Streaming is one of the up-and-coming ways to earn a side income while doing the things you love. Twitch is known for its game streaming but it’s also a good avenue to do art or whatever passion you want to share with your community. You may already have the right streaming PC build for your gaming channel so your next step is to find the right streaming software.
To broadcast your gameplay or videos to Twitch, you would need to use a broadcaster or streaming software. You can add overlays, images, video capture devices (like webcams), and audio sources depending on your taste.
Here are some of the best live streaming software applications compatible with Twitch:
OBS Studio
Open Broadcast System or OBS Studio was initially released September 1, 2012, for Windows 7 operating system but now it’s also available for Linux and Mac. It’s a free streaming software for Twitch that is excellent for live broadcasting, recording videos that require multiple layers and quick editing. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even stream to different platforms all at the same time. OBS Studio can also support broadcasting full-screen games of any title.
OBS is free and it also gets regular open source updates from the community. There’s a Studio Mode where you can deploy scripts and plug-ins for customization, and it’s compatible with most devices. If you ever have issues or concerns with your application, the hundreds of forums, guides and users can help you get answers.
The only downside to OBS is that it doesn’t look as modern, sophisticated or cool as its competitors. Its simple interface allows users to learn it quickly and develop advanced techniques with time.
Streamers who use OBS Studio:
- Shroud – Shroud PC Setup
Streamlabs OBS
Streamlabs OBS Beta was released on January 21, 2014 by Streamlabs, Inc. for Windows 7 operating system as part of their total streaming kit. It offers great compatibility with Streamlabs plugins, that allows streamers to connect with their Streamlabs account for donations, donation targets, and other functionalities.
Streamlabs OBS allows you to save your RAM usage by having multiple windows like Twitch Chat, Stream labels, Twitch Dashboard, OBS and others in live view. You can quickly engage with your audience, stats and get updates in real time. This beginner-friendly broadcasting software is good for novices that are not technically-equipped.
The downside to Streamlabs OBS is that it is still currently on Beta, and it doesn’t have the OBS Studio Mode that allows visualization beforehand.
Streamers Who Use Streamlabs OBS:
- Summit 1G – Summit 1G PC Setup
- Lirik – Lirik PC Setup
- Imaqtpie – Imaqtpie PC Setup
NVIDIA Shadowplay
The NVIDIA Shadowplay is part of the GeForce Experience that comes with GeForce GTX graphics card by NVIDIA. It was released on October 18, 2013, along with the GeForce Experience version 1.7. Since it’s coupled by a GPU driver, you can expect that Shadowplay is known for video quality. It’s a free streaming software that’s actually more known for its 4K and GIF recording than streaming capabilities.
The program uses video encoding Kepler’s H.264, which means that it uses the GPU instead of the CPU for video processing. It also has hotkeys for easy navigation and toggling. If you’re not a big fan of overlays and plugins, then Shadowplay is the perfect option for you.
The downsides to Shadowplay are the absence of overlays, and the limitations with creativity, freedom, and plugins. It currently only supports Twitch, Youtube, and Facebook live.
XSplit Gamecaster
XSplit Gamecaster was published on June 13, 2016, by SplitmediaLabs. It’s the novice equivalent of the famous XSplit Broadcaster, which is a paid software for professional streamers that want a full production. If you’re still trying the field, unaware of advanced techniques and you’re looking for a place to gain footing, Gamecaster is a good software for you.
Gamecaster is fairly easy to set up, and its interface is straightforward as a streaming software for Twitch. It allows you to edit videos quickly and simply. It has an internal ChromaCam capability that allows you to deviate from the background even without a green screen and it can accommodate highlighting key gameplays while on the air.
The free version supports 720px but with the addition of an XSplit watermark. The downside to Gamecaster is the watermark requires a subscription of around 4 USD monthly to remove. If you’re just starting out, you may not be too keen to invest in any paid software until you test out all its features and see a long-term relationship with it. According to reports, some older games are not supported by Gamecaster.
Bebo
Bebo was released in July 2005 by Bebo, Inc. The free streaming software for Twitch has positioned itself to be a beginner-friendly broadcasting tool. The user interface is easy enough to understand by novices, and it is presented in a more attractive manner than some of its competitors. All the features are seamlessly integrated with each other in a way that’s easy to understand even to a user with no technical background whatsoever.
As part of their uniqueness, Bebo users get a profile page where he or she can post simple images, blogs, videos and surveys to other users. Bebo also has a community among its users where they support each other and can add each other as friends. Bebo also has live 24/7 support.
The downside to Bebo is that it only supports limited titles, and there have been complaints on high CPU usage.
Conclusion
The aforementioned programs are only a few of the many applications available for Twitch streaming. There are also other programs that offer broadcasting capabilities, and there is no right or wrong software as long as you can comfortably, efficiently and effectively use it for your stream. You should always consider your level of expertise when dealing with programs.
Certain streaming software may be the best in the market, but it may go to waste if you don’t have the corresponding skill level for it. Once you gauge your application options, you can then equip yourself with the knowledge and technical skills to start your live streaming career. The great thing about the 21st century is that information is always readily present.
