With the boom that streaming is having thanks to content creators such as Ibai Llanos, Auronplay or TheGrefg, among many other live channels in Spanish, it is normal for the amateur public to be interested in getting started in broadcasting on platforms and being able to star in the dream of being one of the most watched streamers in the world.
To help you in that task, there are mainly three free tools that dominate the market: OBS Studio, Streamlabs and Xsplit. We are going to analyze the pros and cons of each one so that you can choose the best one according to your situation.
Strengths of OBS Studio
OBS Studio (Open Broadcaster Software) allows you to capture video and stream it to live streaming platforms. It can also be used for recording raw broadcast video. The software is free to download and is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
OBS-Studio
OBS Studio allows you to fully customize your stream using its built-in features and extended functionality via plugins. Among the main advantages it offers are the following.
- Completely free.
- Open source and backed by community support.
- Multiple options for input sources.
- Various resolution settings available.
- Easy connection to streaming platforms
- Free multistream (simultaneous broadcast on multiple video platforms).
- Stream and record simultaneously.
- Fully customizable with plugins.
- Low CPU usage.
OBS is still an interesting alternative if you are looking for greater compatibility with other platforms and software. OBS is fine to start with, not only because it’s free, but because of the customization options to your liking.
Advantages of Streamlabs for streaming
Streamlabs Desktop is another free and open source live streaming software that is available on Windows and macOS, with a separate mobile version for iOS and Android. It emerged as an offshoot of OBS Studio (in fact, it was called Streamlabs OBS) and has additional paid features in its Prime version (use multistream, overlays, sponsorship, etc).
streamlabs
Using Streamlabs could be said to be the best option if you want a live stream while enjoying the best quality and relationship with your viewers. In addition, it has a number of advantages such as:
- Easy installation
- free customization
- built-in chat
- The test widget allows gamers to verify the operation of the live stream.
- Allows you to view Twitch items such as tips or subscriptions without the need for Twitch Studio.
- Additional features include customization options for text-to-speech, alerts, layouts, and widgets.
Why choose Xsplit
The latest contender is Xsplit, which is really a collection of several applications under the same name that together form a software suite. The one we are interested in is called Broadcaster or Xsplit Broadcaster , which is available for free on Windows, although it has additional paid features.
xsplit
XSplit Broadcaster is a live streaming and video mixing application primarily used for capturing gameplay, streaming presentations, and hosting live events. The advantages it offers are the following:
- Many additional features to improve broadcasts.
- Easy to use editing features.
- Integrated Virtual Green Screen (Chroma) – Blur and background removal effects with any webcam, no green screen required.
- Delay of broadcast to publish at a later time as direct fake.
- Keyframe transitions.
If you have a budget to spend on streaming plugins and don’t want to spend extra time learning the software, then XSplit is a good choice for that balance between being the easiest to learn, but needing to pay for certain additional plugins.