Best budget Stream Deck options under $100
Updated 15 October 2026 · Prices checked 15 October 2026, and they change often
A stream controller is a small box of buttons, each with its own icon, that switches OBS scenes, mutes your mic, starts recording or plays a sound without you alt-tabbing out of the game. It's a nice upgrade, but it's the last thing to buy. A good mic and light matter far more to viewers.
When you're ready, you don't need the $150 15-key Stream Deck. Here are four cheaper ways in, starting with a free one.
Comparison table
| Option | Buttons | Software | Price (15 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elgato Stream Deck Mobile (phone/tablet app) | 6 free; up to 64 with Pro | Stream Deck | Free; Pro was $2.99/month, $24.99/year or $49.99 lifetime at launch (2023) |
| Elgato Stream Deck Mini | 6 LCD keys | Stream Deck | $59.99 at Elgato |
| Fifine AmpliGame D6 | 15 LCD keys | Fifine D6 software | $65.99 at Fifine's store ($78.99 list) |
| Elgato Stream Deck Neo | 8 LCD keys + 2 touch points + Infobar | Stream Deck | $99.99 at Elgato |
| For comparison: Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 | 15 LCD keys | Stream Deck | $149.99 at Elgato |
All the Elgato devices use the same free Stream Deck app and plugin marketplace on Windows and macOS. Check the live price before you buy.
The picks
Try it free first: Elgato Stream Deck Mobile
Before buying hardware, find out whether you'll actually use the buttons. Elgato's Stream Deck Mobile app turns a phone or tablet into a touchscreen Stream Deck over Wi-Fi, connected to the Stream Deck app on your PC. Elgato's page says you "get 6 keys for free — forever", with the same profiles, folders, multi-actions and plugins as the hardware. Pro unlocks up to 64 keys and custom layouts. Custom PC reported Pro pricing at launch of $2.99 a month, $24.99 a year or $49.99 for life; check the app store for today's price.
Keep in mind: it's a touchscreen, so you have to look at it to press the right button, and it needs Wi-Fi and a spare phone or tablet. Elgato lists iOS 15 or Android 9 and newer. Using an old phone that's already in a drawer is the cheapest way to start.
Cheapest real Stream Deck: Elgato Stream Deck Mini
Six physical LCD keys running the full Stream Deck software, for $59.99 at Elgato. Reviewers liked it when it launched at $99: PCWorld said "the Stream Deck Mini is the product most people should get", arguing that "15 buttons is frankly overkill for most people" once you use folders. Tom's Guide called it "a cheap and efficient way" to manage Twitch streams and said it felt better built than the original 15-key Stream Deck.
Keep in mind: those reviews are from 2018–2019, and the hardware hasn't changed much since. The software has, and it's the same app the newer decks use. Six keys means using folders for anything beyond the basics, which Tom's Guide said adds a step mid-stream, so it's "not meant for larger productions". The stand is fixed at one angle.
Best under $100: Elgato Stream Deck Neo
Elgato's newer budget deck has 8 LCD keys plus two touch points that flip between pages of keys, and a small Infobar that shows the time, notifications or plugin data. Mighty Gadget used one for several weeks and found macros fired "instantly and reliably". They said that among the many cheaper LCD-key products, "nothing comes close to the Stream Deck app and its integrations". They stopped counting the plugins at 288, including OBS, Discord, Spotify, Twitch, YouTube and Philips Hue.
Keep in mind: the USB-C cable is fixed, not detachable, which Mighty Gadget flagged and Elgato's spec sheet confirms. The touch points only flip pages and can't be assigned actions. The keys feel "on the squishy side" compared with mechanical keys. It's $99.99 at Elgato; at that price, ask yourself whether 8 keys and an Infobar are worth $40 over the Mini.
Most keys for the money: Fifine AmpliGame D6
Fifine, which makes the AM8 mic in our starter kits, sells a 15-key controller for $65.99 on its own store. That's about the price of a Stream Deck Mini with two and a half times the keys. Fifine lists 15 customizable LCD keys, an RGB ring with 9 modes, and its own D6 software for Windows and macOS, with OBS Studio, Streamlabs, Twitch and YouTube support and "dozens of plugins".
Keep in mind: we couldn't find a hands-on review of the D6 from a major English-language outlet, so this pick rests on Fifine's specs. It runs Fifine's software, not Elgato's, so you don't get the Stream Deck plugin marketplace that reviewers single out as Elgato's biggest strength. Fifine also says its software must be installed and running for full functionality. If you want 15 keys and mostly need OBS scene switching, mute and recording, it's the cheap way to get them. If you want deep app integrations, buy an Elgato.
Is the full Stream Deck worth $150?
The 15-key Stream Deck MK.2 is $149.99 at Elgato. It runs the same app as the Mini and Neo, so you're paying for keys, not features. Elgato also sells it with a choice of classic membrane keys or crisper scissor keys. It's worth it if you run lots of scenes, sound effects and alerts and are tired of digging through folders. Otherwise, start with the free app or the Mini, and upgrade later. It's the same software, so everything you've learned carries over.
Quick recommendations
- Not sure you need one: Stream Deck Mobile on an old phone. Free for 6 keys.
- Just scene switching, mute and record: Stream Deck Mini, about $60.
- Want Elgato's software plus a bit more room: Stream Deck Neo, about $100.
- Want 15 keys on a tight budget and can live without Elgato's plugins: Fifine D6, about $66.
Five buttons almost every small streamer uses
- Mic mute, with an icon that shows when you're muted.
- Switch scene: "Starting soon", "Gameplay", "Be right back".
- Start/stop recording, separate from streaming, so you can clip highlights for YouTube.
- Clip or marker: drops a stream marker you can find later when editing.
- A folder for sounds, so a soundboard doesn't eat your top-level keys.
Rebuild these on any device in a few minutes. OBS also has built-in hotkeys (Settings → Hotkeys), so a spare keyboard or the number pad can do the basics for free.
Sources
- Stream Deck Mobile features, free 6 keys and supported phones: elgato.com, checked 15 Oct 2026; Pro pricing at launch: Custom PC (2023)
- Elgato prices and specs: Stream Deck Mini ($59.99), Stream Deck Neo ($99.99, fixed USB-C cable), Stream Deck MK.2 ($149.99), all checked 15 Oct 2026
- Stream Deck Mini reviews: PCWorld (2019), Tom's Guide (2018)
- Stream Deck Neo review (Aug 2025, updated Mar 2026): Mighty Gadget
- Fifine AmpliGame D6 specs and price ($65.99, $78.99 list): fifinemicrophone.com, checked 15 Oct 2026