Streamlabs vs XSplit Broadcaster (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Streamlabs grades higher than XSplit Broadcaster: 2.6 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Streamlabs grades higher on platforms. XSplit Broadcaster grades higher on value for money and the free plan. 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.
Streamlabs
Live streaming apps, overlays and tools for creators
XSplit Broadcaster
Windows live streaming and recording studio
Which one is for you
Pick Streamlabs if
- Fits if you stream games or talk shows and want overlays and alerts
- Works for creators who want a desktop, phone and browser setup from one login
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want registration pages, polls or attendee follow-up, as the pricing page has none
- Tight if you stay free: 2 destinations, 1 guest and watermarks or limits in the editors
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $27 against $189 for the year
- Watch out: the Logitech G discount for Ultra members is US only, and there is no team or business plan
Pick XSplit Broadcaster if
- Fits if you stream or record from a Windows PC
- Works for gamers who want scenes and overlays
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac, as only Windows is supported
- Tight if you stay free: 4 scenes, 720p and personal use only
- Watch out: commercial use needs Premium
- Watch out: multi-service broadcasting, virtual camera without a watermark and unlimited scenes are Premium only
- Not for you if you need webinar registration
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAStreamlabsGood | 2.4GPAXSplit BroadcasterFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BUltra is $27 a month or $189 a year (about $15.75 a month), at the low end of what webinar tools charge, with just one paid plan. | APremium is $59.99 a year, about $5 a month, below $12.48, and Lifetime is $199.99 once. |
| Free plan and trial | CThe free Starter plan has 2 destinations, 1 guest and 1 GB of storage, and the editors add watermarks or limits. | BFree gives 4 scenes and 720p without a watermark, for personal use only. |
| Features | CScenes, overlays, alerts, multistream, a browser studio and editors, but no registration pages or polls. | CScenes, simultaneous broadcasting, AI tools and a plugin store. Multi Output Mode is still beta. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record, and you connect accounts and build scenes before going live. | CNo store rating on record. Scenes and sources take learning before a first stream. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android, with Twitch, YouTube, Facebook and TikTok. | DWindows 10 or 11 only; no Mac version is listed. |
| Best for | creators who stream to Twitch and YouTube | Windows 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: Streamlabs and XSplit Broadcaster. How we grade
Price against what you get
Streamlabs starts at $15.75 a month when paid by the year and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. XSplit Broadcaster starts at $5 a month when paid by the year and scores 1.7.
Streamlabs scores higher, and starts $10.75 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other webinar and live streaming tools on the chart, none scores higher than Streamlabs for less, and 1 scores higher than XSplit Broadcaster 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
- Streamlabs also covers video editing.
- XSplit Broadcaster also covers screen recording.
At a glance
| Streamlabs | XSplit Broadcaster | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $27 per month, or $189 per year | $59.99 per year |
| Free plan | Starter plan, free always: free overlays and themes, 2 streaming destinations, 1 guest, limited free apps, no-fee tipping and 1 GB of storage. | Free: up to 720p with no watermark, 4 scenes, personal use only; watermark above 720p or 30 fps. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Logitech Services S.A. | XSplit |
| Price read from | streamlabs.com | xsplit.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Streamlabs
- Ultra is the only paid plan; the pricing page shows no team or business tier.
- The free Starter plan allows 1 guest and 2 destinations, and the editors add watermarks or limits.
- It is built for creator streams, so webinar features such as registration pages and polls are not part of the pricing page.
- The Logitech G discount for Ultra members is US only.
XSplit Broadcaster
- The system requirements list Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit) only; no Mac version is listed on the page.
- Free is for personal use; commercial use needs Premium.
- Multi-service broadcasting, virtual camera without a watermark and unlimited scenes are Premium only.
Key features
Streamlabs
- Desktop streaming app
- Streamlabs Desktop for Windows and Mac handles scenes, overlays, alerts and streaming, with multistream and dual output on Ultra.
- Multistreaming
- The free plan streams to 2 destinations; Ultra raises that to 3 or more.
- Guests from the browser
- Talk Studio records and broadcasts from a browser with up to 12 guests, and saves up to 10 hours of recording on Pro.
- Mobile and console streaming
- A mobile app for iOS and Android and a console service that streams to Twitch without a desktop.
- Alerts, tips and Cloudbot
- Alerts and widgets, a tip page and a chat bot come with every plan; Ultra adds a custom tip domain and a custom-named bot.
- Editing and clips
- Cross Clip reformats clips for TikTok, Reels and Shorts, and the Video and Podcast Editors cover browser-based editing.
XSplit Broadcaster
- Scene-based studio
- Compose scenes from games, text, media, HTML and IP cameras; transitions and a thumbnail scene preview are included.
- Simultaneous broadcasting
- Stream to several services at once; the comparison table lists this as Premium only.
- AI tools
- AI background removal, voice clarity and live captions are listed; background removal carries a watermark on Free.
- Plugin and extension store
- Extensions such as a whiteboard, audio mixer with effects and a replay source can be added.
- Multi Output Mode (beta)
- Streams a landscape and a portrait layout at once from a single scene, including Twitch dual format.
Plans
Streamlabs
Streamlabs Starter$0
Free overlays and themes, 2 destinations, 1 guest, no-fee tipping, 1 GB of storage and basic Cloudbot.
Streamlabs Ultra$27
per month, billed monthly ($189 per year when billed annually)
1000+ overlays and themes, 3+ destinations, up to 11 guests or cameras, 60+ apps, custom tip domain, 10 GB storage, and Pro tiers of its editors and Talk Studio.
XSplit Broadcaster
Free$0
Up to 4 scenes, 720p without a watermark, personal use only.
Premium Monthly$14.99
per month
Unlimited scenes and resolution, up to 240 fps, multi-service broadcasting, commercial use.
Premium Yearly$59.99
per year
Same Premium features; the page shows this as $5 a month.
Premium Lifetime$199.99
one-time
Same Premium features, paid once with no recurring subscription.
Ways to pay less
Streamlabs
- Annual discount
Annual billing saves $135
Ultra is $189 a year against $27 a month, which the pricing page states as a $135 saving.
XSplit Broadcaster
- Lifetime license
Lifetime license for $199.99
The buy page sells a one-time Premium license at $199.99 with no recurring subscription.
- Annual discount
Yearly plan shown as $5 a month
Premium costs $59.99 a year against $14.99 monthly, which the page presents as the lowest recurring price.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Streamlabs or XSplit Broadcaster?
As of Nov 13, 2026, XSplit Broadcaster is cheaper to start with: $5 a month when paid by the year, against $15.75 a month when paid by the year for Streamlabs. Streamlabs starts at $27 per month, or $189 per year, and XSplit Broadcaster starts at $59.99 per year.
Which has a free plan, Streamlabs or XSplit Broadcaster?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Streamlabs and XSplit Broadcaster have a free plan.
Which platforms do Streamlabs and XSplit Broadcaster run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Streamlabs lists a web app and macOS, iOS and Android apps. Both list a Windows 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.