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OBS Studio

OBS Studio

Overview

What is OBS Studio?

OBS Studio is free and open source software for video recording and live streaming, featuring real time video/audio capturing and mixing. Users can create scenes made up of multiple sources including window captures, images, text, browser windows, webcams, and capture…

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

OBS, or Open Broadcaster Software, has become a go-to streaming software for many users who have found other options too expensive or …
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Pricing

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What is OBS Studio?

OBS Studio is free and open source software for video recording and live streaming, featuring real time video/audio capturing and mixing. Users can create scenes made up of multiple sources including window captures, images, text, browser windows, webcams, and capture cards.

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

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Product Details

What is OBS Studio?

OBS Studio is free and open source software for video recording and live streaming, featuring real time video/audio capturing and mixing. Users can create scenes made up of multiple sources including window captures, images, text, browser windows, webcams, and capture cards.

OBS Studio Technical Details

Deployment TypesOn-premise
Operating SystemsWindows, Linux, Mac
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

OBS Studio is free and open source software for video recording and live streaming, featuring real time video/audio capturing and mixing. Users can create scenes made up of multiple sources including window captures, images, text, browser windows, webcams, and capture cards.

OBS Studio starts at $0.

Reviewers rate Support Rating highest, with a score of 9.

The most common users of OBS Studio are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(36)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

OBS, or Open Broadcaster Software, has become a go-to streaming software for many users who have found other options too expensive or lacking necessary features. With the ability to handle multiple inputs and files, OBS eliminates the need for a separate switcher and provides greater flexibility in audio management by easily routing separate audio inputs. Users appreciate the ease of use when adjusting stream size, bitrate, and other settings, resulting in great output quality. From big events with stakeholder pressure to simple webinar presentations, OBS has proven itself capable of meeting the needs of users who require single destination streaming. Although it may not be as robust as paid options, OBS offers a cost-effective solution for those looking to stream their content smoothly.

Another key use case for OBS is recording screencasts and lectures. Its cross-platform compatibility and robust screen capture capabilities make it an ideal choice for educators and trainers. Users value OBS for its customization options, allowing them to create professional and clean backgrounds that enhance their presentation solutions. In comparison to Google Hangouts, OBS provides more flexibility in element layout, graphics usage, and integration with Skype. This makes it a preferred choice for streaming audio/video performances on platforms like Twitch and YouTube, bridging the gap between musicians and listeners. Especially in the current pandemic situation, OBS enables performers to reach a broader audience and maintain effective communication effortlessly.

For multimedia teams working on video projects, OBS Studio is highly appreciated for its versatility. Whether it's video recording, editing, voice recording, or live streaming projects, OBS Studio delivers an easy-to-use experience without pesky watermarks or viruses. It has also found practical application in market research for video games - being utilized for streaming and recording video footage of meetings, focus groups, and gameplay. Moreover, OBS Studio serves as a valuable tool for screen recording educational tutorial material and conducting live training sessions by enhancing information delivery.

The cost-effectiveness of OBS Studio makes it widely popular among users looking to create and manage live streaming events on various platforms. It provides an affordable broadcasting solution that delivers high-quality content without breaking the bank. Additionally, OBS Studio has become integral in the transition to remote teaching, with faculty members relying on it to create asynchronous learning content. Its user-friendly interface allows educators to adapt quickly and effectively to the demands of online teaching.

In summary, OBS Studio has proven itself as a versatile and cost-effective streaming software that fulfills the needs of various users. Whether it's for streaming events, recording lectures, creating professional presentations, or bridging the gap between musicians and listeners, OBS Studio has become a trusted tool. Its ability to handle multiple inputs, customize backgrounds, and deliver high-quality output has made it a favorite among content creators and streamers. The current pandemic situation has further highlighted the importance of OBS, allowing performers to reach a broader audience and maintain effective communication.

For market research in the gaming industry, OBS Studio plays a crucial role in streaming and recording video footage of meetings, focus groups, and gameplay. Its versatility and ease of use make it an ideal choice for researchers looking to gather valuable insights. Similarly, OBS Studio is widely utilized for screen recording educational tutorial material and conducting live training sessions. The robust screen capture capabilities ensure that information delivery is seamless and engaging.

OBS Studio's affordability and wide range of features have also positioned it as a go-to solution for creating and managing live streaming events on various platforms. Content creators can easily customize their streams while maintaining cost-effective broadcasting solutions. Additionally, faculty members rely on OBS Studio for creating asynchronous learning content in the transition to remote teaching. The user-friendly interface allows educators to quickly adapt to online teaching demands without compromising on quality.

In conclusion, OBS Studio has become an indispensable tool for various users due to its versatility, cost-effectiveness, and user-friendly interface. Whether it's streaming events, recording lectures, conducting market research, or facilitating remote teaching, OBS Studio provides the necessary features and flexibility to meet the needs of its users effectively.

Users commonly recommend starting with OBS for broadcasting and recording live streams. They mention that there are many YouTube videos and articles available to help with setup, making it a good choice for new organizations. OBS is also praised as a great screen recorder and live streaming software with good video and sound quality. Users find OBS easy to use and it offers a good experience. They suggest changing the default output stream settings and using YouTube for additional help.

Another common recommendation is that OBS is the best software in the market right now for churches or ministries on a small budget. It is also considered a great tool for teaching online and combining different sources. Users suggest learning about the hardware specifications and codecs available for optimal usage. They highly recommend downloading and trying OBS for yourself as it is free and productive screen recording software.

Lastly, users recommend researching how to best use OBS and mention the availability of great information and tutorial videos online. They advise watching tutorials on YouTube, looking through the OBS forums, FAQ, and other users' examples for a better understanding of OBS's capabilities. Users also emphasize giving yourself time to set up the software and play around with it if you are new to streaming or sharing. OBS is widely known and adopted, particularly for live game streaming, but users acknowledge its many other uses and capabilities.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-10 of 10)
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Bobby Matheson | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
If you plan on streaming video/audio to a website like Twitch or YouTube, OBS is hands-down the best & most accessible option. Whether you are streaming music, video games, or performance art, OBS EXCELS in its field. It seems less suited for use in video conferencing situations (zoom, Skype, etc), and I feel that this is definitely a missed opportunity. Adding some functionality to send the output to zoom or other video chat interfaces could be a useful addition.
November 24, 2021

Free, Unlimited Recording

Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
OBS Studio is a great option if you want a screen recording platform with unlimited video length (some free programs cut you off after 5 minutes). It is easy to record with OBS and then overlay your own audio in a separate video editor so you don't have to talk and record your screen at the same time, but you can record your internal mic if you need to.
August 03, 2021

OBS Studio Review

MD Rafsanjani Rahi | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
For video promotion OBS Studio, [it] is a good option. YouTube or Facebook live streaming is so popular right now. Thorough OBS Studio we can promote our business there. The main benefits of OBS Studio is the [robust] feature set. Through OBS Studio we broadcast any video, we just have to do one thing manually (that is source set-up). After that, it works like a hub and streams the videos we want to show.
Joshua Welsh | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I would recommend this to any colleague who is looking for a robust, standalone screen capture program that saves to a wide range of file formats and gives the user lots of ability to fine-tune things to be just the way they want. I would be less likely to recommend it to less tech-savvy colleagues because the program has a fairly steep learning curve, especially compared with Panopto, which is officially supported by our institution.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
OBS studio is extremely well suited to anybody who wants to get started broadcasting from their desktop or their webcam via live streaming because the cost is extremely affordable, namely FREE. It has a very supportive community, and one of the sponsors is Facebook, so you know that it integrates well with that platform. If you really want to do a lot of switching, and add a lot of bells and whistles in terms of onscreen graphics, then you will have to look at commercial products.
August 31, 2020

Love my OBS

Charles Beck | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized

I think you're best suited if you want to do a detailed customized presentation, with the end-user logo and information in mind, almost as if you are sitting at a news desk. It doesn't take the place of a PowerPoint so there are certain circumstances where a PowerPoint presentation without much need for video is better.

This is especially handy these days when more remote workers are wanting to present in a professional style as if they were "in person"

Seth Paine | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
I would recommend OBS to someone who wants to try a powerful livestream platform if they are a more technical person and are willing to spend time figuring out how to use the software. I would tell them that it is worth spending time with even if they don't keep using it, it helped me understand the whole livestream process because I was able to see how OBS works.
Travis Gray | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
From simple streaming to bigger events, OBS has been able to handle all of it with full confidence from us. Have never questioned if it was going to be unreliable in a specific situation, even with minimal training. Software identified the external input source easily and had no issues setting that up (Blackmagic Mini Recorder), and great for pulling in separate audio from the computer input.
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