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Utilities
OBS Studio
“The open source streaming and video recording tool, the standard for content creation.”
From €0Try OBS Studio
Quick summary
Ideal forContent creators, developers who make tutorials, online trainers
Use caseScreen recording, live streaming, creating demos and video tutorials
StrengthProfessional power, entirely free: no watermark, no limit
WeaknessIntimidating interface at first launch, real initial setup curve
OBS Studio is the tool that democratized video content creation. Free, unlimited, and powerful enough for professional productions.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Entirely free and open source: no watermark, no time limit, no subscription
- Multiple scenes: switch between "screen + webcam", "webcam only", "screen only" in 1 click
- Multi-track recording: separate audio per source (mic, system, music) for editing
- Virtual Camera: use OBS as a camera in Zoom, Meet, Teams
- Plugins: NVIDIA RTX Super Resolution, browser source, StreamFX, WebSocket for automation
Cons
- Interface not intuitive for beginners: the first setup takes time
- Uses CPU/GPU resources depending on the encoders and filters used
- No built-in video editing: you have to export, then edit in DaVinci, CapCut, etc.
- No teleprompter, no automatic chaptering: a pure recording tool
Pricing
OBS Studio
€0/month
- Unlimited local video recording
- Streaming (Twitch, YouTube, X, custom RTMP)
- Multiple scenes and sources
- Multi-track audio mixer
- Audio and video filters
- Plugin marketplace (OBS-WebSocket, NVIDIA RTX, StreamFX...)
- Virtual Camera (virtual webcam for Zoom, Meet)
Content creators, streamers, developers, trainers: everyone
Main features
Scenes and sources
Create scenes made of sources (screen capture, webcam, images, text, browser)
Switch between different layouts live or while recording
Audio mixer
Mix several audio sources with filters (noise gate, compressor, equalizer)
Remove background noise, balance mic and system sound without external software
Virtual Camera
Expose OBS as a virtual camera in all video conferencing apps
Appear with a background, overlays or several sources in Zoom/Meet
Replay Buffer
Keep the last N seconds in memory to save them on demand
Capture an interesting moment that just happened without having recorded everything
OBS WebSocket
WebSocket API to control OBS from scripts or external applications
Automate scenes, trigger recordings from a script or a stream deck
Comparison with the alternatives
Each alternative has its own page. See all comparisons.
Loom
Better at:Ultra-simple, instant link sharing, comments, view analytics
Worse at:Paid for advanced features, no streaming, watermark on Free
Loom for quick recordings shared fast. OBS for anything that needs power.
QuickTime (macOS)
Better at:Built into the system, no setup, simple for basic captures
Worse at:No advanced features, no streaming, no scenes, no mixing
QuickTime for a quick capture. OBS for any professional use.
Streamlabs
Better at:More accessible interface, built-in overlays and alerts, optimized for streaming
Worse at:Heavier, some paid premium features, built on OBS
Streamlabs for streamers who want everything turnkey. OBS for full control.
Compatibility
Frequently asked questions
Is OBS Studio free?
Yes, entirely free and open source (GPL-2.0). No watermark, no time limit.
Can OBS Studio stream to YouTube and Twitch at the same time?
Yes, through multistreaming services like Restream, or with the obs-multi-rtmp plugin.
Does OBS use a lot of resources?
It depends on the encoder. NVENC (NVIDIA) or Apple Silicon offload the CPU: minimal impact when streaming 1080p60.
Can you edit a video in OBS?
No, OBS is a recording and streaming tool. For editing, use DaVinci Resolve, CapCut or Final Cut Pro.
Does OBS work on macOS Apple Silicon?
Yes, OBS 28+ is optimized for Apple Silicon with a native VideoToolbox encoder.
Final verdict
Value for money: Excellent
“The open source standard for recording and streaming. Free, unlimited, used by millions of professional creators.”
I recommend it toContent creators, developers who make tutorials, trainers: anyone who records their screen regularly.
Not suited forOccasional, simple use: QuickTime or Loom are faster to pick up.