Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, and all other popular streaming platforms have allowed us to become a broadcaster. But, to do that, you will need some sort of software. That’s where the streaming software comes in. Not only can they capture your desktop screen and gameplay videos, but you can also go live. And, if you want, you can even add your webcam and microphone to your recorded video and live stream. But choosing one can be a daunting process.
5 Best Live Streaming Software for PC
Therefore, in this article, we have come up with five of the best live streaming software for PCs that is completely free! So, without wasting any more time, let’s get started!
1. OBS Studio
Free, Open Source, and Flexible that’s what explains the OBS Studio best, and we bet you won’t find a better streaming software for your PC other than this. This software packs several useful features and settings. And, if you are willing to spend some time learning it, you will get benefitted, especially if you are a power user. It lets you create scenes made up of multiple sources, including window captures, browser windows, webcams, capture cards, and more. Plus, you can set up an unlimited number of scenes, easily switch between them, mix audio, and adjust pretty much every aspect of your stream.
With this, you can stream on much wider streaming platforms, including Twitch, Mixer, Youtube, Facebook, and many more. And, if you want, you can even stream to multiple platforms at once! Best of all this software is completely free and available on Windows, Mac, and Linux and receives frequent updates from the developers. All things considered, if you are looking for a free and powerful streaming software to capture or live-stream your desktop screen and gameplay, the OBS Studio is hands down the best streaming software for you.
2. Streamlabs OBS
No doubt, OBS Studio is powerful software, but the problem is that its robust features and settings can overwhelm any beginner. And that’s exactly where the Streamlabs OBS comes in. Just like the OBS studio, it’s also built on the same foundation but puts a friendlier interface that anyone can use even if they are new to streaming. Despite the simpler interface, it comes with all the essential features, such as adding different overlays and themes where you can add start, main, and ending screens to make your live streaming look more professional. You can also edit these the way you want.
In the bottom left corner of the app, you will find a settings button where you can easily customize Output, Audio, Video, Hotkeys, and much more. The options are plenty but clearly laid out. When you are finished with customizing the settings and ready to go live, you can broadcast your live stream to Twitch, Youtube, and Facebook. Overall, if you are a beginner and looking for an easy alternative to OBS Studio, we highly recommend Streamlabs OBS.
3. Nvidia Shadowplay
Do you own an Nvidia Graphics Card? If you do, look no further and start using the Nvidia Shadowplay right away, as it is bundled with the drivers. While most of the streaming software encodes in CPU, it uses the GPU, which means it has a negligible impact on performance. To start using the app, just press ALT together with Z, and it will open up the Geforce Experience, where you will see three main features, including Instant Replay, Record, and Broadcast. To start recording, just click the icon or press the ALT+F9 button. And press the same shortcut key if you want to stop recording. You can also customize the settings in the way you want to capture the video.
The Instant Replay feature comes in handy when you are playing a game and don’t wanna capture the whole gameplay. It records only the last 5 Minutes of your gameplay in a temporary location. Besides, you can toggle on or off the Microphone and turn your Webcam on to add a camera overlay to your recording. The only downside of this screen recorder is that, unlike the OBS, there are no overlays, and it only works with the Nvidia graphics card. But the ease of use and free price makes up for it. So, if you have a Geforce Graphics card and don’t care about extra overlays and features, the Nvidia Shadowplay is an excellent choice for you.
4. Mirillis Action
When it comes to broadcasting yourself online, it can be daunting. But not when you have installed the Mirillis Action, which allows real-time recording and streaming without any learning curve! That’s because it comes in a simple and user-friendly interface and is compatible with Windows 7-10, making it available for the vast majority of gamers and power users. Videos recorded with this app are saved either in AVI 2.0 or mp4, which means you will get the best of both worlds, smaller file sizes, and better quality.
In AVI format, you can record video in 8K at 120 FPS, and in mp4 format, the software supports up to 4K at 60 FPS giving content creators the possibility to record high-quality tutorial videos easily. Aside from that, it is well adept at live streaming and integrates seamlessly with popular streaming platforms like Twitch, Facebook, Youtube, and Hitbox. Also, if you are a gamer, you are in luck. Because it uses the GPU in the most optimum way possible and can display both your current and average FPS during gameplay recording. All in all, for a free PC streaming software, Action by Mirillis does offer a lot and earns an easy recommendation from ourselves.
5. XSplit Gamecaster
Unlike all the free streaming software in this roundup, the XSplit Gamecaster is a cut-down version of a premium app. And for that reason, it looks sleek and benefits from premium online support. Gamecaster is well known for consistency and stability. It comes with a light interface, and it doesn’t require a high-end system to run. This software is also designed in a way to assist all kinds of streamers as it offers every control over an interactive user interface instead of causing complications. There are over hundreds of overlay packs in the Vault, which you can also customize to give your live streaming a professional look.
There is also a Stream Events and Stream Chat layout on the right side of the screen to keep track of everything in one place and engage more with your audience. Selecting the main source, camera source, and adding a transition to your scene is pretty straightforward. With the Audio Mixer, you can control the volume of your Microphone and Headphone sound quite easily. The only downside is that most free features and overlays are limited, but you can always upgrade to the premium version to access its full feature set. Taking everything into consideration, it’s safe to say that the XSplit Gamecaster can give you a professional-looking stream in a matter of minutes with just a few clicks.
Final Say
With live streaming software, you can capture your desktop screen and gameplay videos and add your webcam and microphone to your video and even go live on Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, and all other popular streaming platforms. So that was all about the 5 Best Live Streaming Software that you can use on your PC.
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