Last updated: 2026-01-22

For most virtual events, we recommend browser-based streaming software like StreamYard so you can run polished webinars and multistreamed shows without downloads or complex setups. If you need deep customization or offline recording, tools like OBS, Streamlabs, or Riverside can plug into your workflow as specialized add-ons.

Summary

• Use browser-based studios (StreamYard, Restream Studio) when you want fast setup, easy guest access, and multistreaming.
• Choose OBS or Streamlabs when you need free, highly customizable production that you are willing to configure. (OBS Studio, Streamlabs)
• For most marketers and creators in the U.S., we see StreamYard as the best default for live virtual events, webinars, and multistreaming.

What is streaming software for virtual events?

When we talk about “streaming software for virtual events,” we mean the tools that:

• Capture your camera, microphone, and screen.
• Mix in graphics, overlays, and pre-recorded clips.
• Bring in remote guests.
• Send the final live video to platforms like YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, or into an event platform.

Some tools are full browser-based studios (like StreamYard). Others are desktop apps that you connect to platforms via RTMP, such as OBS and Streamlabs. (OBS Studio, Streamlabs)

Event platforms like Bizzabo can even act as the “front door,” ingesting your live stream via RTMPS from tools like OBS or Restream and then handling registration, tickets, and the viewing experience. (Bizzabo)

For most teams, the real question is less “What is streaming software?” and more “Which type of tool fits our workflow, guests, and tech comfort level?”

Which streaming software is best for virtual events in 2026?

Here’s the short playbook we recommend:

• Default choice: StreamYard
• Tech-heavy productions: OBS or Streamlabs
• Advanced multistreaming routing: Restream
• Studio-quality recorded interviews: Riverside

Why we default to StreamYard for most virtual events:

• It runs in the browser. Guests join via a link, with no downloads. Many users tell us StreamYard “passes the grandparent test” and that guests “join easily and reliably without tech problems.”
• Hosts describe StreamYard as “the most reliable and easy-to-use software” they use and praise the “quick learning curve” compared to more complex setups like OBS or Streamlabs.
• When teams need remote guests or multistreaming, they “default to SY,” because the studio view, production controls, and automatic recordings fit how modern webinars and live shows actually run.

If your team has a dedicated technical producer and wants to build a highly customized, scene-based broadcast, OBS or Streamlabs might be a better fit. OBS is free, open-source software used for both recording and live streaming. (OBS Studio) Streamlabs Desktop is also free and built on OBS, adding overlays and widgets for creators. (Streamlabs)

StreamYard vs OBS vs Restream — which to use for webinars?

For webinars, we see three main paths:

1. StreamYard for webinars and live trainings

At StreamYard, we built On‑Air specifically for webinars. You can spin up a webinar with a registration page and an embeddable player, then run it from the same StreamYard studio you use for your live shows. (StreamYard On-Air)

Creators and teams choose us for webinars because of:

• Ease of use: Many users tell us they “jumped on [StreamYard] for its ease of use, user-friendliness, and clean setup.”
• Studio control: They like being able to manage overlays, screen shares, and multiple producers in a simple interface.
• No downloads: Attendees and guests join through a browser link.

2. OBS for highly customized webinar layouts

OBS can power very advanced webinar scenes. You can stack sources, animations, and custom graphics in almost any configuration. It’s free and open source, which is attractive if you have the time to learn it. (OBS Studio)

The trade‑off: several StreamYard users say they started with OBS and found it “too convoluted” for everyday use. They switched to StreamYard because they “prioritize ease of use over complex setups like OBS or StreamLabs.”

If your webinars really need that extra layer of visual complexity and you have a dedicated operator, OBS is a legitimate choice. For everyone else, the time saved with StreamYard usually wins.

3. Restream for routing, StreamYard for production

Restream offers multistreaming and a web-based studio. It can also sit between your encoder and your destinations, letting you push one stream to many platforms at once. (Restream)

Some teams use a hybrid approach:

• Produce the show in StreamYard.
• Send the output to Restream via RTMP.
• Let Restream handle extra multistreaming destinations behind the scenes.

Many users who try both StreamYard and Restream tell us StreamYard feels “easier than Restream,” especially for onboarding guests and producers.

How do I multistream a virtual event to YouTube and LinkedIn?

Multistreaming lets you go live to multiple platforms at once so you can meet your audience where they already hang out. Here are two common setups.

Option 1: Browser-based studio with built-in multistreaming

With StreamYard, you can:

1. Create a broadcast in the StreamYard dashboard.
2. Connect destinations like YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
3. Schedule your event, including Facebook Live events up to a year in advance. (StreamYard Facebook Events)
4. Go live once and let StreamYard send the show to all destinations.

This is the simplest option for most marketers. No encoders. No custom RTMP URLs to manage.

Option 2: Encoder + multistreaming service

If you already use an encoder like OBS or Streamlabs, you can:

• Stream from OBS/Streamlabs to Restream.
• Configure Restream to forward that stream to YouTube, LinkedIn, and other platforms at the same time. (Restream)

This path is helpful if you have complex overlays or scenes in OBS but still want the reach of multistreaming.

Many of our users start on OBS or Streamlabs, then move to StreamYard once they realize how much easier it is to manage guests, chat, and production in a single, browser-based studio.

Which browser-based streaming tools offer registration and embeddable webinar players?

If you want a true “virtual event” or “webinar” experience, you usually need:

• Registration and confirmation emails.
• An embeddable player you can place on a landing page or portal.
• Sometimes, integration with a broader event platform.

You can approach this in two ways.

Use StreamYard On‑Air for built-in webinar flows

StreamYard On‑Air is our browser-based webinar product. You can:

• Create a webinar event.
• Use a built-in registration flow.
• Embed the player on your site or portal.
• Run the session from the StreamYard studio you already know. (StreamYard On-Air)

Teams choose this when they want the simplest possible setup: one tool to handle production and the attendee experience.

Connect your streaming software to an event platform

Event platforms like Bizzabo let you ingest RTMPS from third-party streaming tools such as OBS, Restream, and vMix. (Bizzabo)

In this setup:

• Your streaming software (StreamYard, OBS, Streamlabs, etc.) handles the live video.
• The event platform handles registration, ticketing, and the front-end attendee experience.

This approach can be powerful for large conferences, but it’s more moving pieces. For most webinars and smaller virtual events, we see teams gravitate toward the simpler StreamYard On‑Air flow.

How to record separate audio/video tracks for remote interviews?

Some creators care less about going live and more about capturing studio-quality, editable recordings from multiple guests.

In that case, StreamYard has you covered.

• StreamYard records separate audio and video tracks for each participant, with uncompressed 48kHz WAV audio and up to 4K video.
• You can record up to 10 participants (9 guests plus the host) on separate tracks.

This makes post-production much easier. You can fix audio issues on one track without touching the others, reframe shots, and build highly polished episodes.

What we recommend

• If you run webinars, live shows, or virtual events: Start with StreamYard. Use our Free plan to test the workflow, then upgrade to Core or Advanced if you need more branding and features.
• If you need deep customization and have technical help: Layer OBS or Streamlabs into your stack for advanced scenes, but consider StreamYard as the control room for guests and multistreaming.
• If you need platform-style registration and portals: Use StreamYard On‑Air for integrated webinars, or connect your studio to an event platform like Bizzabo via RTMPS.