vMix is Windows broadcast software that you can still buy outright. A lifetime license costs $60, $350, $700 or $1,200 depending on the edition, or you can rent the top MAX edition for $50 a month. Every edition streams to five places at once and records to your own drive. If you produce a real show on a Windows PC and you're tired of renting a studio by the month, vMix is the tool to shortlist first. If you're on a Mac, it's out, full stop.
What it does well
Ownership. vMix's purchase page lists the HD, 4K and Pro editions as lifetime licenses, each with free updates for the first 12 months. In the creator-software world that's rare. Your show doesn't stop because a card fails, and the recordings sit on your disk.
Multistreaming is built in. The comparison table says streaming includes five simultaneous live streams, and it doesn't restrict that by edition. YouTube, Twitch and LinkedIn at once is a setting, not a monthly relay bill.
Guests from a browser. vMix Call lets a guest join with a web browser and a webcam. vMix says it handles automatic mix-minus, so guests don't hear their own echo. The purchase page lists 1 caller on HD, 4 on 4K and 8 on Pro and MAX.
Production depth. Higher editions add MultiCorder (isolated recordings), instant replay, scripting, PTZ camera control, four SRT outputs and the GT Designer that imports PSD files. These are the tools that separate a produced show from a webcam stream.
Where it falls short
It's Windows only. vMix's knowledge base says it can't be installed on macOS, and Boot Camp works only on older Intel Macs. M-series Macs aren't supported at all.
The $60 Basic HD edition is a taster. It caps you at four inputs, three of them cameras or NDI sources, and the purchase page shows no vMix Call guests and no Zoom integration. Most interview shows will need HD at $350.
Vertical HD (1920p) output, two recorders and instant replay start at the 4K edition ($700). If you want a native vertical stream for Shorts or TikTok Live, budget for 4K.
The learning curve is real. vMix is built for operators, and the official documentation reads like it. A browser studio will get a non-technical host live faster.
Pricing in practice
All prices are in USD from vMix's purchase page. Basic HD costs $60, HD $350, 4K $700 and Pro $1,200, each paid once with 12 months of free updates. MAX is a $50-a-month subscription that gets updates while you stay subscribed. Upgrades cost only the difference: Basic HD to HD is $290, and HD to 4K is $350. The trial runs 60 days and includes vMix Call with up to eight guests, so you can test a full guest show before buying.
Example: a weekly interview show with up to four remote guests. Assumptions: 4K edition at list price, no update purchases after year one. The cost is $700 once. MAX, the only subscription option, would pass that after 14 months ($50 x 14 = $700).
Who should pick it (and who shouldn't)
Pick vMix if you run a Windows PC, produce a recurring show with several cameras or guests, and plan to keep doing it for years. Churches, sports streamers and podcast studios that go live are its natural audience, and so are creators who've added up a few years of subscription fees.
Skip it if you're on a Mac, if you stream solo from one camera (free encoders cover that), or if your guests and co-hosts need a browser studio that runs itself.
Alternatives worth comparing
- PRISM Live Studio (new): free on Windows and Apple Silicon Macs, with multistreaming on its Plus plan. A lighter solo option.
- Riverside: a browser studio that records each guest locally, better for interview shows that become podcasts.
- Our best livestreaming software for creators guide compares vMix with OBS, StreamYard, Restream, Ecamm and PRISM by job and budget.
- Once the show is recorded, the AI clipping tools guide covers turning it into shorts.
SOURCES (CHECKED OCT 10, 2026)
| Claim | Source URL | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Edition prices, lifetime vs subscription, 12-month updates, inputs, resolution, overlays, recorders, 5 simultaneous streams, vMix Call callers by edition, MultiCorder, replay, SRT, vertical HD, Zoom integration | https://www.vmix.com/purchase/ | 2026-10-10 |
| vMix Call: browser and webcam guests, automatic mix-minus, trial includes 8 guests, callers by edition | https://www.vmix.com/products/vmix-call.aspx | 2026-10-10 |
| 60-day trial, Windows download, vMix 29 release notes | https://www.vmix.com/software/download.aspx | 2026-10-10 |
| Not installable on macOS; Boot Camp on Intel Macs only; M-series not supported | https://www.vmix.com/knowledgebase/article.aspx/7/can-vmix-run-on-a-mac | 2026-10-10 |
| Windows 10/11 system requirements | https://www.vmix.com/software/supported-hardware.aspx | 2026-10-10 |
| Upgrade pricing pays the difference (e.g. Basic HD to HD $290, HD to 4K $350) | https://www.vmix.com/purchase/upgrades.aspx | 2026-10-10 |
| PLAN | PRICE | WHAT YOU GET |
|---|---|---|
| Trial | $0 | 60-day free trial of the full software; the trial includes vMix Call with up to 8 guests |
| Basic HD | $60 /one-time | Lifetime license, 4 inputs (3 camera/NDI), 1080p, no vMix Call guests, free updates for the first 12 months |
| HD | $350 /one-time | Lifetime license, 1,000 inputs, 1080p, 1 vMix Call guest, free updates for the first 12 months |
| 4K | $700 /one-time | Lifetime license, 4K, 4 vMix Call guests, 2 recorders, MultiCorder, vertical HD, free updates for the first 12 months |
| Pro | $1,200 /one-time | Lifetime license, 8 vMix Call guests, 8-camera instant replay, free updates for the first 12 months |
| MAX | $50 /mo | Subscription license with Pro-level limits (8 guests); updates while subscribed |
Windows creators running produced live shows with several cameras, guests, graphics or replays who would rather pay once than every month. — and anyone who wants vMix to do the heavy lifting in this category.
Skip it if you are on a Mac, stream from a single webcam, or want a browser studio where guests and setup are handled for you. — if that's a dealbreaker, see every video tool we've reviewed.
- Is vMix a one-time purchase?
Mostly. Basic HD ($60), HD ($350), 4K ($700) and Pro ($1,200) are lifetime licenses with free updates for the first 12 months. MAX is a $50-a-month subscription.
- Does vMix run on a Mac?
No. vMix's knowledge base says it can't be installed on macOS. It runs through Boot Camp only on older Intel Macs, and Apple Silicon Macs aren't supported.
- Can vMix stream to multiple platforms at once?
Yes. The purchase page says streaming includes five simultaneous live streams, and it lists that for every edition.
- How many remote guests can I have in vMix?
Through vMix Call, the purchase page lists none on Basic HD, 1 on HD, 4 on 4K and 8 on Pro and MAX. Guests join from a web browser with a webcam.
- Is there a free vMix trial?
Yes. vMix offers a 60-day free trial for new users, and the trial includes vMix Call with up to eight guests.
The best value in serious live production if you are on Windows: buy it once, own it, and stop renting your studio.
Editorially reviewed. An editorial evaluation of verified product information, official documentation, pricing and features, informed by Carlos Gil's professional experience. Available demos and screenshots may inform the review; documented product use is required for a hands-on label. Read our review standards.
Editorially reviewed by Carlos Gil. Based on vMix's official purchase page, product pages and knowledge base, checked October 10, 2026. vMix pays us nothing and the link to it is a plain link. How we review.
BestCreates is written and edited by Carlos Gil. Every tool is assessed against the same documented framework — the jobs creators hire it for, ease of use, pricing accuracy, support and integrations — and each review states in the open how it was assessed.
LAST UPDATED OCT 10, 2026
SIGNED BY CARLOS GIL · FOUNDER & EDITOR, THE BEST NETWORK · OUR DISCLOSURE POLICY