The top 7 green screens for streaming

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Best green screens for streaming

Any of these seven background screens would be ideal for streamers of all levels, although some are more expensive than others. A few are more suited to photographers, but they still work well for live content creators.

1. Elgato Collapsible Chroma Key Panel

If you want a big green screen you can easily store, the Elgato Collapsible Chroma Key Panel is a safe choice. You can lock it into place with the X-frame and adjust it to suit your setup. Plus it’s wrinkle-resistant. When you’re done streaming, slide it back into its case and store it for later.

• Dimensions: 58.27 x 70.87 in / 148 x 180 cm
• Weight: 20.5 lbs / 9.3 kg
• Material: 100% polyester

Pros

• Extremely portable
• Easy to set up
• Non-reflective, wrinkle-resistant material
• Built-in X-frame

Cons

• A bit heavy
• Pricey
• The clips to close the case tend to be flimsy

2. Neewer Chromakey Double-Sided Backdrop

If you want a flexible color option for your screen, the Neewer Chromakey Double-Sided Backdrop is a great pick. One side is green; the other is blue. It’s collapsible as well, folding up into a disc you can store easily or carry with you. You will need to get a stand to hang it on.

• Dimensions (extended): 5 x 6.6 ft / 150 x 200 cm
• Dimensions (collapsed): 24.8 in / 63 cm (diameter)
• Weight: 17.31 oz / 490.73 g
• Material: Muslin

Pros

• Durable metal frame
• Double-sided
• Stretched tightly over frame for no wrinkles
• Collapsible and comes with carrying bag

Cons

• Stand sold separately
• Folding it back up can be tricky

3. Fancierstudio Green Screen Background

For a green screen that extends to and covers the floor, try the Fancierstudio Green Screen Background. It’s a good deal for the price, as it also comes with a stand to hang it from and a carrying case for portability. The screen is nine feet long, and you can adjust it to the length you need. If you require a bigger screen, you can try the Fancierstudio Chromakey Green Screen Kit, which includes a 10- by 12-foot green screen along with umbrella lights.

• Dimensions (minimum): 3.5 x 4.5 ft / 106.68 x 137.16 cm
• Dimensions (maximum): 6 x 9 ft / 182.88 x 274.32 cm
• Weight: 11.3 lbs / 5.13 kg
• Material: Muslin

Pros

• Adjustable and covers the floor
• Comes with frame and carrying case
• Portable

Cons

• Not wrinkle-resistant
• Screen doesn’t always stay steady

4. LimoStudio Green Muslin Backdrop

The LimoStudio Green Muslin Backdrop is one of the most inexpensive on this list, so if you’re on a budget, it’s worth a look. It doesn’t come with a stand or frame, however. The LimoStudio screen has a pre-stitched loop, so you can slide it onto a rod. It does come with clips, so you can clip it up when needed as well.

• Dimensions: 6 x 9 ft / 182.88 x 274.32 cm
• Weight: 1.25 lbs / 0.57 kg
• Material: Polyester

Pros

• Machine washable and ironable
• Inexpensive
• Available in a larger size if needed

Cons

• Not wrinkle-resistant and requires a lot of ironing/steaming
• No stand included

5. Webaround Big Shot Office Chair Green Screen

For gamers or streamers who mostly sit in front of their cameras, the Webaround Big Shot Office Chair Green Screen is a quirky solution. The screen is a large disc that slides over the back of your desk chair, forming a giant green halo behind you when you sit down. It also comes in other colors and various sizes to fit your background needs. The Webaround screen is collapsible and fits in a nifty carrying bag.

• Dimensions: 56 in / 142.24 cm (diameter)
• Weight: 1.8 lbs / 816 g
• Material: Polyester

Pros

• Portable and lightweight
• Good for streamers with small studios or limited space
• Material stays taut

Cons

• The green screen moves if you move
• Only covers your immediate background

6. EMART Green Screen

For a green screen with ultimate portability and setup ease, try the EMART Green Screen. The carrying case doubles as a stand, with legs that swivel out to support it. You simply open it and drag it up into position, locking it in place at any height you want. Setup doesn’t get much faster than that. The EMART screen uses high-quality materials, and the price reflects it; it’s one of the priciest green screens on this list.

• Dimensions: 61.02 x 72.44 in / 154.99 x 184 cm
• Weight: 19.6 lbs / 8.89 kg
• Material: Muslin

Pros

• Quick setup
• Non-reflective material
• Designed for streamers and content creators

Cons

• Frame isn’t so sturdy
• Expensive

7. Fotodiox 2-in-1 Background

Collapsible, reversible, and portable — the Fotodiox 2-in-1 Chromakey Background is sufficient for most streaming needs. The screen comes with its own stand, which extends to seven feet high. You can change it out for blue or green, depending on your needs.

• Dimensions: 5 x 7 ft / 125.4 x 213.36 cm
• Weight: 1 lb / 453.59 g
• Material: Muslin

Pros

• Wire-frame stand included
• Lightweight

Cons

• Small screen may not cover your entire background
• Can be difficult to fold up for storage

What is a green screen?

A green screen lets you create virtual backgrounds or add special effects to your stream. Using chroma keying, you can key out the color of the screen, making your background “disappear.” Then, you can use live streaming broadcast software or webcam software to add a virtual background.

Why are green screens green?

To use chroma key, your screen does not have to be green. Screens come in other colors, like blue. Chroma keying involves keying out everything of a certain color that appears on screen. Technically you could use any color background, but some colors pose problems. If you had a light brown screen, for example, chroma keying might make your hair disappear right along with the background! Green is used most often because it doesn’t match most hair colors and skin tones. Just remember not to wear a green shirt on your broadcast when you use a green screen!

Why do you need a green screen for streaming?

Streamers add virtual backgrounds to their broadcasts to make their streams look more professional. If you don’t have a dedicated studio for live streaming at home, you might find a green screen useful. Adding a virtual background lets you replace any settings that might be sensitive, messy or simply too boring.

Some use cases for green screens include:

• Gamers who want the “sitting inside the game” effect
• Streams or tutorials that require full-screen screencasting
• An amusing background to have fun with the audience
• Maintaining consistency if you have to stream from different physical locations frequently
• Display branding or calls to action (CTAs) in the background

For more info about how to use a green screen during a live broadcast, read our guide to chroma keying for live streams.

Lighting a green screen

If you want to use a green screen, you’ll have to light your setup properly. The chroma key won’t work if shadows make the color of your screen uneven. You need to light your screen so that the entire thing appears as one hue. To do so, consider getting a back light, key light, and fill light to ensure even lighting. You can read more about how to set up lights for live streaming in our video lighting guide.

Chroma keying and your CPU

Live streaming uses a big chunk of your PC’s resources. Chroma keying requires even more. Make sure your computer is powerful enough to handle chroma keying for a live broadcast. If it’s not, you can also switch from software encoding to hardware encoding to lighten the load on your PC.

How do you choose a green screen?

Although green screens are relatively inexpensive, don’t just purchase the cheapest one you can find. You’ll want to take some other considerations into account.

Size

The proper size for your green screen depends on your camera. First, you need to decide how far away the camera will be from you and your background. Obviously, the farther away you place it, the more of the green screen you can see. The camera’s angle of view also helps you determine the right size for a green screen.

Most webcams have a wide-angle camera lens, meaning you can see a lot of the background behind you. You need a green screen big enough to cover this viewing area. Run some tests and measure the space you’ll need to cover with a green screen. Hang a poster or sheet behind you to gauge your camera position and angle, then use those measurements to determine how big your green screen should be.

Material

The most important factor to remember when choosing a material for your screen green is that it should not be reflective. Muslin is a good choice because it’s a dull fabric and easy to clean. It can be difficult to store or take with you, though, as muslin will show wrinkles and creases over time.

Spandex and nylon are good choices for a green screen because they stretch and don’t wrinkle. The downside is that some spandex or nylon green screens will reflect light.

Stand

You need to mount your green screen on something, and sticking it to the wall behind you isn’t always possible. You will need a stand — or you can purchase a screen that mounts on your desk chair. The stand should be sturdy enough that it keeps your green screen stretched tightly, allowing no wrinkles whatsoever. Some green screens are sold with a stand included; others are not.

Portability

Will you be able to leave your green screen up all the time, or will you take it down after each stream? If you plan to put it away once you’re done, you need a screen that stores easily. One of the benefits of using chroma key is that you can take your background with you wherever you go. But if you plan to broadcast from different places, you need to be able to transport your screen without damaging it.

Price

Most green screens aren’t expensive, but cost is always relative — especially when you’re a new streamer. You can find one for about $50, although some may cost much more or much less. Remember that a higher price doesn’t always mean better quality. Choose a green screen that suits your streaming needs and judge it based on the above criteria.

How to stream with a green screen

To use a green screen for a live broadcast, you’ll need to set up your scene and then ready the chroma key in your streaming software.

Here are a few tips for setting up your studio with a green screen:

• Always get a bigger screen than you think you need
• Put the screen far enough behind you that you don’t cast shadows on it
• Set up your screen, lights and camera and run a test before going live
• Avoid wearing anything green or reflective in front of the screen

You’ll also need streaming software or an app that supports virtual backgrounds. OBS Studio supports this function, as does Restream Studio. To use a green screen with Restream Studio, follow these steps:

1. Open Restream Studio and click the gear icon to open Settings.
2. Click  Virtual Background.
3. Choose the color of your screen (Restream supports blue, green, magenta or custom).
4. Upload or choose a virtual background. Upload images at 1920x1080 px for the best quality.

Inserting a virtual background is only one of the benefits of using Restream Studio to go live. You can also:

• Invite guests to your stream
• Share your screen
• Do split-screen streaming
• Stream in Full HD
• Add copyright-free background music to your stream
• Upload custom graphics and backgrounds
• Go live without downloading any software
• Stream to multiple platforms simultaneously

Restream makes live streaming intuitive and accessible, so you can focus on making great content.

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FAQs

What is the best type of green screen material?

Look for materials that won’t reflect light. Muslin is a popular choice, although it is prone to wrinkling. Spandex and nylon are also good options, as long as they aren’t shiny.

What is the best size for a green screen?

This really depends on your setup! If you always stream directly in front of your camera, you might be able to get away with a smaller size. If you have a wide-angle lens or tend to place yourself farther from the camera, you’ll want to size up. If in doubt, always go one size bigger than you think you’ll need.

Is it worth buying a green screen?

A green screen is a relatively cheap investment that can make a big difference in the quality of your live streams. It’s possible to get by without one, but we think it’s worth owning one because of all the possibilities it opens up.

What should I wear in front of a green screen?

Don’t wear green! Otherwise your software will make your body disappear right along with your background and you’ll end up with the dreaded “floating head” effect. It’s also a good idea to avoid wearing anything reflective or shiny because it might pick up green tones.

Let’s wrap up

Choosing the right green screen is about finding the best value for your needs. Think about what you’ll use your screen for before you start looking. As long as you have the proper lighting, just about any green screen made from high-quality material will get the job done.