Lightstream vs OBS Studio
Lightstream
golightstream.com
OBS Studio
obsproject.comSide by side
| Figure | Lightstream | OBS Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Live TV streaming services | 8.0 (#69) | 8.9 (#8) |
| Spec score · Live Streaming Encoders | 7.8 (#30) | 8.4 (#11) |
| Spec score · Live Streaming Software | 8.0 (#62) | 8.9 (#6) |
| Spec score · Live streaming software | 8.0 (#62) | 8.9 (#6) |
| Spec score · Game Streaming Software | 7.9 (#24) | 8.5 (#4) |
| Spec score · Twitch Streaming Software | 7.8 (#19) | 8.4 (#8) |
| Spec score · YouTube Live Streaming Tools | 7.8 (#21) | 8.5 (#7) |
| Browser-based studio | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2014 | 2012 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Support | The Creator page says all plans include live chat support and offers one-on-one help from the Lightstream crew. | Support options include a knowledge base, volunteer Discord support, community forums, and developer documentation. |
Plans
In their own words
Lightstream
Lightstream has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
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.