OBS Studio
Free, open-source app for live streaming and recording scenes from any source
OBS Studio is a free, open-source desktop app for live streaming and recording. You build scenes from unlimited sources (cameras, window and screen captures, images, text, browser sources) and switch between them while you go live or record. Version 32.2.2 (stable, 2026-08-14) is current, with a 33.0 beta series in testing since September 2026.
- 11 creators using
- Free pricing
- Moderate learning curve
What OBS Studio can do
- Infinite canvas No
- AI agent No
- Node / flow builder No
- Public API Yes
- MCP server No
5 of 26 capabilities confirmed
| Capability | Supported | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Text to image | No | |
| Image editing | No | |
| Text to video | No | |
| Image to video | No | |
| Video to video | No | |
| Native audio in video | No | |
| Lip-sync | No | |
| Voice / TTS | No | |
| Music & SFX | No | |
| Upscaling | No | |
| Character consistency | No | |
| Camera control | No | |
| Custom training | No | |
| Third-party models | No |
| Capability | Supported | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Infinite canvas | No | |
| Node / flow builder | No | |
| AI agent | No | |
| Chat assistant | No | |
| Team collaboration | No |
| Capability | Supported | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Public API | Yes | obs-websocket (built in since OBS 28), native plugin API, Lua and Python scripting |
| MCP server | No | |
| Mobile app | No | |
| Desktop / local | Yes | Desktop app for Windows 10/11, macOS 13+ (Intel and Apple Silicon) and Linux |
| Open source | Yes | Open source, maintained by the OBS Project |
| Capability | Supported | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes | Entire app is free |
| Commercial use | Yes | No paid tier or usage restriction on the official site; open-source license not named on the fetched page |
Yes Partial No Not confirmed by the vendor
What makes OBS Studio different
- 01
Free with no paid tier, no watermark, no export or recording-length cap, and no account required
- 02
Unlimited scenes and sources, with Studio Mode, Multiview and per-source audio filters (noise gate, noise suppression, gain) plus VST plugin support
- 03
Large plugin ecosystem: the OBS forum plugin category lists about 331 resources (checked 2026-10-09)
- 04
Built-in obs-websocket API (since OBS 28) plus Lua and Python scripting, so a show can be automated or driven by external tools
- 05
Runs locally on your own machine, so recordings and streams never pass through a hosted service
About OBS Studio
OBS Studio is the default free tool for live streaming and for recording a screen or camera feed. It runs on Windows, macOS (13 or newer) and Linux. Everything is organized as scenes, each made of sources, and you can switch scenes live, use Studio Mode to preview a scene before it goes to air, and monitor up to eight scenes at once in Multiview.
What changed in 2026: 32.1 (April) rebuilt the audio mixer with a vertical default layout, added WebRTC simulcast support and undo/redo for more scene item properties. 32.2 (July) replaced the old add-source dropdown with a dialog that shows preview thumbnails, added an SDR-to-HDR composition filter and dynamic bitrate for multitrack video, and moved NVIDIA builds to SDK 13, which requires driver 570 or newer. 32.2.2 (August) was a hotfix release that also dropped macOS 12. The 33.0 beta builds (from late September) update the embedded browser engine (CEF) and redesign plugin loading; they are test builds and the project still recommends stable for production.
For filmmakers, OBS is most useful as a capture and monitoring tool: recording a live performance, a remote interview or a screen walkthrough, feeding a virtual camera into a video call, or running a multi-camera live shoot from a laptop. It is not an editor or a generative tool. Output goes to a file you then edit in a separate NLE. Automation is possible through the built-in obs-websocket interface and the plugin API, with community tools building on the websocket.
What's new in OBS Studio
-
OBS Studio 33.0 beta builds begin
Test builds (beta 4 is dated 2026-09-25 in the archive) update the browser-source engine to CEF 150, redesign plugin loading and improve source snapping. The project warns they are not a full release.
Source: obsproject.com ↗ -
OBS Studio 32.2.2 hotfix release
Stable release on 2026-08-14: fixes plugin loading on first start after update on Windows, blocks running on macOS 12, and raises the NVIDIA minimum driver to 570 for SDK 13.
Source: obsproject.com ↗ -
OBS Studio 32.2 released
New Add Source dialog with preview thumbnails replaces the dropdown; SDR-to-HDR composition filter; dynamic bitrate for multitrack video; plugins can set icons for new source types.
Source: obsproject.com ↗ -
OBS Studio 32.1 released
Audio mixer rebuilt (vertical layout by default, per-source monitoring toggle), WebRTC simulcast support, and partial Canvas support in obs-websocket.
Source: obsproject.com ↗
Key Features
- Scene-based composition with unlimited scenes, sources and custom transitions
- Studio Mode to preview a scene before taking it live, and Multiview for up to 8 scenes
- Audio mixer with per-source noise gate, noise suppression and gain filters; VST plugin support
- Rebuilt audio mixer in 32.1 with vertical default layout and per-source monitoring toggle
- Add Source dialog with preview thumbnails (32.2)
- SDR-to-HDR composition filter and dynamic bitrate for multitrack video (32.2)
- WebRTC simulcast support (32.1)
- Virtual camera output so a scene can be used as a webcam in Zoom, Meet or similar apps
- Hotkeys for most actions and a dockable UI
- obs-websocket remote control, plus Lua and Python scripting and a native plugin API
When to reach for it — and when to skip
Reach for it when…
- Free, with no watermark, recording cap or account requirement
- Mature, widely supported, and runs on all three major desktop platforms
- Scene and source model handles complex multi-camera and screen setups
- Large plugin ecosystem and active release cadence in 2026
Skip it when…
- Not an editor: recordings need to go into a separate NLE or export tool
- Interface is dense and has a real learning curve for first-time users
- Plugins are third-party and can break between releases (the 32.2.2 hotfix addressed plugin loading after updates)
- Hardware-dependent performance; NVIDIA builds need driver 570 or newer as of 32.2
- No built-in cloud recording, guest invites or hosted collaboration
Best For
✓ Ideal for
- Recording a live performance, panel or stage event from several cameras with a laptop
- Recording screen walkthroughs and tutorials for film or editing courses
- Feeding a scene into video calls or a client review via the virtual camera
- Streaming a live behind-the-scenes or premiere event to YouTube or Twitch at no software cost
- Automating scene switches or recording start/stop from a script or external tool through obs-websocket
✗ Not built for
- Remote interviews where each guest needs their own separate, high-quality local track (use a dedicated remote-recording service)
- Editing, color or motion graphics (use an NLE such as DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro)
- Anyone who needs a hosted, browser-based tool with team sharing and comments
Working Tips from Filmmakers Using OBS Studio
- 01 Record to a high-bitrate local format such as MKV and remux to MP4 afterwards, so a crash does not corrupt the file
- 02 Turn on Studio Mode before going live so you can check the next scene and the audio levels before they reach the audience
- 03 Keep the Add Source dialog's preview thumbnails in mind when naming sources, so scenes are easy to find under pressure
- 04 Use the obs-websocket interface to start and stop recording from a script or a hardware controller rather than clicking during a take
OBS Studio pricing in 2026
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| OBS Studio | $0 free |
|
Prices checked against OBS Studio's pricing page on 9 Oct 2026. Vendors change plans often, so confirm before you buy.
OBS Studio vs Riverside vs Loom
| OBS Studio | Riverside | Loom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free. No paid tier; optional donations via Open Collective or Patreon | Free; Pro $24/mo billed annually ($29 monthly); Business custom | Free Starter plan; Business $18/user/mo and Business + AI $24/user/mo billed monthly (annual saves up to 17%) |
| Node / flow builder | No | No | Partial |
| AI agent | No | Yes | Partial |
| Chat assistant | No | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Team collaboration | No | Yes | Yes |
| Text to image | No | Yes | No |
| Text to video | No | Yes | No |
| Upscaling | No | Partial | Partial |
| Third-party models | No | Partial | No |
| Public API | Yes | Partial | Not confirmed |
| MCP server | No | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | No | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop / local | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | No | No |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Commercial use | Yes | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Starting price | Free | $0 (Free plan) | $0 (Starter) |
| Paid entry price | No paid tier | $29/mo Pro ($24/mo annual) | $18/user/mo Business |
| Free-tier limit | None | 2 hours of recording, one-off | 25 videos, 5 min each |
| Max resolution (base/free) | Set by your hardware | 720p (Free), up to 4K (Pro) | 720p (Starter), up to 4K (Business) |
| Open source | Yes | No | No |
Each column comes from that tool's own researched page. "Not confirmed" means the vendor doesn't say.
Open the full OBS Studio vs Riverside vs Loom comparison →Use Cases
Tags
Creators Using OBS Studio
AI Developer
AI Motion and Filmaker editor
AI Filmmaker - Cinematic Storyteller - Google Flow - Seedance - Pixverse - Kling - Sora - Runway - Hailuo - NanoBanana - GPT - Flux - Gemini
Red Mirage Project · AI film and brand video, start to finish
AI Filmmaker Higgsfield and Seedance expert
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against OBS Studio's own pricing, product and changelog pages on , then cross-checked with independent coverage where vendor pages were silent. Anything we couldn't confirm is marked "Not confirmed" rather than guessed.
- OBS Studio home page obsproject.com
- OBS Studio download page (current stable 32.2.2) obsproject.com
- OBS Studio blog (2026 release posts) obsproject.com
- OBS Studio 32.2 release notes obsproject.com
- OBS Studio 32.1 release notes obsproject.com
- OBS Studio 33.0 beta announcement (forum) obsproject.com
- OBS Studio 32.2.2 release notes (archive mirror) obs-versions.com
- Riverside pricing page (staging notice on page) riverside.com
- Loom pricing page loom.com
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll re-check it.
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