OBS Studio vs Screenflick (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 2.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
OBS Studio grades higher on the free plan and platforms. Screenflick grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
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
Screenflick
Mac screen recorder with system audio, sold as a one-time license
From $35 one-time
Which one is for you
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
Pick Screenflick if
- Fits if you record tutorials or gameplay on a Mac and want to pay once
- Works for time-lapse captures, as the app can record at a very low frame rate
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or Linux, because it runs on Mac only
- Tight if you want to try before paying: no trial or free tier is stated
- Too light for editing beyond trimming, cropping and brightness
- Watch out: a license covers version 3, and a future major version may need an upgrade
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAOBS StudioGood | 2.0GPAScreenflickFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | A$35 once for version 3, less than three months of a typical $14 subscription and under the one-time middle of $37. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | FNo free tier or trial on the pages read, though a Download button is offered. |
| Features | 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. | CRecords to 5K at 60 fps with system audio, mic, webcam and exports to HEVC, H.264, ProRes or GIF. Editing is limited to trim, crop and brightness, so it is a recorder, not an editor. |
| Ease of use | 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. | BNo store rating on record. It is an app you install and start recording with, with nothing to connect. |
| Platforms and 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. | DMac only, and version 3.3 needs macOS 11 or later. Automator and Shortcuts are the only hooks listed. |
| Best for | free live streaming and recording | recording a Mac screen at 60 fps |
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: OBS Studio and Screenflick. How we grade
Where they differ
- OBS Studio is open source, according to its own site.
- Screenflick can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- OBS Studio also covers noise cancellation.
- Screenflick also covers video editing.
In commonmacOSScreen recording
At a glance
| OBS Studio | Screenflick | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Paid |
| Starts at | Free | $35 one-time license for version 3 |
| Free plan | 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. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | OBS Project | Araelium Group |
| Price read from | obsproject.com | araelium.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Screenflick
- Mac only: version 3.3 requires macOS 11 or later.
- A license covers version 3 and its free updates; a future major version may need an upgrade.
- The pages read state no trial or free tier, though a Download button is offered.
- Editing is limited to trimming, cropping and brightness; it is a recorder, not a full editor.
Key features
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.
Screenflick
- High frame rate capture
- Records any area of the screen up to 5K, at up to 60 fps or more on ProMotion displays, on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs.
- System audio and microphone
- Captures audio playing on the Mac from any source, with microphone audio and an audio balance control.
- Webcam and key display
- Adds a webcam picture-in-picture, background removal, and on-screen keystrokes and mouse clicks.
- Time-lapse and scheduling
- Records at a very low frame rate for time-lapse movies, and can start scheduled recordings.
- Export options
- Exports as HEVC, H.264, WebM, ProRes or GIF, with trimming, cropping and export presets.
Plans
OBS Studio
OBS Studio$0
The complete program for Windows, macOS and Linux, including recording, live streaming, the virtual camera, plugins and scripting.
Screenflick
Full License$35
one-time license for version 3
Version 3 and its free updates, with free support. Use on your own two computers.
Upgrade from Version 2$20
one-time upgrade
For version 2 owners; a version 2 purchase made on or after January 1, 2021 upgrades free.
Ways to pay less
OBS Studio
No public discounts listed.
Screenflick
- Education
Academic discounts on request
Students, professors and institutions can email a request for a discounted license.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, OBS Studio or Screenflick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, OBS Studio is free, and Screenflick starts at $35 one-time license for version 3.
Which has a free plan, OBS Studio or Screenflick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only OBS Studio has a free plan. Screenflick does not.
Which platforms do OBS Studio and Screenflick run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only OBS Studio lists Windows and Linux apps. Both list a macOS 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.