Compare software

OBS Studio vs Streamlabs Desktop: catalog facts
OBS Studio	Streamlabs Desktop
Free Free and open source, funded by sponsors and contributors; no paid tier or watermark.	Freemium Free to use with a paid Ultra tier for extra features.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, macOS
Unlimited scenes built from window, display, camera, browser, image and text sources, with custom transitions Audio mixer with per-source noise gate, noise suppression and gain, plus VST plugin support	Built on OBS's proven recording and streaming engine Widgets and alerts are built in, reducing third-party setup
There is a real learning curve before the first good recording Screen capture on Linux depends on the desktop: Wayland needs the PipeWire capture source	Premium features require a paid Streamlabs Ultra subscription Bundled features add more overhead than plain OBS
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Closed source
License: GPL-2.0	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 20, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 22, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.