In order to go live on Twitch, or most other platforms, you need a software to help
There are two big options for Twitch streamers
- OBS
- Twitch Studio
There are other options too, but these are two of the best and we are going to compare them!
In most categories, OBS is better than Twitch Studio. Twitch studio is a more user friendly software that is very fast to learn, but struggles in every other category. OBS takes longer to learn, but it the best once you learn it.
Even with all the specs, you should try both and see what works best for you
Some streamers really like Twitch Studio, while others complain that is crashes way too much
Some streamers love OBS, but it can take a minute to learn how to use it which is stressful for a new streamer
Whichever option you choose, you aren’t stuck
This is just the tool that you use to go live on Twitch
Both are free
So just pick one, give it a shot, and switch if you hate it!
Twitch Studio Pros and Cons
Twitch studio is a very simple and easy to use software
It is very basic and doesn’t need any customizing
Because it is easy to use, many streamers will start here
But you don’t have to!
Twitch Studio was created by Twitch for use on their platform
Some of the important positive features are:
- Automatic game detection: Twitch studio is able to detect what game you are playing and document it accordingly
- Built-in chat to see messages from watchers while playing
- Easy setup: Twitch made Twitch studio with a new streamer in mind so it is very simple
- Internet speed and interruptions checker
Overall, the biggest pro that twitch studio has over competition is how easy it is to use
There is no crazy learning curve
But with that comes the major issue
Many users have discussed the frustrations with Twitch Studio like:
- Not customizable
- Heavy requirements from internet and computer so crashing happens
- Heaver CPU Usage (10-20%) caused by a heavy interface
- Can’t undo a deletion unless it is a video layer
- Only usable on Twitch
Since Twitch studio was made very simple with the new streamers in mind, there are very few options to add depth or customize your stream
It is also a tough software for your computer to run
Combine that with a game that requires a lot from your computer and you’ll run into a lot of lag and other issues
Most streamers that I talked to say that it isn’t worth it in the end
You’ll quickly grow out of this software because there is no room for you to improve yourself or your stream
Another issue is it is only compatible with Twitch
If you ever wanted to stream onto YouTube or TikTok, you’ll have to use a different software
OBS Pros and Cons
OBS is what we use because it is so customizable and isn’t hard to use once you learn it
Even if it has a rougher learning curve, OBS is appropriate for both beginner streamers and advanced streamers
You have the ability to add as much or as little as you want by choosing the plugins to install
Some of the positive features of OBS are:
- Plugins: Plugins are addons that customize your software to your needs. To see what the options are, click here
- Compatibility with multiple platforms like YouTube and Facebook. This is helpful if you ever want to stream with a new platform because you will not have to learn a new software
- Minimal impact on internet, battery, and computer functions
- Open-source where people continue to contribute to make it better
- Amazing organization to keep track of your videos
No matter how great a software is, there are always cons
Many users have discussed the frustration with OBS like:
- Takes time to learn and master
- No undo button if you accidentally delete a video
- Lag if you don’t have a strong computer (6GB of RAM and i3 CPU PC)
The #1 complaint I saw was that it took time, trial, and error to learn OBS for the first time
All other negatives took a lot of digging for me to find
This means that OBS is an amazing option once you learn how to use it
Many users that I talk to said that it is worth just jumping to OBS so you don’t have to learn more than one software if you plan to use it at all
Who wins when compared?
At the end of the day, the best one is a preference
There are two major things to look at when choosing a software for your live streams:
We look at usability and performance
Usability is how easy we can learn and use each software
Performance is how well the software works and how much it effects the stream when used
We have already decided that Twitch Studio is easier to learn than OBS
But we are finding that people are having less trouble with learning OBS the more comfortable with computers and software they get in general
If you are a younger streamer, the usability might not be a problem for you at all
There are also a lot of resources online to help you learn OBS if that is the one you choose
However, many streamers outgrow Twitch Studio
So it may be easier to learn, but it is classified as a beginner software
You will likely need to change what you use later if you choose Twitch studio
Twitch studio is also heavy on the CPU usage and is prone to technical issues when using it
Most streamers I talked to agreed that OBS has a way better performance than Twitch Studio
We chose OBS for streams when we were active, but it really is a preference
I highly encourage using OBS so you have more freedom in the future
You’ll be able to stream on more platforms if you want to, and you can customize and have fun with the one on Twitch
Have fun streaming!