Limelight

An OBS alternative for tutorials — record with one hotkey, overlays baked in

OBS is free, powerful, and built for live streaming, with scenes, sources, and a mixer to configure. For a quick coding tutorial that is a lot of setup. Limelight records tutorials with one hotkey and bakes auto-zoom, keystrokes, and a cursor spotlight straight into the video — no scenes. Here is an honest comparison.

OBS Studio is a free, open-source powerhouse for live streaming and complex captures: scenes, multiple sources, filters, and an audio mixer give you total control. If you stream to Twitch or YouTube, or need to composite several inputs, OBS is excellent and you should use it — nothing here replaces it for live streaming.

Limelight is aimed at the opposite need: recording a clean tutorial or demo fast, without building a scene. Hit one hotkey to record and it auto-zooms into every click and smooths the cursor, while baking in the overlays you trigger live: the on-screen keystroke display (⌃⌥2) so viewers see every shortcut, a glowing cursor spotlight (⌃⌥1), draw-on-screen (⌃⌥3), region spotlight (⌃⌥4), and on-screen text (⌃⌥5). When you stop, you trim and change speed in a built-in editor and export to mp4 or a 9:16 vertical. Everything runs fully offline, and Pro is a one-time $34 lifetime license (or $2.99/mo).

OBS vs Limelight, line by line. Live streaming to Twitch/YouTube, scenes, and a mixer: OBS. One-hotkey tutorial recording with no scene setup: Limelight. Auto-zoom into clicks and smooth cursor: Limelight (OBS does not zoom for you). On-screen keystrokes baked into the video: Limelight (OBS needs a separate plugin/KeyCastr). Cursor spotlight, drawing, region spotlight baked in: Limelight. Built-in trim, speed, mp4/9:16 export: Limelight (OBS records only; you edit elsewhere). Pricing: OBS is free; Limelight's cursor spotlight is free forever and Pro is a one-time $34.

The honest split: if you need live streaming, scene compositing, or a full mixer, use OBS — it is the right tool and it is free. If you want to record a coding tutorial or demo quickly, with auto-zoom and keystrokes baked into the video and no scene to configure, Limelight is the OBS alternative for tutorials built for exactly that.

free to start, then go Pro from $2.99/mo or a $34 one-time lifetime license. macOS 14+, notarized by Apple.

Why Limelight

  • ▸Record a tutorial with one hotkey — no scenes, sources, or mixer to set up
  • ▸Auto-zoom into every click with on-screen keystrokes baked into the video
  • ▸Cursor spotlight, drawing, and region spotlight baked in, then trim and export
  • ▸Fully offline; cursor spotlight free, Pro a one-time $34 instead of plugin wrangling
Try it free — download

Cursor spotlight free · from $2.99/mo or $34 lifetime · macOS 14+

Or get Pro — from $2.99/mo · See how it works →

free to start, then go Pro from $2.99/mo or a $34 one-time lifetime license. macOS 14+, notarized by Apple.

FAQ

What is a simpler OBS alternative for tutorials on Mac?
If your goal is recording tutorials rather than streaming, Limelight records with one hotkey and bakes auto-zoom, keystrokes, and a cursor spotlight into the video — no scenes or sources to configure. For live streaming and scene compositing, OBS remains the right free tool.
Does Limelight stream like OBS?
No. Limelight is a recorder for tutorials and demos, not a live-streaming tool. If you need to stream to Twitch or YouTube, use OBS. If you need a polished recorded file, Limelight is simpler and faster.
Do I need a plugin to show keystrokes like with OBS?
No. OBS needs a separate plugin or KeyCastr to show keystrokes. Limelight shows them natively with ⌃⌥2 and bakes them into the recording automatically.
Is Limelight free like OBS?
The cursor spotlight is free forever. The full recorder with auto-zoom, keystrokes, and editing is Pro, a one-time $34 lifetime purchase (or $2.99/mo). OBS is fully free but built for streaming and more complex to set up.

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