# OBS Studio

> Free, open-source software for video recording and live streaming

OBS Studio is a free, open-source desktop program for recording video and streaming it live. You build scenes from sources such as display and window captures, webcams, capture cards, images, text and browser windows, then switch between scenes while recording or broadcasting. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux and is funded by sponsors and donations rather than paid plans.

- **Category:** Screen Recording & Video
- **Made by:** OBS Project (since 2012)
- **Website:** https://obsproject.com
- **Runs on:** Windows, macOS, Linux
- **Facts last checked:** Oct 5, 2026

## Pricing

OBS Studio is free to use.

- **Pricing model:** Free
- **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.
- **Free trial:** None listed.

| Plan | Price | What you get |
| --- | --- | --- |
| OBS Studio | $0 | The complete program for Windows, macOS and Linux, including recording, live streaming, the virtual camera, plugins and scripting. |

Read from https://obsproject.com on Oct 5, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with OBS Studio before buying.

## Key features

- **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.

## Good for

- 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

- 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.

## Works with

Twitch, Zoom, Discord

**Tags:** Screen recording, Open source, Noise cancellation

## Alternatives

- [StreamYard](https://toolgpa.com/tools/streamyard): Browser-based studio for live streaming and recording with guests. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/obs-studio-vs-streamyard)
- [Bandicam](https://toolgpa.com/tools/bandicam): Screen, game and webcam recorder for Windows, with a Mac edition. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/bandicam-vs-obs-studio)
- [Riverside](https://toolgpa.com/tools/riverside): Remote recording studio for podcasts and video interviews. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/obs-studio-vs-riverside)
- [ScreenPal](https://toolgpa.com/tools/screenpal): Screen recorder, video editor and video hosting in one low-cost suite. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/obs-studio-vs-screenpal)
- [Loom](https://toolgpa.com/tools/loom): Screen and camera recorder for shareable video messages. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/loom-vs-obs-studio)

## Sources

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 5, 2026:

- https://obsproject.com
- https://obsproject.com/download
- https://obsproject.com/contribute
- https://obsproject.com/kb/obs-studio-overview
- https://obsproject.com/kb/quick-start-guide
- https://obsproject.com/kb/virtual-camera-guide
- https://obsproject.com/blog/obs-studio-28-release-notes
- https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio

Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/obs-studio
Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).