Icecast vs OBS Studio
Icecast
icecast.org
OBS Studio
obsproject.comSide by side
| Figure | Icecast | OBS Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Live TV streaming services | 7.7 (#100) | 8.9 (#8) |
| Spec score · Live streaming software | 7.5 (#106) | 8.9 (#6) |
| Spec score · Live Streaming Software | 7.5 (#109) | 8.9 (#6) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Purpose | Icecast is a streaming media server for sending audio and video streams to listeners and viewers, including internet radio stations and jukeboxes. | OBS Studio is free and open source software for video recording and live streaming. |
| Support | The documentation lists the Icecast mailing list, developer mailing list, and IRC chat as ways to contact the development team. | Support options include a knowledge base, volunteer Discord support, community forums, and developer documentation. |
Plans
In their own words
OBS Studio
OBS Studio is free, open-source software for video recording and live streaming on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It captures and mixes video and audio from windows, images, text, browser windows, webcams, and capture cards. Users can arrange unlimited scenes, switch with customizable transitions, and preview scenes and sources in Studio Mode before going live. Multiview can monitor eight scenes. The audio mixer has per-source filters, with VST plugin support, and hotkeys cover many recording and streaming actions. An API, native plugins, and Lua or Python scripts provide ways to extend the software. OBS supports streaming platforms including Twitch and YouTube, and streams connect directly from a user’s computer to the service. It is distributed under GPLv2 and may be used commercially subject to the license terms. The download page lists Windows 10 and 11 support, macOS 13.0 or newer, and Linux distribution through Flathub or an Ubuntu 24.04-or-newer PPA. The listed plan costs nothing, with no watermarks or usage limitations.