Kazam vs OBS Studio (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick OBS Studio: it is third in our ranking of screen recording and video tools, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 2.6.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
OBS Studio grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
OBS Studio
Free, open-source software for video recording and live streaming
Free
Which one is for you
Pick Kazam if
- Fits if you run Ubuntu and want a plain recorder that saves WebM
- Works for people who want open-source software under the GPL
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or a Mac, since no build is listed
- Not for you if you need MP4 output: files are VP8/WebM and users ask how to convert them
- Too light for tutorials that need editing, annotation or webcam overlays
- Watch out: the page says fixes cover Ubuntu 12.04 only, and the newest questions listed date from 2023
Pick OBS Studio if
- Fits if you stream live and want control of scenes, sources and audio
- Works for recording gameplay, tutorials or talks without paying for software, on Linux too
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to trim or edit afterwards, as its feature list doesn't include editing a recording
- Not for you if you want a click-and-share recorder, since you build scenes and sources first
- Too light for anyone who wants a support desk, since help is a knowledge base, forums and a community Discord
- Watch out: Game Capture is Windows only, and the Mac version needs macOS 13 or newer
- Skip it if you want to record from a phone or a browser, as no mobile or web version is listed
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAKazamGood | 2.8GPAOBS StudioGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree and open source under the GNU GPL v3, with no paid plan. A program anyone can download and run. | 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 | AThe whole program is free, with no cap, watermark or account. | 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 | CRecords the screen to video, with optional audio. It does that job fully, but it is a small one: no editing, and output is WebM only. | 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 store rating on record. Installs from the Ubuntu Universe repository or a PPA, and the page assumes a PulseAudio setup. | 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 | DLinux only, and the page talks about Ubuntu. No Windows, Mac, web or phone version and no integrations. | 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 | a bare-bones screen recorder on Ubuntu | 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: Kazam and OBS Studio. How we grade
Price against what you get
Kazam has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. OBS Studio has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
OBS Studio scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other screen recording and video tools on the chart, none scores higher than Kazam for less, and none scores higher than OBS Studio for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- OBS Studio also covers noise cancellation.
In commonFree planLinuxOpen sourceScreen recording
At a glance
| Kazam | OBS Studio | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Free and open source under the GNU GPL v3; no paid plans. | 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 | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Kazam Team | OBS Project |
| Price read from | launchpad.net | obsproject.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Kazam
- The project page describes Ubuntu and PulseAudio setups; no Windows or Mac build is listed.
- The page says fixes are provided only for Ubuntu 12.04 and older releases are unsupported; the newest questions listed date from 2023.
- Output is described as VP8/WebM; a Launchpad question asks how to convert its movie files to MP4.
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
Kazam
- Screen capture to video
- Records the contents of the screen into a video file that any player supporting VP8/WebM can open.
- Audio from PulseAudio devices
- Optionally records sound from any input device that PulseAudio supports and shows.
- Distro packaging
- Available from the Ubuntu Universe repository, with stable and unstable PPAs offered for newer releases.
- Python source on Launchpad
- The code is Python, kept in a Bazaar branch on Launchpad under the GNU GPL v3, with bugs and questions tracked there.
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
Kazam
Free$0
The whole program, licensed under the GNU GPL v3.
OBS Studio
OBS Studio$0
The complete program for Windows, macOS and Linux, including recording, live streaming, the virtual camera, plugins and scripting.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Kazam or OBS Studio?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Kazam and OBS Studio are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Kazam or OBS Studio?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Kazam and OBS Studio have a free plan.
Which platforms do Kazam and OBS Studio run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only OBS Studio lists macOS and Windows apps. Both list a Linux app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.