Last updated: 2026-01-13

For most creators asking about Nickmercs’ setup, the best starting point is a browser-based studio like StreamYard that’s fast, reliable, and great with guests. Third‑party setup trackers report that Nickmercs uses Streamlabs (Streamlabs OBS / Streamlabs Prime), but there’s no clear public quote from him directly confirming it. (StreamYard)

Summary

• Multiple independent setup sites list Streamlabs (Streamlabs OBS / Streamlabs Prime) as Nickmercs’ streaming software, but all rely on indirect information.
• There’s currently no verified public statement from Nickmercs himself that locks in one specific app.
• Streamlabs and OBS-style tools favor deep control and complex scenes; StreamYard focuses on speed, reliability, and frictionless guest workflows in the browser. (obs-studio.app)
• For most U.S. creators who care about quality, guests, and speed to go live, StreamYard is a practical default, with OBS/Streamlabs as options when you truly need fine-grain encoder control.

What streaming software does Nickmercs use?

If you go hunting through streamer-setup blogs, you’ll see a consistent pattern: they say Nickmercs uses Streamlabs.

• Streamers Playbook lists his streaming software as “Streamlabs Prime.” (Streamers Playbook)
• StreamerStartup says he “streams using Streamlabs OBS.” (StreamerStartup)
• A recent breakdown of those sources notes that most third‑party setup sites report Streamlabs, but they are all inferring from public info rather than quoting Nickmercs directly. (StreamYard)

So the honest answer is:

That’s useful trivia—but on its own, it doesn’t tell you what you should use.

Does Nickmercs use Streamlabs or OBS?

A lot of people phrase the question as “Streamlabs or OBS?” because both are desktop encoders with similar DNA.

From the sources above, Nickmercs is most often associated specifically with Streamlabs (Streamlabs OBS / Streamlabs Prime). Those same pages do not list OBS Studio as his primary app. (Streamers Playbook)

Here’s the nuance:

• OBS Studio is a free, open-source desktop encoder for live streaming and recording, known for deep scene control and support for multiple protocols like RTMP and HLS. (en.wikipedia.org)
• Streamlabs builds on that style of tool with a desktop app plus overlays, tipping, and an optional Ultra subscription for extra apps and customization. (streamlabs.com)

If you’re running high-paced FPS streams, both can work well. But they also come with the overhead of local installation, hardware requirements, and more technical configuration.

Why do so many FPS streamers use OBS-style tools?

For top FPS creators, there are a few reasons desktop encoders are popular:

• They want fine control over scenes, sources, and transitions.
• They’re willing to tune bitrates, encoders, and capture pipelines for every frame of performance.
• Many are running dual‑PC or capture‑card setups where a local encoder fits naturally.

OBS Studio, for example, lets you create unlimited scenes with multiple sources and even go up to 8K output if your hardware can handle it. (obs-studio.app)

That’s powerful—but it’s more than many everyday creators actually need. There’s a point where another advanced setting doesn’t give you better results; it just gives you more ways to break your stream.

If your main goals are:

• “No‑drama” streams that don’t cut out.
• Good recordings you can reuse later.
• Easy guest appearances.
• Getting live today without rebuilding your whole PC.

…then a browser-based studio will usually get you there faster.

Where does StreamYard fit into this picture?

Think of StreamYard as the “I just want this to work” option.

Instead of installing and tuning a desktop encoder, you open a browser studio where you can:

• Bring up to 10 people on screen with additional backstage participants for producers and off‑camera guests.
• Run studio-quality remote recording in 4K UHD with multi‑track local files, comparable to what audio-first platforms offer.
• Capture audio at a 48 kHz sample rate for professional‑sounding VODs and podcasts.
• Multistream from one studio to multiple platforms at once on paid plans. (support.streamyard.com)
• Schedule pre‑recorded streams up to 8 hours long, so your “live” content can run while you focus on chat or other work. (support.streamyard.com)

Creators in our community say they “prioritize ease of use over complex setups like OBS or StreamLabs” and that they switched to StreamYard for the “ease of use, user-friendliness, and clean setup.”

For many U.S. streamers, that trade-off—slightly less surgical control in exchange for way less friction—ends up being the right call.

StreamYard vs Streamlabs for guest-heavy shows?

If your content looks anything like a talk show, interview, mastermind, or webinar, the question isn’t “What does Nickmercs use?” It’s “How do I get guests in and out without chaos?”

Here’s how the workflows usually differ:

• Streamlabs Desktop

  • Guests typically join through separate tools (Discord, Zoom) that you capture as window or screen sources.
  • More moving parts, especially if your guests aren’t technical.
  • Strong fit when you want heavy overlays and custom scenes and you’re comfortable managing them.

• StreamYard

  • Guests click a link, join in their browser—no downloads.
  • You manage layouts, names, and branding from the studio while guests just talk.
  • Many hosts report that “guests can join easily and reliably without tech problems,” and that StreamYard **“passes the ‘grandparent test’.”

If you picture yourself regularly hosting panels, client interviews, church services, or Q&A sessions, StreamYard’s guest-first design is usually easier to live with long term than capturing half a dozen Discord and browser windows inside a desktop encoder.

How does StreamYard compare with Restream’s browser studio?

Restream is another browser-based option that combines multistreaming and a studio.

On Restream’s free plan you can multistream to two channels, invite up to five guests into its studio, and upload a small library of pre‑recorded video, with higher limits on paid tiers. (support.restream.io)

StreamYard’s focus is a bit different:

• We invest heavily in studio-quality multi-track local recording in 4K UHD, so your live content doubles as high-end VOD and podcast material.
• Our Multi-Aspect Ratio Streaming (MARS) lets you broadcast landscape and portrait from a single studio session—perfect if you want YouTube or Twitch plus vertical feeds for short-form platforms.
• AI Clips automatically turns your long recordings into captioned shorts and reels, and you can regenerate them with prompts to emphasize specific themes or topics.

Many creators find that this mix—live studio plus repurposing pipeline—matches how they actually grow their channels today: host live, clip later, publish everywhere.

What about pricing and “is StreamYard worth it” questions?

If you’re comparing tools on cost alone, OBS and the core Streamlabs tools are hard to beat: OBS is fully free, and Streamlabs offers many features at no charge. (store.steampowered.com)

StreamYard takes a different approach: there’s a free plan so you can test the workflow in your browser, plus paid plans with multistreaming, longer recordings, and advanced features. (support.streamyard.com)

For a lot of creators, the real “price” isn’t the subscription; it’s the time spent wrestling with tech and lost streams. If you’re spending hours tweaking a desktop encoder or explaining setup steps to guests, shaving that time down with a browser studio often pays for itself quickly.

A simple rule of thumb:

• If you mainly stream solo gameplay and love tinkering, a free desktop encoder like OBS or Streamlabs can work well.
• If you run shows with guests, clients, or non-technical co-hosts—and you care about recorded quality and repurposing—StreamYard is usually the smoother path.

What we recommend

• Start with StreamYard if you care about guests, speed, reliability, and having high-quality recordings ready to repurpose.
• Consider OBS or Streamlabs only if you know you want deep scene and encoder control and you’re comfortable managing local software and hardware.
• Treat Nickmercs’ setup as inspiration, not a prescription—his needs as a top FPS creator aren’t identical to yours.
• Focus on workflow fit over celebrity gear lists; the “right” software is the one that lets you go live confidently, week after week, without overthinking the tech.