for Twitch, YouTube, Discord and more

The Stream Deck + is the most versatile option on our list, with great features at a reasonable price. It combines eight big square buttons – the standard control interface on its other models – with an LCD touch panel and four rotary dials that can be pushed to cycle between functions.

Whether you’re using the Stream Deck + to control your Elgato Facecam or Elgato Wave:3, are putting on live productions, or fine-tuning photos and video in your editing software of choice there are so many possibilities. While the Stream Deck + lacks as many dedicated macro buttons as the Stream Deck MK.2 and the jumbo-sized Stream Deck XL this is offset by the fact that cycling through macros is faster and more efficient than before.

Read our Elgato Stream Deck + review.

If you love having multiple macros in one place, or you have a whole host of fancy visual effects in your stream, then managing them simultaneously using the Stream Deck XL is absolutely the way to go. While it is much pricier than the feature-packed Stream Deck + and the more modest Stream Deck MK.2, the price-to-key ratio is technically better here than on its smaller siblings.

With that said, we wouldn’t recommend the Stream Deck XL if you’re a more casual streamer, or don’t have a strong enough use case for having all of your macros available at once. While we enjoy being able to have separate sections on our XL dedicated to everything from editing to Twitch, to peripherals thanks to the increased real estate, it’s not necessary for everyone. Saving yourself ~$100 by picking up Elgato’s MK.2 model and dedicating a macro key or two to switching between pages is a much better value proposition.

The Stream Deck XL is perfect for complex production, and a great accompaniment to the Stream Deck + if you really want to expand your setup, but as a standalone option there are more sensible choices out there.

If you’re looking to pick up a stream deck without breaking the bank too much, the Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 is a great choice – at least as far as software is concerned. As the follow-up to what is probably the most popular stream deck on the market, the MK.2 is the perfect tool not only for streamers but also for those looking to boost their productivity.

Sporting 15 macro keys, spread across three rows of five, there are more than enough buttons to assign to anything you’d need from Elgato’s excellent plugin library. Granted, Elgato’s buttons have never felt the most premium – there’s this innate mushiness to them that you won’t find in something like the Razer Stream Controller X – but there’s still a satisfying enough tactility to their bump.

Not much has really changed from the original Stream Deck MK.1, barring the welcomed shift to USB-C. However, as Elgato took a step forward, it has also taken a step backward by doing away with the angle-adjustable stand.

The Logitech MX Creative Console is our favorite control interface for editing and general desktop work. It’s also good for streaming, but its modest number of programmable buttons and focus on analog control dials is best suited for scrubbing through video timelines and adjusting  analog settings on the fly.

It comes in two parts: the button section that’s wired and a wireless dials section. The latter has a large central dial that defaults to functions such as scrolling in web browsers and timeline scrubbing in Adobe Premiere but can be programmed to perform all sorts of other functions. In the top right corner there’s then a smaller vertical wheel that again can perform all sorts of fine adjustments, such as tweaking volume levels.

The programmable buttons pad needs a wire to light up all its OLED displays, and these function much like other stream decks, with icons and functions being completely customizable. Crucially, Logitech has partnered with a huge number of software makers to provide a vast library of default functions for all sorts of different apps, so you can often get going straight away, with very little setup needed.

At $199.99, it’s not a cheap option, but if you want a stream deck that’s good for both controlling a few stream functions as well as many aspects of your daily computing life, it’s a worthwhile investment.z

The Loupedeck Live is an absolute dream for editors and solves the biggest qualm we have with the Stream Deck + in that its haptics – on both its six dials and capacitative touch screen – are exemplary.

While the Loupedeck Live doesn’t have physical buttons like the other decks on this list, its touchscreen is basically the macro keys and touch bar of the Stream Deck + rolled into one panel. Its native integration with editing and production software is certainly its biggest selling point, and the added ability to tweak multiple parameters inside apps like Lightroom at a time with the dials makes editing a breeze.

The Loupedeck Live is not perfect, however. The quality of its plastic stand is questionable, and its app store is not nearly as populated with third-party options as Elgato’s. Furthermore, setting up your Loupedeck can be a daunting task, as things like multi-action macros and keyboard shortcuts take some routing around in the deck’s software to set up.

As a productivity tool, the Loupedeck Live is fantastic, but if you’re looking for a deck purely from a gaming perspective, we’d recommend going with an Elgato model. As an aside, if you’re wondering why this looks so much like Razer’s main Stream Controller, it’s because the product’s exactly the same – the two companies partnered up for Razer’s release. As such, if you do opt for one of the two, go with whichever hurts your bank balance the least.

For those who find the standard version a bit too expensive, the Loupedeck Live S offers a budget-friendlier approach, with a small, yet still mighty stream deck. Offering an all-in-one system for creators and streamers, the Live S has plenty of keys, buttons, and dials – we just need fewer issues with the software.

This sleek device delivers anything you could ask for a stream deck, and unlike the cheaper Elgato products, doesn’t skimp out with the lower price. For ease of use, the pre-configured macro profiles make it easy to get to work straight away, whether you’re a growing streamer or a creative looking for easy access to your favorite programs.

Check out our Loupedeck Live S review here.

If you’re after a well-constructed stream deck with buttons that you can’t stop pressing, then Razer’s Stream Controller X is the way to go. As the gaming tech brand’s answer to Elgato’s Stream Deck MK.2, we’re big fans of its premium build quality.

While the pair look nearly identical, the Stream Controller X’s keys are considerably less mushy, with less travel time and greater tactility than Elgato’s offering. Additionally, its customizable faceplate is magnetic, making for a more seamless transition between styles than the clip-based system used on the MK.2.

However, the Stream Controller X is beholden to the same software limitations as the Loupedeck Live, due to Razer running off of Loupedeck’s own software. This will at least mean you don’t need to run Razer Synapse, though you won’t find dedicated RGB controls for your other Razer devices as a result.

Ultimately, the Stream Controller X doesn’t really bring anything new to the space. It’s an Elgato clone that never really attempts to compete in the most important space of all – software. However, if you’re all about build quality, then it can be yours for a few dollars less than the MK.2.

If you’re looking for a productivity or streaming aid for the lowest possible price, then we recommend the Elgato Stream Deck Mini. Although it only comes with six buttons, there’s plenty of maneuverability as you can stack folders filled with handy macros depending on what program you’re using.

While this does require an extra key press or two to get to what you need, it’s certainly worth it considering the Mini comes in at around half the price of the standard MK.2. You won’t be getting the most convenient stream deck experience, but it will still be infinitely better than, for example, having to manually open groups of commonly-used webpages, or tab between programs on single-monitor setups.

Additionally, if you work on the go, then having a bite-sized companion that can be sat next to your laptop is something we especially love about the Mini.

The Mini still retains the same flaw as the MK.2 with regard to mushy buttons, and we’re disappointed to see that it doesn’t come with a detachable USB cable – a bad hangover from the original MK.1 Stream Deck that should’ve been iterated out by now.

While the Mini’s price can fluctuate, it’s gone as low as $50 at points (according to camelcamelcamel) which puts its price-per-key on the same level as the MK.2’s. We wouldn’t recommend spending anything over $80 for one, but be sure to shop around as there are bargains to be had.