Whether you’re a gamer, streamer or even a podcaster – you have likely weighted up the value of Elgato’s Stream Deck. Starting at a little over €60, these accessories are handy, but not exactly cheap. But not many realise that there is a completely free Stream Deck alternative app, and it’s made by Elgato too.
What is Stream Deck?
The Stream Deck is a popular computer accessory, often compared with other macro pad alternatives, with programmable buttons that are popular amongst streamers, gamers and content creators. The Stream Deck is popular because it can help streamers cut to different cameras or load different visuals without getting bogged down in deep, complex menus.
You set the Stream Deck up to suit your needs and can upload images which then appear on the buttons – making it clear what each on does. Because they are tiny screens, they can also be dynamic, making them intuitive but also immersive if being used in game – and you can indeed use them in games.
I fell in love with the idea of Stream Deck when playing Helldivers 2. Helldivers has a function in the game called Stratagems, which are basically ability or weapon boosts. To acquire a Stratagem, you have to initiate the sequence and then complete a “Nintendo cheat code style” combination of up, down, left and right.
It didn’t take me long to dislike how much I died while being slowed down by launching a Stratagem, so I turned to Elgato. But I didn’t turn to the €60+ piece of hardware that many know the company for. No, I instead turned to the Stream Deck App.
Stream Deck App: The Best Stream Deck Alternative
The Stream Deck app lets you replace the physical hardware that Elgato produces with an app on your phone. For me this is easily the best Stream Deck alternative for OBS and streaming because it’s accessible, and it’s free.There are plenty of other Stream Deck competitors, but at the end of the day, Elgato has more or less boxed off this part of the gaming world and there are lots of image and icon packs for Elgato products. All of which work with the Stream Deck App.
With the Stream Deck software installed on your PC or Mac, and the Stream Deck App installed on your phone – both connected to the same network – you’ll be able to trigger hotkeys and shortcuts without any additional hardware. The only tricky part might be getting your phone into a good position on a stand. I was testing this out with iPhone and had a MagSafe stand on my desk – making it perfect.
The Stream Deck App is “freemium”. That means it is completely free to use, but with one small limit. For free, you get access to just 6 buttons on your phone. If you want, you can pay to unlock the full app which costs about €2.99 per month or €29.99 per year.
For many, either 6 buttons will be plenty, or either subscription model will pose great value. But if you’re not into that, I have another option.
Touch Portal: The Best Free Stream Deck Alternative
Touch Portal is another, more indie, Stream Deck alternative that operates in a very similar vein to the Stream Deck App. There is a PC or Mac Host application that runs locally, which you can connect to with an app on your smartphone.
Touch Portal is also “freemium”, with higher limits and better value offerings. For free, you get 8 programmable buttons. If you want to unlock a full 110 buttons and some other features, you will have to pay. The good news is that Touch Portal costs just €14.99 for a lifetime “Pro Upgrade”. There are some additional option upgrades too including multiple devices for €7.99 and a €3.99 icon editor – buy these are just optional.
It’s worth noting that for many games, anti-cheat software can and may flag all of these hotkey controllers and stop them from working. But they should always work for OBS and other scenarios where desktop editors simply need shortcuts.
In a perfect world, you’ll load one of these two apps up on and old phone you’re not using any more and never have to spend a penny to achieve everything you need.
