Free Restream alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

4 of the 5 Restream alternatives we track can be used for free (free, open source, or with a free plan). StreamYard, Streamlabs Desktop and XSplit Broadcaster rank highest, with facts last verified Nov 8, 2026.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Verified price	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	StreamYard	Free plan + paid	$18.99 a month, or $14.99 a month billed yearly (Essential)	No	Web	9 of 9	68.8
2	Streamlabs Desktop	Free plan + paid	$15.75 a month (Ultra)	Yes	Windows, macOS	7 of 7	61.8
3	XSplit Broadcaster	Free plan + paid	$14.99/month (Premium, monthly)	No	Windows	8 of 8	59.4
4	OBS Studio	Open source	—	Yes	Windows, macOS, Linux	4 of 5	52.3

1. StreamYardTop pick
Best for: Creators and marketers running talk shows, interviews and webinars with remote guests
Free plan + paidWeb
68.8
score / 100
Why switch from Restream
Browser studio with strong guest and recording tools, plus local recordings for podcasts.
Pros
Runs in the browser for hosts and guests, no install needed
Multistreams to several platforms at once on paid plans
Local recordings keep quality even on weak connections
Free plan to try the full studio
Cons
Free plan adds a StreamYard logo and caps local recordings
Less control over scenes and capture sources than desktop apps
Individual plans are restricted to personal, not company, use
Visit StreamYard Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.3100
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is StreamYard a good Restream alternative?
Verified facts
9 of 9 verified
Free plan
Yes, with StreamYard logo
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free trial
7 days
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
Multistreaming
Up to 8 destinations (Advanced)
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
Refunds
7-day money-back guarantee
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
Owner
Bending Spoons
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
Starting price
$18.99 a month, or $14.99 a month billed yearly (Essential)
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
Core plan
$44.99 a month, or $35.99 a month billed yearly
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
Advanced plan
$88.99 a month, or $68.99 a month billed yearly
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
Money-back guarantee
7 days
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
2. Streamlabs Desktop
Best for: New streamers who want alerts, overlays and chat tools working out of the box
Free plan + paidOpen sourceWindows, macOS
61.8
score / 100
Why switch from Restream
Desktop app with alerts and overlays, and multistreaming included in its Ultra plan.
Pros
Alerts, widgets, chatbot and overlay themes built in
Dual Output streams horizontal and vertical layouts free
Local recordings have no watermark or time limit
Open-source code based on the OBS engine
Cons
Multistreaming to several platforms needs the Ultra subscription
No Linux version
Heavier on CPU and memory than plain OBS Studio
Free tier limits themes, apps and guest slots
Visit Streamlabs Desktop Compare with Restream Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.377
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Streamlabs Desktop a good Restream alternative?
Verified facts
7 of 7 verified
Free plan
Yes, app is free to download
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
Windows, macOS
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
License
GPL-3.0
Checked Nov 1, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
Starting price
$15.75 a month (Ultra)
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
Engine
Built on OBS
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
Ultra plan
$27 a month, billed monthly
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
Student discount
50% off up to 2 years of Ultra (.edu email)
Checked Nov 8, 2026streamlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
3. XSplit Broadcaster
Best for: Windows streamers and presenters who prefer a one-time licence over a subscription
Free plan + paidWindows
59.4
score / 100
Why switch from Restream
Windows production app with scenes and plugins that can also send one stream to several platforms.
Pros
Lifetime licence option instead of only subscriptions
Webcam background removal without a green screen
Preview editor and recording profiles for cleaner productions
NDI output and virtual camera for two-PC and meeting setups
Cons
Windows only
Free version adds a watermark above 720p and limits scenes to four
Multistreaming and commercial use need a premium licence
Visit XSplit Broadcaster Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.369
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is XSplit Broadcaster a good Restream alternative?
Verified facts
8 of 8 verified
Free plan
Yes, up to 720p without watermark
Checked Nov 8, 2026xsplit.com(opens source in a new tab)
Yearly price
$59.99/year
Checked Nov 8, 2026xsplit.com(opens source in a new tab)
Lifetime licence
$119.99 once
Checked Nov 2, 2026xsplit.com(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
Windows
Checked Nov 8, 2026xsplit.com(opens source in a new tab)
Multistreaming
Premium licence
Checked Nov 8, 2026xsplit.com(opens source in a new tab)
Starting price
$14.99/month (Premium, monthly)
Checked Nov 8, 2026xsplit.com(opens source in a new tab)
Yearly plan
$59.99/year
Checked Nov 8, 2026xsplit.com(opens source in a new tab)
Lifetime price
$199.99 once
Checked Nov 8, 2026xsplit.com(opens source in a new tab)
4. OBS Studio
Best for: Streamers and creators who want a free, flexible recorder and are willing to learn it
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux
52.3
score / 100
Why switch from Restream
Free desktop encoder; with plugins it can stream to several platforms without a relay service.
Pros
Completely free with no watermark or time limits
Scene and source system handles complex multi-camera setups
Large plugin ecosystem and active community
Cons
Steep learning curve for a quick screen capture
No built-in editor or link sharing
Settings for encoders and bitrates can confuse beginners
Visit OBS Studio Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.352
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1586
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is OBS Studio a good Restream alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 5 verified
License
GPL-2.0
Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
Open source
Yes, free for recording and streaming
Checked Nov 8, 2026obsproject.com(opens source in a new tab)
Windows support
Windows 10 and 11
Checked Nov 8, 2026obsproject.com(opens source in a new tab)
macOS support
macOS 13 or newer
Checked Nov 8, 2026obsproject.com(opens source in a new tab)
Linux distribution
Flatpak on Flathub and Ubuntu PPA
Source changed Nov 8, 2026obsproject.com(opens source in a new tab)

Quick comparison

1. StreamYardTop pick

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

2. Streamlabs Desktop

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

3. XSplit Broadcaster

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

4. OBS Studio

Pros

Cons

Verified facts