In the world of different streaming platforms such as Twitch, Youtube Gaming, and much more there are some other well-known names too, which are known as Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) and XSplit. But many people question that which one is the best?
While browsing through google, you will not find and comprehensive source that provides you detail about both products and neither they compared them correctly.
Many people were saying that “OBS is much better than XSplit” in one result while others noted that “XSplit is better than OBS.” It is difficult to compare these two, but I have included a detailed comparison of them, which will help you to know which one is the best for you.
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OBS vs XSplit Comparison
1. Verdict
There is usually no reason to use the free XSplit over OBS; XSplit Broadcaster and OBS are both equally valuable (but broadcaster at a much higher price), and while OBS is definitely more potent than Gamecaster, Gamecaster is easier to use and set up. That is why many people recommend Open Broadcaster Software in this aspect.
2. Plugins and Customizations
Now let’s talk about the customizations and plugins of these software.
Open Broadcaster Software
- Open Broadcaster Software comes with a lot of customization features, and plugin support is also available right out of the box.
- This can be hard to get up and running initially, and you are, in a way more control of your experience on Open Broadcaster Software and XSplit.
XSplit Gamecaster
- XSplit Gamecaster sacrifices a lot of customization options, and it seems to utterly lack plugins entirely.
- You can do most of the streamings on XSplit Gamecaster without plugins, and it comes down to the age-old Android vs. iOS conflict: do you want customization and power or ease of use?
OBS runs a circle around XSplit Gamecaster in this category. Complex interfaced and options can prove very hard to understand for new users, experience makes these barriers very short over time. While easy-to-use programs will always be easy to use. I will recommend Open Broadcast Software in this aspect.
3. Ease of Use
A customer still looks for some simple and easy to use Softwares. Now let’s have a look at this comparison between Open Broadcast Software and XSplit Gamecaster.
Open Broadcaster Software
- Initial setup can be complicated for new users.
- Moreover, the lack of an in-game overlay, performance monitor, and other steam controlling features make OBS suffer in comparison.
XSplit Gamecaster
- Incredibly straightforward to setup. The default configuration works fine, but it is recommended you tweak the resolution and other settings within XSplit.
- And in-game overlay allows the chat to be seen at all times, and there is also the easy setup of subscribe or follow boxes and a webcam feed. XSplit beats OBS handily here at the unfortunate price of some features and performances.
XSplit takes this home reasonably easy. While it may suffer most in the area of performance (and price of entry of useful advancements may put people off), the ease of use makes it very enjoyable to use. XSplit’s in-game overlay is the most significant measures at play here and it almost negates the requires for an additional screen. Whereas Open Broadcaster Software always requires to be played with a browser open in the background screen, and if you don’t have an additional monitor, then it means that a lot of alt-tabbing, which may affect stream quality and be a general pain.
So I will prefer XSplit Gamecaster over Open Broadcaster Software.
4. Performance
Open Broadcaster Software
- This software allows you to stream 720p at 30fps with little noticeable performance drops in TF2 but cannot do 720p at 60.
- While it can gain 60fps at 1152×658, that is only marginally less than 1280×720.
XSplit Gamecaster
- XSplit Gamecaster will allow you to stream 720p at 30fps with some noticeable performance drops in TF2 and obviously, it cannot do 720p at 60.
- Unfortunately, it also cannot achieve 60fps at 1152×658 and attempting to do this made the game entirely unplayable.
Open Broadcaster Software takes this one, hands down.
5. Pricing
Open Broadcaster Software
This software is free for all features.
XSplit Gamecaster
This software is also free but only for gimped versions. You have to pay $2.50 per month for a better version, and for the best version, you have to pay $4.17 per month.
You must be thinking that if OBS offers all of its features upfront for free, how does XSplit even compare with it?
There are actually a few more things that you should take into consideration than just the price of the software. Streaming games and other things demand powerful hardware and sometimes extra hardware. By default, Open Broadcaster Software manages audio quality better, but it does not contain any additional add-ons that premium versions of XSplit has, such as a simulated greenscreen. These are considered to be the staples of streaming.
Additionally despites the benefits of OBS poses it does not have those features which Gamecaster has. Streamers love to watch and reply to their chats, and XSplit’s overlay allows you to do all the main functions on a single screen. Using Open Broadcaster Software mostly, demands you to have an additional screen to be as efficient, which add ups to the price.
If you already have an additional screen and greenscreen handy, OBS is an obvious choice as far as the budget goes.
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FAQ’s:
Q1. What is Open Broadcaster Software?
Technically, OBS is a software that provides real-time source and device capture broadcasting, encoding, recording, and screen composition. It is an Open Source streaming software and recording program which is officially distributed by the OBS project.
Q2. What is XSplit Gamecaster?
XSplit is a live streaming ad video mixing software which is developed and produced by SplitMediaLabs. It is mostly used for recording gameplays and live streaming videos.
Q3. Is there something better than OBS?
A lot like OBS, FFSplit is free. Since it supports multiple video sources, you can import graphics, adjust audio levels, and switch between video sources.
Q4. Is OBS easier to use than XSplit?
OBS can be more difficult to set up initially, but once you get the hang of it, it can be just as easy to use as XSplit. XSplit may be more user-friendly for beginners, but it also has a steeper learning curve for advanced features.
Q5. Can OBS and XSplit be used for the same purposes?
Yes, both OBS and XSplit can be used for video recording and live streaming. The choice between the two ultimately depends on your specific needs and preferences.
This was the comparison between OBS and XSplit Gamecaster. I hope that now you will differentiate between both of these applications efficiently. If you got any questions then include them in the comments. I will try my best to solve your issue or related problems.