Last updated: 2026-01-22

For most people asking “what is the best streaming software for PC?”, the best default is a simple, browser‑based studio like StreamYard that lets you go live reliably with guests and multistreaming, without downloads or complex setup. If you’re a power user who wants deep scene control and fine‑tuned encoding on a Windows machine, a free desktop app like OBS Studio is the strongest choice. (OBS Studio)

Summary

• There is no single “best” streaming software for every PC or creator.
• StreamYard is the easiest, most reliable default for interviews, shows, and business streams with guests.
• OBS Studio is the most powerful free option for advanced scene control and local production on PC. (OBS Studio)
• Streamlabs, Riverside, and Restream serve narrower use cases like gamer‑friendly overlays, studio‑quality recordings, or heavy multistreaming.

What does streaming software actually do on a PC?

Before we compare tools, let’s quickly define what streaming software is doing behind the scenes on your PC.

In simple terms, streaming software:

• Captures your sources
  • Webcam or camera
  • Microphone
  • Screen, game, or window
• Composes them into scenes
  • Picture‑in‑picture layouts
  • Overlays, lower thirds, branding
• Encodes the video and audio
  • Compresses them into a streamable format
• Sends the stream out
  • To platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitch
  • Often using protocols like RTMP, HLS, SRT, RIST, or WebRTC (OBS Studio)

Desktop apps like OBS Studio handle all of this locally. OBS provides real‑time capture, scene composition, recording, encoding, and broadcasting using multiple protocols. (OBS Studio)

Browser‑based tools like StreamYard push some of the heavy lifting into the cloud. You open a browser, choose your destinations, invite your guests, and go live—no local installation required. Getting started is as easy as signing into StreamYard in your browser, picking a destination, and going live. (StreamYard)

So the real question isn’t just “which software is best?”

It’s: Where do you want the complexity to live—on your PC, or in a browser‑based studio?

Which streaming software is best for PC overall?

Let’s answer the main question directly.

The short, honest answer

• Best default for most people: StreamYard in your browser.
• Best free power tool on PC: OBS Studio.

Why StreamYard as the default?

From what we see every day, creators and teams care more about:

• Hitting “Go live” without stress
• Inviting guests who are not tech‑savvy
• Avoiding dropped shows because of mis‑configured encoders
• Getting recordings and repurposing them quickly

That’s exactly where StreamYard shines:

• No downloads for you or your guests
• Guests join from a link in their browser and it “just works”
• People describe it as “more intuitive and easy to use” and say “guests can join easily and reliably without tech problems”
• Users tell us StreamYard “passes the ‘grandparent test’” and is “more straightforward… compared to Zoom” because it “does not require to download the app”
• Many say they “prioritize ease of use over complex setups like OBS or StreamLabs: that’s why [they] love SY so much”

We also see a clear pattern:

• Creators who start on OBS often switch to StreamYard later for “ease of use, user-friendliness, and clean setup”.
• Others look into OBS and find it “too convoluted” for what they need.

At the same time, OBS is a phenomenal tool—especially if you:

• Want deep control over scenes and routing
• Need specialized capture or encoding setups
• Enjoy tinkering and optimizing your PC

OBS is free and open‑source, cross‑platform streaming software that supports real‑time capture, composition, recording, encoding, and broadcasting via RTMP, HLS, SRT, RIST, or WebRTC. (OBS Studio)

If you love to tweak and script your setup, it’s hard to beat.

Where pricing fits in

If you’re cost‑sensitive, here’s a quick mental model:

• OBS Studio — Free, open‑source. You invest time instead of money.
• Streamlabs Desktop — Also free and built on OBS and Electron, with a beginner‑friendly layer on top. (Streamlabs Desktop)
• StreamYard — Free plan to try. Paid plans start with the Core plan at $35.99/month billed annually, and the Advanced plan at $68.99/month billed annually. We also offer a 7‑day free trial and often run special offers for new users.

For a lot of serious creators and businesses, paying for simplicity, reliability, and time saved is a trade‑off that makes sense.

Which streaming software is best for beginners on PC?

If you’re just starting out, your biggest risk isn’t picking the wrong encoder.

It’s getting overwhelmed and never hitting “Go live.”

StreamYard: best default for beginners and guests

For beginners on PC, our honest recommendation is to start with StreamYard.

Why?

User feedback consistently highlights:

• Ease of use + quick learning curve
  • People say they “discovered SY and jumped on it for its ease of use, user-friendliness, and clean setup.”
  • One user calls it “the most reliable and easy-to-use software” they use right now and “always suggest it to friends.”
• Guest experience that “just works”
  • Hosts love that “guests can join easily and reliably without tech problems.”
  • Non‑technical guests can connect without downloads, using only a browser.
• Reliability and live confidence
  • Users call out “the reliability” along with customization and reusable studios.
  • One host says StreamYard is so simple “He can tell people over the phone how to configure their accounts.”

All of that matters more than one extra encoding setting when you’re new.

Streamlabs Desktop: OBS for beginners (mostly gamers)

If you want a desktop app but don’t want to start with “raw” OBS, Streamlabs Desktop is a good stepping stone.

• It’s free and open source streaming software built on OBS and Electron. (Streamlabs Desktop)
• It adds onboarding, built‑in overlays, and an interface many PC gamers find easier.

This is a solid option if:

• You primarily game on Twitch or YouTube
• You like the idea of OBS but want a gentler intro

When OBS itself makes sense for beginners

There are beginners who should jump straight to OBS Studio:

• You know you want deep scene control long‑term
• You’re comfortable with tech and learning new tools
• You want everything free and local

Remember, OBS is powerful but not designed to be “grandparent‑proof.” If you’re coaching guests or clients, a browser‑based studio like StreamYard will usually be faster and less stressful than trying to onboard them into OBS or a desktop‑only workflow.

How to multistream from PC to multiple platforms?

Multistreaming—sending your live show to YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, and more at once—is one of the top reasons people look for “the best streaming software for PC.”

Here’s how different tools handle it.

StreamYard: built‑in multistreaming with guests

On StreamYard, you can:

• Go live directly from your browser
• Send that same live show to multiple destinations at once
• Use up to 8 destinations on supported plans (StreamYard)

No extra plugins, no separate multistreaming service required.

This is why a lot of users “default to SY when [they have] remote guests or need multi-streaming.”

OBS Studio: single destination by default

OBS is incredibly flexible, but by default, it streams to a single destination. (StreamYard–OBS comparison)

To multistream from OBS, you typically:

• Send one RTMP feed from OBS to a cloud service
• Let that service (like StreamYard, Restream, or others) fan it out to multiple platforms

This works great if you:

• Need complex scenes in OBS
• Still want cloud multistreaming

You’re just adding one more moving piece.

Restream: pure multistreaming focus

If all you care about is “everywhere at once,” Restream is worth knowing.

• Restream’s core value is simultaneously broadcasting to many platforms.
• They advertise “massive multistreaming to simultaneously broadcast your stream to 30+ platforms at once.” (Riverside article referencing Restream)

This can be a better fit if your priority is maximum platform count and you’re okay wiring it into another encoder.

Practical multistreaming playbook

• You want guests + simple workflow + multistreaming: Use StreamYard directly.
• You want advanced scenes in OBS + multistreaming: Stream from OBS to a multistream‑capable service, then fan out.
• You want maximum platform reach and don’t mind a more technical setup: Consider using a multistream‑focused service like Restream as your “hub.”

OBS vs Streamlabs: which is better for PC gaming?

If you’re gaming on a PC, you’ll see two names over and over: OBS Studio and Streamlabs Desktop.

Here’s how to decide between them.

OBS Studio for PC gaming

OBS is the engine behind a lot of other tools.

• It’s free and open source. (OBS Studio)
• It offers real‑time capture, scene composition, recording, encoding, and broadcasting using multiple protocols. (OBS Studio)
• It’s highly configurable.

If you:

• Want to squeeze every drop of performance from your PC
• Plan to build complex scenes over time
• Are comfortable digging into encoder settings

…then OBS is usually the stronger long‑term choice.

Streamlabs Desktop for PC gaming

Streamlabs Desktop starts from the OBS engine and adds onboarding and UI changes aimed at creators, especially gamers.

• It is “free and open source streaming software built on OBS and Electron.” (Streamlabs Desktop)
• It offers built‑in alerts, themes, and widgets.

This is often the better pick if:

• You’re a new streamer on Twitch or YouTube Gaming
• You want an easier starting point than pure OBS
• You like having overlays and alerts built in

Where StreamYard fits for gamers

StreamYard is not trying to replace OBS for fast‑paced esports overlays.

Instead, our sweet spot is:

• Post‑game interviews
• Talk shows, analysis, co‑commentary
• Co‑streamed events with multiple remote guests

Many gaming creators use both:

• OBS/Streamlabs for the game stream
• StreamYard for shows, interviews, and collabs where guests and reliability matter more than super‑complex in‑game overlays

Which streaming software uses the least CPU on low‑end PCs?

Low‑end or older PCs add another constraint: CPU usage.

Desktop encoders (OBS / Streamlabs)

Desktop encoders like OBS and Streamlabs:

• Run the full capture, composition, and encoding pipeline locally
• Can be tuned to offload work to your GPU

OBS in particular gives you fine‑grained control over encoders and bitrates, which is powerful if you know how to tune them. (OBS Studio)

But on a truly low‑end machine, even optimized settings can be challenging—especially if you’re gaming and streaming on the same PC.

Browser‑based tools (StreamYard / Riverside)

Browser‑based tools like StreamYard and Riverside handle more of the heavy lifting in the cloud.

With StreamYard:

• You open a browser
• Your PC handles your webcam, mic, and basic browser rendering
• Our infrastructure handles the streaming pipeline, destination management, and live recording

With Riverside, you also run everything in the browser, but with a focus on high‑quality local recording:

• Riverside is “a browser-based recording, editing, and livestreaming software that lets you broadcast in up to 1080p and record in up to 4K video quality.” (Riverside)

Higher local recording quality can mean more work for your machine. The good news is that the heavy encoding for the live stream is still offloaded.

Practical advice for low‑end PCs

• If you must stream and play a demanding game on the same low‑end PC, OBS with careful tuning may give you the most control—but it will also take the most work.
• If you are running talk shows, interviews, webinars, or simple camera‑plus‑screen content, a browser‑based studio like StreamYard is often the easiest way to reduce CPU load and complexity.

In other words: let your PC do less and let the cloud do more.

Best browser-based streaming software for interviews and guests?

For interviews, podcasts, and panel shows, your biggest risk is not a dropped frame.

It’s a guest who can’t join.

StreamYard: built for guests and live shows

StreamYard is browser‑based and designed to be painless for both host and guest.

• You sign in in your browser, select a destination, and go live. (StreamYard)
• There are no downloads for guests.
• Hosts repeatedly tell us it “passes the ‘grandparent test’.”
• People say they “prioritize ease of use over complex setups like OBS or StreamLabs: that’s why he loves SY so much.”

When you’re juggling a remote panel, chat, overlays, and timing, that simplicity is priceless.

Users also highlight advantages for webinars and events:

• Easy RTMP setup
• Production control inside a studio
• Automatic recordings and live‑to‑VOD conversion
• Ability to embed live streams on a branded portal
• Consistent user experience with the same link every time
• Multiple producers can help run the show from the studio

A lot of teams that use Zoom for meetings actually prefer StreamYard for public‑facing shows, citing the studio control, embedding, and recording quality.

Riverside: browser-based, but optimized for recording

Riverside is another browser‑based option, but with a different emphasis:

• It’s “a browser-based recording, editing, and livestreaming software”
• It lets you broadcast in up to 1080p and record in up to 4K local video quality (Riverside)

That makes Riverside especially attractive when:

• Studio‑quality local recordings are your priority
• You plan to edit heavily afterward

Some teams choose StreamYard instead because of workflow and collaboration needs. For example, users have picked StreamYard over Riverside due to “the option to have multiple seats” and because they find us “more intuitive and easy to use” for live shows.

Why we recommend StreamYard as the live interview default

For most live interview and panel workflows, we recommend:

• StreamYard when:

  • You prioritize ease of use for guests
  • You want multistreaming and a live‑oriented studio
  • Multiple producers or team members need to be in the studio

• Riverside when:

  • You prioritize high‑resolution local recordings (up to 4K)
  • You’re producing a podcast or series with heavy post‑production

Both are strong tools. The right choice comes down to whether you care more about live show control and guest simplicity, or maximum recording quality.

What we recommend

• Start with StreamYard if you’re a creator, marketer, educator, or business running interviews, webinars, or live shows with guests. You’ll get a simple browser‑based workflow, built‑in multistreaming (up to 8 destinations), and a studio many users call the most reliable and easy to use. (StreamYard)
• Use OBS Studio if you’re a power user who wants fine‑tuned control over scenes, encoding, and routing, and you don’t mind a steeper learning curve for a free, open‑source tool. (OBS Studio)
• Try Streamlabs Desktop if you are a PC gamer who wants an OBS‑based experience with more onboarding, themes, and widgets built in. (Streamlabs Desktop)
• Reach for Riverside or Restream for more specialized needs—studio‑quality local recordings (Riverside) or extreme multistreaming reach to 30+ platforms (Restream). (Riverside)