StreamLive ProOBS vs Streamlabs vs vMix: which desktop software (2026)
OBS Studio, Streamlabs Desktop and vMix compared on systems, price model, multistreaming and who each fits, from their own pages, checked 5 November 2026.
OBS Studio, Streamlabs Desktop and vMix are the three desktop live streaming programs people compare most. OBS is free and open source on Windows, Mac and Linux; Streamlabs Desktop is free on Windows and Mac with paid Ultra plans; vMix is a paid Windows production switcher with a fully functional 60-day trial. All three can send their output to StreamLive Pro over RTMP, and StreamLive Pro sends that one stream to many networks and cuts Shorts afterwards.
Which one fits depends on what you produce, which computer you have and how much you want to build yourself. Every fact below comes from each product's own pages, checked on 5 November 2026 (links in Sources). We do not quote prices: they change, and each vendor's page is the place to check them.
The facts side by side
| Feature | OBS Studio | Streamlabs Desktop | vMix |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | "Free and open source software for video recording and live streaming" | A free streaming app with tools for creators who earn from viewers | A live production and streaming switcher |
| Systems | Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13.0 or newer, Linux | Windows 10 or newer, macOS 12 or newer | Windows 10 / 11; no macOS in its system requirements |
| Price model | Free | Free app; paid Ultra and Ultra+ plans | Paid licences; "free fully functional 60 day trial"; a vMix Max subscription with all vMix PRO features |
| Several platforms at once | Not built in: community plugins or a relay service | Free: Dual Output, one vertical and one horizontal platform; several destinations or custom RTMP on Ultra, sent from Streamlabs' servers | "Stream your production to multiple destinations" |
| Extras on its page | Scenes, sources, plugins, recording | Alerts, widgets, tipping, merch, Cloudbot, Collab Cam guests | Editions such as vMix 4K and vMix PRO |
| Sends to StreamLive Pro | Yes, RTMP, RTMPS or SRT | Yes, custom RTMP | Yes, RTMP or SRT |
OBS Studio in brief
OBS is the default free choice. You build scenes from sources (cameras, screens, images, browser pages), switch between them, record and stream. It runs on all three desktop systems, and a large community writes plugins for it. The cost is your time: you set up scenes, audio and output yourself, and there is no account or cloud behind it. To go to several networks at once you add a plugin, where each extra destination is another upload from your own connection, or you send one stream to a relay service. More: How to multistream with OBS: a plugin or a relay.
Streamlabs Desktop in brief
Streamlabs Desktop is free and aimed at streamers who earn from their audience: alerts, widgets, tipping, merch and a chat bot sit next to the scenes. Its free plan already sends to one vertical and one horizontal platform at once. More destinations, custom RTMP, more Collab Cam guests and more storage are part of Ultra. Detailed comparison: Streamlabs alternative: Streamlabs vs StreamLive Pro.
vMix in brief
vMix is a production switcher for Windows: many inputs, multi-camera switching and output to several destinations from the same program. You can try every feature for 60 days, then buy an edition or the vMix Max subscription. It does not list macOS. If you work on a Mac, see vMix for Mac: does it exist, and what can a Mac user do in 2026?. Detailed comparison: A vMix alternative that runs in the browser.
Where OBS is the better choice
- Zero cost and any system, including Linux.
- You want to build everything yourself, with plugins and scripts, and no dependence on a service.
Where Streamlabs Desktop is the better choice
- You stream games or creator shows and need alerts, widgets and tipping in one app.
- Two platforms for free, one vertical and one horizontal, without paying.
Where vMix is the better choice
- Multi-camera events on Windows, with a production switcher and output to several destinations.
- You want to test the full product first: the trial has every feature for 60 days.
Where StreamLive Pro fits
StreamLive Pro is not a fourth desktop program. It is a web service with a browser studio, and it works with all three:
- One upload, many networks. Send one stream from OBS, Streamlabs Desktop or vMix to a StreamLive Pro address, and our servers send it to YouTube, Facebook Pages, Twitch, Kick, Instagram and TikTok by key, X, LinkedIn and any RTMP or SRT server. Your upload stays one stream however many networks you tick.
- The work after the live. Captioned vertical Shorts cut automatically, Hebrew captions written right to left, translation into 143 languages, and posting to your networks from the same account.
- No desktop at all when you do not need one. The browser studio has Preview and Program, overlays, lower thirds, green screen, guests by link and phones as cameras.
Encoder ingest is on paid plans; the 7-day trial is browser studio only. Setup guides: Connect OBS to StreamLive Pro and multistream, Connect Streamlabs Desktop to StreamLive Pro, Connect vMix to StreamLive Pro and stream everywhere. Prices: pricing.
Our own desktop app, StreamLive Pro Studio, is a free OBS alternative that is coming and is not released: version 0.5.0 is a test version with no public download and no date, and a StreamLive Pro account adds the platform: AI Shorts, scheduling, managed lives through your connected networks, and comments, with a 7-day free trial. How it compares: StreamLive Pro Studio vs OBS Studio: an honest comparison (October 2026) and StreamLive Pro Studio vs vMix: an honest comparison (October 2026).
How to choose
- Free, every system, full control: OBS.
- Creator tools and two free platforms: Streamlabs Desktop.
- A Windows production switcher for events, tried for 60 days first: vMix.
- Whichever you choose, many networks from one upload plus Shorts afterwards: send it to StreamLive Pro.
For phone and browser tools in the same view, see Live streaming apps and software compared (2026).
How we checked
On 5 November 2026 we opened the OBS home page, the Streamlabs Ultra page with its plan comparison and system requirements, and the vMix software and system requirements pages, and copied the facts as they appeared. We did not buy licences or plans, and we did not test the three programs side by side. StreamLive Pro facts come from our own product.
Sources
- OBS Studio, checked 5 November 2026: obsproject.com
- Streamlabs Ultra and plan comparison, checked 5 November 2026: streamlabs.com/ultra
- vMix software, checked 5 November 2026: vmix.com/software
- vMix system requirements, checked 5 November 2026: vmix.com/software/supported-hardware.aspx
Frequently asked questions
Is OBS better than Streamlabs?
They suit different people. OBS is free and open source on Windows, Mac and Linux with plugins; Streamlabs Desktop is free on Windows and Mac and adds alerts, widgets and tipping, with multistreaming on Ultra.
Does vMix run on a Mac?
Its system requirements list only Windows 10 and 11, with no macOS. On a Mac, OBS, Streamlabs Desktop or a browser studio are the options.
Is vMix free?
No. It has a free, fully functional 60-day trial, then paid licences or the vMix Max subscription.
Can OBS stream to several platforms at once?
Not on its own. You add a community plugin, where each destination is another upload from your connection, or send one stream to a service such as StreamLive Pro that sends it on.
Can I use any of them with StreamLive Pro?
Yes, all three, on a paid StreamLive Pro plan. Send the program over RTMP (or RTMPS or SRT where the program offers it) to your StreamLive Pro address, and tick the networks.
Keep reading
A printable live stream checklist: test broadcasts, stream keys, sound check, backup internet, what to do if the stream drops, and the work after it ends.
Upload speed and bitrate for multistreamingYouTube's bitrate table for 720p to 4K, the upload you need to multistream from OBS vs a relay, CBR and 2-second keyframes, and how to test your connection.
Ecamm Live for Windows: does it exist, what to use insteadIs 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).
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