OBS vs Streamlabs – Where Should You Start?
If you’re a beginner, then Streamlabs is an excellent place to start as long you remember it can be quite intense for your computer. Once your expertise grows and you need more flexibility or a custom setup, then moving to OBS studio becomes more viable.
What is Streamlabs?
Streamlabs is essentially an interface for OBS designed to make streaming easier and friendlier for streamers, but they’ve gone one step further and added an event queue as well as a donation system so that streamers don’t need to set up multiple accounts and software as they would with OBS.
Streamlabs “Pros”
Streaming is very user-friendly, it has a built-in importer/exporter, includes an event queue and a really nice UI for transitions. You can use the Ctrl+Z if you make a mistake, all your scenes and settings are stored on the cloud so if I switch to another computer they’ll be saved too. The Selective Recoding feature allows you to remove any live alerts and supporter notifications from your stream recordings. This is a great feature for those who create promos for social media or highlight videos for YouTube. When creating content for these channels you have full control over exactly what shows up in your recordings. This feature is resource intensive but a solid choice for streamers looking to grow their streams. Streamlabs has built in multi-streaming functionality so you can stream across Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Gaming. This helps future proof your channel by giving you the ability to grow on multiple platforms at once. Streamlabs comes with a Streamlabs Cloudbot, which gives you access to moderator tools, chat commands, polling, and betting features for you community. With other fun plugins, such as their wheel you can encourage your community members to interact more on stream. Streamlabs comes bundled with the Streamlabs Bot which gives you access to moderating tools, chat commands, poll, and betting features for the community. With other fun features such as their wheel you could encourage your community to be interactive on stream.
“Cons”
Streamlabs offers an extensive array of premium features that make it one of the best streaming platforms out there. However, if you’re not willing to pay for those features, then you can get a basic account instead.
How much does Streamlabs cost?
Streamlabs is free to use. You’ll need to pay for their premium service, Streamlabs Prime (which includes things like custom overlays, customizable alerts and access to royalty-fee music), but if you’re just starting out, you should definitely check them out.
Is Streamlabs easy to use? Streamlabs is very simple to use. Just import your Twitch overlays, add your alerts, adjust some settings, and you’re good to go! Check out our step-to-step guide on how stream on Twitch for more info.
Best Streamlabs Features
- Event queue included,
- Built-in PayPal donations,
- Easy chat, event, etc widget setup,
- Settings are saved on the cloud so if you switch to a different computer then the latest changes made while connected to the internet should be saved as well.
OBS Studio
The main program, OBS Studio, is efficient and adaptable to your needs. For a very long period, it was the industry norm. Since its original release in September 2012, it has continued to be improved by the community. Linux, macOS 10.13 and Windows 8 (and later) are all compatible with OBS. Because it was free and the software’s features could be customized, it gained popularity right away. As more plugins have become available over time, broadcasters can now design fresh ways to engage with their viewers.
Pros
OBS is incredibly customizable and flexible if you know how to, and fits anything you want. Plugins are supported because of that. Better performance because it isn’t bloated. Faster updates.
Cons
OBS is infamous for being difficult to use; to add alerts to your stream or use additional features, you must use plugins like StreamElements or Streamlabs alerts. Twitch alerts are crucial for channel growth since they let you thank your fans.
What Is the Price of OBS?
The use of OBS is free. Although some plugins are purchased, they are not necessary. Support is typically included with expensive plugins, but not with free ones. In essence, if you can figure things out on your own, you can use OBS for free forever.
OBS Studio: Is It Simple to Use?
Beginners may find it challenging to master OBS’s learning curve without the aid of tutorials or a more experienced streamer.
OBS Studio’s Top Features
The ability to customize OBS is actually its best feature. Since it is open-source, new plugins and features are continually being added. As a result, new software frequently undergoes platform testing prior to being reproduced by other manufacturers.
Questions and Answers
1) What is software for broadcasting?
Streamers can configure the appearance and functionality of their streams using broadcasting software, which is third-party software from a platform. The program controls the audio and visual elements and makes use of plugins and bots for added functionality. Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and Facebook Gaming regularly employ programs like OBS and Streamlabs.
2) Which is Superior? OBS Studio or Streamlabs
If you’re a newbie, Streamlabs is a wonderful place to start, but keep in mind that it can be a little resource-intensive for your computer. Once you become an expert or as you expand and require more flexibility or a custom solution for your streaming, moving to OBS is possible
3) Does Streamlabs use more CPU than OBS?
Yes, on a clean install Streamlabs consumes more CPU than OBS. That said, OBS is a bare bones feature for installation, and how CPU intensive it really is depends on the plugins you add.
4) Can I use Streamlabs with OBS?
Streamlabs Alerts and other widgets such as Chat Boxes and Event Queues can be used with OBS, but if you’re using OBS, Stream items are a good fit for Alerts.
5) Does Streamlabs cost money?
No, Streamlabs is completely free. That said, they do offer a paid version with premium themes, apps, plugins, and other support.
6) Can I stream to multiple platforms with Streamlabs?
Yes, built-in Multi-stream to Twitch, Facebook Gaming and YouTube in one widget. Before using this feature, you need to link your various streaming accounts to Streamlabs. Once set up, you can customize the alerts that appear on each platform.