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OBS Studio alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave OBS Studio: steep learning curve for a quick screen capture, and no built-in editor or link sharing. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces OBS Studio, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. ShareX currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1ShareX logoShareXOpen sourceYesWindows3 of 366.5
2Bandicam logoBandicamFree plan + paidNoWindows, macOS4 of 462.6
3SimpleScreenRecorder logoSimpleScreenRecorderOpen sourceYesLinux4 of 459.6
4Medal logoMedalFree plan + paidNoWindows, iOS, Android3 of 355.3
5Loom logoLoomFree plan + paidNoWeb, macOS, Windows +35 of 553.6
  1. ShareX logo

    1. ShareXTop pick

    Best for: Windows power users who want free capture with automated upload workflows

    Open sourceWindows

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from OBS Studio

    Lighter free Windows tool for quick recordings and GIFs, without scenes to set up.

    Pros

    • Free and open source with no limits or watermark
    • Huge range of upload destinations and custom uploaders
    • OCR, scrolling capture and GIF recording built in

    Cons

    • Windows only
    • Crowded interface and deep settings
    • No video editor for recordings
    Visit ShareX Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is ShareX a good OBS Studio alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    GPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platform
    Windows
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getsharex.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Upload targets
    Includes S3, Google Cloud Storage, Cloudflare R2
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getsharex.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Bandicam logo

    2. Bandicam

    Best for: Windows users recording gameplay or tutorials locally with minimal slowdown

    Free plan + paidWindows, macOS

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from OBS Studio

    Simpler Windows recorder for gameplay and screen capture with a lighter footprint.

    Pros

    • Light on system resources during recording
    • Dedicated game, screen and device recording modes
    • Perpetual licence available

    Cons

    • Free version limits recording length
    • No cloud sharing or full editor
    • Interface looks dated
    Visit Bandicam Compare with OBS StudioDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Bandicam a good OBS Studio alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free version limit
    5 minutes per recording
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bandicam.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Annual licence
    1 PC, 1 year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bandicam.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Perpetual licence
    Yes, for the current version
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bandicam.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Recording modes
    Screen, gameplay, webcam, audio
    Checked Oct 25, 2026bandicam.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. SimpleScreenRecorder logo

    3. SimpleScreenRecorder

    Best for: Linux users on X11 who want a dependable, no-frills recorder

    Open sourceLinux

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from OBS Studio

    A minimal free Linux recorder for people who only need to capture, not stream.

    Pros

    • Free, open source and packaged by most distributions
    • Light on resources with live recording statistics
    • Can record OpenGL games directly

    Cons

    • Built around X11 with limited Wayland support
    • Linux only
    • No editing or sharing
    Visit SimpleScreenRecorder Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is SimpleScreenRecorder a good OBS Studio alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    GPL-3.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platform
    Linux
    Checked Oct 25, 2026maartenbaert.be(opens source in a new tab)
    OpenGL capture
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026maartenbaert.be(opens source in a new tab)
    Installation
    Official repositories of most distributions
    Checked Oct 25, 2026maartenbaert.be(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Medal logo

    4. Medal

    Best for: PC gamers who want instant highlight clips and easy sharing

    Free plan + paidWindows, iOS, Android

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from OBS Studio

    Gamers who only want instant clips of great moments get that with far less setup.

    Pros

    • Free hotkey clipping of the last moments of play
    • Simple editor and one-click sharing to social platforms
    • Light enough to run alongside games

    Cons

    • Game-focused, not for tutorials or work
    • Social feed and promotions are prominent
    • Desktop recording is Windows only
    Visit Medal Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Medal a good OBS Studio alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Price
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026medal.tv(opens source in a new tab)
    Users
    Over 12 million gamers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026medal.tv(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, iOS, Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026medal.tv(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Loom logo

    5. Loom

    Best for: Teams swapping status meetings and walkthrough calls for quick shareable videos

    Free plan + paidWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from OBS Studio

    For quick work walkthroughs, Loom records and shares a link in one step.

    Pros

    • Link is ready the moment you stop recording
    • Timestamped comments, reactions and transcripts for viewers
    • Fits neatly with Jira and Confluence after the Atlassian acquisition

    Cons

    • Free plan limits both video count and recording length
    • Per-user pricing gets expensive for large teams
    • Editing tools are basic compared with dedicated recorders
    Visit Loom Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.357
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Loom a good OBS Studio alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Free plan
    25 videos, 5-minute screen recordings
    Checked Oct 25, 2026loom.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business price
    $18 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026loom.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Business + AI price
    $24 per user/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026loom.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days (Business + AI)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026loom.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Chrome
    Checked Oct 25, 2026loom.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best OBS Studio alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

ShareX logo

Best OBS Studio alternative for most people

ShareX

Lighter free Windows tool for quick recordings and GIFs, without scenes to set up.

SimpleScreenRecorder logo

Best OBS Studio alternative for a free option

SimpleScreenRecorder

A minimal free Linux recorder for people who only need to capture, not stream.

Bandicam logo

Best OBS Studio alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Bandicam

Simpler Windows recorder for gameplay and screen capture with a lighter footprint.

ShareX logo

Best OBS Studio alternative for open source

ShareX

Lighter free Windows tool for quick recordings and GIFs, without scenes to set up.

Camtasia logo

Best OBS Studio alternative for Mac

Camtasia

Paid recorder with a full editor built in, so recordings can be finished in one app.

Medal logo

Best OBS Studio alternative for Windows

Medal

Gamers who only want instant clips of great moments get that with far less setup.

SimpleScreenRecorder logo

Best OBS Studio alternative for Linux

SimpleScreenRecorder

A minimal free Linux recorder for people who only need to capture, not stream.

Loom logo

Best OBS Studio alternative for iPhone and Android

Loom

For quick work walkthroughs, Loom records and shares a link in one step.

Loom logo

Best OBS Studio alternative for working in the browser

Loom

For quick work walkthroughs, Loom records and shares a link in one step.

OBS Studio alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to OBS Studio?

ShareX ranks first right now. Lighter free Windows tool for quick recordings and GIFs, without scenes to set up. Bandicam and SimpleScreenRecorder follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to OBS Studio?

Yes. ShareX (open source), Bandicam (free plan + paid), SimpleScreenRecorder (open source) and Medal (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to OBS Studio?

Yes: ShareX and SimpleScreenRecorder.

Which OBS Studio alternatives work on Linux?

SimpleScreenRecorder runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from OBS Studio?

The complaints we hear most: steep learning curve for a quick screen capture; no built-in editor or link sharing; settings for encoders and bitrates can confuse beginners.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces OBS Studio, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.