8 Best OBS Alternatives for Mac/Windows (2024 Updated)

Karen Nelson
May 22, 2023

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OBS Studio (also Open Broadcaster Software or OBS, for short) is a free and open-source, cross-platform screen casting and streaming app. Available for Windows, macOS, Linux distributions, and BSD, OBS can capture real-time video/audio with high performance and transmit live stream content directly to YouTube Live, Twitch TV, Facebook Live, and more.

Though OBS is multifunctional and useful, it’s not a user-friendly program. It comes with a complicated and professional UI that users with no technical skills may not know how to use it without a step-by-step tutorial. Indeed, there are some alternatives that can offer useful features more than your needs but are easier to operate.

Today, we have compiled a list of 8 alternatives for you to have the best screen recording and live streaming experience with simple operation. These programs offer features that users can and can’t do with OBS. Read the article and figure out the one that meets your needs.

VideoSolo Screen Recorder

Best for: all people, especially when you want a wonderful recording with no technical skills.

Compatible Systems: Windows and Mac

As one of the top screen recorders, VideoSolo Screen Recorder has wide popularity among recording users. It is an all-in-one program that can capture any region of your PC screen with audio and webcams. Meanwhile, it also comes with considerate features like Task Schedule and Auto-stop that can start and end the recording smartly. Once you set a specific time or the file length, the recorder will begin to work and shut down after capturing. So, you will not miss any important meetings, live streams, or online courses.

With over 20 recording modes, all scenarios such as tutorials, webinars, online lessons, and more can be recorded with HD quality via VideoSolo Screen Recorder. Compared to OBS, this program is easier to use and specializes in capturing gameplay, video, audio, etc. As an OBS alternative, VideoSolo can also record video without a watermark for all users and offers unlimited recording time. So you can use it to screencast as long as possible.

Pro:

Record any region of your PC screen with audio or webcam.
20+ recording modes for optimal recording experiences.
Simple and intuitive UI.
Trim, compress, merge, or convert videos with easy-to-use editing tools.
Record all on-screen activities: tutorials, webinars, online lessons, and more.
Set task schedule to start and stop recording automatically.

Cons:

No live-streaming

Detailed Review: VideoSolo Screen Recorder Review 2023

Camtasia

Best for: video-making beginners.

Compatible Systems: Windows and Mac

Camtasia is an app produced by TechSmith, which integrates computer screen recording, PPT recording, video and audio editing, video menu making, voiceover dubbing, knowledge point annotation, and more. It is one of the best all-in-one screen recorders and video editors, making screen records and video edits with professional quality quickly and easily.

Unlike OBS, Camtasia is much easier for those new to video recording and editing as it offers templates, assets, and text effects and has a built-in video editor. Video recording and making is no longer a tough task. By adding annotations and animations to your video with Camtasia, you can highlight the key points and excite your audience. It works on any occasion whether you want to make videos for marketing and sales, internal training, social media, or anything else.

Pro:

Capture high-definition screen with audio and camera.
Offer templates, assets,and text effects for professional video
Intuitive interface and drag-and-drop features.
Add effects, music, and text to excite and attract your audience.
Put your cursor in the spotlight to grab your audience’s attention

Cons:

It will freeze when dealing with large videos.
There is a delay in screen capturing with the audio.
The price is high compared to other video editing tools.
Long software loading time and rendering time.
It costs more to unlock full functions
No live-streaming

Movavi Screen Recorder

Best for: basic and advanced screen recording needs.

Compatible Systems: Windows and Mac

Movavi Screen Recorder is an essential tool for hassle-free screen video capture. It can be applied in many scenarios, such as webinars, online classes, and presentations, and is able to record and share whatever is displayed with audio together or separately from your PC, Mac, and laptop. It specializes in recording video tutorials, so you can add a webcam overlay if necessary to make your personal style.

Having entered the market 19 years, Movavi Screen Recorder is often used as the OBS alternative as it has powerful recording features and also offers rich configuration options to satisfy users’ needs. During the recording, Movavi provides helpful pointers and other shapes to guide viewers’ attention. After capture, you can implement simple edits to create the perfect recording. Aside from video recording, a new feature in Movavi Screen Recorder is scrolling screenshots. With it, no need to take endless screenshots anymore.

Pro:

Record two streams simultaneously.
Create high-quality screencasts in 4K.
Recording scheduler to help grab everything right on time.
Record screen, audio,and webcam together or separately.
Supports a variety of output formats, including AVI, MP4, MKV,and MOV.

Cons:

Unable to transmit live streaming.
With a free version, your videos will have a watermark.
It lacks many advanced tools for video editing.
Nosuitable game recording mode.

Related Post: Movavi Screen Recorder Review 2023

Apowersoft Screen Recorder

Best for: users who don’t want to install third-party apps.

Compatible Systems: Online tool

While desktop recording apps are more stable, online screen recorders are more convenient. Apowersoft Screen Recorder is a free online tool that can capture browser activities with audio and webcam. With a simple click, the online tool will start recording without a time limit for free and without installation You can capture browser windows and desktop activities, or record webcams at the same time.

As for recording, Apowersoft is also an excellent OBS alternative as it is much easier. Though it may not be as functional and powerful as OBS studio, Apowersoft Screen Recorder has its own features and advantages. As an online recorder, Apowersoft can not only save the recording videos automatically to the local disk but can also upload them to the cloud platform or share them with others for better management.

Pro:

Free and easy to use without installation.
Record browser activities, or desktop activities with audio and webcam.
Capture screen without a time limit.
Offer a multitude of recording modes.

Cons:

It can only be used for screencasting, with no live-streaming
No customized recording and video editing features.

To Know More About Apowersoft Screen Recorder: Apowersoft Screen Recorder Review 2023

Screencast-O-Matic

Best for: video recording, screenshotting, and image editing.

Compatible Systems: Windows, Mac / iOS, Android, and Chromebook

Screencast-O-Matic, also named as ScreenPal, is a trusted tool offering multiple amazing recording features with simple operation. Running smoothly on a wide range of systems, you can just get started capturing a screen, a window, or a full screen with this powerful app. It helps record your screen and webcam with narration or other audio from your microphone with noise cancellation.

Meanwhile, Screencast-O-Matic is also a free video editor. With the intuitive UI and useful tools, you can personalize your video by adding overlays, animations, music and sound effects, and more. The best thing is no watermark on your recording whether you’re a paid or free user.

Pros:

Create, edit,and communicate with videos and images.
Record screen with camera, narration,and computer audio.
Add overlays including video, text, shapes, and images for free.
Add animations and effects to personalize the
Take screenshots and edit images with easy tools.

Cons:

No live-streaming
It doesn’t work without internet access.
Limited video editing function.

EaseUS RecExperts

Best for: learners, teachers, gamers, YouTubers, and small businesses.

Compatible Systems: Windows 11 / 10 / 8 / 8.1 / 7 / XP

EaseUS RecExperts is a smart recorder designed for Windows. It is specialized in capturing video, audio, webcam, or image for any occasion. With it, users are able to record part of a screen or a full screen as they need. You can even record multiple screens simultaneously. The app can record all sounds, whether it’s the internal audio or your voice, and you can even extract the audio as a separate file.

To avoid missing a live streaming or an important meeting, EaseUS RecExperts allows you to set a time in advance, so it will start or stop a recording automatically. After the recording, you can trim the length of the recording or add a custom intro and outro to it with the given tools. The app supports more than 10 output formats, including MP4, MOV, AVI, MP3, PNG, etc.

Pro:

Record anything displayed on the screen: Zoom meetings, YouTube videos, games, etc.
Capture video, audio, webcam,or image smoothly.
Schedule recording tasks to maximize efficiency.
More than 10 flexible output settings.

Cons:

Only available on Windows.
The software is somewhat expensive.
Limited editing features.
No live-streaming

XSplit Broadcaster

Best for: people who want easier streaming operation and more customization options.

Compatible Systems: Windows

XSplit Broadcaster is exactly a good alternative that is on par with OBS. It offers both live streaming and recording capabilities. Coming with an intuitive UI, this software can record multiple scenes on your screen simultaneously, regardless of which scene is currently displayed in your XSplit preview. You can add different animations and broadcast effects to your scenes as well as custom transitions. With a simple click, it can start to capture your Zoom, Discord, or Teams calls, which is easier to follow.

The all-in-one program is more than just a screen recorder. It is built with plugins that make live streaming to the most popular platforms such as Facebook, Twitch, and YouTube easier than ever. You can manage everything from a single monitor with the In-Game HUD or use multiple displays with its projector mode. Amazingly, it’s even possible to record and stream simultaneously!

Pro:

Record multiple scenes simultaneously for better efficiency.
Record a full screen, a window,or a specific area with audio.
Live stream various popular platforms even at a time.
Switch from a solo camera stream to a full-fledged podcast with multiple guests,
A powerful and intuitive user interface offering limitless customization.

Cons:

More demanding on CPU.
Full features are locked behind a paywall.
No built-in video editing tools.

Lightstream

Best for: people who want an online OBS alternative.

Compatible Systems: Online tool

The last program that ends up on our list is Lightstream. The web-based tool can capture console gameplay without a capture card and offers cloud-powered broadcasting. Thus, it’s super easy to go live on Facebook, YouTube, or Twitch in just a few clicks. A computer and an internet connection are all you need, no downloads necessary. As an online tool, it’s a completely free program and comes with a more user-friendly UI than OBS.

It also features high-fidelity audio capture, which is an excellent feature for those who value sound quality. The simple user interface of Lightstream allows you to build an ideal stream without limitations. You can place everything exactly where you want to best represent your creative vision. Lightstream is built with third-party integrations for on-stream social media messaging. When you are having a live stream, you can engage your audience by answering their questions.

Pro:

Record multiple scenes simultaneously for better efficiency.
Live stream various popular platforms even at a time.
Switch from a solo camera stream to a full-fledged podcast with multiple guests,
A powerful user interface offering limitless customization.

Cons:

No advanced editing tools.

Conclusion

There are a lot of OBS alternatives on the market. Here are the eight most commonly used software that we have summarized. If you need both video capture and live streaming functions, then the last two programs, both online and desktop, should be your consideration.

If you want a professional and reliable video recording tool, VideoSolo Screen Recorder is the most recommended. It has a simple UI and offers a variety of modes to meet your diverse recording needs. Whether you’re a professional or not, you can easily handle it. Download it now and try it out.