Yeah i'm not paying monthly for a software or app, so Touch Portal is what i'll use. Really not liking this whole "things as a service" mindset and more software is trying to push. It's a product, give me a fair price for the product and let me buy the product.

Love how you did positive and negatives for each. For the time being I'll be using the Streamlabs Deck just to get me use to using a stream deck. Really appreciate the video!

Touch Portal is the one for me. It took me a bit to figure out button programming since I have not coded in 20+ years, but once I got the hang of it, I love it. I use it for business presentations and training, not gaming though. Being able to turn boring meanings into live stream like events is a game changer. Touch Portal is amazing!

Another great feature of Touch Portal is that in not only works for streamers but also may be use as a Controller for other apps such as Photoshop.

Amazing video dude! As someone with a Stream Deck myself I still found this super useful! Might have to try and combine a few of them for more options! 😯

What do you use to control your streams?

I have no idea that we can use our smartphone as streamdeck! There are so much to learn about livestream, thanks for this.

You can also always build your own for the ultimate customized option! 😉 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/lbShjNensdS9ZZ8.html

first time i have ever heard someone complain about the way a button vibrated

Great video, super clean, but you didn't mention the most important one imp which is using Number Pad as a stream deck, buying one for 4 dollars, and making it a great stream deck for a really cheap price!

I am super new to Streaming and didn't even realize that there may be apps to do what a deck could do. I appreciate this video!!!

Touch Portal FTW!!

13:51 You are almost certainly correct. In one of their product presentations, where they show off what the stream deck can do, they mention at the end that you can "try the steam deck using the app". So yeah, it definitely seems like it is intended as a gateway drug

I bought Touch Portal quite some time ago and loving it!

My new favorite button on my steam deck is a button that can set the volume of a specific app to a desired level. So I have two buttons, one completely mutes Warzone while in the pregame lobby so I can relax and still talk to discord buddies, and then when game starts, I can press another button that turns Warzone audio back to 100%. Best button I've programmed ever.

A far more complicated one than any of those mentioned, and one I have been meaning to learn myself but Lioranboard is incredibly powerful.

Wow 6:13 the stream deck XL looks a stream deck S.M.A.L.L next to that thing. Thanks for the video imma check out TouchPortal

Totally to consider for this list: Deckboard (and Deckboard Pro). Great little piece of software. I've been using it for some time already.

Wonderful video. Still not tempted to try them because I'm not used to stream regularly and barely have views, but I still do it because I like it.

Definitely a good in depth video of these stream deck alternatives. Was just messing around with the Elgato Mobile and having a lot of issues right out of the gate. Will be looking into Touch Portal tomorrow and see how that works out. Thank you!

Nice video. Was considering a stream deck. Not for streaming, but for productivity and automation. These apps might be useful to try first before deciding if I want to splash out on a streamdeck.

I can't help but notice you didn't do UpDeck, which is a free alternative I used for a long time

You are very underrated. I've been watching your channel, Alpha Gaming, and Streamscheme in order to stream well.

This video is much better than you’re older videos you’ve clearly improved good job

Crazy that just 50 years ago none of this was possible. Crazy how far mankind and technology has come.

I was lured away from OBS to Streamlabs by the Streamlabs iOS app. But too many unavailable plugins drove me back the OBS. This video is the perfect solution and I will check out Touch Portal!

Deckboard is the best alternative ever. No doubts about it. The pro version of the mobile app costs only $3. It’s a shame that Deckboard works only for Android and I change to iOS two days ago. 😔 Greetings from Ecuador! You’re the best! 🇪🇨

Tried the Elgato Stream Deck app after this video, absolute game changer for me, made everything so easy!!

Lioranboard is the GOAT

Macro Deck is also a good option, offers unlimited pages and also lots of control

I subscribe to your channel and have watched many of your vids for streaming advice, as an Old Dog musician getting used to performing for a world wide audience digitally and look lame doing so. One of my biggest challenges is easily handling tasks or remembering to handle things (like muting the reverb channel) or starting a text scroll or whatever… while I’m also finding the next song chord chart or handling chat etc… I have avoided the purchase of any stream deck as Ive invested more in audio hardware and software first. I just saw the possibility of using an app based deck. Saw that Apple had these different products. And here you are!! Perfect timing to give an awesome (as usual) detailed and fair comparison of the different products. Thanks for what you do. 🤘🏼😝🤘🏼

That was helpful and awesome video! Thank you.

Will definitely be trying the stream deck mobile software. Thanks mate! 💪🏾

Yeah, Touch Portal is where it's at!

Touch Portal looks really good! Thanks for sharing. Can't wait to play with it more tonight. Quick and easy to get setup and going....

This came at just the right time. I was just about to start looking for an app to use my phone as a deck. Thanks for the video!

I have the Streamdeck XL, its an outrageous piece of kit, however it's big cumbersome and really only lends itself to studio work. I've recently started to use Touch Portal, it works on any Android running version 4.1 that means devices that are several years old or higher it's highly customisable can be used on a number of form factor devices and mobile enough to be worn on my arm. However i found it difficult to tether using USB in fact couldn't get it to work, and it does need a reliable wifi connection as it can become unresponsive upon times. My primary use for it is to control a Sports Stream and Scoreboard +, whilst filming in some very difficult conditions, normally off a club house roof open to the elements, or Pitch side in heavy rain, wind sleet snow etc. I run OBS Studio on my laptop hidden away in a rucksack. I tried using a small keyboard with inbuilt trackpad, but that was no good in wet weather, and because the scoreboard software I am using requires mouse button presses, no hot keys I was looking to devise a one button automation system. Touch Portal is great for this as it allows me to simulate a mouse button press using one Key, add a loop and you've got an accurate method of notching up scores without the headache of trying to remember how many times did I press the button. I monitor the stream using an 7 inch field monitor, and my phone whilst controlling the stream also allows me to monitor my output.

touch portal is a god send. pro tip: you can use it on a 2in1 laptop with an emulator like nox, i have like a 120 button grid and it has more functionality than an actual professional mixer, full control of voicemeeter, discord, SLOBS, twitch, etc. The discord and entire community is great too.

Your biggest gripe with the Elgato app is the button limit? Mine is the Subscription model of payment rather than one flat purchase price. My gripe with all of them is their limit of only working (well) over wifi. That opens up some (varied) security concerns depending on where you live.

Nice video now I can use my phone as a stream deck alternative!

Hey, thanks man. I came across your video and I tried Touch Portal, the design is very human.

This has been super helpful. I was debating backing the Loupedeck Live S for $140 CAD as a cheap option but this app plus my tablet I hardly use plus my Korg Nano with free software to do audio... You saved me some money!

Really well done comparison. I was thinking about purchasing the Stream Deck - now I can try before I buy to see if I like it. Thanks

I use a StreamDeck for video-editing that my company bought me. But ironically, the device at my fingertips all day, every-day, is a $19 prepaid LG Journey Android phone, running the stream deck app. It works flawlessly, and quite honestly I prefer it to the actual streamdeck hardware, because it sits flat on my desk where I need it, unlike the SD which is kinda bulky. I'm kinda amazed StreamDeck makes the software available, and the $3 a month or so is way worth it to me.

Thanks Pete - excellent video and solid info as always - it's why I always recommend your channel to new streamers.

Top tier content. A1 stuff here man. Thanks for all the information! Incredibly informative and broken down.

Wow this was so awesome. I spent today just making small improvements to my Twitch account and now I have Streamlabs Deck on my unused tablet. Thank you so much. I subscribed in hopes you will answer my other questions in future videos and have me up and running like a pro.

What about Lioranboard and Deckboard?

Bro i was litteraly about to search for this

i like to use OBS Blade on my old ipad as a streamdeck of sorts. connects to obs wirelessly using the websocket plugin. i can switch between scenes seamlessly and i can monitor audio or twitch chat if i wanted to. also has a stats widget that shows the stats of obs like fps, cpu, memory usage, etc.

for a wired connection to PC and android, you may need usb debugging turned on.

Would love a comparison of Touch Portal, Frags, Macro Deck, Matric and Deck Board

Most helpful overview with balanced recommendations. Thank you!

Pretend you have no idea what a "Stream deck" is, what it's trying to do, how it goes about doing it. Now, search the web to get answers. I'm an hour into that and I still don't know. I'm a developer and accustomed to using API's to write custom applications. I have no clue yet what the concepts are.

Thanks for this dude! Appreciate the outline of options!

Thanks for this video! Nice piece of condensed info, I will try out elgato stream deck and touch portal myself for the next couple weeks and see which fits the best. You got my sub !

Going to give Touch Portal a try. After release of Streamdeck 5.3.3. and OBS 28, my Streamdeck no longer works and Elgato has left me down for 2 weeks. Will not even consider the Streamdeck mobile app. Time to try an alternative. Thanks for putting this video together!

Touch portal just has a normal haptic vibrate now :)

Kinda surprised you never mentioned Lioranboard...

Would be interested to hear an update on this as it looks like the stream deck mobile has updated to allow more buttons

Very helpful for those new to streaming!

I used to use a spare keyboard. Your computer can't detect separate keyboards, but some flight simulator enthusiasts solved that (HIDmacros). I've since swapped to a separate numpad to have a smaller footprint on my desk. and use it as a makeshift streamdeck

Great overview. Thank you bro!

Finna use this to troll my lil bro

Stream Deck XL is $209 right now. I can use my phone with the Stream Deck app at $24.99 per year. In eight payments at $24.99 I could own the physical Stream Deck XL. So financially speaking, it makes more sense for me to buy the physical deck up front; and you get 32 buttons!

Thank you for this. I needed just a simple ser up for a small stream and the elgato is the app for me. This saved me lots of money!

Hey heard bout this vid in your podcast! I currently use slobs so will be trying out the stream labs deck. I've thought bout eventually getting an elgato stream deck. Though I wouldn't pay for the app instead of just dumping that monthly/yearly charge into saving for the physical hardware. However I might try out the elgato app prior to actually buying the physical deck as a trial. Thank you for this and the podcast. I've found it very interesting and look forward to more!!

Can this be used in zoom?

Many thanks for this, incredible breakdown with pros/cons. I was looking for software version and found Touch Portal

so the streamdeck has 15 buttons, but can you use both stream deck and mobile app doubling your buttons to 30 or am i been a but too forward. your input would be appreciated. cheers for the video keep up the good work.

I have found that Touch Portal works flawlessly on my PC but I have two Macs and it doesn't seem to like OS at all, anyone else running it on a Mac?

Charging a monthly subscription for a macropad on your phone is insane.

I use Stream Deck Mobile with an iPad on a PC, with the PC hardwired to the router and the iPad connected through WiFi, and sometimes the app glitches, like it disconnects for a second or two and then reconnects. This happens mostly when the client is launched automatically with Windows startup, and the iPad has been on since last use and the app still active since last use. Sometimes it's fixed by re-launching everything fresh, including manually disconnecting and reconnecting the app to the client.

Thanks for the video Really helpful!

Super video, thanks. I am going for Touch Portal

So nice work! Thanks!!

very good video, mate , ty..for all the streaming starters its the way to go. i think youre right with that elgato button limit, they try to force it in an hardware-buy after you got in touch with their way of usage.. you nailed it.. darn, the world is filled up with unused processors and screens, a proper full-delivering app 4 a fair fee would be better rather than a freakn console full of buttons... a programmable screen is always better than a buttoned board with same size...

Thanks a bunch, great video

Great video honestly bro, very informative

Thanks alot for the video. You made it much easier for me.

Thank you KZfaq algorithm, I need to try this

There's Deckboard too, less refined but defintely useful

Hey, great video. Im testing both Elgato and Touch portal apps for myself, im not a streamer just lazy and i like shiny buttons. A big difference for me is that with the Elgato app i can connect more than one mobile device so i can use one tablet for my ingame macro's and an old phone for annoying sound effect in discord. Touch Portal unfortunately doesn't let me do this.

There's an app called Deckboard it's very nice, really cheap (it actually has a free version, which probably fits most people's needs), but it wasn't even mentioned in this video, don't know why. We recommend you check it out, it's pretty good.

Thank you. Great content.

I love my Steamdeck 32 key, I use it for editing now that I don't stream anymore.

I only need a streamdeck to change between 4 cameras. I bought a $12 wireless keypad and it seems to do the job!

I have an ipad I use as a third monitor, going to try touch portal before I get anything physical.

You've quite improved on your prod quality, the visual are insane, I'm fairly impressed, and I was already loving your content before that. (Hmm, though just lil quick note, I was swtiching to Lioran and Touch Portal vids while writing, I'm starting to wonder if you're not 5-10 db under the target, you should target 0 db/red, and I'm assuming you know that, but that vid is low for some reason compared to other sources I have on hand, including a vod of Sushi Dragon on Twitch.)

Maybe it was mentioned, but in case not: 15 large buttons are great for ppl who aren't blessed w/ the greatest eyesight. Those small buttons that in tern have text and often don't have great contrast aren't awesome to look at. Just a thought. Thx for the run down.

Amazing tips! Thank you!!!! They are helping me a lot with my channel 😀👍🏽

I have always used Roccat power grid on my android device. very good alternative but I will look into touch portal. Thanks for the video

Have you ever tried Up Deck? I am currently learning/using it, but would love to get your opinion on it.

Good video! I'am happy with stream deck for simracing

Great content, been considering getting a physical stream deck or using a mobile alternative so this gave me some things to consider. Out of curiosity, what is that telephone stand you use in the video?

Another great video, thanks!

Touch Portal :D After setting up OBS and it's hotkeys, Touch Portal will be a sinch :) Kinda like if you learned to drive in a VW Beetle, ANY car is easy after that :D Also, what a great way of reusing old tech, instead of buying more new plastic and other stuff and sending it off to get recycled, UPCYCLING it rather. And the price. Notice how the Elgato is conveniently, subscription based? Last :) , imho, I would prefer more of a solid haptic-feedback, letting me know that I actually pressed it, not making me paranoid :D Thank you for this very informative video. GG! PTL & BLESSINGS

i like the quality of your footage.

Thanks for breaking up the video into parts.

Thank you for the information