Open Broadcaster Software aka OBS Studio is a free and open source program built to record and stream videos live.
The software is equipped with some decent recording, trimming, and audio mixing tools. And overall comes out as an okay-ish choice for making video courses, tutorials, or recording screen.
Though I couldn’t find any significant assets, here is everything OBS Studio does right:
OBS Studio Pros
#1. The user interface of OBS, it looks like any other standard video editing software, but what I like the most about this tool is the ability to import almost any type of clips.
You can upload anything from DSLR recordings to Webcam videos and capture cards. And it lets you mix an unlimited number of scenes in your project.
What’s more?
To make things easier, you also get the flexibility to set ‘hot keys’ for almost any function for the tool. So the next time you need to use the feature, all you need to do is press the hotkey and boom… your job is done.
No need to bother the pointer anymore.
#2. Before exporting your production for the live show, the ‘Multiview’ feature allows you to preview 8 different scenes simultaneously in a single window.
You can jump to any of the scenes with a single or double-click if it needs further editing. Otherwise, you can render it to your local drives.
#3. OBS Studio provides cross-platform support. That means the program can be installed on Windows, Mac, and your good ol’ Linux computers.
And since it’s free and open source, you can run the software on multiple computers without any snag.
OBS Studio Cons
#1. As I mentioned earlier, the software is made only to record and stream videos.
Except for a few essential functions like trimming, audio, and video mixing, transitions, and screen recording, you don’t see any advanced features (like Picture in Picture, 3D editing, VR support, Multicam module, etc.) in this tool.
#2. Even though it can open almost all sorts of video clips, the maximum size of a frame it can support is 1080P.
And that’s once again a major setback OBS because many of the free options like VSDC and DaVinci Resolve does support 4K editing and rendering.
#3. Another section where OBS fall flat is direct distribution to social media channels.
You can only render your videos to your own computer. You can’t share it directly on social media channels like Facebook, YouTube, and Vimeo.
And neither you can send the files cloud space because OBS doesn’t have their own cloud repository.
#4. Mobile version of the software is not available.
OBS Studio pricing plans and payment options
OBS Studios is free of cost. No money needed. And honestly speaking, that’s the only thing I loved about this tool.
Do I recommend OBS Studio?
No, I don’t recommend it. If you’re short on money and looking for a free option, it’s better to go either with VSDC, OpenShot, or DaVinci Resolve because OBS Studio has nothing to offer.
You can’t do much with this tool except for recording screen or performing some basic level editing.
So even though it’s free, I don’t bat for this tool.