Bandicam vs OBS Studio

Bandicam

• Windows users recording gameplay with an FPS counter
• Recording lectures, tutorials and online meetings on a PC
• Buyers who prefer a one-time license to a subscription

OBS Studio

• Live streamers who want detailed control of scenes, sources and audio
• Recording gameplay, tutorials or presentations without paying for software
• Linux users: there is an official Flatpak and an Ubuntu PPA

Bandicam

• The free Windows version limits each recording to 5 minutes and watermarks edited or subtitled exports.
• A Personal license is for non-commercial use; organizations must buy the Business & Education license.
• The Mac app is a separate product with its own App Store subscription, and a Windows license does not cover it.
• A Perpetual license covers Bandicam 2027 on one PC and includes one year of technical support.

OBS Studio

• It captures and mixes video in real time; the feature list on its site does not include editing a recording afterwards.
• Downloads are offered for Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13.0 or newer, and Linux; no mobile or browser version is listed.
• The Game Capture source is Windows only, according to the quick start guide.
• Help comes from a knowledge base, forums and a community Discord server rather than a vendor support desk.

Bandicam

Screen recording modes

Record the full screen, a chosen area or a single window with its own audio, across multiple monitors if needed. Recordings can start and stop on a schedule.

Game recording

A game mode detects the running DirectX, OpenGL or Vulkan game, records it with your voice and can show frames per second while recording.

Webcam and device capture

Overlay a webcam on the screen recording, or capture webcams, smartphones, consoles and other external devices. AI can remove, blur or replace the webcam background.

AI transcription

Transcribes recordings and audio files into text that can be saved as subtitles or a text file. The free version shows only part of the transcript.

Editing, drawing and Smart Zoom

Trim a recording right after capture, draw arrows, shapes and text while recording, and let Smart Zoom zoom in and out automatically around mouse clicks.

Audio recording

Record computer sound and the microphone without the screen, save as MP3 or WAV, and trim the result on a waveform view.

OBS Studio

Scenes and sources

Compose a scene from window and display captures, webcams, capture cards, images, text and browser windows, and set up as many scenes as you need.

Recording and live streaming

Record to a local file or stream to one of the included services or a custom server. A replay buffer can save recent footage with a hotkey.

Audio mixer with filters

Each audio source can take filters such as a noise gate, noise suppression and gain, and VST plugins are supported.

Studio Mode and Multiview

Studio Mode lets you preview and adjust a scene before it goes live. Multiview shows 8 scenes at once and cues any of them with a click.

Virtual camera

Sends an OBS scene, or a single source, to any app that accepts a webcam, such as Zoom or Discord.

Plugins and scripting

An API supports native plugins and scripts written in Lua or Python, and community-made plugins are shared in the site's Resources section.

Bandicam

• Free$0

  5 minutes per recording with no watermark on recordings; edited exports are watermarked and AI transcription is limited.

• Personal Annual$33.26

  per year, for 1 PC

  Non-commercial use on Windows with no recording time limit, free updates and technical support. Labeled 10% off.

• Bandicam for Mac Pro$39.99

  per year, or $9.99 per month, as a Mac App Store purchase

  Removes the Mac app's 5-minute limit and adds video trimming and video-to-text. Covers personal and commercial use.

• Business & Education Annual$49.46

  per year, for 1 PC

  Commercial and organizational use on Windows, with an invoice. Shown against a crossed-out $65.95; a 2-PC license is $95.92.

• Personal Perpetual$53.90

  one-time payment, for 1 PC

  Perpetual use of Bandicam 2027 on Windows with one year of technical support. Shown against a crossed-out $77.00.

OBS Studio

• OBS Studio$0

  The complete program for Windows, macOS and Linux, including recording, live streaming, the virtual camera, plugins and scripting.

Bandicam

• Lifetime license

  Perpetual license for a one-time $53.90

  The Personal Perpetual license covers Bandicam 2027 on one Windows PC for a single payment. The store shows it as 30% off a crossed-out $77.00, with no end date.

• Other savings

  Bandicam + Bandicut discount package

  A Personal 1-year package of the recorder and the Bandicut video cutter is listed at $49.97 against a crossed-out $64.90.

OBS Studio

No public discounts listed.