OBS Studio vs Riverside
Which is better for screen recording in 2026? Here's our side-by-side comparison.
Our Pick: OBS Studio
Editor's PickBest free screen recording and streaming. Full power, zero cost.
Pricing Comparison
How OBS Studio and Riverside pricing stacks up — green highlights the better value.
| Free Tier | Full software. No limits, no watermarks. All features included. | 2 hours of recording per month. Full quality. Riverside branding. |
| Starter Price | — | $15/mo |
| Pro Price | — | — |
| Per-User Pricing | No (flat rate) | No (flat rate) |
| Annual Discount | — | — |
Feature Comparison
What each tool brings to the table.
| Feature | OBS Studio | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Screen and window capture | ||
| Streaming to YouTube, Twitch, etc. | ||
| Scene switching |
Pros & Cons
Strengths and weaknesses of each tool, side by side.
OBS Studio
Pros
- Completely free
- No limits or watermarks
- Industry standard
The Bottom Line
Which tool should you choose?
Streamers, tutorial creators, anyone wanting free pro recording
Read full reviewReady to get started?
Try either tool and see which one fits your workflow.
We may earn a commission when you click these links. This doesn't affect our recommendations.