--- title: OBS Studio canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/obs-studio/ category: Screen Recording Software points: 69 rank: 3 of 9 facts_checked: 2026-10-08 --- # OBS Studio Free, open-source recorder and live-streaming app for Windows, macOS and Linux, built around scenes made of several sources. 69 points out of 100. #3 of 9 screen recorders. Vendor: OBS Project. Website: https://obsproject.com/ - OBS Studio is free and open source, under the GNU GPL version 2 or later [1][3]. - Downloads cover Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13 or newer, and Linux [2]. - By default it records your desktop audio and your microphone together [5]. - The frame-rate list in its video settings goes up to 60 frames a second [7]. - It has no editing guide of its own; OBS's post-production page points to separate video editors [8]. Verdict: OBS Studio suits people who want a free recorder with no watermark and no paid tier, on any of the three desktop systems [1][2]. Scenes can combine screen captures, webcams and other sources, and desktop audio and microphone are recorded by default [1][4][5]. The catch is everything after recording: OBS points to separate video editors, and it lists no link sharing or automatic captions of its own [8][9]. Best for: People who want a free recorder with full control over sources and quality. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Capture | Webcam overlay | Yes | 6/6 | Scenes combine multiple sources, and the Video Capture Device source works with webcams [1][4]. | | Capture | System sound and microphone | Yes | 6/6 | By default OBS Studio captures desktop audio and microphone [5]. | | Capture | 4K recording | Yes | 6/6 | OBS's NVENC guide describes encoder defaults for resolutions of 2160p (4K) and above [6]. | | Capture | 60 frames a second | Yes | 6/6 | The common frame-rate list in video settings includes 59.94 and 60 [7]. | | Capture | Draw while recording | Not published | 0/6 | | | Editing and sharing | Built-in editor | No | 0/8 | OBS's post-production page points to separate video editors for editing recordings [8]. | | Editing and sharing | Share by link | Not published | 0/8 | | | Editing and sharing | Automatic captions | Not published | 0/9 | Not published as a built-in feature. Plugins add features to OBS [9]. | | Systems | Desktop systems | Windows, macOS, Linux | 15/15 | Downloads for Windows 10 and 11, macOS 13 or newer, and Linux [2]. | | Price and licence | Free without watermark or time limit | Yes | 12/12 | The whole app is free and open source, with no paid edition to unlock [1][3]. | | Price and licence | First-year price | $0 | 10/10 | Entirely free [1]. | | Price and licence | Open source | Yes | 8/8 | Source code is public under the GNU GPL v2 or later [3]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | OBS Studio | Free [1][3] | $0 | ## Strengths - Free and open source under the GNU GPL, with no paid edition [1][3]. - Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux [2]. - Scenes combine window captures, images, text and webcams or capture cards [1][4]. - Records desktop audio and microphone together by default [5]. - Encoding settings cover resolutions of 2160p (4K) and above [6]. ## Limits - OBS's own guide sends you to separate apps to edit recordings [8]. - No built-in upload or share link is listed on its pages [1]. - Automatic captions are not a published built-in feature; extra features come from plugins [9]. - Many settings to learn, from encoder presets to output scaling [6][7]. ## Sources 1. [Open Broadcaster Software | OBS](https://obsproject.com/), OBS Project, accessed 2026-10-08 2. [Download | OBS](https://obsproject.com/download), OBS Project, accessed 2026-10-08 3. [obsproject/obs-studio](https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio), GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08 4. [Video Capture Sources | OBS](https://obsproject.com/kb/video-capture-sources), OBS Project, accessed 2026-10-08 5. [Quick Start Guide](https://obsproject.com/kb/quick-start-guide), OBS Project, accessed 2026-10-08 6. [Advanced NVENC Options (31.0)](https://obsproject.com/kb/advanced-nvenc-options), OBS Project, accessed 2026-10-08 7. [OBSBasicSettings.ui (OBS Studio settings window source)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/obsproject/obs-studio/master/frontend/forms/OBSBasicSettings.ui), OBS Project on GitHub, accessed 2026-10-08 8. [Post Production Tools | OBS](https://obsproject.com/kb/post-production-tools), OBS Project, accessed 2026-10-08 9. [Plugins Guide | OBS](https://obsproject.com/kb/plugins-guide), OBS Project, accessed 2026-10-08