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How to Add a YouTube Live Sub Counter to OBS (Browser Source Guide)

Step-by-step guide to embedding a live YouTube subscriber counter in OBS Studio or Streamlabs as a browser source. Add a real-time sub count overlay to your stream in minutes.

4 min read

What you need

  • OBS Studio (any recent version) or Streamlabs OBS
  • Your YouTube channel URL or channel ID
  • A scene in OBS where you want the overlay to appear

Step 1: Find your channel on RealtimeSubCount

Search your channel name in the search bar on RealtimeSubCount. Open your channel's live counter page and let it load. You should see your current subscriber count animating in real time.

Step 2: Copy the embed URL

Scroll down to the Embed section on the channel counter page. You will find a direct URL formatted specifically for use as a browser source. It strips the navbar and sidebar so only the counter is visible.

Copy this URL.

Step 3: Add a browser source in OBS

In OBS Studio, open the scene where you want the overlay. Click the + button under Sources and select 'Browser'. Give it a name (e.g. 'Live Sub Counter') and click OK.

In the browser source properties, paste the embed URL into the URL field. Set the width and height to match your stream layout. 400 by 120 pixels works well for a compact overlay, or 1920 by 1080 for a fullscreen counter.

Check 'Shutdown source when not visible' to save resources when the overlay is hidden. Click OK.

Step 4: Position and style

Drag the browser source to your preferred position in the scene. The counter has a transparent background so it will sit cleanly over any scene content.

If you want to change the size, right-click the source, select Transform > Edit Transform, and adjust the bounding box dimensions.

Troubleshooting

  • Counter not updating? Check that the embed URL is correct and the browser source has network access enabled in OBS settings.
  • Background not transparent? Make sure you did not check Use custom frame rate, as some OBS versions handle transparency differently with that option enabled.
  • Counter showing wrong channel? Re-copy the embed URL from your specific channel page.

Try it now — no sign-up required

Search any YouTube channel or video and watch the count update live every 2 seconds.

Open live counter