Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

OBS Studio VS Camtasia

Compare OBS Studio VS Camtasia and see what are their differences

OBS Studio logo OBS Studio

Free and open source software for video recording and live streaming for Mac, Windows and Linux.

Camtasia logo Camtasia

Camtasia 2018 makes it easy to record your screen and create polished, professional-looking videos.
  • OBS Studio Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-12
  • Camtasia Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-09-19

OBS Studio features and specs

  • Free and Open Source
    OBS Studio is completely free to download and use, and its source code is openly available, allowing users to modify and contribute to the software.
  • Cross-Platform
    OBS Studio is available on Windows, MacOS, and Linux, making it accessible to a wide range of users regardless of their operating system.
  • High Customizability
    The software allows for extensive customization through scenes, sources, and various settings, enabling users to tailor their streaming or recording setup precisely to their needs.
  • Plugin Support
    OBS Studio supports a variety of plugins, allowing users to add extra functionality such as additional sources, filters, and integrations with other platforms.
  • Active Community
    The OBS community is very active, offering a wealth of tutorials, forums, and support channels where users can find assistance and share knowledge.

Possible disadvantages of OBS Studio

  • Steep Learning Curve
    While powerful, OBS Studio can be intimidating for beginners due to its myriad of options and settings, requiring a significant amount of time to learn.
  • Resource Intensive
    OBS Studio can be quite demanding on system resources, particularly CPU and GPU, which might not be ideal for users with lower-end hardware.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Users sometimes report crashes or bugs, especially when using certain third-party plugins or on less common hardware configurations.
  • Limited Built-In Features
    While highly customizable, OBS Studio itself is relatively barebones without plugins, which means users often need to seek out and install additional software for specific functionalities (e.g., advanced effects, in-depth analytics).
  • Complex Configuration for Advanced Features
    Configuring advanced features, such as setting up a green screen or integrating with third-party tools, can be complex and time-consuming.

Camtasia features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Camtasia boasts an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, making it accessible for users with varying levels of technical expertise.
  • Rich Feature Set
    The software includes a robust set of tools for screen recording, video editing, and adding effects, which provides users with comprehensive functionality for creating professional videos.
  • High-Quality Output
    Camtasia delivers high-quality video output with excellent resolution and frame rates, ensuring that the final product looks polished and professional.
  • Integrated Asset Library
    It comes with an asset library that includes various royalty-free music tracks, sound effects, and visual elements, which can save users time and effort in sourcing these separately.
  • Regular Updates
    TechSmith frequently updates Camtasia with new features, improvements, and bug fixes to enhance the user experience and keep up with industry standards.
  • Good Customer Support
    Camtasia's customer support is responsive and helpful, providing a range of resources including tutorials, guides, and direct support to assist users.

Possible disadvantages of Camtasia

  • High Cost
    The price point of Camtasia is relatively high compared to some other video editing and screen recording tools, which may be prohibitive for individual users or small businesses.
  • Resource Intensive
    Camtasia can be demanding on system resources, potentially leading to slower performance on less powerful computers.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic tasks are straightforward, mastering more advanced features and effects can take time and effort for beginners.
  • Limited Mobile Support
    Camtasia's mobile capabilities are relatively limited, making it less suitable for users who need to edit videos on mobile devices.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Some users report encountering occasional bugs or crashes, which can disrupt the workflow and require intervention from customer support.
  • Export Options
    Although Camtasia provides various export options, it lacks some advanced export settings and customization features found in other high-end video editing software.

OBS Studio videos

Open Broadcaster Software Review

Camtasia videos

Is Camtasia Worth It To Buy? Honest Review from Someone Who Edits Videos Daily 🎬

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Camtasia Review and Tutorial {BEST SCREEN RECORDER?}
  • Demo - What’s NEW in Camtasia 2019: Review and Feature Demos

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to OBS Studio and Camtasia)
Screen Recording
67 67%
33% 33
Video Recording
100 100%
0% 0
Screenshot Annotation
52 52%
48% 48
Live Streaming
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare OBS Studio and Camtasia

OBS Studio Reviews

Top Live Video Streaming Software, Tools, and Platforms for Professional Streaming
OBS Studio is an open-source software that’s popular among both beginner and professional streamers. It’s completely free to use and offers extensive customization options, including support for multiple video sources, transitions, and custom graphics. OBS Studio is great for live streaming to platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook.
Source: medium.com
ScreenRec vs OBS: A Comprehensive Comparison of Screen Recording and Streaming Software
ScreenRec and OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) are two popular screen recording and streaming software used by content creators, professionals, gamers, educators, and businesses worldwide. Both tools offer unique features and functionalities to capture and share screen content effectively.ScreenRec is a user-friendly screen recording software known for its simplicity and...
Source: screenapp.io
Selecting the Best Screen Recorder for Windows 11: A Thorough Exploration
Selecting the right screen recorder for Windows 11 hinges on your specific needs and the level of complexity you’re comfortable with. ScreenRec offers a balanced mix of ease of use and functionality, making it an excellent choice for most users. However, those with more specialized needs might find OBS Studio, Camtasia, Bandicam, or ShareX to be better suited to their...
Source: medium.com
Screen Recording Unveiled: ScreenRec and Other Notable Choices for Capturing Zoom and Google Meet Sessions
The modern age has brought forth the necessity for tools that can accurately capture on-screen activities, specifically virtual meetings and educational sessions. ScreenRec excels for its ease of use, while OBS Studio and Camtasia offer more advanced functionalities. Knowing how to record Zoom and Google Meet sessions is crucial, and with tools like ScreenRec at your...
Source: medium.com
10 Proven Screen Recorders for Mac [Updated in 2023]
OBS is a free and open source screen recording software for Mac, which allows users to record video and live streaming media. In fact, this is also one of the Mac screen video recorders that can't be missed. It supports real-time source and device capture, scene synthesis, encoding, recording and broadcasting.

Camtasia Reviews

Top 10 Best Animoto Alternatives For Stunning Video Creation
Camtasia is a free animoto alternative, for screen re­cording and pro-grade video editing. Its use­r-friendly tools seamlessly capture­, tweak, and share scree­n activity. Crafting stellar tutorials, training videos, or prese­ntations is easy-peasy with Camtasia’s arsenal of re­sources aimed at making your work pop. Seamle­ssly blending recording and editing capabilitie­s,...
Source: sharetool.net
13 Best Green Screen Software For Windows (2024)
Camtasia is a robust software that makes green screen video editing an easy process, even for beginners. Famed for its intuitive interface, this software lets you create stunning video content with many features. It stands out with its interactive features like annotations and transitions and its ability to record screen activity, making it a go-to tool for educators and...
Source: mixilab.com
Selecting the Best Screen Recorder for Windows 11: A Thorough Exploration
Selecting the right screen recorder for Windows 11 hinges on your specific needs and the level of complexity you’re comfortable with. ScreenRec offers a balanced mix of ease of use and functionality, making it an excellent choice for most users. However, those with more specialized needs might find OBS Studio, Camtasia, Bandicam, or ShareX to be better suited to their...
Source: medium.com
Screen Recording Unveiled: ScreenRec and Other Notable Choices for Capturing Zoom and Google Meet Sessions
Camtasia: With Camtasia, you can either capture the entire screen or a specific application window. Start your Zoom meeting and then hit the ‘Record’ button in Camtasia.
Source: medium.com
11 Best Screen Recorders for Mac in 2023
Camtasia stands out from other screen recording tools because it has a robust built-in video editor with advanced functionalities you can leverage to take your recorded videos to another level.
Source: mixilab.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OBS Studio seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1069 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

OBS Studio mentions (1069)

  • A single line of code cost $8000
    FWIW, OBS is ~150 MB, not an electron app and actually open source. https://obsproject.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 21 days ago
  • A M.2 HDMI capture card
    Https://magicmusicvisuals.com/ combined with https://obsproject.com/. And possibly OBS all by itself. - Source: Hacker News / 29 days ago
  • How to Set Up a Free RTMP Server with Open Source Red5
    ./red5.sh # for Linux or Mac Red5.bat # for Windows You should see console output indicating the server has started successfully, typically on `localhost:5080`. 2. To test if your RTMP server is live, open your web browser and go to `http://localhost:5080/`. You should see the Red5 landing page. ### Step 4: Configure RTMP Applications Red5 supports RTMP out of the box. You can now create and configure RTMP... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Phased Array Microphone
    You might look into OBS and/or VoiceMeeter to see how streamers selectively route audio while livestreaming/recording video/audio streams. https://obsproject.com/ https://voicemeeter.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • How to Set Up a Free RTMP Server with Open Source Red5
    Download and Install OBS: If you haven’t already, download and install OBS from obsproject.com. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
View more

Camtasia mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Camtasia yet. Tracking of Camtasia recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing OBS Studio and Camtasia, you can also consider the following products

ShareX - ShareX is a free and open source program that lets you capture or record any area of your screen...

Snagit - Screen Capture Software for Windows and Mac

XSplit - Live stream and record your content with ease & share it to streaming services like Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, Mixer, etc. Start your broadcast today.

BandiCam - Bandicam is a screen recording platform built to accommodate the needs of a wide variety of different users.

Screencast-O-Matic - Free version Records up to 15 minutes, premium is $15/year.

Loom - Loom is a screen recording extension for Chrome that gives people the ability to create and share media. Create your own videos using your camera, screen view, and audio. Read more about Loom.

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