StreamLive Pro

Browser studio, OBS or a desktop app: which to stream from

Browser studio, OBS or a desktop app for live streaming: what each needs, where each is stronger, and how to choose for your show, with a decision table.

Updated November 5, 2026 · 5 min read

Three ways to produce a live show end up in the same place: one stream leaves your computer and reaches YouTube, Facebook and the other networks. The difference is where the production happens. In a browser studio it runs in a Chrome or Safari tab, with nothing to install. In streaming software such as OBS Studio or vMix it runs in an app on your computer, which then sends the result to a server. A desktop studio app is the same idea as streaming software, built by the service you stream through.

With StreamLive Pro you can use the first two today. The third, StreamLive Pro Studio, is not released yet. This guide helps you pick for the show you actually run.

The decision in one table

The browser studio

What it is: in StreamLive Pro open Live stream and choose Browser Studio. You get Preview and Program with a Take button, 8 overlay channels on top of the program, screen share, green screen, virtual background, lower thirds and a news ticker. Guests join through one link, valid for 4 hours, from their own browser. A phone becomes an extra camera by scanning a code. Before you go live, a 10-second check makes sure viewers will see and hear you.

Where it is stronger:

• Nothing to install or update, on Windows, Mac or an iPad.
• Guests and phone cameras without any setup on their side.
• It is part of the same account, so Shorts are cut after the broadcast without exporting anything.

Where it is weaker:

• A browser tab has less access to hardware than an app: fewer inputs, and a busy computer shows it sooner.
• Complex scenes with many layers and plugins are an OBS or vMix job.

More: /browser-studio?lang=en and How to live stream with several cameras.

OBS Studio or vMix, with StreamLive Pro behind them

OBS Studio is free and open source and runs on Windows, Mac and Linux (obsproject.com, checked 4 November 2026). It has no built-in way to stream to several services at once; that takes community plugins, and every extra destination is another upload from your own connection. vMix is a paid Windows-only production app (vmix.com, checked 4 November 2026).

How they work with StreamLive Pro: in Live stream choose Stream from software like OBS (RTMP / SRT), copy the server address and key into OBS or vMix, and stream once. Our servers send that one stream to every network you picked. StreamLive Pro accepts RTMP, RTMPS and SRT from an encoder (WHIP in beta). This is on paid plans; the trial is browser studio only.

Where this setup is stronger:

• You keep scenes, plugins and hardware you already set up.
• Capture cards, many audio channels and professional cameras are fully under your control.
• Your upload carries one stream regardless of how many networks you reach.

Where it is weaker:

• Setup and updates are on you, and guests need a separate tool or StreamLive Pro's guest link inside a browser source.
• Two systems to learn instead of one.

Steps: Connect OBS to StreamLive Pro and multistream and Streaming from OBS or vMix with RTMP.

StreamLive Pro Studio, the desktop app (coming)

StreamLive Pro Studio is a native app for Windows and Mac. It is not released: there is no download link and no date yet. In the preview build tested in October 2026: Preview and Program with transitions and a T-bar, 8 overlay channels, titles in Hebrew, English and Arabic in the right direction, green screen on any input, an audio mixer with loudness meters, recording of the program and of every input as separate files, a Multiview output, and an automatic director that cuts to whoever speaks. Remote guests are not switched on in it.

When it is released it is free to download and use, with no plan, for switching, overlays, titles, recording and going live yourself to several networks at once with your own stream keys. A StreamLive Pro account adds the platform: AI Shorts, scheduling, managed lives through your connected networks (one upload, our servers send it to each network) and comments, with a 7-day free trial. Details: Is StreamLive Pro Studio free? Yes, and what the platform adds and StreamLive Pro Studio: the facts about the desktop app for Mac and Windows.

Common mistakes

1. Choosing the heaviest tool first. A weekly class with one camera and slides does not need OBS. Start in the browser; move to software when you hit a real limit.
2. Adding a destination per upload. Streaming to three networks straight from OBS with plugins means three uploads from your home connection. Send one stream to StreamLive Pro instead. See Upload speed and bitrate for multistreaming.
3. Opening the studio inside the Facebook or Instagram app. Their built-in browser often blocks the camera. Open the link in Safari or Chrome.
4. Forgetting to press Record. A broadcast is kept only if you press Record; otherwise it is removed about two hours after it ends. Shorts are still cut automatically.
5. Planning a show on an unreleased app. Build it on the browser studio or OBS today, and move later if the desktop app suits you.

Where StreamLive Pro fits

StreamLive Pro is the server side either way: it takes one stream, from the browser studio or from your encoder, and sends it to every network, then cuts Shorts, adds captions and publishes. The studio you produce in is your choice. Plans and what each includes: /pricing?lang=en.

Frequently asked questions

Is streaming from a browser worse quality than OBS?

Not by definition. Both send one stream to StreamLive Pro. OBS gives you more control over hardware and encoder settings, which matters for complex shows and capture cards.

Can I use OBS during the free trial?

No. The 7-day trial is browser studio only. Streaming from OBS, vMix or another encoder opens on a paid plan.

Can I download the StreamLive Pro desktop app now?

No. StreamLive Pro Studio is not released and has no public download or date. Use the browser studio or your own software until then.

Do I need OBS to stream to several networks?

No. The browser studio sends one stream to StreamLive Pro and our servers send it to each network. OBS is useful when you need its scenes or hardware support.

Which is easier for guests?

The browser studio. Guests open a link in their own browser and join, with no account and nothing to install.

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