2 picks · Livestreaming
Your booth needs software to switch cameras and slides on Sunday. OBS is free and vMix is paid and Windows only. Here's which one fits your church, and the catch.
Updated
Choose OBS Studio if you're starting a livestream with no software budget or a Mac in the booth: it's free, open source and runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. Choose vMix if you run several cameras from a dedicated Windows PC and want built-in animated titles and remote callers. Lifetime licenses start at $60 and HD is $350 (Oct 2026).
OBS Studio is free and open source, with no paid tier. vMix sells lifetime licenses: Basic HD is $60 and HD is $350, with 4K and Pro editions above them, and vMix MAX is a $50-a-month subscription (Oct 2026). Lifetime licenses include 12 months of free updates, and another year of updates costs $60 after that. There's a 60-day free trial, and vMix gives a limited number of free HD licenses to churches that apply with a church website, a church email address and a link to their livestream.
OBS runs on Windows 10 or 11, macOS 13 or newer, and Linux. vMix is Windows only, and its knowledge base says Macs with Apple silicon can't run it through Boot Camp. vMix also needs a strong PC with a dedicated graphics card, so check its supported hardware page before you download. If your booth computer is a Mac, the choice is already made.
Both switch between cameras, slides and graphics while they stream and record the service. In OBS you build scenes for walk-in, worship, sermon and announcements, and Studio Mode lines up the next shot before it goes live. Plugins and scripts add features as your team grows. vMix includes more out of the box: HD takes up to 1,000 inputs, GT Designer has 100+ animated titles for sermon points and scripture, and vMix Call brings in remote guests, one caller on HD and four on 4K. Instant replay needs 4K or Pro. Skip Basic HD if you have more than a couple of cameras: its four inputs, three of them cameras, run out fast.
Neither is a pick-up-and-go app. We rate OBS moderate for a church volunteer: first-time setup takes some trial and error, and there's no support line, so help comes from guides and forums. We rate vMix advanced. Use the 60-day trial to train whoever will run it before it carries a real Sunday.
Start with OBS if you're new to streaming, have no software budget or run a Mac. Move to vMix when you have several cameras, a dedicated Windows PC and a volunteer ready to learn it. Either one produces the stream; for the platform that carries it to your website and social channels, see our church livestream platform guide.
| App | Best for | Price | Free option | Works on | Learning curve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OBS Studio | Best for no budget or a Mac booth | Free (open source) | Yes | Windows, Mac, Linux | Moderate |
| vMix | Best for multi-camera Windows booths | Lifetime from $60; HD $350; MAX $50/mo subscription (Oct 2026) | No | Windows | Advanced |
01Best for no budget or a Mac booth
Free and open source, with no paid tier and no subscription to renew. It runs on Windows, Mac and Linux, Studio Mode lets you line up the next shot, and you can record the sermon on the booth computer while you stream. Plugins and scripts add features as your team grows.
02Best for multi-camera Windows booths
Built for several cameras and a dedicated Windows PC. HD takes up to 1,000 inputs, 100+ built-in animated titles cover sermon points and scripture, and vMix Call brings a missionary in live. Lifetime licenses start at $60 (Oct 2026), and vMix gives a limited number of free HD licenses to churches that apply.
Both save a full recording of Sunday's message, and most of those files sit on a hard drive by Tuesday. Upload the file or paste a YouTube link, and Extend the Sermon returns 5 to 7 captioned vertical clips, 9 social graphics, a carousel, a blog post, an email and a small-group guide, usually within an hour. Your first sermon is free.
Try a sermon free ↗Made by Church Media Squad, who also run Pro Church Media.
Can the volunteer in the booth run the service after a few practice streams, and where do they turn when something breaks?
Does it run on the Mac or PC you already have, or does it mean buying a new one?
Free, lifetime or subscription, what updates cost after the first year, and any church license offer.
Every price and feature comes from our reviews of each tool, checked on the OBS Project and vMix sites in October 2026.
OBS Studio is the better start for most churches: it's free and runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. vMix is better for multi-camera services on a dedicated Windows PC, with built-in animated titles and remote callers.
It can be if you run several cameras and want built-in titles, vMix Call and, on 4K or Pro, instant replay. Lifetime licenses start at $60 and HD is $350 (Oct 2026), and the 60-day free trial lets you test it first.
No. vMix is Windows only, and its knowledge base says Macs with Apple silicon can't run it through Boot Camp. OBS Studio runs on macOS 13 or newer.
OBS, though neither is simple. We rate OBS moderate and vMix advanced for a church volunteer, so plan practice runs before either one carries a live Sunday.
