Last updated: 2026-01-09

For most people searching for “screen recording software with multi-source recording,” the fastest path is to use StreamYard’s browser studio to capture your screen, camera, guests, and per-participant local tracks in one place. If you need deep encoder control for a single computer and are comfortable with advanced setup, OBS is a strong alternative, while Loom is better for quick one-person clips rather than true multi-source sessions.

Summary

• StreamYard is an in-browser studio that records your screen, camera, guests, and shared assets, with separate local files per participant and per screen share.
• OBS gives you powerful, free local recording with configurable audio tracks, but per-source video isolation usually needs plugins and more technical setup. (OBS)
• Loom prioritizes lightweight screen + webcam clips and does not record two monitors at once, which limits multi-source workflows. (Loom)
• For US creators and teams who want clear, presenter-led recordings with guests and flexible layouts, StreamYard is usually the most practical default.

What does “multi-source screen recording” really mean?

When people say “multi-source recording,” they’re usually talking about at least three things:

• Screen + camera together (sometimes multiple screens)
• Multiple people or inputs (guests, co-hosts, shared videos, slides)
• Separate files or tracks for each source so you can edit later

In day-to-day workflows, this looks like:

• A product demo where the host shares a screen, keeps their camera visible, and brings in a guest.
• A panel interview where you want separate files for each participant’s mic and camera.
• A training where you present slides, switch to a live app demo, and later re-cut the content for different channels.

This is exactly the space where StreamYard’s browser-based studio is designed to work: presenter-led sessions with multiple inputs, captured in clean layouts and saved as reusable tracks. (StreamYard)

How does StreamYard handle multi-source recording?

At StreamYard, we built the studio around multi-source capture rather than adding it later as an advanced feature.

Key capabilities that matter for this keyword:

• Presenter-visible screen sharing with controllable layouts – You can bring in your screen, camera, guests, and shared videos, then switch layouts live so the recording always looks intentional.
• Independent control of audio – Screen audio and microphone audio are controlled separately, so you can mute a noisy app without muting yourself.
• Local multi-track recordings – Each host and guest can be recorded locally on their own device, producing separate audio and video files per participant for cleaner edits. (StreamYard)
• Per-source tracks for shared content – You can also download separate tracks for each screen share, slide deck, and video you shared during the session. (StreamYard)
• Landscape and portrait outputs from one session – You can design with vertical repurposing in mind, so the same recording can feed YouTube, TikTok, and Reels without re-shooting.
• Branded overlays and notes – Apply logos, lower thirds, and overlays live, while keeping presenter notes visible only to you.
• Multi-participant screen sharing – Multiple people can share their screens for collaborative demos; you choose what’s live in the layout.

On paid plans, local recording is effectively unlimited, while the free plan provides 2 hours per month of local recording, which is usually enough to test multi-source workflows. (StreamYard)

How does this compare to OBS for multi-source recording?

OBS Studio is a powerful, free desktop app widely used for gameplay and advanced production. It’s capable, but the experience is very different from a browser studio.

What OBS does well for multi-source setups:

• You can create scenes that combine multiple sources: displays, windows, cameras, images, and capture cards.
• OBS supports multiple audio recording tracks, so you can assign each audio source (mic, game audio, music) to its own track in the recording. (OBS)
• There are third-party plugins that can output per-source video files (for example, plugins that let you record each source individually in OBS filters). (GitHub – obs-source-record)

Where OBS tends to be more effort than most US teams want:

• Setup and learning curve – You configure everything manually: scenes, sources, encoders, bitrates, and file formats.
• Per-source video isolation requires plugins – The core app focuses on one composed output; isolating each camera or screen usually means installing and maintaining community plugins, which can add complexity and potential stability concerns.
• Hardware dependence – Recording quality and reliability depend heavily on your CPU/GPU and disk speed; OBS itself notes that having a compatible system does not guarantee smooth recording. (OBS)

For many creators, this is the key decision point:

• Choose OBS if you want deep control over encoding and a fully local, single-machine setup, and you’re happy to tinker.
• Choose StreamYard if you want a simple browser studio that already treats every participant, screen share, slide, and video as a separately downloadable track—without hunting for plugins.

Can Loom really handle multi-source recording?

Loom is popular for quick async communication: “hit record, talk over your screen, share a link.” That’s valuable, but its multi-source capabilities are limited.

From Loom’s own docs:

• The desktop app supports screen + camera with system audio.
• On the free Starter plan, regular screen recordings are limited to 5 minutes and 25 videos per person. (Loom)
• Loom explicitly notes that you cannot record two monitors at once or switch between monitors during a recording. (Loom)

For this keyword—“screen recording software with multi-source recording”—those constraints matter:

• You generally have a single primary recorder, not multiple participants in a shared studio.
• You don’t get separate video files for each guest or screen share; Loom focuses on one composite clip per recording.

Loom is a reasonable add-on when you need quick, one-person walkthroughs. But if your goal is a multi-participant, multi-input session you can repurpose across platforms, StreamYard’s studio is a more natural fit.

How do pricing and team workflows compare in practice?

Most US teams are balancing ease of use, collaboration, and cost.

A few practical notes:

• At StreamYard, plans are priced per workspace, not per user, so multiple hosts and collaborators can work from the same subscription rather than paying per seat.
• Loom’s Business and Business + AI plans are billed per user per month and framed around unlimited recordings and storage on a per-seat basis. (Loom)

For a team that wants shared layouts, branded overlays, recurring shows, and centralized recordings, a workspace model often ends up significantly more economical than stacking per-user licenses.

As for getting started:

• StreamYard offers a free plan plus a 7-day free trial on paid tiers, and new users in the US often see introductory discounts.
• OBS is free to install but may cost you time in configuration and potentially require hardware upgrades.
• Loom has a free Starter plan with strict limits; unlocking multi-hour, higher-resolution recordings requires moving to paid, per-user tiers. (Loom)

For many teams, the time saved by a browser-based, multi-participant studio offsets the subscription when compared with managing local OBS setups across different laptops or scaling Loom seats.

Which tool should you use for your multi-source workflow?

A quick mental checklist can help:

• You want: multi-person interviews, panel discussions, product demos with guests, or recurring shows you can repurpose.

  • Use StreamYard. You get a guided, browser-based studio, live layouts, and downloadable local tracks per participant and per shared asset.

• You want: deep control over bitrates and formats for a single machine (e.g., PC gameplay) and you’re comfortable with technical tuning.

  • Use OBS as your primary recorder and optionally combine it with StreamYard or other tools when you need remote guests.

• You want: quick solo walkthroughs and async feedback loops within SaaS tools like Jira or Slack.

  • Use Loom alongside StreamYard, but treat it as a lightweight clip recorder rather than your main multi-source studio.

A simple scenario: imagine you’re leading a product webinar with two guests, you share your screen for the demo, they share theirs for Q&A, and you want clean, separate files afterward to cut clips for YouTube and social. In that case, opening a StreamYard studio, inviting guests with links, and turning on local recordings gives you exactly what you need—without installing anything or managing plugins.

What we recommend

• Start with StreamYard for browser-based, multi-participant screen recordings with per-participant and per-source local tracks.
• Add OBS only if you specifically need advanced local encoding control or highly customized scene setups on a single machine.
• Use Loom as a complementary async tool for quick, one-person updates—not as your primary multi-source recorder.
• Prioritize tools that keep setup light, recordings reliable on typical laptops, and outputs easy to reuse across channels; for most US teams, that points to StreamYard as the default choice.