StreamLive ProLive streaming apps and software compared (2026)
Desktop, browser and phone live streaming tools in one table: OBS, Streamlabs, vMix, Ecamm, PRISM, Larix and StreamLive Pro, checked 5 November 2026.
Live streaming tools in 2026 come in three kinds: desktop software you install (OBS Studio, Streamlabs Desktop, vMix, Ecamm Live, PRISM Live Studio), phone apps (Streamlabs Mobile, Larix Broadcaster, PRISM), and browser studios that need no install. StreamLive Pro is a browser studio that sends one stream to many networks from its servers, works on the phone through Safari or Chrome and the StreamLive Pro app (not in the stores yet; Android by direct download), and accepts a stream from OBS or vMix. Its desktop app, StreamLive Pro Studio, is coming and is not released today.
This page puts the three kinds in one table so you can pick the kind first and the product second. Every fact about another product comes from its own page, checked on 5 November 2026 (links in Sources). For a closer look at one group, see OBS vs Streamlabs vs vMix: which desktop software (2026) (desktop), Phone live streaming apps compared (2026) (phone) and Restream vs StreamYard vs OBS: multistreaming tools in 2026 (Restream, StreamYard and OBS).
Pick the kind first
| You need | The kind that fits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Deep control of scenes, sources and plugins on your own computer | Desktop software | Everything runs locally, no account needed for local work |
| To go live today from any computer with nothing to install | A browser studio | Opens in Chrome, Edge or Safari; guests join by link |
| To go live from where you stand | A phone app or the phone browser | The phone is the camera and the encoder |
| Many networks at once without more upload | A service that sends to each network from its servers | Your connection uploads one stream |
The facts side by side
| Tool | Kind | Runs on | Several networks at once | Notes from its page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OBS Studio | Desktop | Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13.0 or newer, Linux | Through plugins or a relay service | "Free and open source software for video recording and live streaming" |
| Streamlabs Desktop | Desktop | Windows 10 or newer, macOS 12 or newer | Free: one vertical and one horizontal platform (Dual Output); several destinations on Ultra | Free app, paid Ultra plans |
| vMix | Desktop | Windows 10 / 11; no macOS in its requirements | "Stream your production to multiple destinations" | "Free fully functional 60 day trial"; a vMix Max subscription |
| Ecamm Live | Desktop | "Built for Mac", macOS 11.2 or newer | Not compared here | No Windows version on its pages |
| PRISM Live Studio | Desktop and phone | Windows 10 and 11 64-bit; macOS on Apple silicon, Monterey 12.3 or higher; a mobile app | "Stream to live platforms simultaneously" | Plus subscription and Credits in the mobile app |
| Streamlabs Mobile | Phone | iOS 14+, Android 5.0+ | One platform free; multiple platforms on Ultra | Twitch, YouTube, X, Facebook, Kick, TikTok, custom RTMP |
| Larix Broadcaster | Phone | iOS 16.0, Android 7.0 | Several destinations; three or more need premium | SRT, RTMP, NDI, WebRTC, RTSP, Zixi, RIST |
| StreamLive Pro | Browser, phone | Any recent Chrome, Edge or Safari; the phone browser; the StreamLive Pro app (Android by direct download, not in the stores yet) | By plan, from one upload; our servers send to each network | 7-day trial, no free plan; Shorts and Hebrew captions after the live |
| StreamLive Pro Studio | Desktop | Windows 10/11 and macOS 13+ (planned) | Free with your own stream keys, each network its own upload; one upload through the StreamLive Pro platform | Free; not released, 0.5.0 is a test version |
Where desktop software is the better choice
- OBS costs nothing, runs on Windows, Mac and Linux, and has a large plugin ecosystem. If you like building scenes yourself, it gives you the most freedom of the tools here.
- vMix is a full production switcher on Windows with a 60-day trial of every feature, built for multi-camera productions.
- Ecamm Live is built for Mac and fits people who work only on a Mac.
- Streamlabs Desktop adds alerts, widgets and tipping for streamers who earn from viewers.
Desktop software also keeps working when a web service is down, and it records locally at the quality your disk allows.
Where a phone app is the better choice
- Larix Broadcaster for professional encoding on a phone, with SRT and NDI.
- Streamlabs Mobile if you want an app from the store today and stream to one platform for free.
Where StreamLive Pro is the better choice
- Nothing to install. The browser studio has Preview and Program, overlay channels, lower thirds, green screen, screen share, remote guests by link and phones as extra cameras by link or QR.
- One upload, many networks. YouTube, Facebook Pages, Twitch and Kick by sign-in; Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn and any RTMP or SRT server by stream key. More networks do not mean more upload from you.
- The work after the live. Captioned vertical Shorts are cut automatically, up to 5 per broadcast within your plan; captions can be translated into 143 languages; videos and Shorts post to your networks from the same account. The AI picks moments and can be wrong, so review before posting.
- Hebrew. A Hebrew interface and Hebrew captions written right to left.
- Keep your desktop software. OBS, vMix or Streamlabs Desktop can send one stream to StreamLive Pro over RTMP, RTMPS or SRT on a paid plan, and we send it on to every network: Streaming from OBS or vMix with RTMP.
Honest limits: the web service has no free plan (a 7-day trial with no card, browser studio only); no alerts, tipping or widgets; the StreamLive Pro app is not in the App Store or Google Play yet; StreamLive Pro Studio is not released; a recording is kept only if you press Record, otherwise it is removed about two hours after the broadcast.
StreamLive Pro Studio, coming
StreamLive Pro Studio is our desktop app for Windows and Mac. Version 0.5.0 is a release candidate that is not publicly downloadable, and there is no release date. The 0.5.0 test version has Preview and Program, 8 overlay channels, titles, green screen, an audio mixer, recording of every camera to its own file, PTZ camera control and Hebrew and English. When it is released it is free to download and use, including 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: StreamLive Pro Studio: free live production software, Windows and Mac.
How to choose
- Free, local, full control: OBS.
- Windows production switcher for events: vMix (try it with its 60-day trial).
- Only a Mac: Ecamm Live, or OBS. See OBS alternative for Mac: the real choices on macOS.
- Nothing to install, many networks, Shorts and Hebrew: StreamLive Pro, starting with the 7-day trial (pricing).
- Already on OBS or vMix and want many networks from one upload: keep it and send to StreamLive Pro.
How we checked
On 5 November 2026 we opened each product's own home, software, requirements or app page and copied the facts as they appeared. We did not buy paid plans or test the other products. "Not compared here" means we did not look for that fact. StreamLive Pro and StreamLive Pro Studio facts come from our own product.
Sources
- OBS Studio, checked 5 November 2026: obsproject.com
- Streamlabs Ultra and Desktop requirements, checked 5 November 2026: streamlabs.com/ultra
- Streamlabs Mobile, checked 5 November 2026: streamlabs.com/mobile-app
- vMix software, checked 5 November 2026: vmix.com/software
- vMix system requirements, checked 5 November 2026: vmix.com/software/supported-hardware.aspx
- Ecamm Live, checked 5 November 2026: ecamm.com/mac/ecammlive
- PRISM Live Studio, checked 5 November 2026: prismlive.com
- Larix Broadcaster, checked 5 November 2026: softvelum.com/larix
Frequently asked questions
Which live streaming software is free?
OBS Studio is free and open source, and Streamlabs Desktop is free with paid Ultra plans. vMix has a 60-day trial. StreamLive Pro Studio, our desktop app, will be free, but it is not released yet. The StreamLive Pro web service has a 7-day trial and no free plan.
Can I live stream without installing anything?
Yes. A browser studio such as StreamLive Pro runs in Chrome, Edge or Safari on a computer, and in Safari or Chrome on a phone.
Which tools run on a Mac?
OBS (macOS 13.0 or newer), Streamlabs Desktop (macOS 12 or newer), Ecamm Live (macOS 11.2 or newer), PRISM on Apple silicon, and StreamLive Pro in the browser. vMix lists only Windows in its requirements.
Is StreamLive Pro Studio available?
Not yet. Version 0.5.0 is a release candidate with no public download and no release date. Until then, use the browser studio.
Can I use OBS and StreamLive Pro together?
Yes, on a paid plan. OBS sends one stream to a StreamLive Pro RTMP, RTMPS or SRT address, and StreamLive Pro sends it to every network you ticked.
Keep reading
Is there Ecamm Live for Windows? Ecamm says it is built for Mac. What Windows users use instead: vMix, OBS, Streamlabs, a browser studio, StreamLive Pro Studio.
Free live streaming software for Windows: the honest optionsFree live streaming software for Windows in 2026: OBS Studio, Streamlabs Desktop, the vMix trial, a browser studio and StreamLive Pro Studio (free, coming).
Browser studio, OBS or a desktop app: which to stream fromBrowser 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.
How to live stream: the complete guide for 2026How to live stream in 2026: pick a device, connect your networks, choose a studio and the gear, run the checklist, then go live. Links to every detailed guide.
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