Best lighting for streaming in 2023

Having the best ring light or LED light is an instant way to boost your streaming setup because it gives you even and flattering lighting. If you want to start streaming on Twitch, Instagram, and YouTube (or attract more followers), check out our handpicked stream lighting below.

There are many ring lights and LED panels out there to choose from, depending on your budget and needs. And just like the best streaming microphones, they don’t have to cost a fortune. While gaming brands like Razer and Elgato make reliable lights to give your productions a dramatic boost, you can also find cheap ring lights on Amazon which are smaller and simple to use. Some webcams for streaming like the Razer Kiyo also have built-in ring lights, but these are usually less powerful than a standalone light.

In this guide, we’ve included premium lights for streaming as well as budget lights from less well-known brands that are still high performers. Find out how to choose the best streaming light if you’re not sure where to begin.

After testing the best lighting for streaming and content creation, I’ve come up with a list of the best ring lights and LED panels for streaming you can get right now (find out how we test here). Whatever your budget, and your preferred streaming platform, there’s a top stream light for you here.

These are the best lights for streaming today:

• Elgato Ring Light – best ring light overall.
• Razer Key Light Chroma – best RGB light.
• Elgato Key Light Mini – best compact light.
• Lume Cube Ring Light Pro – best quality.
• Joby Beamo Studio Key Light – great value.
• Razer Kiyo – best ring light webcam.
• NEEWER Ring Light – best cheap ring light.

1. Elgato Ring Light

Best ring light overall for game streaming and vlogging.

Pros

• Impressive color range
• Very flattering light quality

Cons

• App control could be better

The Elgato Ring Light is the best light for streaming overall. We put it at the top because it balances features and connectivity with price. It’s designed especially for live-game streaming and gives a flattering and even light while brightening your eyes for a more engaging video.

The onboard controls are there for changing the brightness and color temperature settings, but you can also tweak these via an app (and WiFi) on Mac, PC, iOS and Android.

The light output of 2500 lumens is one of the higher on the market, and the Ring Light’s customizable color temperature range is on par with the more expensive Razer Key Light Chroma below. Whether you want to live stream on Twitch, TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube, the Elgato Ring Light is a perfect fit for the best streaming cameras. 

2. Razer Key Light Chroma

The best premium RGB streaming light.

Pros

• Jazzy RGB lighting effects
• Very bright max light output
• Comes with a stand

Cons

• Costs the same as several lights

The Razer Key Light Chroma is definitely a premium streaming light, and it isn’t the cheapest around. It’s a much larger panel than the portable Elgato Key Light below, and because of this can output more than three times the brightness at a maximum of 2800 lumens (which is dimmable in increments).

It also offers RGB lighting, with more than 16.8 million colors on offer to really set the vibe for your live streams. The light can be controlled wirelessly from a smartphone (using Razer’s streaming app) or PC (using Razer Synapse), so you can customize it while streaming without having to move. When it comes to placement, the Razer Key Light Chroma comes with a slim clamp mount for securing it to your desk, plus an extendable pole if you want it further away or to the side of you.

If you’re a serious streamer and want the very best stream light with RGB lighting, the Razer Key Light Chroma is the best choice.  

3. Elgato Key Light Mini

Best compact and portable streaming light.

Pros

• Versatile color range
• Bright light
• Sleek design

Cons

• Less versatile than a ring light

The Elgato Key Light mini is a well-specced yet compact streaming light. It’s a portable LED panel, but despite its small size it still has a high-lumen output of 800. The color temperature range is also one of the most versatile on this list. The Key Light Mini is well-designed, with a power button and brightness toggle on its side.

If you want to mount the light onto a monitor, you can do so with Elgato’s Multimount system. It also has a ¼-inch thread for mounting it onto a generic stand (sold separately). Unlike wired lights in this list, the Key Light Mini is battery-powered and charged via USB-C. You’ll get around 4 hours of light at half brightness, and charging is quick and easy once you run out of juice.

The Elgato Key Light Mini will be a good streaming light for those who want portability, and different positioning options. It’s not the cheapest (or most expensive) stream light on this list but is reasonably priced for what you do get. 

4. Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro

The best quality streaming light with a remote.

Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro specs:

Pros

• Gorgeous light quality
• Physical remote control
• Handy panel shows settings

Cons

• Premium price
• The non-Pro model is bigger
• Integrated battery

This 17-inch ring light has got everything a streamer could ask for. Out of the box, it comes with a fully adjustable 18-70 inch stand, enabling you to set it up at any height whether you’re slouched on a gaming chair or standing upright. A travel case is also included for easy storage or transportation, there’s a rear LCD to check settings, and the integrated battery is easy to get on with.

The color temperature of the Ring Light Pro is adjustable from 3200-5600K, so you can match the illumination to the surrounding light in your room. And unlike any other streaming lights in this guide, it features Lume Cube’s Edge-Lit Technology – the 256 LEDs face inwards with built-in diffusion to deliver the most flattering light quality. With a physical remote control, you’re also able to change the light power and temperature on the fly while you’re live streaming.

Although the Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro is the most expensive in the guide, it’s also the best overall. We couldn’t put it in the number one spot because of its price, but if you can afford to add it to your streaming setup and want the very best right light, we’d say it was the right choice for you.

Read our Lume Cube Cordless Ring Light Pro review.

5. Joby Beamo Studio Key Light

The best tabletop light for a home streaming studio.

Pros

• Beautiful light quality
• Magnetic remote control
• Four cold shoe mounts

Cons

• USB type-A connection
• Lacks full color temp range
• Not the most powerful light

The Joby Beamo Studio Key Light is a great buy for streamers who want to boost the light in their game streaming setup without spending a fortune. Designed to make you look good when streaming on YouTube and Twitch, the light has three color temperatures and 10 brightness levels, although at 650 lux it isn’t the most powerful light in this guide.

The Beamo Studio key Light is USB-powered, and the 1.8-meter cable allows you to position it in a variety of spots. It’s designed to be used as a tabletop video light, and its relatively small footprint means it won’t take up too much room on your gaming desk. What’s more, it features attachments for streaming microphones to save even more space.

We’d recommend the Joby Beamo Studio Key Light if you want an affordable and versatile light, but you’ll get the most impressive result if you buy a pair and create a 2-point lighting setup for your streams.

Read our Joby Beamo Studio Key Light review.

 

6. Razer Kiyo

Best webcam with a ring light for game streaming.

Pros

• No need to buy separate webcam
• Bright for its small size

Cons

• Lighting can be a bit harsh
• Positioning isn’t flexible

The Razer Kiyo has been around for over five years now, but it’s still an innovative product, with a built-in ring light for streamers. It’s the only streaming light in this guide that doubles up as a webcam for streaming, meaning you don’t need to buy different products for your streaming setup. The Kiyo mounts onto your monitor, and you can use Auto or Manual focus to get the picture sharp. It’s also possible to adjust the brightness, contrast, saturation and white balance levels.

As a streaming light, the Razer Kiyo isn’t bad at all. If you’re not a hardcore streamer and just want to lighten up a dark room so that you can go live with friends, it’s a brilliant choice (and a good price, too). It’s suitable for streaming games on YouTube and Twitch, but also for everyday use on video calls. The Razer Kiyo is the best all-rounder in this guide.   

7. NEEWER RP10-H Desktop Ring Light

Best cheap ring light for streaming with a phone.

Pros

• Affordable price
• Built-in phone holder

Cons

• Limited color temperatures
• No WiFi or Bluetooth

The NEEWER RP10-H desktop ring light isn’t designed specifically for streaming, but that doesn’t make it a good budget option. It plugs into a wall socket or computer via USB for the power supply, and on this cable there’s a controller with buttons for turning it off and on, adjusting the brightness and the color of the light. There are three color modes; cool, neutral, and warm, and ten brightness levels to toggle between. That’s not as much control as some of the lights on here, but it’s enough to let you tailor the light output for your own setup.

When it comes to positioning the lamp, we’d recommend placing the Neewer RP10-H on a table next to your laptop or monitor. The ring light stand can tilt at 120 degrees, and it reaches up to 55cm in height, so you should be able to find just the right position to illuminate your face evenly when streaming. If you want to use it with a smartphone instead, there’s a stretchable phone holder that works with most major devices.

The price of this Neewer ring light is incredibly reasonable and it takes less than five minutes to set it up. It can’t be integrated into an advanced streaming setup with a stream deck, but for hands-free social media, it’s very good. This is the best small, cheap and stable streaming light.

How to choose the best streaming light

Different lights for streaming are designed for different functions. To find the right light for you, ask yourself, how big is the streaming setup you want to light? Will you need a light that can be mounted to a monitor, or positioned far away on a stand? Do you need a light to be portable? How bright does it need to be?

• Ring light or key light panel: If you’re wondering whether a ring light is better than a key light for streaming, there isn’t one answer. Key lights are extremely bright but often produce more glare, so you might need to position them further away than ring lights.
• Lighting type: Most lights for streaming are now LED lights, rather than tungsten or fluorescent tubes. LEDs are the best type of stream light as they stay cool for long periods, are energy-efficient, and provide a fairly even glow – which is great for skin.
• Size: If you’ve got a small desktop for gaming, a smaller light is better. If your streaming setup space is generous, we recommend investing in a larger streaming light that can also be placed on a stand. Alternatively, light a bigger space with several lights.
• Connections: Many of the streaming lights in this guide offer Bluetooth and WiFi connections, while some are USB-only. Having smart connectivity isn’t essential, but it does allow you to do things like control the light from your smartphone.
• Price: For most of us, price is a key factor when shopping for any streaming accessory. You don’t need to spend hundreds to get a decent streaming light, but more expensive lights do often offer a better build quality, more lighting settings, and better connections – be it WiFi or Bluetooth.
• Stand: Some streaming lights come with a stand, some mount to a monitor, and some do both. Having a sturdy, height-adjustable stand enables you to change the light’s position and angle for more versatile streaming options. If you change your streaming setup regularly and want to use the light in different locations, look for a light that can be used both on a tabletop and the floor. You want to make sure your streaming light doesn’t get in the way of other streaming equipment like the best streaming camera.
• Color temperature: The color temperature, expressed in Kelvin (K), affects how cool or warm your light is. We like streaming lights with fully customizable color temperatures, as these give you more looks to play with in your live streams. Do you prefer a warm, cool, or neutral look in your streams? The lower the K number, the warmer the light, while higher numbers appear more white. For reference, daylight is around 5000-6500K on the scale.
• Brightness: It’s important to buy a light that’s bright and big enough for your streaming setup. Lighting a bigger space will require a brighter light, but brighter isn’t always better. Too much light can be uncomfortable to sit in front of, while not enough obviously makes your videos look dim and dull. Manufacturers usually measure light in lumens or lux, and most streaming lights have adjustable outputs so that you can tailor the brightness for your live stream. We recommend a streaming light with at least 250 lumens – something all of the lights in this guide have as a minimum.

Is a ring light worth it for streaming?

A ring light is one of the best and most popular options for streaming. That’s because, unlike a rectangular key light, its circular shape distributes the light more evenly to get rid of shadows on your face. Generally speaking, because there’s no light in their center, ring lights don’t get as hot as quickly as key lights so, which means you can stream for longer without them overheating. That said, most modern lights run on LEDs anyway, which don’t heat up quickly.

Ring lights can be found at a wide variety of prices, from entry-level to professional – making it easy to find the best fit for your streaming needs. They’re usually lightweight enough to be mounted on top of a gaming monitor, or added to a stand or desktop, meaning their uses are more varied. Designed to give you even lighting without glare, ring lights can be placed about an arm’s length away from you, meaning they can be accommodated into the smallest of streaming setups.

How we tested the best streaming lights

Most of these ring lights and key lights have been tried and tested in real life, by freelancers who have extensive knowledge of streaming and gaming. We asked them to use them for streaming and analyze the product’s design, performance and value for money, comparing them against competitors.

Where a light review is missing, we’ve had a comprehensive look at the specs, taken into account hundreds of user reviews from major retailers and used our own expertise to fill in the gaps and make a recommendation. We’ll be calling in review samples (which we’ll return after the review) of as many of these streaming lights as we can, testing them to high standards for several weeks to ensure that you can trust our advice and make the best choice. Find out more about how we test.