Loom vs OBS Studio (2026): Shared Links or Local Control?
Vorec Team · 2026-10-23 · About 5 min read
Loom is a hosted tool for async video messages that you share by link and pay for per user seat; OBS Studio is free, open-source desktop software for video recording and live streaming that you download and run on your own computer. Loom figures come from its pricing page captured 6 October 2026 and an Atlassian product page captured 12 October 2026. OBS Studio figures come from obsproject.com captured 12 October 2026. Prices are the dollar amounts displayed. We did not test either tool, and "Not checked" means our captures do not cover that point. Vorec, which publishes this page, makes narrated screen tutorials and appears briefly near the end.
Side-by-side
| Loom | OBS Studio | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Screen recording, sharing, collaboration, AI video messages and meeting notes | Free, open-source video recording and live streaming software |
| Price | Starter $0; Business $18 per user a month; Business + AI $24; Enterprise by quote | Free; no paid subscription or seat plan advertised |
| Annual billing | $180 / $240 per user a year | Not applicable |
| Free-tier limits | 25 recordings per person, 5-minute screen recordings, up to 720p | Duration and resolution limits Not checked |
| Paid video quality | Up to 4K | Not checked |
| Live streaming | Not checked | Yes, named on the homepage |
| Scenes and sources | Not checked | Unlimited scenes; window capture, images, text, browser windows, webcams, capture cards |
| Audio tools | Not checked | Per-source noise gate, noise suppression and gain; VST plugins |
| Transcript editing | Business + AI and Enterprise | Not checked |
| Captions | Transcription and closed captions on all tiers, 50+ languages | Not checked |
| Extensibility | Not checked | Plugins plus Lua and Python scripts |
| Platforms named | Mac, Windows, iOS, Android | Windows 10/11, macOS 13 or newer, Linux |
| Trial | 14 days on Business + AI; card requirement Not checked | Not applicable |
The real difference: a hosted sharing service vs a local production console
Loom's value sits after the recording. It is built around the link: a teammate watches, and the team plan adds seats, AI summaries, chapters and transcript editing on Business + AI. Paid plans show recording count and length as unlimited, and Starter caps you at 25 recordings of up to five minutes each.
OBS Studio's value sits before and during the recording. Its homepage, captured 12 October 2026, describes building unlimited scenes from mixed sources, switching between them with custom transitions, and cleaning each audio source separately. Studio Mode previews a scene before broadcast; Multiview monitors eight scenes. That is a toolkit for streamers and staged multi-source captures.
What our OBS capture does not cover matters as much. Hosting, link sharing, team management and AI features are Not checked, so we make no claim either way. The question is whether you need the video in a teammate's hands fast, or control over what the camera, screen and microphone send.
Cost example: a five-person team, annual billing
Loom Business: $180 per user a year, so 5 x $180 = $900. That is $15 per user a month ($180 / 12 = $15).
Loom Business + AI: 5 x $240 = $1,200 a year, or $20 per user a month ($240 / 12 = $20). Loom's calculator showed both five-user totals on 6 October 2026.
Loom on monthly billing instead: 5 x $18 x 12 = $1,080 a year for Business, so annual saves $1,080 - $900 = $180.
OBS Studio: $0 for the software, so 5 x $0 = $0. Any hosting or storage you add for sharing the files is outside this figure and Not checked.
Loom Starter: also $0, but each person is limited to 25 recordings of five minutes at up to 720p.
Which to choose
Choose Loom if your videos are messages: code reviews, design feedback, status updates. You pay for seats and get sharing and team features together.
Choose OBS Studio if you stream, or you want scene-level control over screens, webcams and audio and you are comfortable handling the files yourself. The software costs nothing on Windows, Mac or Linux.
Use both if one person streams or stages recordings while the team talks in quick Loom messages.
Where Vorec fits
Neither tool is aimed specifically at narrated software tutorials. Vorec records with its own macOS app, or takes a recording you upload, drafts narration matched to the workflow, generates the voiceover and can produce a written step-by-step guide from the same capture. Plans: a free trial with no credit card required (current allowances on the pricing page), then Starter $9, Pro $24 or Business $59 a month. See the direct comparison in Vorec vs Loom.
Frequently asked questions
Is OBS Studio really free?
Its homepage, captured 12 October 2026, describes it as free and open source, and no paid subscription or seat plan was advertised.
Is Loom cheaper than OBS Studio?
No. OBS Studio costs $0 for the software. Loom Starter is also $0 but capped at 25 five-minute recordings per person; Business starts at $15 per user a month on annual billing. Details are in our Loom pricing breakdown.
Can OBS Studio share a video by link like Loom?
Not checked. Our OBS capture covers recording, streaming and scene tools, not hosting or sharing.
Related reading: the Loom pricing breakdown, Descript vs Loom, Loom vs Tella, our Vorec vs Loom comparison and the alternatives and comparisons hub.
See also: Loom vs Zoom Clips (2026): Which for Async Video?.
See also: OBS Screen Recording: Set Up, Record and Get an MP4 (2026).
Recording software walkthroughs rather than streams or quick messages? Record with Vorec, or upload a recording you already have, and get narration matched to each step. Start your free trial, no card needed. The trial allows up to 3 projects, and exports carry a watermark.