Top 5 Best Webcams for Streaming in 2025
These are the best webcams for streaming and video calls.
Whether you’re at a home office or a poorly lit bedroom, the ideal webcam should make you seem your best. We’ve examined every available choice to determine which are the best to use, including those for streaming to your devoted followers and those for video conversations at work.
The Elgato Facecam MK. 2 is the greatest webcam available if you’re seeking for one in general. In addition to its exceptional picture quality and versatility, it has certain quality-of-life features that video makers may find useful. Not only is it significantly less expensive than the original Facecam, but it is also a significant upgrade.Even after all these years, the Logitech C920 is a good 1080p webcam option if all you’re looking for is the greatest picture quality at a fair price.
The price of these cameras is increased by the fact that many of them offer 1080p, some at 60 frames per second, and some at 4K. You may want a greater frame rate if you’re fine-tuning your streaming setup, but you actually want a webcam that can handle the lighting conditions wherever you’re streaming from. Adding more light will also greatly enhance the quality of the images.
Table of Contents
BEST OVERALL
1. Elgato Facecam MK.2
BEST BUDGET
2. Logitech C920
BEST FOR STREAMERS
3. Streamplify Cam
BEST 4K
4. Obsbot Meet 2
BEST FOR DARK ROOM
5. Razer Kiyo Pro
1. Elgato Facecam MK.2
The Elgato Facecam MK.2 is the best webcam money can buy. The Facecam MK.2, our previous choice for the finest webcam, has a few essential features that have been improved upon. It produces amazing picture quality for video calls, streaming, and recording.
The Facecam MK.2 can record 1080p video without compression. This results in a video stream devoid of artifacts. Although it lacks 4K capability, this is perfectly acceptable for anyone who wants to stream on Twitch, Google Meet, or Zoom instead of recording.
The smaller ‘eye’ and generally smaller form factor of the MK.2 are differences from the original Elgato Facecam, which was built utilizing the same Sony STARVIS sensor. Because of its smaller size, it doesn’t overpower your monitor and maintains the same level of quality, if not higher. The MK.2 has also significantly enhanced the way the webcam attaches onto a monitor and includes a privacy barrier. All very helpful improvements in quality of life.
Furthermore, the MK.2 was introduced at a lesser price than its predecessor, even with its enhancements.The HDR option on the Facecam MK.2 is one of its most remarkable features. The usefulness of this option will vary depending on your specific lighting conditions, but in general, we like the look and quality of the captured images when HDR mode is activated.
Although the Facecam MK.2 performs well in low light, high light conditions, like a bright window directly behind the user, are also much enhanced by HDR mode. Although HDR mode will prevent you from using any of the Camera Hub software’s fine-tuning features, the typical user won’t be too concerned about it.
2. Logitech C920
This is where most readers can stop. The Logitech C920 is the best webcam available, unless you have certain features in mind. In addition to being the most cost-effective webcam, it also makes the most sense for the typical PC user.
The Logitech C920 has been there for years and has been floating around in our best webcam guide for nearly as long, too. We have occasionally chosen the somewhat variant C922, but the best option is always the one that is currently the least expensive.
Nearly all members of the team have used one at some point, and many continue to do so. As for me, I’ve had a C920 for probably more than a decade, and it still functions just as it did when I first purchased it. Really, you can’t argue with that.
It satisfies almost all of the requirements for a webcam. It is an excellent choice for video conferencing due to its crisp 1080p images, broad field of vision, and excellent autofocus. For not a lot of money, it works great in a workplace full of Zoom calls and Google Meets.
In full 1080p mode, it can only shoot at 30 frames per second. However, if you want a nicer image, you can switch to 720p and get your footage at a smoother 60 frames per second. However, that’s all you need if you only require a cam for business or to connect with your friends online.
However, you will need to search elsewhere on our list, such as the Obsbot Meet 2 or Obsbot Tiny 2 Lite, if you’re searching for a webcam that will provide stunning, sleek, high-resolution footage. And spend a good deal more.
3. Streamplify Cam
The Streamplify Cam is the greatest low-cost camera for broadcasters. Since the company is relatively new, you may not be familiar with it, but we have been impressed by the variety of functions that its affordable and cheery webcam offers.
Although you would be losing out on the 60 frames per second that the Streamplify Cam provides, the 1080p capture might not be as compelling on its own compared to the frequently somewhat less expensive C920. This additional frame rate, which is very uncommon in this price range, is useful if you wish to broadcast or record a generally smoother feed for sharing on other platforms, like social media.
The entire body can easily slide back and forth over the camera lens to create a built-in privacy shield with the Streamplify Cam.
The Streamplify Cam can be fully rotated 360 degrees for additional tweaks, and its large 90-degree field of view is useful for framing up photos. If you want to avoid the top-down on-the-monitor angle we’re typically forced to use, the package also includes a screw-in tripod. It’s useful if you’re a new streamer and want to simplify your life a little. You might also want to set up a second webcam to get a different perspective and mute your feed.
Considering its pricing, we are nonetheless quite impressed with the Streamplify Cam, which performs well in a variety of lighting circumstances despite its relatively flat colors. Although third-party software, including OBS, can accomplish a lot, there isn’t any software that comes with the camera to adjust much.
4. Obsbot Meet 2
From an aesthetic perspective, the Obsbot Meet 2 is the best 4K webcam available right now because, in addition to being adorable and producing high-quality video, it also costs less than a 1080p webcam and doesn’t have a lot of Obsbot iconography, so it can work well in almost any setup. For most people, 4K would be too much because many video streaming and recording services don’t even support it, but if you are one of the few that might find use for it, you aren’t paying exorbitant prices for a higher resolution.
All of this is made possible by Obsbot’s proprietary software, which is incredibly helpful to use because it has a ton of toggleable settings and features. Speaking of features, the Meet 2 is “AI-enhanced,” but in a positive way, with features like super autofocus and facial recognition while you speak. If we had an affordable 4K webcam part in this guide, this would win that too so it’s fortunate we don’t otherwise you’d be reading this entry twice.
.The Meet 2 does have certain downsides though. The dedicated mic is merely okay in a call, the limited size and FOV does mean it won’t track you quite as well as the likes of the Obsbot Tiny 2 and, more crucially, the stand doesn’t perform as effectively as it should.
The Meet 2 is light enough that even a medium-sized USB-C cable can successfully push the entire thing off, and the stand itself has a weak hold on a monitor. You will need to use your monitor with caution or put it on a better stand if you intend to use it for an extended period of time. Fortunately, the bottom is threaded, making this a rather simple fix.
5. Razer Kiyo Pro
Although it may not be the finest all-arounder, we believe the Razer Kiyo Pro is the best low light webcam, so if you’re using your camera in a dimly lit area and are unable to set up any external lighting, give it a try.
A built-in ring light was one way the original Kiyo tried to address the issue of low light. Despite being innovative, this approach wasn’t as successful as we had planned. It frequently over-exposes the foreground (your face) in an attempt to make everything sufficiently light, but it falls short in terms of brightness.
The Kiyo Pro also addresses the issue of low light levels, but it manages to do so more effectively by doing away with the ring light and instead using a great light sensor that can adapt to various lighting conditions on the fly. This results in a webcam that dynamically adjusts to lighting more quickly and effectively than rivals like the Logitech StreamCam.
Therefore, if you need to keep the lights low or are unable to find adequate external lighting for your setup, the Kiyo Pro is a huge help. It also has other improvements over the original Kiyo that improve its streaming capabilities, chief among them being the ability to stream at 60 frames per second at 1080p through its wide-angle lens.
However, there are drawbacks, which is why we only suggest the Kiyo Pro to those of you who truly struggle with lighting. The primary problem is that the autofocus didn’t seem to work well during his testing, forcing our reviewer to switch to manual focus. The default picture settings are alson’t ideal, so expect to play around with the Razer Synapse software to get the most out of the Kiyo Pro. The cherry on top is that this cam is now old enough that it goes on sale fairly frequently, so it is frequently better value than similar but more recent webcams.
The video conferencing feature of Discord has become incredibly popular worldwide. As a result, it is part of our testing software suite along with other standard business video calling programs like Zoom and Google Meets. We use the highest supported resolution to test the video quality in both apps. Our preferred app for streaming and recording videos is still OBS.
We record and stream videos from each camera using OBS, evaluating them in fullscreen and at a “face cam” size. To get a sense of it, we also use the webcam software from each vendor. With each webcam, we capture images with the greatest resolution possible and manually change settings such as auto-focus, brightness, white balance, and others as needed.
To truly understand what it’s like to use the device on a daily basis, we usually use the newest and best cameras ourselves for a few weeks at least.
Webcam software is equally, if not more, important than other accessories. You can change the settings globally by using the manufacturer’s driver software, even though many streaming and conferencing programs include built-in modification features. Therefore, we make sure to check how well everything works in real-world applications.
We consider their usability in addition to the video quality. We test them on a variety of display sizes and shapes because every manufacturer has a different way of connecting a webcam to the screen. We take into account if the camera connection is long enough to extend from a monitor’s top to a case beneath a desk.
What is the required webcam resolution?
You might wish to consider a 4K webcam if you intend to record at full-screen resolution. Sticking with a 1080p webcam should be more than sufficient for most people, though, as the enhanced resolution will probably be lost if you intend to stream or keep your webcam limited to a small area of your screen.
What qualities ought to be present in a webcam?
picking a good camera is similar to picking the proper webcam. Webcams may be evaluated using the majority of the same metrics that we use to assess camera quality. Focus speed, color accuracy, image quality, and adjustable features are all important considerations. The integrated microphone can be useful even if many of us have specialized microphones.
The quantity of noise in an image is one of the most important factors in determining its quality. When there is enough light, the majority of webcams have no trouble capturing high-quality images.The greatest webcams’ enhanced quality is better reflected in low light, but the camera must digitally make up for the absence of light. Higher-end cameras typically have better sensors and fewer annoying color blots than their less priced counterparts.
The photographs’ color is the other important factor. We should focus on the white balance before we even start looking at the color quality. White balance adjusts the white point based on the temperature of the illumination in your immediate surroundings. If the white point is adjusted wrong, the image could be obscured by a blue or yellow tint. In most cases, the webcam’s CPU automatically corrects the white balance unless a tuning tool is available.
Exposure, saturation, and contrast come next; each is equally significant. Saturation is the depth of color, contrast is the difference between black and white, and exposure is the image’s brightness. While saturation and contrast make your photos stand out, brightness guarantees that you can be seen clearly. Once more, the webcam’s CPU typically modifies these settings automatically unless the program is provided. The most exact scene can be replicated more accurately by more expensive webcams.