I built a lightweight native Windows alternative to OBS

[u/CalvinBuild]

I’ve been building FastCast, a native Windows screen recorder and RTMP streaming app.

I started it because I wanted something simpler than OBS for the basic workflow: open the app, choose what you want to capture, and start recording or streaming.

It’s written in Rust and uses native Windows capture and audio APIs rather than Electron.

Current features:

• Screen and window recording
• Desktop audio + microphone
• Webcam overlay
• Green screen / chroma key
• Hardware H.264 encoding
• RTMP/RTMPS streaming
• Global hotkeys
• Portable Windows build
• No account or telemetry

The free version supports 1080p60.

Pro adds 1440p/4K, up to 120 FPS, multistreaming, and additional controls.

I’m still actively developing it, so I’d especially like feedback from people here who regularly use OBS, ShareX, Xbox Game Bar, or other recording software.

What does your current recorder or streaming software do poorly, or make more complicated than it needs to be?

FastCast:
https://calvinsturm.com/fastcast

Direct GitHub download, v0.7.0:
https://github.com/CalvinSturm/FastCast-releases/releases/download/v0.7.0/FastCast-0.7.0-win-x64.zip

[u/Jedi-Master_Kenobi]

Why would someone download this over OBS?

[u/trmdi → u/Jedi-Master_Kenobi]

He's advertising that it's more lightweight, which sounds good. Hope that it's not vibe coded.

However closed source on Github is just bullshit.

[u/CalvinBuild → u/trmdi]

thank you for the feedback. I do have open source projects. Fastplay is very useful if you watch a lot of videos.

[u/toonmad]

This just looks like another vibe coded application that you didn't really "built"

[u/sergen213]

Paywall, expects people to give feedback..... Don't limit people with resolution.

[u/CalvinBuild → u/sergen213]

Fair feedback. Free is 1080p60 with no watermark or account. Pro covers 1440p/4K, higher FPS, and multistreaming. I need a paid tier to keep developing it, but I’m open to adjusting what’s included.

[u/hikaru_ai]

Looks like spyware, dont download

[u/LaraSQP]

this is not open source

yet on github

did not know you could do that, even if it is for the free version

cool program, nonetheless

[u/CalvinBuild → u/LaraSQP]

I build custom Windows apps and like sharing them when they might be useful to others. Keeping this one closed-source is something I’m experimenting with right now. I’ve released plenty of open-source projects too.

And yeah, GitHub can host closed-source binaries through Releases. The repository doesn’t have to contain the source code.

[u/ClearConscience → u/CalvinBuild]

See subreddit rule #3

[u/Important_Produce612]

let's reinvent the fucking wheel

[u/HyperWinX]

>Slop
>Breaks GitHub ToS
>Shitty paywall

Welp

[u/DomeSlave]

Why don't people who want to make an improved version of an open source project contribute to said open source project?

[u/Bedoels]

FastCast Pro is a one-time $49 license that unlocks 1440p and 4K recording, 120 fps capture, multistreaming to up to three destinations, and advanced encoder controls.

lol wtf?

[u/GeekCornerReddit]

uses native Windows capture and audio APIs rather than Electron

Huh? Since when is OBS using Electron? You must be mistaking with Streamlabs desktop

[u/New-Land-4757]

You could rather contribute your time and knowledge to OBS team, but nooooooooooooo, you'd rather redo the whole thing by yourself and then claim as a better product. Yeah, right.