StreamYard vs OBS: The Complete Comparison for Live Streamers

Choosing between StreamYard and OBS comes down to one question: Do you want easy or powerful?

StreamYard is a browser-based streaming studio that works out of the box. OBS is free, open-source software with unlimited customization-but a steep learning curve. Both can get you streaming to YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, and more. But they're built for different types of creators.

Here's everything you need to know to pick the right one.

Quick Comparison: StreamYard vs OBS

StreamYard: What You Get

StreamYard runs entirely in your browser. No downloads, no configuration. Sign up, connect your YouTube or Facebook account, and you're streaming in minutes.

The platform is designed for interviews, podcasts, webinars, and business live streams. You can invite guests with a simple link-they don't need to download anything either. This alone makes StreamYard the go-to for anyone running remote interviews or panel discussions.

StreamYard Key Features

• Browser-based: Works on any computer with Chrome, Safari, or Firefox. Even works on Chromebooks and mobile devices (though desktop is better for hosting).
• Multistreaming: Broadcast to YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, and more simultaneously. No extra software needed.
• Guest management: Invite up to 10 on-screen participants with simple link invites. Backstage area lets guests wait before going live.
• Built-in branding: Add logos, overlays, backgrounds, and on-screen comments with a few clicks.
• Recording: All streams are recorded in HD (up to 4K on higher plans) with separate audio tracks for each participant.
• Reusable studios: Save your studio setup and use it across multiple broadcasts.
• 1080p screen sharing: Share your screen in full HD on all paid plans.
• Camera shapes: Customize the shape and edges of your cameras for more creative layouts.

StreamYard Pricing

StreamYard revamped their pricing in August after being acquired by Bending Spoons. The price increases upset some long-time users, but the feature set improved.

Here's what the current plans look like:

• Free Plan: StreamYard branding on your stream, 720p max quality, 6 on-screen participants, limited recording storage. Good enough to test, but most creators upgrade quickly.
• Core: $44.99/month ($35.99/month billed annually). Removes StreamYard branding, 1080p streaming, 10 on-screen participants, 3 streaming destinations, unlimited local recordings.
• Advanced: $88.99/month (or $68.99/month annually). Adds 4K local recordings, 8 streaming destinations, 15 backstage participants, transcripts, and StreamYard On-Air webinar feature.
• Teams: $298.99/month ($238.99/month annually). For content teams with multiple users and larger-scale productions.
• Business: Custom pricing for enterprises with dedicated support.

The jump from free to $44.99/month is steep. If you're a hobbyist or small creator, that's a real consideration. But for businesses and professional podcasters, the time savings are worth it.

Try StreamYard free and see if it fits your workflow before committing.

For more details, check out our full StreamYard pricing breakdown.

StreamYard System Requirements

One of StreamYard's biggest advantages is its minimal system requirements. Since it's browser-based, you don't need a powerful computer to run professional broadcasts.

Here's what you need:

• Internet speed: Minimum 5 Mbps upload speed (7-10 Mbps recommended for 1080p streaming)
• Hardware: Any computer capable of running Chrome, Safari, or Firefox smoothly
• RAM: At least 4GB of memory (8GB recommended for optimal performance)
• Browsers: Chrome (recommended), Safari, Firefox, or Edge
• Mobile devices: iOS 13.0+ (iPhone) or Android 9+ (works but desktop is better for hosting)

The internet connection matters more than the hardware. StreamYard recommends using a wired Ethernet connection instead of WiFi whenever possible for the most stable stream. If you must use WiFi, stay close to your router and use the 5GHz band.

OBS: What You Get

OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is free, open-source, and incredibly powerful. It's the industry standard for gamers, professional streamers, and anyone who wants complete control over their broadcast setup.

The catch? You need to actually learn it. OBS has a significant learning curve. Scenes, sources, audio mixing, encoding settings-there's a lot to figure out. But once you do, you can create productions that rival television broadcasts.

OBS Key Features

• 100% free: No watermarks, no feature limitations, no subscription fees. Ever.
• Desktop software: Runs locally on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Your computer does all the encoding.
• Unlimited customization: Create complex scene layouts, custom transitions, advanced audio processing with VST plugins.
• Plugin ecosystem: Thousands of community plugins for everything from chat overlays to face tracking to color correction.
• 4K+ support: Full control over encoding, resolution, and bitrate. Stream and record at whatever quality your hardware can handle.
• No limits: Unlimited recording length, no streaming caps, no artificial restrictions.
• Studio mode: Preview scenes before pushing them live to your stream.
• Advanced audio mixer: Per-source audio controls with filters like noise gate, noise suppression, and gain control.
• Multiple encoding options: Support for x264, H.264, NVIDIA NVENC, Intel Quick Sync Video, and AMD encoders.

Latest OBS Updates

OBS Studio continues to evolve with regular updates. Recent versions have introduced significant improvements including a new plugin manager, enhanced audio mixer functionality, WebRTC simulcast support, and optimizations for NVIDIA RTX filters. The default streaming bitrate has been increased from 2500 to 6000 Kbps for better quality, and new installs now use the crash-resistant Hybrid MP4 container format.

OBS Downsides

• No built-in multistreaming: You can only stream to one platform natively. Multistreaming requires third-party tools like Restream.
• No guest features: OBS has no way to bring remote guests into your stream. You'd need to use Zoom, Discord, or another app and capture that window.
• System requirements: Encoding video is CPU/GPU intensive. You need a reasonably powerful computer for smooth streaming, especially at higher resolutions.
• Community support only: No official customer support. You rely on forums, Reddit, and Discord communities to troubleshoot issues.
• Complex setup: Managing sources, audio routing, and bitrate settings can overwhelm beginners.

OBS System Requirements

OBS requires more powerful hardware than StreamYard because your computer handles all the encoding locally. Here's what you need:

• Operating System: Windows 10/11, macOS 11+, or Ubuntu 20.04+
• Processor: Multi-core CPU (Intel i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 minimum, i7/Ryzen 7 recommended)
• RAM: 8GB minimum (16GB+ recommended for 1080p streaming)
• Graphics Card: Dedicated GPU recommended for hardware encoding (NVIDIA GTX 1650+, AMD RX 570+)
• Internet: 5-10 Mbps upload for 1080p streaming
• Storage: SSD recommended for recording to avoid dropped frames

If you're gaming while streaming, your hardware requirements increase significantly. Most serious streamers use either a powerful single-PC setup or a dedicated streaming PC.

Head-to-Head Feature Comparison

Ease of Setup and Use

This is where StreamYard dominates. You can be live in under 5 minutes:

1. Sign up with your Google or Facebook account
2. Connect your YouTube/Facebook/Twitch channel
3. Enter your studio and add your camera
4. Click "Go Live"

OBS requires considerably more effort. After downloading and installing the software, you need to:

1. Configure your streaming service with server URL and stream key
2. Set up scenes and sources (camera, display capture, images, text)
3. Configure audio sources and mixing
4. Adjust encoder settings (bitrate, keyframe interval, preset)
5. Test your stream to ensure quality and stability

Even with OBS's auto-configuration wizard, expect to spend 30-60 minutes on your first setup. Then another few hours learning scene transitions, hotkeys, and advanced features.

Winner: StreamYard by a landslide for beginners.

Multistreaming Capabilities

StreamYard includes native multistreaming to up to 8 platforms simultaneously depending on your plan. The Core plan includes 3 destinations, while Advanced and higher plans support up to 8. You can broadcast to YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, X (Twitter), and custom RTMP destinations.

OBS streams to only one destination natively. To multistream with OBS, you have three options:

• Third-party services: Use Restream, Streamyard, or similar cloud services (adds monthly cost)
• Multiple RTMP Output Plugin: Free plugin that streams to multiple platforms directly from OBS
• Aitum Multistream or StreamElements SE.Live: Alternative OBS plugins with multistreaming features

The Multiple RTMP Output Plugin shares encoders with OBS's main output to reduce CPU load, but it still requires manual configuration of stream keys for each platform. It's functional but not as seamless as StreamYard's built-in approach.

Winner: StreamYard for simplicity, OBS with plugins for flexibility and zero cost.

Guest Management

StreamYard excels at guest management. Send a link, guests click it, they're in your backstage area. No account required, no software to download. You control who goes on-screen, manage layouts with drag-and-drop, and can bring guests in and out of the live broadcast seamlessly.

The backstage feature is particularly useful-guests can join early, test their audio and video, and wait until you're ready to bring them on-screen. You can have up to 10 on-screen participants on Core plans and 15 backstage participants on Advanced plans.

OBS has zero native guest functionality. Your options:

• Use Zoom/Discord/Skype: Host your conversation there and capture the window in OBS (quality suffers, limited layout control)
• Use specialized plugins: Tools like OBS.Ninja (now VDO.Ninja) can bring remote guests into OBS, but setup is technical
• Use a separate service: Run StreamYard for guests and feed it into OBS via RTMP (complex)

Winner: StreamYard overwhelmingly. If you're doing interviews or panels, this feature alone justifies the subscription.

Video Quality and Performance

Both platforms can deliver excellent video quality, but with different approaches.

StreamYard streams at up to 1080p on paid plans (720p on free). Advanced and higher plans can record locally in 4K, though the live stream itself maxes out at 1080p. Since encoding happens in the cloud, your stream quality depends primarily on your internet connection stability rather than your computer's power.

OBS supports any resolution your hardware can handle-1080p, 1440p, 4K, or higher. You have full control over bitrate, encoder selection (x264 CPU encoding vs. NVIDIA/AMD hardware encoding), and quality presets. With proper configuration and sufficient hardware, OBS can deliver superior quality to StreamYard.

However, OBS's quality depends entirely on your local hardware. If your CPU or GPU can't handle the encoding load, you'll experience dropped frames, stuttering, and quality degradation.

Winner: OBS for maximum quality potential, StreamYard for consistent quality without hardware requirements.

Customization and Branding

StreamYard offers basic customization: logos, overlays, backgrounds, on-screen comments, and banners. You can create branded layouts and save them as reusable studios. It's enough for most business and podcast use cases, but you're limited to StreamYard's layout templates.

OBS provides unlimited customization. You can:

• Create custom overlays with any graphics software and import them
• Design complex multi-layered scenes with precise positioning
• Add animated transitions between scenes
• Use color correction, filters, and effects on individual sources
• Integrate plugins for advanced graphics (like animated stingers, lower thirds, or weather overlays)
• Build custom scripts with Lua or Python for automated control

For gaming streams with elaborate overlays, chat widgets, alerts, and sponsorship graphics, OBS is unmatched.

Winner: OBS for creators who want total creative control.

Recording Capabilities

Both platforms handle recording, but differently.

StreamYard automatically records all broadcasts to the cloud (storage limits apply to free plan). Advanced plans and higher can record locally in 4K with separate audio tracks for each participant-incredibly useful for podcast editing. You can also use Reusable Studios to record multiple takes in the same studio setup without creating new broadcasts.

OBS records locally to your hard drive with no time or storage limits beyond your available disk space. You control the recording format (MP4, MOV, MKV, FLV), quality settings, and can record multiple audio tracks for post-production. The new Hybrid MP4 format offers resilience against data loss if your system crashes mid-recording.

You can also stream and record simultaneously in OBS with different quality settings for each-stream at 1080p but record at 4K for archival purposes.

Winner: Tie. StreamYard for cloud backups and separate audio tracks, OBS for unlimited local recording and format flexibility.

Security and Account Access

An often-overlooked consideration is how these platforms access your streaming accounts.

StreamYard requires permanent access to your YouTube, Facebook, or Twitch accounts through OAuth. You grant StreamYard permission to view and manage your videos, playlists, and post comments on your behalf. While StreamYard has legitimate reasons for these permissions, some creators feel uncomfortable giving a third-party service full access to their channels.

OBS uses temporary stream keys from your streaming platform. These keys provide one-time authorization to broadcast but don't grant access to your account settings, videos, or comments. If your stream key is compromised, you can simply regenerate it without affecting your account security. YouTube officially recommends OBS and other encoder software over browser-based tools for this reason.

Winner: OBS for security-conscious creators who prefer minimal third-party access.

Use Case Scenarios

Best Use Cases for StreamYard

Podcast Interviews: The simple guest invite system, separate audio tracks, and automatic recording make StreamYard ideal for podcasters. Bring on remote guests, conduct the interview, and download separate audio files for easy editing.

Business Webinars: Professional layouts, branded overlays, and multistreaming to LinkedIn and YouTube simultaneously work perfectly for B2B content. The ease of use means anyone on your team can host without technical training.

Panel Discussions: Manage up to 10 on-screen participants with drag-and-drop layout control. The backstage area lets panelists join early and wait for their segment.

Church Services: Stream to Facebook and YouTube simultaneously with minimal technical setup. The browser-based approach works from any location without bringing specialized equipment.

Educational Live Streams: Teachers and educators can quickly start streaming lectures with screen sharing, presentation slides, and Q&A via on-screen comments.

Best Use Cases for OBS

Gaming Streams: OBS is the standard for Twitch and YouTube gaming. Custom overlays, game capture, webcam positioning, donation alerts, chat integration-OBS handles it all with plugins like StreamElements or Streamlabs.

Professional Productions: If you're producing high-quality content with multiple cameras, professional audio equipment, lighting control, and advanced scene transitions, OBS provides the power you need.

Hybrid Events: Streaming from a physical venue with multiple camera angles, microphones, and presentations. OBS can handle complex multi-source productions that StreamYard can't.

24/7 Streaming: Running a continuous stream (like music radio or CCTV-style content). OBS's unlimited recording and local control make this feasible.

Budget-Conscious Creators: If you're starting out with zero budget, OBS provides professional capabilities completely free. Invest time instead of money.

When to Use StreamYard

Choose StreamYard if:

• You're running interviews, podcasts, or panel discussions with remote guests
• You want to multistream to YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitch simultaneously
• You're not technical and don't want to spend hours learning software
• You use a Chromebook or low-powered laptop
• You need to stream from different locations (hotel rooms, client offices, etc.)
• You're a business running webinars or virtual events
• You want automatic cloud recording with separate audio tracks
• You need to start streaming today without a learning curve

StreamYard excels at getting non-technical people streaming professional-looking content fast. The guest invite system alone is worth the subscription for many podcasters.

When to Use OBS

Choose OBS if:

• You're a gamer streaming to Twitch or YouTube
• You want complete control over every aspect of your broadcast
• You have a powerful PC and want maximum video quality
• You're on a tight budget and can't afford monthly fees
• You need advanced features like scene transitions, audio ducking, or custom plugins
• You're willing to invest time learning the software
• You're streaming solo content (no remote guests required)
• You want local recording with complete control over file formats and quality
• You prefer minimal third-party account access for security reasons

OBS is unbeatable for solo streamers who want pro-level customization without paying for expensive production software.

Can You Use Both?

Yes. Some creators use OBS as their video source and feed it into StreamYard via RTMP. This gives you OBS's scene control with StreamYard's multistreaming and guest features.

The workflow looks like this:

1. Set up your scenes and sources in OBS
2. Configure OBS to output to StreamYard's RTMP server
3. Use StreamYard to bring in guests and multistream
4. Control your scenes in OBS while managing guests in StreamYard

But honestly, if you're doing that level of setup, you probably don't need StreamYard. The whole point of StreamYard is avoiding complexity. You could instead use OBS with multistreaming plugins and bring guests in via VDO.Ninja or similar tools for a fully free setup.

Cost Analysis: Free vs. Paid

Let's break down the real costs over one year:

StreamYard Core Plan: $35.99/month annually = $431.88/year for unlimited 1080p streaming to 3 platforms with guest management.

StreamYard Advanced Plan: $68.99/month annually = $827.88/year for 4K recording, 8 streaming destinations, and advanced features.

OBS: $0/year, but you'll need:

• A decent computer (if you don't already have one): $800-$1500
• Potential multistreaming service (optional): $20-$40/month = $240-$480/year
• Time investment: 10-20 hours to learn properly

For hobbyists and budget-conscious creators, OBS makes sense. For businesses and professionals who value time over money, StreamYard's convenience justifies the cost. If you're producing revenue-generating content, saving 10 hours of learning time likely pays for several months of StreamYard.

Common Problems and Solutions

StreamYard Issues

Problem: Blurry or laggy video quality
Solution: Check your internet upload speed (needs 5-10 Mbps). Use Ethernet instead of WiFi. Reduce broadcast quality to 720p in Settings. Close bandwidth-heavy applications.

Problem: "Connection is unstable" errors
Solution: This usually indicates packet loss or bandwidth fluctuations rather than slow speeds. Switch to wired connection, reduce other network traffic, or use a bonding service like Speedify.

Problem: Can't remove StreamYard watermark
Solution: Upgrade to Core plan minimum. The free plan always shows StreamYard branding.

OBS Issues

Problem: High CPU usage and dropped frames
Solution: Switch from x264 to hardware encoding (NVENC/AMD VCE). Lower your output resolution or framerate. Close unnecessary background programs. Use the "faster" or "veryfast" x264 preset.

Problem: Audio out of sync with video
Solution: Add sync offset in audio settings. Ensure audio sample rate matches across all sources (48kHz standard). Update audio drivers.

Problem: Stream looks pixelated during fast motion
Solution: Increase bitrate in output settings. Use a faster encoder preset. Reduce canvas resolution if bandwidth-limited.

Multistreaming Options for OBS

Since multistreaming is a major differentiator, here are your OBS multistreaming options in detail:

1. Multiple RTMP Output Plugin (Free)

This community plugin lets you stream to multiple platforms directly from OBS. It shares encoders with your main output to reduce CPU load. You manually configure each platform's RTMP server and stream key. It's free and functional but requires technical setup.

2. Aitum Multistream Plugin (Free)

A newer alternative to Multiple RTMP with easier setup. Manages multiple outputs through a user-friendly interface within OBS. Some users report encoder overload issues, but it works well for most streamers.

3. StreamElements SE.Live (Free)

A modified version of OBS with built-in multistreaming to Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook. Includes activity feed, multichat, and alert simulator. You need to use their custom OBS build rather than standard OBS.

4. Restream (Paid)

Cloud-based service that distributes your stream to 30+ platforms. $20-$50/month for Standard and Professional plans. Easier than plugins but adds monthly cost. Includes unified chat dashboard and analytics.

5. Castr or Streamway (Paid)

Similar to Restream with slightly different pricing and platform support. These services handle the multistreaming server-side, reducing your bandwidth requirements.

What About Alternatives?

If neither feels right:

• Restream Studio: Similar to StreamYard, browser-based with multistreaming. Worth comparing if StreamYard's pricing bothers you.
• Streamlabs Desktop: A fork of OBS with more built-in features and a friendlier interface. Still requires a powerful computer. Free with optional premium features.
• Riverside.fm: Focused on podcast recording with high-quality local recordings. Better for audio-first content. Records locally on each participant's device for studio-quality output.
• Be.Live: Browser-based like StreamYard with similar features at different pricing. Good alternative if you're exploring options.
• Ecamm Live (Mac only): Professional live streaming software for Mac with built-in interviews, multistreaming, and advanced features. $20-$40/month.

For more options, see our StreamYard alternatives guide.

Platform-Specific Considerations

Streaming to YouTube

Both platforms work excellently with YouTube. StreamYard connects directly to your channel and lets you manage stream title, description, and privacy settings. OBS requires you to copy your stream key from YouTube Studio but offers more control over encoding settings.

YouTube officially recommends OBS and other encoder software for their streaming service, listing it alongside professional tools like Wirecast and vMix.

Streaming to Twitch

Twitch is the home of OBS-the platform and software grew up together. OBS provides optimal control for Twitch streaming with support for all Twitch-specific features. StreamYard works with Twitch but is less common in the gaming community.

Twitch prefers lower bitrates (2500-3500 Kbps for 720p) than YouTube, so configure accordingly.

Streaming to LinkedIn

LinkedIn Live requires pre-approval and works better with StreamYard's direct integration. OBS requires third-party tools or services to stream to LinkedIn. If LinkedIn is a primary platform for you, StreamYard is the easier choice.

Streaming to Facebook

Both work, but Facebook has stricter limitations. Maximum bitrate of 4000 Kbps and resolution caps at 720p for most users. StreamYard's presets handle these limitations automatically, while OBS requires manual configuration.

The Bottom Line

Pick StreamYard if you value ease of use and guest collaboration. You'll pay $45-90/month, but you'll be streaming professional content in minutes-not hours. Best for podcasters, businesses, and anyone doing remote interviews.

Pick OBS if you want free, unlimited power. You'll spend time learning the software, but you'll have complete creative control with zero monthly costs. Best for gamers, solo streamers, and tech-savvy creators.

There's no wrong answer here. They're just different tools for different workflows.

For most beginners and business users, StreamYard offers the fastest path to professional-looking streams. The guest management feature alone justifies the cost if you're running interviews or panels. The automatic cloud recording with separate audio tracks is invaluable for podcasters.

For gamers, tech enthusiasts, and creators with complex production needs, OBS provides unlimited flexibility at zero cost. The learning curve is real, but the community support is excellent. Countless tutorials, forums, and resources make mastering OBS achievable for anyone willing to invest the time.

Consider starting with StreamYard if you need to be live streaming quickly for business purposes. You can always transition to OBS later if you need more advanced features. Many creators use StreamYard while they're learning OBS, then switch once they're comfortable with the technical side.

Conversely, if you have time to learn and budget is tight, start with OBS. The skills you develop will serve you forever, and you'll never hit artificial limitations imposed by a subscription service.

Try StreamYard free to see how the browser-based approach feels. Download OBS and experiment with both. The right choice depends on your specific needs, technical comfort level, and content type.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use StreamYard with OBS?

Yes, you can feed StreamYard into OBS via RTMP or use OBS's output as an input to StreamYard. However, this creates unnecessary complexity. If you're comfortable with OBS, you probably don't need StreamYard's simplicity.

Which is better for podcasting?

StreamYard is significantly better for podcasting. The guest invite system, automatic recording with separate audio tracks, and ease of use make it ideal for interview-style podcasts. OBS works but requires additional tools for managing remote guests.

Is OBS really free forever?

Yes, OBS is open-source software with no plans to ever charge for it. There are no premium features, subscriptions, or hidden costs. The project is supported by donations and corporate sponsors.

Can StreamYard stream in 4K?

StreamYard can record locally in 4K on Advanced plans and higher, but live streaming maxes out at 1080p. The live stream resolution is limited by platform requirements and bandwidth considerations.

Which is better for beginners?

StreamYard is dramatically easier for beginners. You can be live streaming in 5 minutes with zero technical knowledge. OBS has a steep learning curve that requires time investment to master.

Does OBS work on Mac?

Yes, OBS works on Mac, though some features like audio routing are more limited due to macOS restrictions. Mac users may need additional software like BlackHole for internal audio capture.

Can I multistream for free?

Not with StreamYard (requires Core plan minimum). With OBS, yes-use the Multiple RTMP Output Plugin or similar free plugins to multistream to multiple platforms without paying for a service.

Which is better for gaming?

OBS is the standard for gaming streams. The community support, plugin ecosystem, and optimization for game capture make it the clear choice for Twitch and YouTube Gaming streamers.

Does StreamYard have a mobile app?

StreamYard works in mobile browsers (Safari on iOS, Chrome on Android) but doesn't have a dedicated app. The experience is better on desktop, and mobile is recommended only for guests, not hosts.

Can I schedule streams with OBS?

OBS doesn't have built-in stream scheduling. You schedule on your streaming platform (YouTube, Twitch, etc.) and then start your OBS stream at the scheduled time. Some plugins add scheduling functionality.