The Best Stream Decks for Video Editing Under $100

If you've ever watched a professional video editor fly through a timeline — cutting, scrubbing, switching tools without ever touching a mouse — you've probably wondered how they do it. The secret is often a macro pad or stream deck: a dedicated hardware (or software) control surface that puts your most-used shortcuts under your fingertips.

The good news? You don't need to spend $150+ on an Elgato Stream Deck to get these speed gains. There are excellent options under $100, including one that costs exactly zero dollars. We tested the best budget stream decks for video editors working in Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and OBS Studio.

Why a Stream Deck Changes Video Editing

Video editing is a tool-switching marathon. Cut, ripple delete, razor tool, selection tool, zoom in, zoom out, scrub forward — every mouse movement to a toolbar costs you a fraction of a second, and those fractions add up across a full edit session. A stream deck lets you map those actions to physical or touch buttons, cutting the friction dramatically.

The picks below span three approaches: dedicated hardware with tactile LCD keys, a mobile-app-based solution that uses your existing phone or tablet, and a free, open-source OBS-native app. Each has its own strengths, and the right choice depends on your budget and workflow.

The Picks

1. Stream Dock N4 — Best Overall Under $100

The Stream Dock N4 is the things actually worth buying for budget-conscious editors who want a true hardware deck. It packs 10 customizable LCD keys — each displaying its own icon so you never forget what's mapped where — plus two rotary knobs for scrubbing through timelines or adjusting audio levels. The built-in USB expansion port is a thoughtful touch for editors who are already running out of ports on their laptop.

Setup is straightforward: install the companion software, pick your app profile (Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, OBS, and more are supported), and drag shortcuts onto the grid. The adjustable-angle stand means you can tilt it to the perfect viewing angle on a crowded desk. At $89, it undercuts the Elgato Stream Deck Plus by nearly $60 while delivering a similar experience.1

Best for: Editors who want a dedicated hardware deck with visual feedback and don't want to rely on a phone or tablet.

2. Deckboard — Best Mobile-Based Solution

If you already own a smartphone or tablet, Deckboard turns it into a wireless stream deck for free. The open-source app connects to your PC over Wi-Fi and presents a customizable grid of buttons that can trigger keyboard shortcuts, launch applications, run scripts, and control OBS Studio scenes and sources.

The beauty of Deckboard is its flexibility: you can create multiple profiles for different editing tasks, resize buttons, and even add slider controls for audio levels. It's not quite as tactile as physical keys — you'll need to look at your phone screen to find the right button — but for zero upfront cost, it's a phenomenal way to test whether a macro pad fits your workflow before investing in hardware.2

Best for: Budget-first editors who want to try a control surface without spending anything, or those who prefer a wireless setup.

3. Up Deck — Best Free OBS-Native Solution

Up Deck is the most specialized pick here — and that's its superpower. Built exclusively for OBS Studio, it connects via WebSocket to give you direct control over scenes, sources, audio sources, recording, streaming, and more. No keyboard shortcut mapping required: the app talks directly to OBS's native API.

For video editors who also stream or record locally with OBS, Up Deck is a no-brainer. It's free, it's dedicated, and it's more responsive than general-purpose macro apps because it uses OBS's native protocol rather than simulating keystrokes. The trade-off is that it only works with OBS — if you're editing in Premiere or DaVinci, you'll want Deckboard or the Stream Dock N4 instead.3

Best for: OBS Studio users who want a free, dedicated control surface with zero configuration overhead.

Hardware vs. Software: Which Should You Choose?

The decision between a physical stream deck and a mobile app comes down to a few factors:

• Tactile feedback: Physical keys let you keep your eyes on the monitor. With a phone app, you'll glance down occasionally to find the right button.
• Cost: Hardware costs $89; software is free (using gear you already own).
• Desk clutter: A physical deck takes up desk space; a phone app uses a device you already carry.
• Latency: Wired hardware has essentially zero latency. Wi-Fi-based apps like Deckboard are very close, but not quite instant.
• Integration depth: The Stream Dock N4 and Up Deck have native API-level integration with their target apps; Deckboard relies on keyboard shortcut simulation.

For most editors, the Stream Dock N4 hits the sweet spot. But if you're unsure whether a macro pad will actually speed up your editing, start with Deckboard or Up Deck — they're free, and they'll tell you everything you need to know.

How We Tested

We evaluated each solution on three criteria: customization depth (how many actions can you map, and how granular are they?), price-to-value ratio, and integration quality with popular editing software (Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and OBS Studio). We prioritized solutions that work out of the box without complex scripting or third-party plugins.

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