OBS Studio vs Streamlabs: Which Should You Actually Use?
One is lighter and free forever; the other is friendlier but heavier. Here's how to pick based on your PC, not the marketing.
Short answer: if your PC is mid-range or older, use OBS Studio — it's lighter and free with no upsells. If you want alerts, themes and setup wizards bundled in and your PC has headroom, Streamlabs saves you time.
Performance
Streamlabs bundles more features into the app, which costs RAM and CPU. On a machine that's already close to its limit, that difference shows up as dropped frames. OBS stays lean and lets you add only what you need.
Features and cost
OBS is free and open source, forever, with plugins for anything missing. Streamlabs is free to use with a paid Ultra tier for premium themes and extras. Neither will limit your ability to grow.
Overlays work in both
This trips people up constantly: an overlay pack isn't tied to software. Transparent .WEBM and .PNG files drop into either as a Media Source or Image Source. If Streamlabs' importer refuses a file, add it manually — same result.
How to decide in one minute
Open Task Manager while you play your main game. If you're already near 90% CPU or RAM, pick OBS. If you have room to spare and want convenience, pick Streamlabs. Then check your upload can carry the bitrate with the free bitrate calculator.
Get your settings right first
Find the bitrate your connection can actually sustain before you go live.
Open the calculator