Lightstream vs PRISM Live Studio (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PRISM Live Studio grades higher than Lightstream: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
PRISM Live Studio grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Lightstream
Browser-based live streaming studio, built for console streamers
PRISM Live Studio
Free streaming app for desktop and mobile with a paid Plus tier
Which one is for you
Pick Lightstream if
- Fits if you stream from an Xbox or PlayStation and have no capture card
- Works for creators who want to simulcast to up to 5 places for free
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need a clean stream for free, as the free plan carries a Lightstream logo
- Tight if you want 1080p, guests or URL imports, which need Premium at $12 a month
- Not for you if you run webinars: it has no registration or attendee tools
- Watch out: RTMP video sources are marked as coming soon on the pricing section
Pick PRISM Live Studio if
- Fits if you stream from both a phone and a computer
- Works for creators who want a free app first
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: Plus and Credits are bought only in the mobile app, with no price on the website
- Skip it if you are on an Intel Mac, as the Mac build needs Apple Silicon and macOS 12.3
- Watch out: the Windows beta is built on OBS and removes the existing PRISM Live Studio when installed
- Not for you if you need webinar registration or attendee features
How we grade them
| 2.8GPALightstreamGood | 3.0GPAPRISM Live StudioVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APremium is $12 a month, or $9 on an annual plan, well under the $16.20 mark (60% of the category's cheaper quarter of $27). | AThe desktop and mobile apps are free downloads anyone can run. |
| Free plan and trial | BA free plan streams to up to 5 destinations for up to 10 hours at a time, but with a Lightstream logo and 720p video. | BFree apps with simultaneous streaming and screen sharing. Plus and Credits add more, at prices not shown on the site. |
| Features | CConsole capture, simulcasting, scenes, overlays and alerts, but RTMP sources are marked coming soon and there is no registration or attendee tool. | CSimultaneous streaming, screen sharing, AvatarLive and effects. It streams video and does not run webinars. |
| Ease of use | CWeb only, with no rating on record, and you connect each destination account first. | BNo store rating on record, but it is an app you install and start using. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Xbox, PlayStation, Twitch, YouTube, Facebook and custom RTMP. | BWindows, Mac, iPhone and Android. No integrations list is on the page. |
| Best for | console streamers who want to skip the PC | free streaming from desktop and phone |
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: Lightstream and PRISM Live Studio. How we grade
Where they differ
- Lightstream also covers video calls.
- PRISM Live Studio also covers screen recording.
At a glance
| Lightstream | PRISM Live Studio | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $12 per month, or $9 per month on an annual subscription | Not published |
| Free plan | Simulcasting to up to 5 destinations, 720p, 10-hour limit per stream and up to 3 scenes at once, with a Lightstream Studio logo on all streams. | The desktop and mobile apps are free downloads; a paid Plus subscription and Credits add more, at prices not shown on the site. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Infiniscene, Inc. | NAVER |
| Price read from | golightstream.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Lightstream
- The free plan puts a Lightstream Studio logo on every stream and caps video at 720p.
- Guests, 1080p and URL imports are Premium-only.
- RTMP video sources are marked as coming soon on the pricing section.
- It is a streaming studio for creators and has no webinar registration or attendee tools.
PRISM Live Studio
- Plus and Credits are bought only in the mobile app; the website shows no price for either.
- The Mac build supports Apple Silicon on macOS 12.3 or higher; Windows needs 64-bit Windows 10 or 11.
- The Windows beta is built on OBS and, when installed, removes the existing PRISM Live Studio.
Key features
Lightstream
- Cloud capture for consoles
- Captures Xbox and PlayStation gameplay in the cloud, so a stream does not need a PC.
- Simulcasting
- Streams to up to 5 destinations at once on both plans, including a custom RTMP destination.
- Guests
- Premium lets up to 10 guests join a stream, aimed at multiplayer games and talk-style shows.
- Overlays, alerts and templates
- Preset templates, overlays and XPN alerts are available inside Studio, and custom overlays can be uploaded.
- Scenes
- The free plan goes live with up to 3 scenes at once and Premium with up to 20.
PRISM Live Studio
- Simultaneous streaming
- Streams to several live platforms at the same time, according to the homepage.
- Screen sharing
- Shares a screen in real time and supports a remote control and a webcam mode.
- AvatarLive
- Lets a streamer appear as an avatar instead of showing a face.
- Effects
- Masks, background filters and touch and emotion effects can be added to a stream.
- Plus and Credits
- Plus works across mobile, desktop and Lens apps on one account; Credits for AI features are bought in the mobile app.
Plans
Lightstream
Free$0
Core Studio features with a Lightstream logo on every stream, 720p, up to 5 destinations, 10-hour limit per stream, 3 scenes at once.
Premium$12
per month, billed monthly ($9 per month on an annual subscription)
Removes the logo, adds up to 10 guests, 1080p, a 48-hour stream limit, URL imports from third-party services and up to 20 scenes at once.
PRISM Live Studio
Pricing could not be confirmed. See prismlive.com.
Ways to pay less
Lightstream
- Annual discount
Annual subscription at $9 a month
Premium shows $12 a month, or $9 a month on an annual subscription.
PRISM Live Studio
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Lightstream or PRISM Live Studio?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Lightstream starts at $12 per month, or $9 per month on an annual subscription, and PRISM Live Studio has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Lightstream or PRISM Live Studio?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Lightstream and PRISM Live Studio have a free plan.
Which platforms do Lightstream and PRISM Live Studio run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Lightstream lists a web app and only PRISM Live Studio lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps. 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.