Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Restream VS OBS Studio

Compare Restream VS OBS Studio and see what are their differences

Restream logo Restream

Restream is your live streaming companion. Easily broadcast your content live from your browser to 30+ platforms at the same time.

OBS Studio logo OBS Studio

Free and open source software for video recording and live streaming for Mac, Windows and Linux.
  • Restream Landing page
    Landing page //
    2020-02-14

Restream is the most popular platform for marketers, entrepreneurs, content creators, social community managers, coaches, and houses of worship to stream live to multiple platforms simultaneously. We have a community of over 3M streamers, using Restream to go live on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, LinkedIn, and 30+ other platforms at the same time.

  • OBS Studio Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-12

Restream features and specs

  • Multi-Platform Streaming
    Restream allows users to broadcast their live streams to multiple platforms simultaneously, such as YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitch, increasing reach and engagement.
  • Ease of Use
    Restream offers an intuitive interface and straightforward setup process, making it accessible even for users with minimal technical knowledge.
  • Analytics and Viewer Metrics
    The platform provides detailed analytics and viewer metrics, which help users understand their audience and improve their streaming strategy.
  • Custom Branding
    Restream enables users to add custom branding elements like logos, overlays, and backgrounds, enhancing the professional appearance of their streams.
  • Stream Scheduling
    Users can schedule their streams in advance, allowing them to plan their content and notify viewers ahead of time.
  • Chat Aggregation
    Restream gathers chats from all streaming platforms into a single interface, making it easier for streamers to interact with their audience without switching between platforms.

Possible disadvantages of Restream

  • Cost
    While Restream offers a free plan, it has limitations. To access premium features like Full HD streaming and advanced analytics, users must subscribe to a paid plan, which might be considered pricey for some.
  • Platform Limitations
    Restream's integration with some platforms may have limitations, such as certain features not being available or not fully supported.
  • Latency
    Multi-platform streaming can introduce latency issues, possibly affecting real-time interaction with viewers.
  • Bandwidth Requirements
    Streaming to multiple platforms requires significant bandwidth. Users with limited internet speed may experience performance issues.
  • Complexity for Advanced Features
    While the basic functionality is straightforward, utilizing some of the more advanced features and customizations may require a learning curve and deeper understanding.
  • Dependence on External Servers
    Relying on Restream's servers introduces a potential single point of failure. Any service outages or issues on Restream's end can disrupt streaming.

OBS Studio features and specs

  • Free and Open Source
    OBS Studio is completely free to download and use, and its source code is openly available, allowing users to modify and contribute to the software.
  • Cross-Platform
    OBS Studio is available on Windows, MacOS, and Linux, making it accessible to a wide range of users regardless of their operating system.
  • High Customizability
    The software allows for extensive customization through scenes, sources, and various settings, enabling users to tailor their streaming or recording setup precisely to their needs.
  • Plugin Support
    OBS Studio supports a variety of plugins, allowing users to add extra functionality such as additional sources, filters, and integrations with other platforms.
  • Active Community
    The OBS community is very active, offering a wealth of tutorials, forums, and support channels where users can find assistance and share knowledge.

Possible disadvantages of OBS Studio

  • Steep Learning Curve
    While powerful, OBS Studio can be intimidating for beginners due to its myriad of options and settings, requiring a significant amount of time to learn.
  • Resource Intensive
    OBS Studio can be quite demanding on system resources, particularly CPU and GPU, which might not be ideal for users with lower-end hardware.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Users sometimes report crashes or bugs, especially when using certain third-party plugins or on less common hardware configurations.
  • Limited Built-In Features
    While highly customizable, OBS Studio itself is relatively barebones without plugins, which means users often need to seek out and install additional software for specific functionalities (e.g., advanced effects, in-depth analytics).
  • Complex Configuration for Advanced Features
    Configuring advanced features, such as setting up a green screen or integrating with third-party tools, can be complex and time-consuming.

Restream videos

Restream.io Review

More videos:

  • Review - Stream to 30+ Platforms Simultaneously with Restream.io
  • Review - Restream Review Live While Using It - Easy Way To Stream To Multiple Platforms?

OBS Studio videos

Open Broadcaster Software Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Restream and OBS Studio)
Video Streaming
100 100%
0% 0
Screen Recording
0 0%
100% 100
Live Streaming
37 37%
63% 63
Video Recording
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Restream and OBS Studio

Restream Reviews

Top 26 Alternatives to Vimeo in 2024: Pricing, Features & More
Restream is a good alternative when you value the ability to live stream to multiple video platforms simultaneously. Best for managing streaming across multiple platforms, even without a very high-speed connection. Restream also makes integrating chats from multiple platforms easy, so those who value engagement should consider Restream.
Source: www.dacast.com

OBS Studio Reviews

Top Live Video Streaming Software, Tools, and Platforms for Professional Streaming
OBS Studio is an open-source software that’s popular among both beginner and professional streamers. It’s completely free to use and offers extensive customization options, including support for multiple video sources, transitions, and custom graphics. OBS Studio is great for live streaming to platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook.
Source: medium.com
ScreenRec vs OBS: A Comprehensive Comparison of Screen Recording and Streaming Software
ScreenRec and OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) are two popular screen recording and streaming software used by content creators, professionals, gamers, educators, and businesses worldwide. Both tools offer unique features and functionalities to capture and share screen content effectively.ScreenRec is a user-friendly screen recording software known for its simplicity and...
Source: screenapp.io
Selecting the Best Screen Recorder for Windows 11: A Thorough Exploration
Selecting the right screen recorder for Windows 11 hinges on your specific needs and the level of complexity you’re comfortable with. ScreenRec offers a balanced mix of ease of use and functionality, making it an excellent choice for most users. However, those with more specialized needs might find OBS Studio, Camtasia, Bandicam, or ShareX to be better suited to their...
Source: medium.com
Screen Recording Unveiled: ScreenRec and Other Notable Choices for Capturing Zoom and Google Meet Sessions
The modern age has brought forth the necessity for tools that can accurately capture on-screen activities, specifically virtual meetings and educational sessions. ScreenRec excels for its ease of use, while OBS Studio and Camtasia offer more advanced functionalities. Knowing how to record Zoom and Google Meet sessions is crucial, and with tools like ScreenRec at your...
Source: medium.com
10 Proven Screen Recorders for Mac [Updated in 2023]
OBS is a free and open source screen recording software for Mac, which allows users to record video and live streaming media. In fact, this is also one of the Mac screen video recorders that can't be missed. It supports real-time source and device capture, scene synthesis, encoding, recording and broadcasting.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OBS Studio should be more popular than Restream. It has been mentiond 1069 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Restream mentions (143)

  • Interviews at the Java J-Fall 2023 Conference
    I had a lot of interesting talks with Java experts since I started producing the Foojay Podcast. But when I asked the organizers of the J-Fall conference, if I could do some kind of live broadcast at their event, I hadn't imagined it would be such an amazing experience! During the day I had 29 interviews, which I all broadcasted live on multiple websites (YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter) with the amazing restream... - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Seperating audio tracks while using restream
    I'm relatively new with using restream.io It's a great service for me if I wanna stream to twitch and youtube at the same time without using extra network bandwith or computer resources. Just using OBS. Source: over 1 year ago
  • 📽️ New Video 📽️ "Looks like it time to get back the Ghost back in the Shell. #deadlink #blindknowledge" by Blind Knowledge is available NOW! BlindKnowledge.com https://youtu.be/Bd-Nd62kJGQ
    Powered by Restream https://restream.io Time to see if we still got the sauce. #learning #chill #deadlink. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Streaming is an incredible source of Watch Hours
    I attempted to use restream.io to simulcast to several platforms at once (youtube, twitch, occasionally facebook), but ran in to some issues. Namely, if OBS or your computer crashes while using restream, restream will automatically "end stream" on youtube, so even if you come back your VOD will be split. As noted in my post, the VOD brings in almost as many hours of watch time as the actual stream, so having a... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Trying to stream, OBS says Connecting... , Creator Dashboard Stream shows Offline
    So, I emailed them. They pretty much emailed me back telling me to try what I've already tried. Then they told me to try a Restreamer service. I told them that's the only way I can connect to Kick is through restream.io. Their last reply was something to the effect of, "Glad we could help you fix your connection issues". Essentially telling me to keep using restream.io. I mean, I guess that's okay. And now that... Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

OBS Studio mentions (1069)

  • A single line of code cost $8000
    FWIW, OBS is ~150 MB, not an electron app and actually open source. https://obsproject.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 days ago
  • A M.2 HDMI capture card
    Https://magicmusicvisuals.com/ combined with https://obsproject.com/. And possibly OBS all by itself. - Source: Hacker News / 13 days ago
  • How to Set Up a Free RTMP Server with Open Source Red5
    ./red5.sh # for Linux or Mac Red5.bat # for Windows You should see console output indicating the server has started successfully, typically on `localhost:5080`. 2. To test if your RTMP server is live, open your web browser and go to `http://localhost:5080/`. You should see the Red5 landing page. ### Step 4: Configure RTMP Applications Red5 supports RTMP out of the box. You can now create and configure RTMP... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Phased Array Microphone
    You might look into OBS and/or VoiceMeeter to see how streamers selectively route audio while livestreaming/recording video/audio streams. https://obsproject.com/ https://voicemeeter.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • How to Set Up a Free RTMP Server with Open Source Red5
    Download and Install OBS: If you haven’t already, download and install OBS from obsproject.com. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Restream and OBS Studio, you can also consider the following products

StreamYard - StreamYard is a live streaming studio in your browser.

Camtasia - Camtasia 2018 makes it easy to record your screen and create polished, professional-looking videos.

Switchboard Live - Multistreaming for every need and every brand. You make the content. Switchboard Cloud gets it where it belongs. Perfect for your next streaming event.

ShareX - ShareX is a free and open source program that lets you capture or record any area of your screen...

Vimeo Live - Live stream your videos in high-quality 1080p, get tools to boost engagement (and lower stress), and enjoy one home for all your live and uploaded videos.

Snagit - Screen Capture Software for Windows and Mac