Free lower thirds and name tags in OBS (browser source, no plugins)
Richard Frantzen, founder of AskTide · Updated
You can run free lower thirds in OBS without installing a plugin or opening an editor for every speaker: a browser source pointed at a transparent HTML graphic does the job, and the same method works in vMix. Here are three free routes, how they compare, and the rules that keep a name tag readable on a phone screen.
Short answer: The simplest way to get free lower thirds in OBS is a browser source that loads a transparent HTML graphic at 1920×1080. Free options include HTML packs from the OBS forum, the free version of H2R Graphics, and AskTide's name tags, which you put on air with one click from a web page.
Why a browser source is the best way to do free lower thirds in OBS
OBS's built-in Text and Image sources can make a name tag, but every change means editing a source during the show, and animation means stacking filters or plugins. A browser source turns the graphic into a web page with its own animation and a control panel somewhere else. OBS renders it with a transparent background by default, because the Browser source's default Custom CSS sets the body background to rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) (OBS Browser Source docs).
vMix works the same way: its Web Browser input "supports transparent backgrounds and alpha channel" (vMix help). So whichever free lower thirds you choose, the method in OBS and vMix is the same: add the source, set 1920×1080, put it on top.
Free lower thirds options compared
1. OBS forum HTML lower thirds packs
Best for: OBS users who like to tinker · Price: free
The OBS forum's resources section has community lower thirds packs built from local HTML files with a control panel you dock inside OBS. Examples include Animated Lower Thirds with Dockable Control Panel and Smart Lower Thirds. Setup and features vary by pack and author, so read each resource page.
- Pro: runs locally, no account, works offline
- Pro: control lives in an OBS dock, close to the operator
- Con: setup means loading local files and a custom dock; quality and updates depend on the author
- Con: the control panel is tied to the OBS machine, so a remote colleague can't run it
2. H2R Graphics (free version)
Best for: a full graphics package for OBS, vMix or ATEM · Price: free forever, Pro is a one-time fee
H2R Graphics is a desktop app for macOS, Windows, Linux and Raspberry Pi with lower thirds, tickers, timers, scores, QR codes, social chat and more, output as transparent browser graphics with integrations for OBS, vMix, ATEM, Wirecast and GoStream. The free version is "free forever"; Pro is a one-time purchase (h2r.graphics, checked November 2026).
- Pro: many graphic types in one tool, polished templates
- Pro: works across switchers, not just OBS
- Con: a desktop app to install and keep running on a machine in the network
- Con: some features are reserved for Pro; check their site for what the free version includes
3. AskTide name tags
Best for: shows that also run audience Q&A, or remote operators · Price: free during the beta
AskTide is a web-based live Q&A and graphics tool. Its Display output carries name tags, the question on air, polls and the QR code to the audience page, so one browser source covers all of them. Name tags are deliberately simple: a name and a subtitle per speaker, optional colours, one of four corners, on air with one click.
- Pro: nothing to install, runs in the browser, any team member can operate it
- Pro: name tags and audience questions share one transparent output and one theme
- Con: name and subtitle only, four corner positions; not a full graphics package like H2R
- Con: needs an internet connection, as it is a web app
Prices and features checked November 2026. If you mostly need many graphic types for a sports or esports stream, H2R is hard to beat for free. If you are running a talk show, panel, town hall or council meeting where speakers change and the audience asks questions, a combined name-tag-and-Q&A output saves a source and an operator.
How to set up name tags in AskTide
Prepare every name tag before the show and check spelling with the speakers themselves. A misspelled name on screen is the one graphics error everyone notices.
- Create a session. Sign up for a free account at asktide.com and create a session for the show. A session is one show or event.
- Apply your theme. If you have a saved theme (brand colours and font on your account or team), apply it to the session. Every graphic, including name tags, is restyled at once.
- Add a name tag per speaker. In the manage view, create a name tag for each person: name on the first line, title or role as the subtitle. Give individual tags their own colours if needed, for example a different accent for the host.
- Choose a corner. Pick one of the four corners. Bottom left is the convention for most Western broadcasts; use another corner if your question lower third sits at bottom centre.
- Add the Display output to OBS or vMix. In OBS: click + in the Sources dock, choose Browser, paste the Display URL (/display/SESSION-ID), set Width 1920 and Height 1080, and keep the default Custom CSS. In vMix: Add Input, Web Browser, same URL and size, then put it on an overlay channel.
- Put it on air with one click. During the show, click the speaker's name tag in the manage view to put it on air, and take it off again from the manage view once the introduction has landed. Teammates invited to the team can run the same session from their own browser.
Animated lower thirds via browser source: what to keep in mind
- Keep the source loaded. In OBS, leave Shutdown source when not visible unchecked so the graphic is ready the moment you cut to a scene.
- Use one graphics layer for all scenes. Put the browser source in a scene called Graphics, and add that scene as a source at the top of every show scene.
- Refresh after design changes. If a local HTML pack doesn't update, use Refresh cache of current page in the OBS source properties.
- Mute it in the mixer. Browser sources show up in the OBS audio mixer even when they make no sound.
- Don't scale above 100 percent. Scaling a 1920×1080 browser source up softens text; change the font size in the graphic instead.
Tips for readable lower thirds
A lower third has a few seconds to be read, often on a phone. These rules hold up in production.
| Rule | At 1920×1080 | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stay inside graphics safe | 5% margin: about 96 px left and right, 54 px top and bottom | EBU R 95 defines a 5% graphics-safe area for 16:9 HD; some displays and streams crop edges |
| Name size | Roughly 40 to 56 px cap-to-baseline | Readable on a phone in a 1080p stream |
| Subtitle size | Roughly 28 to 36 px | Clearly secondary, still legible |
| Contrast | Aim for at least 4.5:1 text to box | WCAG's minimum for normal text; a solid or high-opacity box behind text beats a shadow over a busy picture |
| Length | One line each, under about 35 characters | Long titles wrap or shrink; shorten to a role |
| Time on screen | At least 5 seconds, longer for long titles | Viewers need time to read after the animation settles |
Sources: EBU R 95, safe areas for 16:9 and W3C, contrast minimum. Pixel sizes are production rules of thumb, not standards: always check on a phone with the actual stream.
Placement matters as much as size. Keep name tags clear of faces and of the speaker's hands. Do not stack the name tag and a question lower third in the same corner; with AskTide you can put the question at bottom centre and the name tag in a top or bottom corner. If you show the QR code as a lower third, take the name tag off first.
Free lower thirds for vMix
Everything above applies to vMix. Add a Web Browser input with the graphic's URL, set it to your output size (vMix centres smaller pages at the reduced size), leave the body background transparent, and put it on overlay channel 1. Right-click the overlay button to preview it before it goes to program. The full walkthrough is in vMix Q&A with the Web Browser input.
If you also want to show audience questions with the same graphics layer, read how to show audience questions on screen in OBS or the OBS Studio guide. Planning the show order first? The free rundown creator builds a run of show from your notes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make free lower thirds in OBS?
Add a Browser source pointing at a transparent HTML lower third at 1920×1080 and place it at the top of your scene. Free sources include OBS forum HTML packs, H2R Graphics' free version and AskTide's name tags.
Do I need a plugin for lower thirds in OBS?
No. OBS's built-in Browser source renders transparent HTML graphics. Some community packs add a custom dock for control, but the graphic itself needs no plugin.
Is H2R Graphics free?
Yes, H2R Graphics has a free-forever version, with Pro available as a one-time purchase (checked November 2026). Check their site for what each version includes.
Can I use the same lower thirds in vMix?
Yes. vMix's Web Browser input supports transparency and alpha, so any browser-based lower third works when you set the input to your output size and put it on an overlay channel.
What font size should a lower third be at 1080p?
As a rule of thumb, around 40 to 56 px for the name and 28 to 36 px for the subtitle, inside a 5% graphics-safe margin. Test on a phone, since many viewers watch there.
Is there an H2R Graphics alternative that runs in the browser?
AskTide runs entirely in the browser and offers name tags plus audience questions, polls and a QR code on one output. It is simpler than H2R, with name and subtitle only and four corner positions.