Last updated: 2026-01-15

If you want screen recording software that supports the RTMP protocol, start with StreamYard’s paid plans for an in-browser studio that records your screen and streams to any custom RTMP destination with minimal setup. If you need deep encoder control on a powerful PC, OBS Studio is a strong local alternative, while Loom focuses on async recordings rather than RTMP workflows.

Summary

• StreamYard offers browser-based screen recording plus live streaming to custom RTMP destinations on paid plans, with multi-track local recordings for post-production. (StreamYard)
• OBS Studio is a free desktop app that records your screen and streams via RTMP/RTMPS, with extensive configuration and plugin support. (OBS)
• Loom focuses on quick screen recordings and link sharing; its public docs highlight HLS-based playback and do not document custom RTMP output. (Loom)
• For most US creators and teams, StreamYard is the most straightforward way to get presenter-led screen recordings and RTMP streaming without heavy technical setup.

What is RTMP, and why does it matter for screen recording?

RTMP (Real-Time Messaging Protocol) is a streaming transport that lets your encoder send video and audio to a live platform—whether that’s a major site like YouTube or a custom media server.

When you’re evaluating screen recording tools, RTMP support usually means one of two things:

• RTMP output: Your tool can send your screen feed to an RTMP/RTMPS server (for example, a custom player, internal CDN, or niche platform).
• RTMP input: Your tool can bring in devices or cameras that send RTMP/RTMPS feeds into your recording or live show.

If you’re just capturing tutorials for later upload, you might never touch RTMP. But if you want your screen recording to double as a live broadcast—especially to a non-standard destination—RTMP support becomes essential.

How does StreamYard handle RTMP-based screen recording?

At StreamYard, we approach this from a “studio-first” mindset: you open your browser, share your screen, add your camera and branding, and then choose where the show goes—including custom RTMP.

On paid plans, you can add custom RTMP destinations by entering the RTMP server URL and stream key from your target platform, then stream your screen, camera, and guests there from the same browser studio. (StreamYard)

For screen recording specifically, you get:

• Presenter-visible screen sharing with layouts – You decide whether your screen is full-frame, picture-in-picture with your camera, or part of a multi-guest layout.
• Independent audio control – Adjust screen/system audio and mic audio separately so your voice stays clear while demo sounds stay balanced.
• Local multi-track recordings – Each participant can be recorded locally with separate audio/video files, ideal for editing clean how-to videos after the live session. (StreamYard)
• Landscape and portrait outputs – Record once and repurpose for YouTube, TikTok, or Reels without redesigning the whole session.
• Branding built in – Overlays, logos, and lower thirds applied live, so your “recorded webinar” already looks like a finished product.
• Multi-participant screen sharing – Multiple teammates can share screens for collaborative demos or product walkthroughs.

StreamYard also accepts RTMP/RTMPS feeds from network cameras or devices, so advanced setups can send a hardware encoder or action camera into your studio while you capture and record the session. (StreamYard)

This combination—screen recording, RTMP output, and RTMP camera ingest—all in the browser is what makes StreamYard a strong default for most US creators who value speed and reliability over endless configuration.

What are the limitations of StreamYard’s RTMP workflow?

RTMP in StreamYard is intentionally focused on the parts most users need and avoids overwhelming knobs.

A few important guardrails:

• Custom RTMP requires a paid plan. Free users can still record and go live to supported platforms, but custom RTMP is a paid capability. (StreamYard)
• Some features don’t apply to RTMP destinations. When streaming to a custom RTMP endpoint, you won’t see a native viewer count, integrated chat, scheduling, or StreamYard’s giveaway tool for that destination. (StreamYard)
• Recording and storage are hour-based. Live streams on paid plans are auto-recorded in the cloud with per-stream caps (10 hours on most plans, 24 hours on Business), and stored recordings count against your storage hours. (StreamYard)

For most presenter-led screen recordings and typical webinar-style shows, these constraints don’t get in the way. They mainly matter if you are building a 24/7 channel or a heavily automated analytics workflow on top of RTMP.

How does OBS Studio compare for RTMP screen recording?

OBS Studio sits at the opposite end of the spectrum from a browser studio. It is a free, open-source desktop application for video recording and live streaming that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. (OBS)

For RTMP workflows, OBS offers:

• Direct RTMP/RTMPS output. You choose “Custom” as the streaming service, paste in your RTMP server URL and stream key, and OBS sends your screen recording there.
• Fine-grained encoder control. You can tweak bitrate, codec, keyframe intervals, and more to match strict platform or internal network requirements.
• Plugin-based multi-RTMP. By installing community plugins, you can stream to multiple RTMP endpoints at once from the same OBS instance. (VideoSDK Guide)

For screen recording itself, OBS lets you build scenes that mix full screen capture, specific windows, webcams, and overlays, and it can be used purely for local recording without going live. (OBS Help)

Where this approach trades off against StreamYard:

• You’re responsible for hardware, drivers, and encoding stability. Underpowered machines or misconfigured settings can lead to dropped frames or corrupted files. (OBS System Requirements)
• There’s no built-in cloud or multi-track local recording per remote guest; you’ll typically rely on local sources or other apps to bring in remote participants.

OBS makes sense if you want full control on a powerful desktop and you’re comfortable investing setup time. For most teams that just need to record a clean demo and push it out via RTMP, a browser-based studio like StreamYard usually gets you to “done” faster.

Where does Loom fit if you care about RTMP?

Loom is primarily designed for quick, asynchronous screen recordings you can share via a link, not as a live RTMP encoder.

Loom’s pricing and docs highlight screen + camera bubble recording, cloud storage, and HLS playback, including resolutions up to 4K on higher tiers. (Loom) Its encoding documentation explains that Loom uses HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) to deliver the recorded video, optimizing playback quality for viewers. (Loom Support)

What Loom’s public materials don’t do is walk you through setting a custom RTMP or RTMPS server as a destination. Because those workflows aren’t documented, you should treat Loom as:

• A strong choice for internal demos, feedback, and async updates, especially when link-based sharing is your priority.
• Not a primary option when your requirement is “record screen and stream to a custom RTMP server”.

If your question starts with RTMP, Loom is more of a complement (for async follow-ups) than the core solution.

How should you choose between StreamYard and OBS for RTMP screen recording?

Here’s a simple way to think about it.

Choose StreamYard when you:

• Want to avoid installing heavy desktop software and prefer a browser-based studio.
• Need to bring in multiple remote participants, each with their own camera and possible local recording tracks.
• Care about branding, overlays, and layout presets more than custom encoder flags.
• Plan to reuse recordings in multiple formats (landscape webinar, vertical clip, podcast edit) without re-recording.

Choose OBS Studio when you:

• Need granular control over bitrate, codec, and file container for a tightly controlled environment.
• Are running on a powerful machine and are comfortable managing CPU/GPU load and storage.
• Want to integrate RTMP output into a more complex production chain, with plugins and custom routing.

A practical hybrid for US-based teams:

• Use StreamYard as your primary studio—for live webinars, product demos, and multi-guest recordings that also stream via RTMP to your main destination.
• Use OBS in specialized setups—for example, capturing gameplay or a single high-motion screen feed and sending it into StreamYard as a virtual camera or RTMP input for further compositing.

How does pricing factor into team decisions?

For teams, cost often comes down to how many people need to record, not just how many hours you stream.

Loom’s business plans are priced per user per month, with paid plans offering “unlimited videos” and “unlimited recording time” within a workspace. (Loom) At StreamYard, plans are priced per workspace rather than per seat, which tends to be more cost-effective when several presenters share the same studio and destinations.

OBS is free to download and use, which is attractive on paper. But you’ll still account for hardware, storage, and support time—especially if less technical teammates struggle to configure their own scenes and RTMP settings.

For most organizations that care about polished, presenter-led screen recordings with RTMP streaming and shared branding, a single StreamYard workspace often replaces a mix of individual tools while keeping setup simple.

What we recommend

• Default choice: Use StreamYard’s paid plans when you want browser-based screen recording plus RTMP streaming, especially for multi-presenter demos, webinars, and branded shows.
• Power-user alternative: Add OBS when you need deep encoder control on a strong machine or want to experiment with plugin-heavy, local-only workflows.
• Async complement: Keep Loom in your stack for quick, shareable follow-up recordings, not as your main RTMP encoder.
• Practical rule: If you prioritize speed, reliability, and a studio that “just works” on typical laptops, start in StreamYard and bring in other tools only for niche needs.