Best live streaming software for YouTube
Restream Studio lets you stream to YouTube from your browser, bring remote guests on screen, add your branding and broadcast to YouTube and other platforms at the same time. It's built for interviews, talk shows and creators who want to reach more than one audience without installing software.
Other tools suit other setups. OBS Studio is a free, open-source desktop app for creators who want detailed control over scenes and encoding, which makes it popular for gaming. The right choice depends on your workflow: interviews, gaming, a simple webcam stream or a show broadcast to several destinations.
| Your goal | Good fit |
|---|---|
| A simple webcam stream with nothing to install | YouTube's built-in webcam streaming, or Restream Studio if you want guests, custom layouts, branding or more than one platform |
| Interviews and remote guests | Restream Studio, StreamYard, Riverside |
| Gaming with scenes and full encoder control | OBS Studio, Streamlabs Desktop, XSplit Broadcaster (Windows only) |
| YouTube plus other platforms at the same time | Restream: stream from Restream Studio, or send OBS or another encoder to Restream |
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
Disclosure: this guide is published by Restream, and Restream Studio is our product. Details about other tools come from their official websites, pricing pages and help centers, checked on October 15, 2026. We point out where another tool is the better fit.
In this guide:
- Quick comparison of YouTube streaming software
- Which YouTube streaming setup is right for you?
- Best streaming tools for YouTube Live
- Free YouTube streaming software and plan limits
- Do you need software to stream on YouTube?
- How to stream on YouTube with Restream Studio
- How we compared these tools
- Frequently asked questions
Quick comparison of YouTube streaming software
YouTube streaming tools fall into two groups. A browser studio, such as Restream Studio, StreamYard or Riverside, runs in a web browser: you open the studio, add your camera and microphone, invite guests with a link and go live. There is nothing to install, and guests don't need to download anything either.
A desktop encoder, such as OBS Studio, Streamlabs Desktop or XSplit Broadcaster, is an app on your computer. It captures local sources (a game, several cameras, capture cards, windows), combines them into scenes and encodes the video on your machine before sending it to YouTube. That gives you more control, but the quality of your stream depends more on your computer and your upload speed.
The two approaches can also work together. For example, you can produce your show in OBS and send it to Restream, which then delivers the stream to YouTube and other platforms.
| Tool | Best for | How it runs | Free option | Key limits: free plan, recording, 1080p |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restream Studio | Interviews, branded shows, streaming to YouTube and other platforms at once | Browser (Chrome recommended) on Windows, macOS and Linux; also accepts streams from OBS and other encoders | Free plan | Free: 2 destinations, 720p Studio output, Restream branding Recording: paid plans 1080p in Studio: Professional plan |
| OBS Studio | Gaming and complex scene setups | Desktop app: Windows, macOS, Linux | Completely free and open source | Free: all features, 1 destination natively Recording: included 1080p: depends on your hardware and upload speed Guests need third-party tools |
| Streamlabs Desktop | Streamers who want scenes plus ready-made themes and alerts | Desktop app: Windows, macOS | Free plan | Free: 1 horizontal + 1 vertical destination (Dual Output), 1 guest Recording: included 1080p: not verified |
| StreamYard | Browser-based interviews and talk shows | Browser | Free plan | Free: 1 destination, StreamYard logo, monthly streaming cap Recording: limited on free, no downloads 1080p: paid plans |
| Riverside | Podcasts and interviews where recording quality comes first | Browser | Free plan (recording only) | Free: no live streaming Recording: included, 720p with watermark on free 1080p live: Grow plan and up |
| XSplit Broadcaster | Windows users who want a scene-based desktop app | Desktop app: Windows 10/11 only | Free version | Free: 1 destination, 4 scenes, no watermark up to 720p Recording: included Above 720p without watermark: Premium Windows only |
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
| Tool | Remote guests | Max live output | Recording | Simultaneous destinations | Branding on free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restream Studio | Built in. Free: you + 5 guests on screen; paid: up to 10 on screen | Studio: 720p (Free, Standard), 1080p (Professional and up). Encoder streams: up to 4K where the destination supports it | Cloud recording on paid plans; local recording on Professional and up (beta) | Free 2, Standard 3, Professional 5, Business 8 | Restream branding |
| OBS Studio | Not built in; needs a third-party tool | Set by your settings, hardware and upload speed | Local recording | 1 natively; more with community plugins or a relay service such as Restream | None |
| Streamlabs Desktop | Collab Cam: 1 guest free, up to 11 on Ultra | Not verified | Local recording without watermark or time limit | Free: 1 horizontal + 1 vertical (Dual Output); Ultra: 3 or more, or several in the same orientation | No watermark on local recordings |
| StreamYard | Built in. Free: 6 on screen; Core: 10 | 1080p on paid plans | Cloud and local; free plan: 2 hours of local recording per month, no downloads | Free 1, Core 3, Advanced 8 | StreamYard logo |
| Riverside | Built in | 720p by default, up to 1080p (Grow and up) | Up to 4K local multitrack recording on paid plans | Multiple via custom RTMP on Grow and up | Watermark on free recordings; no live streaming on free |
| XSplit Broadcaster | Not built in; capture a call window or use a third-party tool | Free: up to 720p without watermark; Premium: not verified | Local recording | 1 on free; multistreaming with Premium | Watermark above 720p or 30 fps |
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
Plans and limits change often. "Not verified" means we couldn't confirm the figure on an official page; it doesn't mean the feature is missing.
Which YouTube streaming setup is right for you?
Start with what your stream looks like, not with a feature list. Here are four common setups and the tools that suit them.
A simple solo stream
If you only need your camera, microphone and a shared screen, YouTube's own webcam streaming works in Chrome or Firefox with no extra software, and you can share your screen during the stream. Move to a browser studio such as Restream Studio when you want control over the composition: layouts that combine your camera, screen and guests, your own logo and overlays, pre-recorded video, or streaming to more than one platform. You still don't install anything.
Interviews and remote guests
Browser studios are built for this. In Restream Studio, guests join from a link without creating an account, and you control who is on screen and which layout viewers see. StreamYard works in a similar way. Riverside is a strong choice when a high-quality separate recording of each participant matters as much as the live stream itself, but live streaming there requires a higher paid plan.
Gaming with scenes
For game capture, multiple local sources and fine control over bitrate and encoders, a desktop app is the better fit. OBS Studio is free on Windows, macOS and Linux; Streamlabs Desktop adds themes and alerts on top of a similar workflow; XSplit Broadcaster is an option on Windows. If you also want to reach Twitch or Kick, send your OBS output to Restream instead of streaming to each platform separately.
YouTube and other platforms at once
Restream was built for multistreaming. You can go live on YouTube and other channels from Restream Studio, or connect OBS, vMix or another encoder and let Restream deliver one stream to every destination. Restream supports 30+ platforms; the number you can stream to at the same time depends on your plan: 2 on Free, 3 on Standard, 5 on Professional and 8 on Business.
Best streaming tools for YouTube Live
Each tool below is described with the same criteria: who it's for, how it works with YouTube, what it does well, its main limits and what you get for free.
Restream Studio
Best for: creators, marketers, educators and teams who host interviews, panels or branded shows and want to reach YouTube and other platforms at once.
How it works with YouTube: you can use Restream in two ways. As a complete browser studio, you connect your YouTube channel, open Studio, invite guests and go live. As a relay, you keep producing in OBS or another encoder and send one stream to Restream, which delivers it to YouTube and your other channels.
What it does well:
- Guests join from a link in the browser, with no account or download.
- Screen sharing (hosts can share up to 3 screens), logos, overlays, backgrounds and local video playback.
- Schedule YouTube events and set titles, descriptions and thumbnails from Restream.
- On Professional and higher plans, stream horizontal and vertical versions to YouTube at the same time.
Limitations: Studio output is 720p on Free and Standard and 1080p from Professional. Recording requires a paid plan. Uploading your own graphics requires a paid plan. For demanding game capture, a desktop encoder connected to Restream is the better setup.
Free and paid: the Free plan includes Studio, 2 channels at once and Restream branding. Paid plans add more channels, recording, branding removal and higher Studio resolution. See Restream pricing for current plan details.
Learn more: stream to YouTube with Restream.
OBS Studio
Best for: gamers and technical creators who want full control over scenes, sources, audio and encoding settings at no cost.
How it works with YouTube: OBS is a desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux. You connect it to YouTube in the stream settings, typically with the stream key from YouTube Studio.
What it does well:
- Unlimited scenes built from cameras, windows, game capture, images and browser sources.
- An audio mixer with per-source filters, plus a large ecosystem of plugins.
- High-quality local recording alongside your stream.
Limitations: OBS has a learning curve, and performance depends on your computer and upload speed. Remote guests and streaming to several platforms aren't built in: you need community plugins or another service, such as a browser tool for guests or Restream for multistreaming. OBS lists Restream as a built-in streaming service, so connecting the two takes a few clicks.
Free and paid: completely free and open source, with no paid tiers. Official site: obsproject.com.
Streamlabs Desktop
Best for: streamers who want an OBS-style scene workflow with ready-made themes, alerts and widgets.
How it works with YouTube: Streamlabs Desktop is an app for Windows and macOS with a native YouTube integration.
What it does well:
- Themes, alerts and widgets that are quick to set up.
- Collab Cam lets a guest join from a browser.
- Dual Output streams to one horizontal and one vertical destination at the same time on the free plan, for example YouTube and TikTok.
- Local recordings have no watermark or time limit.
Limitations: the free plan's Dual Output is limited to one horizontal and one vertical destination. Streaming to three or more destinations, or to several in the same orientation, and more than one Collab Cam guest require Streamlabs Ultra (up to 11 additional guests or camera angles).
Free and paid: free to download; more destinations and extra guests come with the paid Ultra subscription. Official site: Streamlabs Desktop.
StreamYard
Best for: hosts who want a simple browser studio for interviews and talk shows.
How it works with YouTube: you sign in with your Google account and grant StreamYard permission to manage your YouTube channel's live streams.
What it does well:
- Up to 6 people on screen on the free plan and 10 on Core.
- Cloud and local recording, with 4K local recording on Advanced and higher plans.
- Multistreaming to 3 destinations on Core and 8 on Advanced.
Limitations: Paid plans stream in up to 1080p. The free plan shows the StreamYard logo, streams to 1 destination, has a monthly streaming cap and can't download recordings.
Free and paid: the free plan covers basic streams; paid plans remove the logo and add multistreaming. Official site: StreamYard pricing.
Riverside
Best for: podcasters and interviewers who need a high-quality separate recording of each participant, with live streaming as an extra.
How it works with YouTube: Riverside runs in the browser. Channel owners connect YouTube by signing in; others can use RTMP.
What it does well:
- Local multitrack recording up to 4K on paid plans.
- Live output at 720p by default, up to 1080p on Grow and higher.
- Streaming to several destinations through custom RTMP.
Limitations: live streaming is available only on Grow, Webinar and Business plans. The free plan and Pro plan are for recording only, and free recordings carry a Riverside watermark.
Free and paid: check Riverside pricing for current plan prices.
XSplit Broadcaster
Best for: Windows users who want a scene-based desktop app with a polished interface.
How it works with YouTube: XSplit Broadcaster runs on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11. You authorize your YouTube account in the YouTube Live output.
What it does well:
- Scenes, sources and local recording in one desktop app.
- Free use without a watermark up to 720p.
- A lifetime license option, not only subscriptions.
Limitations: there's no Mac version. The free version is limited to 4 scenes and personal use, and adds a watermark above 720p or 30 fps. Multistreaming requires Premium. Guests aren't built in: XSplit suggests capturing a call window or using a third-party tool.
Free and paid: the free version covers basic use; Premium is available as a subscription or a lifetime license. Official site: XSplit pricing.
Other options: PRISM Live Studio and Meld Studio
PRISM Live Studio has mobile apps and a desktop app for Windows and macOS, which makes it useful for IRL streams from a phone. The free version streams to 1 channel; PRISM Plus adds multistreaming to up to 6 channels and removes the watermark on mobile streams. Meld Studio is a free desktop app for Windows and macOS with built-in multistreaming and no watermark, but it doesn't include remote guests.
Free YouTube streaming software and plan limits
"Free" can mean very different things. Some tools are completely free, while others have a free plan with limits that matter for YouTube.
| Tool | Type | Included for free | Needs a paid plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube webcam and mobile | Free, built in | Go live from a browser or the YouTube app | — |
| OBS Studio | Free, open source | All features | — |
| Meld Studio | Free | Scenes, multistreaming, local recording, no watermark | — |
| Restream | Free plan | Studio at 720p, you + 5 guests, 2 channels at once, chat, analytics, scheduling, OBS connection | Recording, branding removal, custom graphics uploads, custom RTMP, more channels, 1080p Studio |
| Streamlabs Desktop | Free plan | Scenes, 1 Collab Cam guest, local recording, Dual Output to 1 horizontal + 1 vertical destination | 3 or more destinations, several in the same orientation, more guests |
| StreamYard | Free plan | 6 on screen, 1 destination, limited local recording | Logo removal, multistreaming, downloading recordings |
| XSplit Broadcaster | Free plan | Up to 720p without watermark, 4 scenes, personal use | Higher quality without watermark, multistreaming |
| Riverside | Free plan | Recording up to 720p with watermark | Live streaming (Grow plan or higher) |
Swipe sideways to see the whole table.
If your goal is the best quality at zero cost and you're comfortable with setup, OBS Studio is hard to beat. If you'd rather start in a browser and bring guests on, Restream's Free plan lets you stream to YouTube and one more platform at the same time, with Restream branding.
Do you need software to stream on YouTube?
No, not for a basic stream. According to YouTube Help, you can go live in four ways: mobile, webcam, encoder and console.
- Webcam: go live from your computer in Chrome or Firefox, without encoding software. You can also share your screen during a webcam stream (YouTube Help).
- Mobile: stream from the YouTube app if your channel has at least 50 subscribers. YouTube may limit how many viewers can watch.
- Encoder: paste your YouTube server URL and stream key into software or hardware, or sign in if the encoder supports YouTube directly. See YouTube's encoder guide.
Before your first stream, you need to verify your channel and have no live streaming restrictions in the past 90 days. Enabling live streaming for the first time can take up to 24 hours.
Streaming software is worth it when you need more control than a single camera feed gives you: remote guests, custom layouts, logos and overlays, game capture, recording outside YouTube, or streaming to several platforms at once.
How to stream on YouTube with Restream Studio
Here's how to go live on YouTube from your browser with Restream Studio:
- Enable live streaming on YouTube. Verify your channel and allow up to 24 hours the first time. You need to be the channel owner to connect it to Restream.
- Connect your YouTube channel. In Restream, go to Channels, click Add Channel, choose YouTube and sign in to authorize your account.
- Open Studio. On the Home page, click New Stream, choose Studio and allow access to your camera and microphone.
- Add your stream details. Set the title, description and thumbnail for YouTube and any other channels.
- Bring in guests and content. Copy the guest link and send it to your guests, share your screen, and add a logo, overlay or background.
- Choose your channels. Click Channels and turn on YouTube, plus any other platforms you want to reach.
- Go live. Click Go Live. You can cancel during the countdown if you need a moment.
Prefer OBS or another encoder? In Restream, create a new stream with the Encoder | RTMP option, turn on YouTube and copy the RTMP URL and stream key into your encoder. In OBS, you can also choose Restream.io as the service and connect your account. Follow the OBS and Restream setup guide for details.
For scheduling, dual-format streams and other YouTube features, see how to stream to YouTube with Restream.
How we compared these tools
- Sources: official product websites, pricing pages and help centers for each tool, plus YouTube Help. All were checked on October 15, 2026.
- Criteria: how the tool runs and on which systems, remote guests, maximum live output, recording, simultaneous destinations, free plan limits and how it connects to YouTube.
- Plans: we compared free plans and entry-level paid plans unless stated otherwise. We don’t list prices because they change often; check each vendor’s pricing page.
- Limits of this comparison: this guide doesn't include performance benchmarks, so we don't rank tools by CPU usage, stability or speed. Where a detail couldn't be confirmed on an official page, we marked it "not verified".
- Our relationship: Restream publishes this guide and makes Restream Studio.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best streaming software for YouTube Live?
It depends on your setup. For interviews, guests and streaming to several platforms from a browser, Restream Studio is a strong fit. For gaming and detailed control over scenes and encoding, OBS Studio is free and widely used. StreamYard and Riverside are other browser options, while Streamlabs Desktop and XSplit Broadcaster are desktop alternatives.
Can I stream on YouTube for free?
Yes. YouTube's webcam and mobile streaming are free, and OBS Studio and Meld Studio are free desktop apps. Restream, StreamYard, Streamlabs and XSplit also have free plans, but with limits such as branding, lower resolution or fewer destinations. Riverside's free plan doesn't include live streaming.
Is OBS Studio completely free?
Yes. OBS Studio is free, open-source software for Windows, macOS and Linux, with no paid tiers or watermarks. Some third-party plugins or services you add to OBS, such as tools for remote guests or multistreaming, may have their own pricing.
Can I stream to YouTube without downloading software?
Yes. YouTube's webcam option lets you go live from Chrome or Firefox on your computer and share your screen during the stream. If you want guests, custom layouts, overlays or several platforms at once without installing anything, use a browser studio such as Restream Studio.
What equipment do I need to stream on YouTube?
At minimum, a computer or phone with a camera, a microphone and a stable internet connection. A dedicated USB microphone and good lighting usually improve a stream more than an expensive camera. For gaming or multi-camera shows, you may also need a capture card and a computer powerful enough to run a desktop encoder.
Can I stream to YouTube and another platform at the same time?
Yes, with a multistreaming tool. Restream lets you stream to YouTube and other platforms at once from Studio or from an encoder like OBS. The Free plan covers 2 channels at the same time, and paid plans add more. StreamYard and XSplit offer multistreaming on paid plans. Streamlabs Desktop streams to one horizontal and one vertical destination for free with Dual Output, and to more with Ultra.
Should I use OBS or a browser studio for YouTube?
Use OBS if you stream games, combine many local sources or want fine control over encoding. Use a browser studio if you host guests, want a quick setup with nothing to install or produce talk shows and webinars. You can also combine both by sending your OBS stream to Restream.