Free tool by StreamNeeds
Run your whole stream from one place
Overlays, one chat bot for Kick, Twitch and Discord, bonus hunts, giveaways and a viewer store. This tool is free. Your StreamNeeds account adds the rest.
Free to start. No card needed.
Free tool
Stream countdown timer for OBS
Set the minutes or the time you go live, change the text and colour, then copy one link into OBS as a browser source. The background is see-through.
Short answer:To add a countdown to OBS, add a Browser source, paste the timer's link and set it to 1920 by 1080. Pick a number of minutes to count down when the scene loads, or a time of day to count to the same start time every stream.
Starting soon
--:--
OBS browser source link
https://www.streamneeds.com/tools/countdown/embed#m=5&h=Starting+soon&e=We%27re+live%21&c=FFFFFF&s=160In OBS, add a Browser source, paste this link and set it to 1920 by 1080. The countdown starts when the source loads, so refresh the source to start it again.
Make the whole starting soon scene
StreamNeeds overlays add chat, alerts, goals and timers to every scene in a drag-and-drop editor, free to start.
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Minutes or a start time?
"For a number of minutes" starts counting when the browser source loads, which suits a quick break or a starting soon scene you switch to by hand. Refresh the source in OBS to start it again.
"Until a time" counts to the next time your computer's clock shows the start time you picked. If you always go live at 8 PM, the same link works every day and shows the right time left whenever you open the scene.
Adding it to OBS
In OBS, press + under Sources, choose Browser, paste the link and set the width to 1920 and the height to 1080. The page is transparent, so the clock sits over your background.
All the settings are inside the link, so nothing is stored on our side. To change the text or colour, make a new link here and paste it into the same source.
How to use it
- Choose minutes or a start time, and set the text above the clock and the text shown at zero.
- Pick a colour and size. The preview shows the clock as it will look.
- Copy the OBS link and add it as a Browser source at 1920 by 1080.
Related free tools
- Stream schedule time zone converter: Your weekly schedule in every viewer's time zone, with a link that converts itself.
- Stream title generator: Ready-to-paste stream titles for any game or vibe, checked against Twitch, Kick and YouTube length limits.
- Social bar maker: Your handles and platform icons as a see-through bar to lay over videos, clips and your stream. Download a transparent PNG.
Common questions
How do I add a countdown timer in OBS?
- Add a Browser source, paste the countdown link from this page and set it to 1920 by 1080. No plugin needed.
Does the countdown have a transparent background?
- Yes. Only the text and clock show, so it sits over your own starting soon background.
Can it count down to the time my stream starts?
- Yes. Pick Until a time and set your start time. It counts to the next time your PC's clock reaches it.
How do I restart the countdown?
- In minutes mode, right-click the source in OBS and press Refresh, or hide and show it if "refresh when shown" is on.
Is it free?
- Yes, with no sign-up and no watermark. The settings live in the link, so it keeps working as long as you use it.
Made by StreamNeeds
Everything else your stream needs
This tool is one small part of StreamNeeds. A free account adds the tools you run live, on Kick, Twitch and YouTube.
Overlay editor
Design scenes and widgets for OBS in your browser and switch them while you're live.
One chat bot everywhere
Commands, points and a viewer store across Kick, Twitch and Discord.
Bonus hunt tracker
Track slot results live and share a page your viewers can follow.
Giveaways and raffles
Run giveaways in chat and on Discord, with draws anyone can check were fair.
Points and a viewer store
Viewers earn points for watching and chatting and spend them in your own store.
Stream Pad
One-tap buttons for your phone or Stream Deck that switch scenes and run your stream.
Stream setup calculators
- Streaming bitrate calculatorThe OBS bitrate, audio and keyframe settings for Twitch, Kick and YouTube at your upload speed.
- Stream schedule time zone converterYour weekly schedule in every viewer's time zone, with a link that converts itself.
- Twitch channel points calculatorPoints per hour, week and month with sub multipliers, and what a reward costs in hours.
- Twitch account age checkerSee the exact date any Twitch account was made and how old it is, straight from Twitch.
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- Stream title generatorReady-to-paste stream titles for any game or vibe, checked against Twitch, Kick and YouTube length limits.
- Bonus hunt break-even calculatorWork out the average multiplier your bonuses need to get your starting balance back, before and during the opening.
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- Kick panel makerMake a matching set of 320 px About panels for your Kick channel, in any size or style, and download them as PNGs.
- Kick banner and offline screen makerDesign a Kick banner, offline screen or starting soon screen with your name and socials, then download every size at once.
- Kick banner size and resizerEvery Kick channel image size, and one picture resized to all of them: banner, offline banner and profile picture.
- Twitch panel resizerAny picture to a 320 px Twitch About panel, shape kept, under the upload limit.
- Social bar makerYour handles and platform icons as a see-through bar to lay over videos, clips and your stream. Download a transparent PNG.