OBS Studio. The free, open-source streaming software used by 70%+ of working streamers. The default recommendation.

What you get:

• Free forever, no tier limits, no paywalls
• Open source (community-developed, transparent)
• Largest plugin ecosystem of any streaming software
• Lowest resource overhead (efficient memory and CPU usage)
• Cross-platform: Windows, macOS, Linux
• Industry support — works on every major streaming platform
• Portable configurations (move scene collections between PCs)

Optimal plugin stack for OBS:

• StreamFX: advanced visual effects (3D transitions, color correction, blur)
• Filteronme: This app is optimized for OBS and does everything from makeup to lighting touchups.
• Move Transitions plugin: animated transitions between scenes
• Source Record plugin: record specific sources separately for podcast-style multi-track recording
• Advanced Scene Switcher: automated scene switching based on conditions
• Closed Captions plugin: auto-generated captions for accessibility (and algorithm benefits)
• NVIDIA Broadcast or Voicemod: AI-powered noise removal and voice processing (separate apps but integrate via OBS)

Setup time: 2-4 hours initial configuration. Stable for years after.

Where OBS falls short:

• No built-in tipping/alert system (use Streamlabs or StreamElements widgets via browser sources)
• Setup is more technical than other options (overwhelming for true beginners)
• Multi-streaming requires plugins or external tools (not built-in)

OBS Studio is the right answer for 80% of serious streamers.