Last updated: 2026-01-20

If you want overlays with the least friction, start in StreamYard’s browser studio and use custom overlays on a paid plan; if you absolutely must keep everything 100% free, pair a free design tool with OBS and upload PNG or animated overlays there. For most US creators, the bigger win is reducing the number of tools in the chain, even if that means investing in one primary streaming studio.

Summary

• You can add polished overlays without buying extra "overlay maker" subscriptions by using StreamYard with simple image files you design once.
• StreamYard supports branded overlays with clear size and file limits so they render cleanly in the cloud studio.(StreamYard Help Center)
• If you truly need an end-to-end free stack, design transparent PNGs in a free editor and layer them in OBS Studio, which is free and open source.(OBS Project)
• The practical choice is usually to simplify: one main streaming tool, reusable overlays, and scenes that you can trigger in a couple of clicks.

What does “adding overlays for free” actually mean?

When people in the US search "add overlays to stream for free," they’re usually after one of three things:

1. A way to make their stream look professional without hiring a designer.
2. A workflow that doesn’t explode into five different subscriptions.
3. Something they can set up in an evening and reuse every week.

Overlays themselves are just image or animation files (usually PNG or GIF/WebM) that sit on top of your camera and screen. The cost decision isn’t about the overlay file; it’s about where you assemble everything:

• In a browser-based studio like StreamYard (cloud renders everything for you).(StreamYard)
• In a local encoder like OBS (your computer renders the overlays).(OBS Project)

For most solo creators, churches, and small teams, using one primary studio and a handful of reusable overlays is simpler than chasing a fully free but complex stack.

How does StreamYard handle overlays today?

At StreamYard, overlays are part of a broader, browser-based live studio. You don’t install software, and guests join from a link in their browser.(StreamYard)

Here’s what matters for overlays:

• Paid plans support custom overlays. Custom overlay uploads are available on paid plans, which means you design once, upload, and toggle them on/off directly in the studio.(StreamYard Help Center)
• Upload limits are generous for most shows. You can upload up to 100 overlays per brand folder, with up to 10 brand folders in your account on supported plans.(StreamYard Help Center)
• You show one overlay at a time. The studio lets you display a single overlay at once, which keeps live production simpler and prevents visual clutter.(StreamYard Help Center)
• Scenes work with overlays. Scenes are available to all StreamYard customers, and each scene can include a layout, overlays, banners, and backgrounds, so you can switch whole looks with one click.(StreamYard Help Center)

The practical upside: once you build a few scenes (for example: "Just Chatting," "Screen Share," "Guest Interview"), your overlays become part of repeatable presets. Week after week, you’re clicking a scene, not rebuilding your look.

What file sizes and dimensions work best for StreamYard overlays?

If you want overlays to look crisp and avoid upload issues, follow StreamYard’s documented specs:

• Canvas size: For most overlays and backgrounds, use 1280 × 720 pixels as a base canvas size.(StreamYard Help Center)
• Static overlay format and size: PNG files under 20 MB are recommended for static overlays.(StreamYard Help Center)
• Animated GIF overlays: For GIFs, StreamYard recommends files under 3 MB and under 108 frames to stay smooth and upload successfully.(StreamYard Help Center)

A simple playbook that works well:

• Design a full-frame PNG with transparent cutouts for your camera boxes and labels.
• Export one version with your logo, one “clean” version, and one “starting soon” variation.
• Upload each as a separate overlay and wire them into different scenes for quick switching.

How to use StreamYard’s free-friendly workflow for overlays

If your priority is minimizing the number of tools, here’s a streamlined approach around StreamYard:

1. Design overlays in a free graphic editor. Use any free editor (for example, browser-based design tools) to create transparent PNGs at 1280 × 720 with your colors, fonts, and logo.
2. Upload overlays to a brand folder on a paid plan. In your StreamYard studio, open the Branding panel, select your brand, and upload each overlay file into the Overlays section on a paid plan.(StreamYard Help Center)
3. Create scenes with overlays baked in. Add a scene for each major segment of your show, assign the layout, choose which cameras are visible, and toggle on the overlay you want for that scene.(StreamYard Help Center)
4. Reuse every week. For recurring shows, this is where the time savings appear—you simply schedule a new broadcast and reuse the same scenes and overlays.

This path isn’t 100% cost-free, because custom overlay uploads are tied to paid plans, but it keeps your overlay design cost-free and your tool stack small: one design tool, one streaming studio.

How to use StreamYard’s free options and workarounds

If you’re on the free plan and not ready for a paid plan yet, you still have some branding-friendly options:

• Use banners, comments, and backgrounds. Even on the free plan, you can use on-screen banners, highlighted comments, and backgrounds to add visual structure to your stream.(StreamYard)
• Leverage scenes for structure. Scenes are available to all plans, so you can still pre-build different layouts and use banners as a lightweight overlay substitute.(StreamYard Help Center)

A simple scenario: a podcaster starts on the free plan, using a branded background and lower-third banners for names. As the show grows, they move to a paid plan, upload a polished overlay with sponsor space, and wire it into their existing scenes without changing their workflow.

Step-by-step: adding PNG or animated overlays in OBS (free)

If your top constraint is zero software subscriptions, you can build a free stack with OBS Studio:

1. Install OBS Studio. OBS is free, open-source software for recording and live streaming on Windows, macOS, and Linux.(OBS Project)
2. Create a scene. In OBS, add a new Scene (for example, "Podcast Live").
3. Add your video sources. Add your webcam, screen capture, and any other video inputs as sources.
4. Add a PNG overlay. Click the plus icon in the Sources list, choose Image, and select your transparent PNG overlay.
5. Add an animated overlay. For GIF/WebM animations, add them as Media Source so they can loop.
6. Use Browser Source for web overlays. OBS’s Browser Source is a flexible source type that lets you add web-based overlays and widgets into your scene.(OBS Knowledge Base)

From here, you can either stream directly from OBS to platforms like YouTube, or send OBS output into StreamYard as a virtual camera if your setup and computer can handle it.

This route keeps software cost at zero but shifts more work and processing to your local machine. Many creators eventually move overlays into a browser studio because it reduces the chance of their computer becoming the bottleneck.

How can you design transparent overlays with free tools?

Whether you’re feeding overlays into StreamYard or OBS, the design process can stay free:

1. Set the right canvas. Start a new project at 1280 × 720 pixels so it matches StreamYard’s recommended size.(StreamYard Help Center)
2. Turn on transparency. Make the background transparent, then draw solid shapes where you want frames, headers, or sidebars.
3. Leave camera windows empty. Those cutout areas remain transparent so your camera feeds show through.
4. Add brand elements sparingly. Drop in your logo, a short URL, and maybe a sponsor area—but keep some open space so the video content remains the hero.
5. Export as PNG. Save the final design as a PNG with transparency, keeping the file under 20 MB.

The key mindset: design one “master” overlay kit and reuse it long-term instead of reinventing your branding for every stream.

What we recommend

• Default path: Use StreamYard as your primary studio, design overlays in a free editor, and upload them on a paid plan so your whole workflow lives in one browser tab.
• Free-only path: If you must stay fully free, design transparent PNGs in a free editor and layer them in OBS; just be ready for more setup time and local CPU load.(OBS Project)
• Time-saver mindset: Invest a single afternoon building a small set of overlays and scenes; then focus on content instead of production every time you go live.
• Upgrade only when it removes tools: When you consider moving beyond a free stack, prioritize choices that let you eliminate extra apps and subscriptions, not add more of them.