15 Best Free Stream Overlays for Indian Streamers (2026)

Why Stream Overlays Matter

A stream overlay is the visual layer that sits on top of your gameplay or camera feed. It includes your webcam frame, alerts, chat widget, follower goals, donation tickers, and any other graphic elements that make your stream look polished and professional.

Here's why overlays matter for Indian streamers specifically:

• First impressions count. When a new viewer clicks on your stream, they decide within 5–10 seconds whether to stay. A clean, professional-looking overlay signals quality content.
• Brand identity. Consistent overlays across your stream, panels, and social media create a recognizable brand. This is how viewers remember you among thousands of Indian streamers.
• Viewer engagement. Overlays like donation alerts, chat widgets, and goal bars encourage interaction. When viewers see others donating or chatting, they're more likely to participate.
• Cultural connection. Indian-themed overlays (think cricket scoreboards, Bollywood effects, festival decorations) create an instant connection with your audience.
• Monetization. A professional-looking stream attracts more donations. Viewers are more likely to send UPI payments to a streamer who looks like they take their craft seriously.

15 Best Free Overlay Sources

Here are the best places to find free stream overlays in 2026. We've tested each one and verified that the free offerings are genuinely usable — not just teasers for paid products.

1. Nerd or Die

One of the most popular overlay providers in the streaming community. Nerd or Die offers several complete free overlay packages that include webcam frames, stream screens (starting, BRB, ending), and alert animations.

• Free offerings: 5–8 complete free themes updated regularly
• Quality: Professional-grade, used by many top Twitch streamers
• Format: PNG/WebM files + Streamlabs/StreamElements import links
• Best for: Gaming streamers who want a polished, modern look

2. Own3d.tv

Own3d has a large marketplace of premium overlays, but they also have a rotating selection of free overlay packs. The free ones are typically simpler but still look clean and professional.

• Free offerings: 10+ free overlay packs, panels, and alerts
• Quality: High — Own3d is used by major Twitch partners
• Format: PNG files, easy one-click installation for some
• Best for: Streamers who want variety without spending money

3. Streamlabs Overlay Marketplace

If you use Streamlabs Desktop, their built-in marketplace has dozens of free overlay themes you can install with one click. These include full scene setups with webcam frames, alerts, and transition stingers.

• Free offerings: 30+ free themes
• Quality: Varies from basic to very good
• Format: One-click install within Streamlabs Desktop
• Best for: Streamlabs users who want the easiest setup possible

4. StreamElements Overlay Gallery

StreamElements has a web-based overlay editor where you can create custom overlays from scratch or use their free templates. Everything is cloud-based, so there's nothing to download.

• Free offerings: Full overlay editor + dozens of free templates
• Quality: Good, with easy customization
• Format: Cloud-based, loads as a single browser source URL
• Best for: OBS users who want cloud-managed overlays

5. Canva

Most people know Canva for social media graphics, but it's also excellent for creating custom stream overlays, panels, and thumbnails. The free tier has thousands of templates and elements.

• Free offerings: Thousands of templates, shapes, and elements
• Quality: Depends on your design skills, but templates are polished
• Format: Export as PNG with transparent background
• Best for: Streamers who want to create unique, custom designs without Photoshop

6. Placeit by Envato

Placeit has a stream overlay maker that lets you customize templates with your colors, text, and icons. Some templates are free each month.

• Free offerings: Limited free templates that rotate monthly
• Quality: Very high — Envato is a major design marketplace
• Format: PNG download
• Best for: Streamers who want a unique look without hiring a designer

7. Zerging

Zerging specializes in free stream overlays and graphics packages. They release new free packs regularly and have a solid back catalog.

• Free offerings: 20+ complete free overlay packages
• Quality: Good to great — competitive with paid overlays
• Format: PNG/PSD files
• Best for: Streamers who want a large selection of free options

8. Gael Level

A YouTube creator who makes free overlay packs and shares them with the community. His designs tend to be clean and minimal, which works well for most stream styles.

• Free offerings: 15+ free overlay packs
• Quality: Clean, minimal designs
• Format: PNG files via Google Drive/Mediafire links
• Best for: Streamers who prefer a clean, uncluttered aesthetic

9. Strexm

Strexm is a free online overlay editor that lets you create overlays directly in your browser. Pick a template, customize colors and text, and get a URL you can paste into OBS as a browser source.

• Free offerings: Full editor with multiple free templates
• Quality: Basic but functional
• Format: Browser source URL (no download needed)
• Best for: Quick setup without any design software

10. Visuals by Impulse

Visuals by Impulse is a premium overlay brand, but they offer a few free packages each year. When they do, these are top-tier quality.

• Free offerings: 3–5 free packs (check their site periodically)
• Quality: Premium quality
• Format: PNG/PSD with setup tutorials
• Best for: Streamers who want premium quality at zero cost

11. Twitchoverlay.com

A community-driven site with hundreds of free overlays, panels, and alerts submitted by designers. Quality varies, but sorting by popularity surfaces the best ones.

• Free offerings: 100+ free overlays
• Quality: Varies — sort by most downloaded for best results
• Format: PNG/PSD files
• Best for: Browsing a large selection and finding unique designs

12. Behance

Adobe's Behance platform is a portfolio site where designers share their work. Search for "stream overlay free" or "twitch overlay free" and you'll find designers sharing complete overlay packs for free as portfolio pieces.

• Free offerings: Dozens of high-quality packs shared by designers
• Quality: Often exceptional — these are portfolio pieces meant to impress
• Format: PSD/AI files (need Photoshop or GIMP to edit)
• Best for: Streamers who have basic image editing skills

13. Figma Community

Figma is a free design tool, and its community section has stream overlay templates you can duplicate and customize. Great for creating truly custom overlays.

• Free offerings: 20+ stream overlay templates in the community
• Quality: Good, fully customizable
• Format: Figma files (export as PNG)
• Best for: Streamers who want full creative control with a free design tool

14. Reddit r/Twitch & r/StreamerOverlays

Reddit communities regularly share free overlays. Designers post their work for feedback and often let streamers use them for free. Sort by "Top — All Time" for the best finds.

• Free offerings: Community-shared designs, updated regularly
• Quality: Varies widely, but gems are common
• Format: Usually PNG or Google Drive links
• Best for: Finding unique, one-of-a-kind designs

15. GIMP + Free Templates

GIMP is the free alternative to Photoshop. Download free PSD overlay templates from any of the sites above and open them in GIMP to customize colors, text, and elements. It's a powerful (if slightly complex) approach.

• Free offerings: GIMP is 100% free, and PSD templates are abundant
• Quality: Depends on template + your editing skills
• Format: Edit PSD files, export as PNG
• Best for: Streamers who want to learn design skills for free

Indian-Themed Overlay Ideas

Stand out from the crowd with overlays that connect to Indian culture and your audience. Here are some creative themes that work brilliantly:

Cricket Theme

India lives and breathes cricket. A cricket-themed overlay is an instant conversation starter with your audience. Think:

• Webcam frame shaped like a cricket stumps or bat silhouette
• "Donation Scoreboard" that tracks total donations like a cricket score
• Alert animations with cricket ball hitting stumps or sixers going out of the park
• IPL-season special overlays in team colors
• Commentary-style donation alerts ("And THAT'S a SIX from [donor name]!")

Bollywood Theme

Bollywood aesthetics are bold, colorful, and dramatic — perfect for stream overlays:

• Gold and red color schemes inspired by classic Bollywood posters
• Ornate border patterns with traditional Indian motifs
• Donation alerts with dramatic Bollywood-style text animations
• Background music stingers from royalty-free Indian music for alerts
• "Interval" screen for BRB moments (like the classic movie intermission)

Festival Themes (Diwali, Holi, Navratri)

Seasonal overlays for Indian festivals create a sense of occasion and celebration:

• Diwali: Diya (lamp) borders, rangoli patterns, sparkler animations for donation alerts
• Holi: Color splash effects, vibrant multi-color webcam frames, "color bomb" donation alerts
• Navratri: Garba-themed transitions, dandiya stick alert animations
• Republic Day / Independence Day: Tricolor theme, patriotic borders
• Ganesh Chaturthi: Traditional motifs and warm color schemes

Chai & Street Food Theme

A fun, relatable theme that every Indian viewer connects with:

• Webcam frame designed as a chai glass or kulhad (clay cup)
• Donation alerts styled as menu items ("₹50 = Chai, ₹100 = Samosa, ₹500 = Biryani")
• BRB screen showing a "Gone for chai break" animation
• Chat box styled as a restaurant order board

Minimalist Hindi Typography

Clean, modern overlays using Hindi Devanagari script as a design element:

• Your stream name in stylized Hindi calligraphy
• Hindi text accents on webcam frames and panels
• Alert text that shows both Hindi and English
• This style works especially well for Just Chatting and variety streams

How to Install Overlays in OBS

Here's a step-by-step guide to adding overlays to OBS Studio — the most popular streaming software among Indian streamers:

Adding an Image Overlay (Webcam Frame, Panels)

1. Download your overlay PNG file (make sure it has a transparent background).
2. Open OBS Studio and go to the scene where you want the overlay.
3. In the Sources panel, click the + button.
4. Select "Image" from the list.
5. Name it (e.g., "Webcam Frame") and click OK.
6. Click Browse and select your PNG file.
7. Click OK. The overlay will appear on your canvas.
8. Resize and position it by dragging the corners and edges.
9. Make sure the overlay source is above your game/webcam capture in the source list (sources higher in the list appear on top).

Adding an Animated Overlay (WebM/GIF)

1. Download the animated overlay file (WebM or GIF format).
2. In OBS Sources, click + and select "Media Source".
3. Name it and click OK.
4. Browse to your animated file and check "Loop" if you want it to repeat.
5. Click OK, then position and resize on canvas.

Adding a Browser Source Overlay (StreamElements, Stream Alert)

1. Copy the overlay URL from your service (e.g., Stream Alert's alert box URL).
2. In OBS Sources, click + and select "Browser".
3. Name it (e.g., "Donation Alerts") and click OK.
4. Paste the URL in the URL field.
5. Set width and height to match your canvas (usually 1920x1080).
6. Click OK. The browser source will load and display alerts when they arrive.

Using Stream Alert's Alert Box as an Overlay

Stream Alert provides a browser source URL that acts as an overlay layer in your streaming software. When a viewer sends a UPI payment via Google Pay, PhonePe, or Paytm, the donation alert automatically appears on screen with the donor's name, amount, and optional message.

How It Works

1. Install Stream Alert from the Play Store and connect your UPI app.
2. Copy your alert box URL from Stream Alert's settings.
3. Add as Browser Source in OBS (or any streaming software).
4. Customize the look: Change alert colors, animations, sounds, font, and TTS settings in the Stream Alert app.
5. Go live. When donations come in, alerts pop up on your stream automatically.

Why Stream Alert Works Well as an Overlay

• Transparent background: The alert box has no background, so it sits cleanly on top of your gameplay.
• Customizable positioning: Place the alert anywhere on screen by resizing the browser source in OBS.
• Matches any theme: Customize alert colors and fonts to match your existing overlay design.
• Lightweight: The browser source uses minimal resources, so it won't impact your stream performance.
• Works with all overlay providers: You can use Nerd or Die overlays for your frames and panels, and Stream Alert for your donation alerts. They layer perfectly.

Overlay Design Tips for Indian Streamers

Keep It Clean

The biggest mistake new streamers make is cluttering their screen with too many overlays. Your gameplay should always be the focus. Follow the "80/20 rule" — 80% of the screen should be your content, with overlays taking up no more than 20%.

Use a Consistent Color Scheme

Pick 2–3 colors and stick with them across all your overlays, panels, and social media. This creates a cohesive brand. If you're not sure what colors to use, try:

• Dark themes: Black/dark gray with a bright accent (neon blue, green, or orange)
• Indian themes: Deep red + gold, or saffron + green + white
• Minimal: White/light gray with a single accent color

Optimize for Mobile Viewers

A huge percentage of Indian viewers watch streams on their phones. This means:

• Keep text large enough to read on a 6-inch screen
• Don't put important info in the extreme corners (mobile UI elements may cover them)
• Test your overlay by watching your own stream VOD on your phone
• Avoid thin, detailed border designs that become muddy on small screens

Match Your Donation Alerts to Your Theme

In Stream Alert, you can customize your donation alert colors, fonts, and animation style. Make sure these match your overall overlay theme. A neon green alert on a warm Bollywood-themed stream looks jarring. Consistency is key.

Use Starting Soon, BRB, and Ending Screens

Don't just have an overlay for gameplay. Create screens for:

• Starting Soon: Displayed while you set up and viewers gather. Include your schedule and social links.
• Be Right Back (BRB): For bathroom/chai breaks. Shows viewers you haven't ended the stream.
• Stream Ending: Thank viewers, display your next stream time, and show your UPI QR code or Stream Alert donation link.

Quick Comparison of Top Free Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need Photoshop to edit stream overlays?

No. You can use free alternatives like GIMP, Canva, or Figma to edit overlay files. Many overlays come as ready-to-use PNG files that don't need editing at all — just add them as an image source in OBS.

Will overlays slow down my stream on a budget PC?

Static image overlays (PNG files) have virtually zero performance impact. Browser source overlays like Stream Alert's donation alerts use slightly more resources, but the impact is minimal — typically less than 50MB of RAM and negligible CPU usage.

Can I use different overlays on different scenes?

Yes. OBS supports multiple scenes, each with its own set of sources. You can have a "Gameplay" scene with a minimal webcam frame, a "Just Chatting" scene with a large camera and chat overlay, and a "Starting Soon" scene with a full-screen graphic.

Where can I find Indian-themed overlays specifically?

Most overlay marketplaces don't have India-specific categories yet. Your best bet is to use Canva or Figma to create your own using Indian motifs, or search Behance for "Indian stream overlay" where indie designers share their work. You can also commission custom overlays from Indian designers on Fiverr for ₹500–₹2,000.

How do Stream Alert donation alerts layer with my other overlays?

Stream Alert's alert box has a transparent background, so it layers perfectly on top of your existing overlays. Add it as a browser source in OBS and position it above your game capture and webcam in the source list. It won't interfere with your other overlay elements.

Can I use paid overlays from Nerd or Die / Own3d with free streaming software?

Absolutely. Paid or free overlays from any provider work with OBS Studio, Streamlabs, StreamElements, or any streaming software that supports image and browser sources. The overlay files are independent of your streaming software.