9 Best Twitch Streaming Software
By Eva Williams 20 days ago, Apps and Software
When you purchase through affiliate links on our site, we may earn a commission. Here’s how it works.
Whether you’re a beginner who wants to share live content on Twitch or an experienced streamer seeking for a new program to broadcast videos, you definitely need the best Twitch streaming software.
Top 9 Twitch Streaming Software
- OBS Studio – Features multi-view
- Twitch Studio – Own built-in alert system
- Streamlabs OBS – Robust dashboard
- Xsplit – Dedicated support team
- OBS.Live – Comes with custom overlays
- vMix – Up to 1000 total inputs
- Player.me – Numerous overlays and graphics features
- Lightstream – Support for remote control
- NVIDIA ShadowPlay – Retroactive video saving
It depends on your personal preferences and technical requirements which streaming program to pick. It lets you broadcast your live content in high quality. Each program listed below offers similar basic features such as support for webcam, stream and local encoding, multi-source live streaming, etc.
1. OBS Studio – Our Choice
- Free and open source
- Lots of adjustable options
- Regular updates
- In-depth configuration
- Compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux devices
- Not found
Verdict: OBS Studio is one of the best free screen capture software, which you can use to capture any part of your screen and record videos in numerous formats, as well as enjoy streaming on Twitch.
Not only is it absolutely helpful when it comes to sharing your live stream on Twitch, but can fully satisfy users, who are more interested in outputting content to other video streaming services, e.g. YouTube.
The selling point of this stream software for Twitch is its extensive feature set. In addition to entry-level functions available in other similar programs, OBS Studio appeals to users with a huge variety of customizable options. Here you can add multiple scenes with an unlimited number of sources included in each of them. Your webcam, browser capture or game can serve as a source.
2. Twitch Studio
- Straightforward setup
- Beginner-friendly
- Comes with all the basic features set up for work at the first launch
- Limited customization
Verdict: This is undoubtedly the best Twitch streaming software in terms of usability. In addition to guided customization, everything here is designed for trouble-free work and no confusion even if this is your first time using such a program.
The guided setup simplifies the process of adding various sources that you are going to use during streams. This refers to a mic, a webcam, any video source, etc.
The program automatically detects your webcam and microphone, but if you have several of those, you may need to scroll through the list and select the needed one. Pro users like complementing their streams with alerts to fully grasp the followers’ attention, and if you also want to do something of the kind, there is a special integrated alert system which is bound to help a lot.
3. Streamlabs OBS
- Integrated alerts
- Cool bonus features
- Collection of free design elements and overlays
- Well-thought-out design
- Streamlabs chatbot
- Occasional performance issues
- Premium subscription is rather expensive
Verdict: This program largely resembles OBS Studio but has several recently added features that make streaming more convenient. It allows you to record videos that you can make truly attention-grabbing with the help of video editing software for gaming.
The most appealing feature of this streaming software for Twitch is its advanced dashboard that provides detailed info on your stream events, the number of followers and subscribers, as well as look through the chat and jump from one overlay design to another in no time.
If you feel like stepping aside from a regular streaming procedure and jazz up your videos a bit, here is a large collection of Face Masks that allow you to achieve that riveting effect.
4. XSplit
- Round-the-clock customer support with preference given to premium members
- Simple setup and operation
- Additional plug-ins for better customization
- Free version isn’t for commercial streaming
- Applies a watermark
Verdict: The software operates on a “freemium” bases, which means you can use a free version with a smaller set of settings for personal needs, while a premium edition is best suited for commercial tasks and contains more profound functions. The latter is available after a one-time purchase ($199) or can be accessed via a monthly subscription.
We can hardly call a free version the best streaming software for Twitch since it imposes numerous limitations on the streaming. First off, you can use only basic features. Besides, there is a 4-scene limit in the video you output.
Another disappointing aspect is that every stream above 720p or 30 FPS automatically receives a watermark. The most frustrating issue is that it is forbidden to use a free version to deal with commercial projects. Some users try to bypass limitations by resorting to a VPN for streaming, but that is rather an occasion way out.
5. OBS.Live
- Free
- Has a preinstalled chatbot
- Media Request and chat minigames
- Guided set up
- Only for Windows users
- Few advanced bonus features
Verdict: The software contains all the must-have features for streaming and can become your go-to tool in most cases.
Unlike similar software, where chatbox, stream events, and other info occupies a separate window bringing a kind of mess to your workspace, OBS.Live allow you to keep all these things in one window and arrange it in the most convenient way.
It can be called the best Twitch broadcasting software for beginners, as it offers a guided setup. Here you can also use custom overlays and “SuperThemes” developed to match certain games.
6. vMix
- Straightforward interface
- Integration with video streaming services
- Build-in NDI
- Comes with 4 video overlays
- Occasional bugs
Verdict: vMix is powerful stream software for Twitch that lets you produce premium-quality content. You can complement your projects with images, videos, soundtracks, web streams, PowerPoint presentations, virtual sets, titles, chroma key, etc.
Also, it is possible to add multiple cameras. With vMix, you can display, record, and broadcast your videos simultaneously.
You can choose between six versions of the program, including the Basic and Pro editions. Depending on the version you decide on, you can use a certain number of inputs. For example, the Basic and Basic HD releases of the program include only four total inputs.
7. Player.me
- Extensive social features
- Offers in-game HUD
- Ability to monitor chat and stream events within one screen as a HUD
- Clear guided setup
- Only basic customization features
Verdict: The Player.me Studio is one of the simplest Twitch streaming programs that comes with a setup guide for users to quickly get involved in the streaming process. You can make the most out of the basic functionality, but if you want to take a deep dive into the live streaming world, it is better to consider another program.
The distinctive feature of Player.me is the ability to showcase your gameplay using the in-game HUD. If you press the assigned shortcut, the program will open the overlay where you can place chat, events, and metadata on top of your stream. Also, with the help of hotkeys, you can start or stop live broadcasting.
8. Lightstream
- Doesn’t require downloading
- Resource-tolerant
- Streamlined set up process
- Ability to add remote guests with a single click
- Free version with limited functionality
- Few features for game broadcasting
- Maximum output quality is 720p 30 fps
Verdict: Lightstream is the best streaming software for Twitch for those, who are looking for an undemanding program. Since it is a cloud-based platform, it doesn’t require to use much CPU for stream encoding. Apart from easy to follow setup, you can benefit from integration with third-party streaming services.
The free version of the program has some limitations. For example, the maximum output quality for non-paid users is 720p 30fps. The upgrade price is incredibly high. The annual subscription costs $89 per month.
The premium membership opens up new horizons for your streaming game. For example, you can use a headless mode, which allows you to start streaming without having Lightstream open.
9. NVIDIA ShadowPlay
- Ability to capture gameplay with minimal impact on your system
- Instant Replay and NVIDIA Highlights features
- Free of charge
- Few customization options
- Requires higher bitrates
- Works only with NVIDIA GPUs
Verdict: NVIDIA ShadowPlay contains all modern NVIDIA GPUs. It is an integrated program that lets you capture and stream your game sessions right from the GPU. This means that NVIDIA ShadowPlay is suitable only for recording and broadcasting gameplays rather than other types of content.
The coolest feature of this software is Instant Replay. It allows you to capture the snippets of the gaming session and view them later.
You can also record the greatest moments of your gameplay and upload videos to the most popular social media platforms. NVIDIA ShadowPlay is compatible only with NVIDIA graphics cards, so if you are an AMD card owner, you can’t enjoy all the benefits of this software.
