Having the best streaming software for Twitch is an essential part of your Twitch streaming setup. You’ll need to know which streaming software is the best streaming software for Twitch and your needs so you can stream on Twitch with ease.
Streaming with an inferior open streaming software that is not the best Twitch can cause lag in your computer and system, or it can even corrupt the stream itself. As such, make sure to pick one of the best streaming software of 2023 that are available for you currently. Here are our top picks for streaming software to use when streaming on Twitch, Mixer, or any other platform.
6. Nvidia Shadowplay
Available On: Windows
Pricing: Free
Official Website
Nvidia Shadowplay is a bit more low budget way to stream and capture your gameplay as it comes with most Nvidia equipment. You can use Nvidia Shadowplay for free along with your equipment, but it does not come with as many accessories as the other streaming software options.
Shadowplay can do the basics, it can easily capture gameplay, and is able to register when a big play has happened. Just got a big kill in a game? Nvidia Shadowplay has already recorded it as long as Shadowplay is active and running. Not only that, you can edit videos within the Nvidia Shadowplay application and make gifs in 4k as well.
The drawbacks to this system are quite a bit more, however. You need to own an Nvidia setup to be able to use Nvidia Shadowplay. Navigation through the application is also quite difficult as it is not as user friendly as the others, and does not offer as many stream options as the other options that are free. As such, Shadowplay is probably not the best Twitch streaming software to use considering all other options.
5. Player.me
Available On: Windows
Pricing: Free
Official Website
Player.me is a simple streaming application that is more of an add on than a full individual software. Player.me does just about everything that is needed, but also brings an element of uniqueness to the system as well. One thing it does is also connects all of your different platforms into one integrated system, where you can access all your profiles at the simple touch of a button. Worried about reaching your followers on Steam and Facebook in a timely manner? Simply link your accounts together on Player.me, and whatever you do on one account gets automatically posted to the other accounts. This way, you don’t have to worry about going to multiple different sites to post updates about your stream.
Player.me is not just a simple application, but an integrated one that is made to work with other streaming software as well. Player.me is compatible with Xsplit, OBS Studio, and Streamlabs OBS as well. This makes it one of the most versatile systems to integrate into your stream, and can help quite a bit when trying to reach out to your audience on multiple platforms.
4. Lightstream Prism/Studio
Available On: Windows / Mac / Linux
Pricing: Free
Official Website
If you aren’t too technically savvy and don’t want to be, Lighstream is a fairly good streaming software to use when just starting up streaming. It may not be the best Twitch streaming software out but Lightstream takes away a lot of the complications, such as widgets and overlays and other aesthetic components, and leaves you with just the basics and bare bones. You can boot it up, start streaming right away, and do simple streams for things like IRL streams or making Facebook videos.
Lightstream has two different aspects: Studio and Prism. Both give you quality, but are used in different ways. Lightstream Studio helps to create unique and personalized videos for things like makeup tutorials or home videos. Lightstream Prism is best for gaming, as it allows you to boot into a game and do a simple overlay with the game.
3. Xsplit Gamecaster
Available On: Windows
Pricing: Free / Paid (Monthly fee)
Official Website
For those that have a bit more to spend on recording software, Xsplit Gamecaster is the way to go. Although there is a free version of Xsplit, you will want to splurge on the paid package. Xsplit Gamecaster is able to do just about everything and more. It can give you accurate bitrates, framerates, and stream quality right to the software.
Not only does it do just about anything you need when streaming live, Xsplit Gamecaster can also help to capture and record gameplay for your let’s play videos that you may post on Youtube. This can be done within the Twitch streaming software, and Xsplit Gamecaster allows you to modify every aspect of the video through the minute controls of Xsplit.
Although it can be harrowing and a bit advanced at first, Xsplit allows you to dive even deeper within the software than many of the others that are available. With ease, you can section of audio inputs from different applications. For instance, if you have your own audio input from a microphone, gameplay audio, and an online voice chat like Discord or Teamspeak, Xsplit makes it easy to differentiate between all of them. Xsplit makes sure you know who is too loud or too soft, without completely messing with the video itself. This can be done for just about every element, such as editing multiple video clips together, and controlling your camera input and other video sources.
The only downside to Xsplit is that it costs quite a bit to get the whole package, and is only available for Windows as well.
2. OBS Studio
Available On: Windows / Mac / Linux
Pricing: Free
Official Website
OBS Studio is the original streaming software that started it all. Started back in 2012, OBS Studio has been one of the most basic streaming software platforms that is available free to anyone and everyone. OBS Studio is the best streaming software for Mac users (also great for PC and Linux) and was recently updated it to allow for new plugins to be used with the open broadcast software, giving the user the ability to customize the OBS Studio to their own unique needs and features.
Some of the essential uses of the OBS Studio involves having a multi-view screen that allows the user to actually bring up multiple scenes to be viewed, such as like in a tv station.
This is extremely useful if you plan to view how a scene on OBS looks before popping it up onto the live stream. It is also useful to see how a game looks compared with your overlays, and to make sure you do not cover any important information on the gameplay footage.
OBS Studio is available on all types of PCs, from Windows to Mac to Linux.
1. Streamlabs OBS
Available On: Windows / Mobile
Pricing: Free + Optional Paid Services
Official Website
Streamlabs OBS is the best streaming software of 2023 in our opinion and has been the most up and coming software that people are using to stream on any platform. Almost all of the most popular streamers started using it.
Streamlabs OBS has one of the highest ratings of any streaming software currently available. It is also free, which makes it that much better.
Unlike OBS Studio, Streamlabs OBS allows for a lot more customization in a way that is user friendly.
Not only does it allow you to make a professional stream, it also allows you to personalize the livestream without having to download a mountain of plugins and mods. Instead, Streamlabs OBS gathers all of these items and has them readily to access for you.
These include simple but quality of life changes, such as allowing you to add face masks onto your camera, as well as having pre-made Overlays for you. These all can be used to great effect, helping you start quickly and efficiently with no problems.
Streamlabs OBS also allows you to have a single dashboard that is simple and customizable, meaning that you will have full access to the entirety of your stream, from what is being livestreamed, to the overlays and micro-components that are things like sounds, hotkeys, and other scenes.
The only downside is Streamlabs OBS is only for Windows. So, get to swapping from Mac or Linux if you want this great software.
These are just a few of the best Twitch streaming software of 2023 that are available. Each one has it’s pros and cons, but each one can be tailored to suit your needs.
At the end of the day, it is important that the system feels natural and easy to use when streaming, and that it can allow you easy access to your audience and stream components. As long as it feels natural and easy to use for you, it will be perfect for your stream.
Want to make your stream even more epic? Add a stream deck to help automate certain tasks.
A gaming lover from a very young age, Justin has always had a keen eye for building his own computers or racing sims so that he can race his identical twin (and usually lose at the actual race).
Justin in the founder of BeStreamer and sees it as a free resource to help all gamers around the world
