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Bitfocus Companion vs Boatswain: catalog facts
Bitfocus Companion	Boatswain
Best for: Live production, streaming and AV crews controlling equipment from button panels	Best for: Streamers and Linux users who own an Elgato Stream Deck
Free Free and open source, supported by sponsorship.	Free Free and open source under the GPL-3.0.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Linux
Controls a wide range of broadcast and presentation equipment Works without hardware through an emulator and web buttons All 4 strengths for Bitfocus Companion Controls a wide range of broadcast and presentation equipment Works without hardware through an emulator and web buttons Device feedback shows state on the buttons Remote triggers over OSC, HTTP, WebSocket and more	Brings Stream Deck support to Linux Native GNOME interface All 3 strengths for Boatswain Brings Stream Deck support to Linux Native GNOME interface Open source
Setup takes time for large shows with many devices Aimed at live production rather than everyday desktop shortcuts	Needs Elgato Stream Deck hardware Linux only
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Not stated if an account is needed	No account needed
Offline features available	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Bitfocus Companion bitfocus.io/companion Catalog checked October 1, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Boatswain gitlab.gnome.org/World/boatswain Catalog checked October 1, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.