{"id":6450,"date":"2022-01-03T09:47:56","date_gmt":"2022-01-03T09:47:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getonstream.com\/?p=6450"},"modified":"2022-01-03T09:49:03","modified_gmt":"2022-01-03T09:49:03","slug":"streamlabs-vs-obs-studio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getonstream.com\/streamlabs-vs-obs-studio\/","title":{"rendered":"Streamlabs VS OBS Studio – Which is Better For Streamers? [Answered]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
If you are a brand new streamer you may be wondering what the best streaming software to get started with is. Heck, even if you are a seasoned veteran you may be confused about the difference between Streamlabs & OBS Studio. In this article we are going to break down the Pros and Cons of both Streamlabs and OBS studio so you can make a choice on which software is right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your current situation will determine the best software for your needs. Let’s jump in and take a look at the battle of Streamlabs vs OBS Studio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons you may or may not want to go with OBS Studio over Streamlabs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to streaming having a smooth stream is vital. OBS Studio is a lightweight program which uses as little resources as possible to stream. If you are on a budget streaming PC with limited resources OBS Studio will be a better option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Streamlabs is built on top of OBS code and has a lot of extra features that most streamers do not need. This can put strain on your pc if it doesn’t have powerful enough hardware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n OBS Studio has a lot of freedom for customization. As the code is open source anyone can create extensions and upgrades for the software. If there is an extra feature that you want on your stream, chances are someone has made an extension for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You can quickly download and install these extensions on your system to get extra features. For example I use a plugin called StreamFX to blur the background<\/a> in my stream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have something really specific you want to do for your own stream, you have the ability to code your own application on top of OBS Studio to fit your needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n OBS studio is the parent software for Streamlabs and other streaming options. As OBS Studio is the original, it gets all of the latest updates first. This is great if a new feature is released that can help you out on your stream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When Nvidia released their new NVENC GPU Encoder OBS Studio was first to get the feature. This feature has helped lots of streamers improve the quality of their streams. By being on OBS you got access to this first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now while OBS may be sounding great let’s take a look at some of the cons of using this program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While OBS is a great live streaming software it isn’t necessarily built specifically for gaming streamers. When you fire up the software you may not intuitively be able to find what you are looking for. As it is a powerful piece of software it can look quite daunting for new users. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to add a specific feature to the software that isn’t already built in you will have to download and install a program from somewhere like Git Hub. For someone with little computer knowledge this can be quite hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n OBS is missing a lot of features that make Streamlabs so friendly for beginners. For example you do not have your chat integrated in OBS Studio initially. You also don’t have easy access to add your Stream Alerts to the software. To do this on OBS Studio you will have to use another third party tool such as Stream Elements to add alerts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As an OBS user you will find yourself in this browser source section quite a lot adding the features that you want to your stream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For lots of people Streamlabs will likely be an easier option to get set up as it is so intuitive and is built for streamers specifically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the moment you download Streamlabs it’s just easy to use. Streamlabs will do an automated install on your computer, setting you up with recommended settings. All you have to do is log into your Streaming account and you can instantly see your chat and notifications such as followers, subscribers and donations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Streamlabs has a theme store available directly in the application. The store includes free and paid themes to get you started on your streaming journey. If you just want to get up and running as fast as possible this is an easy way to get a theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want some of the more premium themes you will have to get a Streamlabs Prime Membership which costs $19\/month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Streamlabs has lots of built in Stream management features in the software. You will be able to view your chat, view donation, followers and subscribers directly inside your Streamlabs dashboard. Once you’re logged in with your Twitch account all of this info automatically syncs. If you wanted to do this on OBS studio you would need an external plugin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Setting up Stream Alerts inside OBS Studio is extremely easy. They have a feature called an alert box which you can drag and drop onto the top of your stream. This means that any time you get a sub, follower, donation etc you will have it pop up on your screen for your viewers to see. On OBS Studio you need a 3rd party extension to do this.q<\/p>\n\n\n\n Streamlabs even has a feature allowing you to test your alerts at any time. Just click the specific action and the alert you have created for that action will appear on screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On streamlabs.com there is lots of other features that improve the quality of your stream. Streamlabs has a full chatbot which connects to your stream allowing you to easily moderate chat. You can set this up on Streamlabs.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to collect donations on your stream, Streamlabs makes it easy to set up a donation page<\/a> so you can take donations via Paypal and Credit card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Streamlabs have an application store which has lots of tools to help you with different aspects of your stream. This is similar to plugins with OBS Studio however these are more user friendly to install.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of these applications are free and others are on Streamlabs Prime. The store includes application like Pretzel music player and Better Giveaways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you ever get a new computer or find yourself traveling around using friends computers you can easily get your stream setup on a different PC. Streamlabs saves your scenes and overlays in the cloud so you can use them on any PC at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of my favourite features about Streamlabs is the ability to stream to multiple platforms at the same time. This is a Prime feature aswell however it’s really useful if you aren’t a twitch affiliate and want to stream to different platforms. This can be a great way to expand your audience rapidly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you have seen the benefits of Streamlabs let’s take a look at a couple of reasons you may not want to use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Streamlabs is built on top of OBS Studio and includes a ton more features mentioned above it can really slow down your system. If you have a top of the line gaming PC you won’t have any problems but if you’re running on a budget streaming setup then it could cause your stream\/game to lag.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A lot of features such as premium themes and applications are only available if you pay for them through the Prime subscription. If you are a beginner streamer you may not want to pay $19\/month for a Prime Subscription.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately it is up to you which software you choose. I have created a little table below to guide you on making your decision. As stated before it will really depend on your situation:<\/p>\n\n\n\nPros of OBS Studio<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lightweight Software (Low CPU Usage)<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Fully Customizable<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Regularly Updated<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Cons Of OBS Studio<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
More Confusing For Beginners<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Missing Streaming Specific Features<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Is Streamlabs Better Than OBS?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pros Of Streamlabs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Easy to Use<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Lots of Themes Available<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Stream Management<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Built In Stream Alerts<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Includes Chatbot, Donation Page & More<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Extra Applications<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Cloud Based<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Multi Streaming<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Cons Of Streamlabs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
More Resource Intensive<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Some Features Are Behind A Paywall<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Which Software Should You Choose?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n