Both IRLServer and IRLToolkit serve IRL streamers, and both are real options. The biggest difference is the model. IRLToolkit hosts a full cloud OBS for you. IRLServer gives you a tuned relay and you run your own OBS. That one difference drives most of the rest, including the price.
What you are actually choosing between
IRLToolkit runs a full cloud OBS in the browser. It is convenient, and you pay for that hosted machine running around the clock. IRLServer takes a different route: a custom tuned SRTLA relay that you pull into your own OBS as a media source. You keep your OBS, your overlays, and your scenes, and you skip the cost of renting a cloud OBS.
If you want reliability without paying to host a whole OBS in the cloud, that is the lane we build for.
Where we focus
- Lower cost. The expensive part of cloud OBS is the hosted machine. You run your own OBS, so there is nothing to rent, and the price comes in well under a full cloud OBS service.
- Custom tuned SRTLA relay. Not the plain open source defaults everyone runs. The tuning is what decides field performance, closer to what official Belabox cloud does. See SRTLA bonding explained.
- Belabox remote control. We are one of the only options besides official Belabox cloud that lets you remote control a Belabox from your phone while live.
- Global servers, unlimited bandwidth. Singapore, the US, the EU, and Scandinavia, so you connect to one near wherever you stream.
Side by side
| IRLServer | IRLToolkit | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | your own OBS + our relay | full cloud OBS |
| Relative cost | lower (nothing to host) | higher (cloud OBS runs for you) |
| Custom tuned SRTLA | yes | check their site |
| Belabox remote control | yes | check their site |
| Global servers (SG, US, EU, Scandinavia) | yes | check their site |
| Free tools (bitrate, NOALBS config) | yes | check their site |
Why some cells say to check their site
We are not going to put words in a competitor's mouth or quote a price that changes next week. Check IRLToolkit's current plans on their own site and compare on what a plan actually includes.
Who should pick which
- Pick our relay if you want to keep your own OBS, pay less, and get a tuned bonded relay with Belabox remote control. This is what most people need.
- Pick IRLToolkit if you specifically want their fully managed cloud OBS in the browser and you are happy paying for that convenience.
The cloud OBS trade off
A hosted cloud OBS is genuinely convenient: nothing to run locally, reachable from anywhere. The catch is that you are paying for a machine running your OBS around the clock. For most IRL streamers the reliability problem is a bonding and ingest problem, and solving it at the relay (with your own OBS) does the job for a lot less. That is why the relay, not the compositor, is what we point most people at.
Official Belabox cloud is the other service people weigh us against. That comparison turns on payment and regions rather than on the OBS model: Belabox cloud vs IRLServer.
FAQ
- Is IRLServer cheaper than IRLToolkit?
- Generally yes. IRLToolkit hosts a full cloud OBS for you, and that hosted machine is the expensive part. With IRLServer you run your own OBS and pay for the relay, so there is no cloud OBS to rent. Check current plans on each site for exact numbers.
- Is IRLServer a drop in replacement for IRLToolkit?
- If what you need is a reliable bonded ingest into your own OBS, yes, and that is what most people need.
- What does IRLServer do that IRLToolkit does not lead with?
- A custom tuned SRTLA relay, a real way to remote control a Belabox, global servers with unlimited bandwidth, and a much lower price because you bring your own OBS.