COMPARISON · UPDATED 2026-09-28
A free browser-based alternative for streamers who do not need full VJ-rig features.
Looking for a free Resolume alternative? Vortexia runs audio-reactive visuals in your browser, straight into OBS. An honest look at features, price and setup.
Resolume Arena is professional VJ software for live venues with deep clip-mixing, MIDI, and multi-screen mapping. Vortexia is a free, browser-based audio-reactive visual engine designed for streamers and DJs — it adds to OBS as a single browser source, has no install, and starts free. Resolume has a free trial with no time limit, but it watermarks the output and adds a robot voice to the audio; a licence costs €299 for Avenue or €799 for Arena, one-time, with a year of updates, and it reaches OBS through Spout, Syphon or NDI. If you want live, audio-reactive visuals on a stream without building a show, Vortexia does that for free. If you need MIDI-mapped clip triggers across multiple projectors at a club, Resolume is the right tool.
| Feature | Vortexia | Resolume Arena |
|---|---|---|
| Price to start | Free ($0) | Free trial with a watermark and a robot voice in the audio |
| Install | None — runs in any browser | Windows / macOS download |
| Built for | A solo DJ or streamer who is also playing — nobody is driving the visuals | A dedicated VJ operator at a venue |
| Real cost | Free, or $4.99/month | €299 (Avenue) or €799 (Arena), one-time, 12 months of updates |
| Getting it into OBS | Browser Source URL | Spout, Syphon or NDI (NDI carries no audio) |
| Learning curve | Pick a preset, paste URL | Steep — clip mixer, MIDI, mapping |
| Custom effects and sources | No — eight built-in engines, including two 3D | Yes — built in Resolume Wire (€399) |
| MIDI clip control | No | Yes — full MIDI rig |
| Per-band reactivity (bass/mid/treble) | Built in — kick, bassline and hats drive separate motion | Yes — link parameters to audio bands |
| Reacts to stream events (subs, bits, raids, hype trains) | Yes — each event drives its own distinct treatment | No — it has no connection to your Twitch or YouTube channel |
You are a professional VJ playing club shows, you mix custom clips live, you map multiple projectors, or you need MIDI-mapped scene control across hardware.
You are a streamer or DJ who wants audio-reactive visuals in OBS without a download, a licence fee or a learning curve, and wants them to react to your channel’s events.