Wirecast
Telestream's desktop live production and streaming software for Mac and Windows.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · macOS, Windows
Is Wirecast free?
No, it's a paid product
- Studio plan:
- $59/month, or $34/month billed yearly
- Free trial:
- Fully functional, no time limit
Checked on Wirecast's site Nov 8, 2026
5 alternatives with a free option Full Wirecast pricing and plansSwitch from Wirecast to
All 6
Streamlabs DesktopStarting price: $15.75 a month (Ultra)
XSplit BroadcasterStarting price: $14.99/month (Premium, monthly)
Ecamm LivePaid
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 6
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Wirecast
Wirecast is a live video production app from Telestream that turns a Mac or Windows PC into a switcher, graphics engine and encoder. You bring in cameras over SDI, HDMI or USB, NDI sources, IP cameras, screen captures and remote guests, build shots with titles and lower thirds, and stream to platforms like YouTube and Facebook or to your own RTMP and SRT servers while recording. The higher Pro tier adds NDI output, ISO recording of each input, multi-track audio, PTZ camera control and sports tools such as scoreboards. It is aimed at churches, schools, corporate comms teams and sports streamers who want more control than OBS gives without buying hardware switchers. Wirecast is sold as a monthly or yearly subscription in two tiers, and the trial is fully functional with no time limit. It needs a reasonably powerful computer, especially for 1080p60 or many inputs.
Best for: Churches, schools and corporate teams running multi-camera live streams from one Mac or PC.
Wirecast pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Each line is quoted from Wirecast's own site, with the page it came from.
| Plan or term | What it says | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio plan | $59/month, or $34/month billed yearly | Nov 8, 2026 | wirecast.io |
| Pro plan | $79/month, or $42/month billed yearly | Nov 8, 2026 | wirecast.io |
| Free trial | Fully functional, no time limit | Nov 8, 2026 | wirecast.io |
Pros and cons
What works
- Broad input support: SDI, NDI, IP cameras, screen capture and remote guests
- ISO recording and multi-track audio in the Pro tier
- Trial has no time limit and needs no credit card
- Runs on both Mac and Windows
Why people leave
- Subscription only, and noticeably pricier than free OBS Studio
- NDI output, ISO recording and PTZ control are locked to the Pro tier
- Needs a fairly strong CPU and GPU for 1080p60 multi-camera shows
Wirecast vs Streamlabs Desktop, XSplit Broadcaster and Ecamm Live
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | Wirecast | Streamlabs Desktop | XSplit Broadcaster | Ecamm Live |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Verified price | $59/month, or $34/month billed yearly | $15.75 a month (Ultra) | $14.99/month (Premium, monthly) | — |
| Free plan | No | Yes, app is free to download | Yes, up to 720p without watermark | No |
| Open source | No | Yes | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows | Windows, macOS | Windows | macOS |
Top Wirecast alternatives
See all 6- 1Streamlabs Desktop64.8
Free OBS-based app with overlays and alerts, a cheaper choice for creator-style streams.
- 2XSplit Broadcaster61.8
Windows production app with scenes and remote guests at a lower subscription price.
- 3Ecamm Live59.4
Mac-only studio with easy guest interviews and overlays, popular with solo creators and podcasters.
- 4
Restream57.5Browser studio with multistreaming built in, so there is no heavy desktop setup to manage.
- 5
StreamYard55.9Browser-based studio focused on remote guests, much simpler than a full desktop switcher.
Why people left Wirecast
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
No switching stories yet. If you moved away from Wirecast, review the app you switched to and tell us why.
Reviews
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Wirecast: common questions
What is Wirecast?
Wirecast: Telestream's desktop live production and streaming software for Mac and Windows. Best for churches, schools and corporate teams running multi-camera live streams from one Mac or PC. Available for macOS and Windows.
Is Wirecast free?
No, Wirecast is a paid product. Studio plan: $59/month, or $34/month billed yearly (checked on Wirecast's own site).
How much does Wirecast cost?
Wirecast is a paid product. Studio plan: $59/month, or $34/month billed yearly; Pro plan: $79/month, or $42/month billed yearly; Free trial: Fully functional, no time limit. Checked on Wirecast's own site, November 2026.
Does Wirecast have a free trial or refund?
Free trial: Fully functional, no time limit. Source: Wirecast's own site.
Is Wirecast open source?
No, Wirecast is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Streamlabs Desktop and OBS Studio.
What platforms does Wirecast run on?
Wirecast is available for macOS and Windows.
What are the best alternatives to Wirecast?
The highest-ranked Wirecast alternatives right now are Streamlabs Desktop, XSplit Broadcaster and Ecamm Live. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
Wirecast vs Streamlabs Desktop: what's the difference?
Wirecast is a paid product; Streamlabs Desktop is free with paid plans. Verified prices: Wirecast $59/month, or $34/month billed yearly, Streamlabs Desktop $15.75 a month (Ultra). Streamlabs Desktop is open source and Wirecast is not. Both run on macOS and Windows.