Streamlabs Desktop vs StreamYard
Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
Streamlabs Desktop
Free live streaming app built on OBS, with alerts, overlays, chat tools and a paid Ultra plan for extras.
StreamYard
Browser-based live streaming and recording studio for shows, podcasts and webinars with remote guests.
The short answer
Streamlabs Desktop is a free Windows and macOS app built on OBS, aimed at gamers and solo streamers who want alerts, overlays and chat tools. StreamYard runs in the browser and is built around remote guests, interviews and webinars. The biggest difference is where the stream is produced: a local capture app on your computer versus a hosted studio guests join with a link.
Streamlabs Desktop or StreamYard: our take
Streamlabs Desktop captures games, webcams, desktop and audio on a Windows or macOS machine, using the OBS engine underneath. Alerts, widgets, a chat box, the Cloudbot chatbot and overlay themes are built in, and Dual Output sends horizontal and vertical layouts at the same time for free. Local recordings have no watermark or time limit, and the code is open source under GPL-3.0. The costs are heavier CPU and memory use than plain OBS, no Linux version, and regular prompts toward paid features.
StreamYard takes the opposite approach. Nothing is installed by the host or guests; you send a link, arrange people with preset layouts, add a logo, overlays and clips, and put viewer comments on screen. Local recordings capture each participant on their own device, which keeps quality up on weak connections, and On-Air adds hosted webinars. It gives less control over scenes and capture sources than a desktop app, so it is a poor fit for game capture.
Pricing works differently too. Streamlabs Desktop is free to download, and the Ultra plan costs $27 a month billed monthly; Ultra is needed to multistream to several platforms and unlocks the full theme library and more Collab Cam guest slots. StreamYard has a free plan that adds a StreamYard logo and caps local recordings; paid plans start at $18.99 a month, or $14.99 a month billed yearly (Essential), and the Advanced plan multistreams to up to 8 destinations. Its individual plans are for personal, not company, use.
Pick Streamlabs Desktop for gaming or solo streams where you want alerts and overlays working quickly and the machine has resources to spare. Pick StreamYard for talk shows, podcasts, interviews and webinars with remote guests, especially when guests aren't technical.
Which should you pick?
Choose Streamlabs Desktop if…
- New streamers who want alerts, overlays and chat tools working out of the box
- You want open-source software
- You need Windows and macOS, which StreamYard doesn't list
- Alerts, widgets, chatbot and overlay themes built in
- Dual Output streams horizontal and vertical layouts free
Choose StreamYard if…
- Creators and marketers running talk shows, interviews and webinars with remote guests
- You need Web, which Streamlabs Desktop doesn't list
- Runs in the browser for hosts and guests, no install needed
- Multistreams to several platforms at once on paid plans
About each app
What is Streamlabs Desktop?
Streamlabs Desktop is a broadcasting app for Windows and macOS that takes the OBS engine and wraps it in a setup aimed at gamers and creators who want to go live quickly. Instead of assembling plugins and browser sources by hand, you get stream alerts, a chat box, widgets, a chatbot called Cloudbot and a library of overlay themes inside the same window. It captures games, webcams, desktop and audio, records locally without watermarks, and can send a horizontal and a vertical layout at the same time for platforms like YouTube and TikTok. The app is open source and free to use; the Ultra subscription unlocks multistreaming to several destinations, the full theme library, more guest slots in Collab Cam and the wider Streamlabs suite (mobile, console streaming, clip and podcast editors). It is owned by Logitech. Compared with plain OBS it is easier to start with, but it is heavier on system resources and the interface regularly nudges you toward paid features.
What is StreamYard?
StreamYard is a live streaming studio that runs in the web browser, so neither the host nor guests install anything. You invite guests with a link, arrange them on screen with preset layouts, add your logo, overlays and video clips, show viewer comments on screen, and stream to YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Twitch and other platforms at once. It also records podcasts and interviews, with local recordings that capture each person's audio and video on their own device for better quality on weak connections. On-Air adds hosted webinars that can be embedded on a website. There is a free plan with a StreamYard logo and recording limits; paid individual plans add more destinations, more on-screen participants, 1080p or 4K local recordings and storage, and separate business plans cover teams. It is owned by Bending Spoons. It is easier than desktop tools like OBS but gives less control over scenes and capture sources.
Side by side
| Attribute | Streamlabs Desktop | StreamYard |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Web |
| Best for | New streamers who want alerts, overlays and chat tools working out of the box | Creators and marketers running talk shows, interviews and webinars with remote guests |
| Status | Active | Active |
Verified facts, compared
Facts both apps publish, checked on each vendor's own site.
| Fact | Streamlabs Desktop | StreamYard |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, app is free to download | Yes, with StreamYard logo |
| Starting price | $15.75 a month (Ultra) | $18.99 a month, or $14.99 a month billed yearly (Essential) |
Streamlabs Desktop vs StreamYard pricing
Streamlabs Desktop: free plan + paid
- Free plan: Yes, app is free to download source
- License: GPL-3.0 source
- Starting price: $15.75 a month (Ultra) source
- Ultra plan: $27 a month, billed monthly source
StreamYard: free plan + paid
- Free trial: 7 days source
- Starting price: $18.99 a month, or $14.99 a month billed yearly (Essential) source
- Core plan: $44.99 a month, or $35.99 a month billed yearly source
- Advanced plan: $88.99 a month, or $68.99 a month billed yearly source
- Free plan: Yes, with StreamYard logo source
Platforms
| Platform | Streamlabs Desktop | StreamYard |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| macOS |
Streamlabs Desktop facts
7 of 7 verified- Free plan
- Yes, app is free to download
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “ Streamlabs Desktop is free to download and includes core streaming tools”
- License
- GPL-3.0
- Checked Nov 1, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “License: GPL-3.0 (GNU General Public License v3.0).”
- Engine
- Built on OBS
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Streamlabs Desktop is built on top of the core OBS engine .”
- Starting price
- $15.75 a month (Ultra)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Learn More Starting at $15.75/mo”
- Ultra plan
- $27 a month, billed monthly
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Join Ultra to elevate your reach and engagement across multiple platforms. Monthly ($27/mo) Annual ($179/yr) Thank you!”
- Student discount
- 50% off up to 2 years of Ultra (.edu email)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Join Ultra Save 50% off up to 2 years of Ultra with a valid .edu email address and code STUDENT.”
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamlabs.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “ Streamlabs Desktop runs on Windows and macOS and requires a computer capable of real-time video encoding.”
StreamYard facts
9 of 9 verified- Free trial
- 7 days
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “$18 .99 $14 .99 / mo Start 7-day free trial”
- Multistreaming
- Up to 8 destinations (Advanced)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Multistream - 8 destinations”
- Refunds
- 7-day money-back guarantee
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Yes, StreamYard has a 7-day money-back guarantee .”
- Owner
- Bending Spoons
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “© Bending Spoons Operations S.p.A.”
- 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)
- “Essential Explore essential features and enjoy high-quality streaming. $18 .99 $14 .99 / mo”
- Core plan
- $44.99 a month, or $35.99 a month billed yearly
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “$44 .99 $35 .99 / mo”
- Advanced plan
- $88.99 a month, or $68.99 a month billed yearly
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “$88 .99 $68 .99 / mo”
- Free plan
- Yes, with StreamYard logo
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “StreamYard's core features are free to use.”
- Money-back guarantee
- 7 days
- Checked Nov 8, 2026streamyard.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Yes, StreamYard has a 7-day money-back guarantee .”
Pros and cons of Streamlabs Desktop
- 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
- 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
Pros and cons of StreamYard
- 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
- 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
Other apps to consider
XSplit BroadcasterInstead of Streamlabs Desktop
Windows studio with built-in background removal and a one-time lifetime licence instead of a monthly plan.
RestreamInstead of Streamlabs Desktop
Streams to many platforms at once from a browser studio, so you don't need a powerful PC or a desktop app.
Ecamm LiveInstead of Streamlabs Desktop
Mac-native live streaming studio with built-in guest calls and overlays, a smoother fit than Streamlabs on macOS.
RiversideInstead of StreamYard
Focused on high-quality remote podcast and video recording with built-in editing.
OBS StudioInstead of StreamYard
Free, open-source desktop app with full control over scenes and sources, no subscription.
Streamlabs Desktop vs StreamYard: common questions
Is Streamlabs Desktop better than StreamYard?
Streamlabs Desktop is a free Windows and macOS app built on OBS, aimed at gamers and solo streamers who want alerts, overlays and chat tools. StreamYard runs in the browser and is built around remote guests, interviews and webinars. The biggest difference is where the stream is produced: a local capture app on your computer versus a hosted studio guests join with a link.
Is Streamlabs Desktop free?
Streamlabs Desktop has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is StreamYard free?
StreamYard has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Streamlabs Desktop or StreamYard open source?
Streamlabs Desktop is open source; StreamYard is not.
Which platforms do Streamlabs Desktop and StreamYard support?
Streamlabs Desktop: Windows and macOS. StreamYard: Web.