamlabs Ultra: Free plan has 5 automations and one guest; Ultra adds multistream and up to 11 guests.
- Streamlabs FAQ: Ultra price, OBS engine under GPLv2.
- Streamlabs About: Logitech Services S.A. footer, Windows 10+ and macOS 12+ downloads.