Ecamm vs OBS Studio
We give Ecamm a 2.0 GPA and OBS Studio a 2.8, out of 4.0. OBS Studio grades higher on value for money, the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Ecamm
Mac app for live streaming, recording and multistreaming
Free trial · from $16/mo
OBS Studio
Free, open-source software for video recording and live streaming
Free
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAEcammFair | 2.8GPAOBS StudioGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BStandard is $16 a month billed annually ($192 a year, $20 by the month) and streams to 10 destinations, so three platforms is covered. That's level with Restream and Castr and under half of StreamYard's Core. Pro is $32. | ANothing to pay, ever. It's free and open source under the GNU GPL v2 with no paid edition, against a category whose middle plan is $10 a month. Sponsors and donations through Open Collective and Patreon keep it going. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan, but a 14-day free trial of Standard and Pro with no credit card. Broadcasts carry an Ecamm watermark until you pay. | AThe whole program is free on Windows, macOS and Linux: recording, live streaming, the virtual camera, plugins and scripting. There is no paid tier waiting further in and no cap to reach. |
| Features | CA full studio on Standard: multistreaming to 10 destinations, scenes, overlays, green screen, screen sharing, comments on screen and automatic recording. The gaps: Interview, Zoom output, 4K and isolated recordings need Pro, and there are no sign-up pages or attendee emails. | CIt does the record-and-stream job completely, with scenes, an audio mixer with VST filters, Studio Mode, an 8-scene Multiview and a virtual camera. But that's the smaller job: its own listing says the feature list doesn't include editing a recording afterwards. |
| Ease of use | CNo App Store rating on record. It's a Mac app you install, but building scenes, titles and camera setups takes a while before the first show. | CNo store rating on record, and there's real setup here: you build scenes out of sources before you record anything, and streaming means pointing it at a service or a custom server. Help is a knowledge base, forums and a Discord, not a support desk. |
| Platforms and integrations | DOne operating system: the Mac, on macOS 11.2 or newer. It streams to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitch, works with a Stream Deck, and Pro sends its picture into Zoom. | CWindows 10 and 11, macOS 13 or newer and Linux, so computers only, with no web version and no phone app. There is a plugin API and Lua and Python scripting, and the Game Capture source is Windows only. |
| Best for | live shows streamed from a Mac | free live streaming and recording |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Ecamm and OBS Studio. How we grade
Where they differ
- Ecamm starts at $16 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly). OBS Studio is free.
- OBS Studio has a free plan. Ecamm does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only OBS Studio lists Windows and Linux apps.
- OBS Studio is open source, according to its own site.
- Ecamm also covers multistreaming.
- OBS Studio also covers noise cancellation.
In commonmacOSScreen recording
At a glance
| Ecamm | OBS Studio | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free |
| Starts at | $16 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly) | Free |
| Free plan | None | Free and open source under the GNU GPL v2, with no paid edition. The project is funded by sponsors and by donations through Open Collective and Patreon. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of Standard and Pro features, no credit card required; broadcasts carry a watermark | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Ecamm Network, LLC | OBS Project |
| Price read from | appg2.ecamm.com | obsproject.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Ecamm
- Mac users who stream solo shows or interviews to several platforms
- Creators who want a camera switcher and graphics without extra hardware
- Presenters who want a produced look inside Zoom calls
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
Worth knowing
Ecamm
- It runs only on the Mac and requires macOS 11.2 or newer.
- Ecamm for Zoom, Ecamm Interview, 4K streaming and isolated recordings need the Pro plan.
- The free trial adds an Ecamm watermark to broadcasts, and refunds are offered within 14 days of signing up.
- It is a streaming studio rather than a webinar platform, with no registration pages or attendee emails.
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.
Key features
Ecamm
- Multistreaming
- Streams to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and other destinations at once, up to 10 on Standard, and schedules Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn Live broadcasts.
- Camera switching and scenes
- Switch cameras and screen shares live, compose saved scenes with titles and split screens, and control them from an Elgato Stream Deck.
- Remote guests
- Up to ten video guests join from any web browser for a split-screen or a custom layout; an iPhone or iPad can be plugged in as a camera.
- Branding and effects
- Logos, animated titles, countdowns, scrolling tickers, green screen backdrops, color LUTs and digital pan and zoom.
- Comments on screen
- Shows viewer comments from Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, X, Amazon Live and Twitch, and can put them on screen during the stream.
- Recording and Zoom output
- Every broadcast is saved to the Mac; Pro adds isolated audio and video tracks and sends Ecamm's output to Zoom, Chrome and other apps as a camera.
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.
Plans
Ecamm
Standard$16
per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly)
No watermark, multistreaming to 10 destinations, custom overlays and branding, screen sharing, automatic recording, on-screen comments and green screen.
Pro$32
per month, billed annually ($40 billed monthly)
Everything in Standard plus Ecamm for Zoom, Ecamm Interview, a virtual mic and webcam, 4K streaming, isolated recordings and VIP support.
OBS Studio
OBS Studio$0
The complete program for Windows, macOS and Linux, including recording, live streaming, the virtual camera, plugins and scripting.
Ways to pay less
Ecamm
- Annual discount
Save 20% with annual billing
Ecamm's plans page labels annual billing as 20% off: Standard is $192 a year ($16 a month) against $20 monthly, and Pro $384 a year against $40.
OBS Studio
No public discounts listed.
