Comparison
LiveFaceSwap vs Deep-Live-Cam: browser or local?
An honest comparison of the browser cloud studio and the local open-source Deep-Live-Cam: setup, hardware, cost, privacy and which one fits your case.
The short version
Deep-Live-Cam is an open-source face swap program that runs on your own computer: you install Python, dependencies and two model files, then load a source face and press Live. LiveFaceSwap.co is a hosted service: open a page, allow the camera, choose a reference and start a cloud session that returns generated video to the browser.
The split is where the work happens and what you pay for: your hardware and setup time on one side, per-second credits on the other.
Setup and hardware
Deep-Live-Cam's manual installation is real work. The repository asks for Python 3.14 (3.11 to 3.14 supported), pip, git, ffmpeg and the Visual Studio runtimes on Windows, and the first run downloads about 300 MB of models. Acceleration is optional but practical: CUDA for NVIDIA, CoreML on Apple silicon, DirectML on Windows or OpenVINO for Intel. The README says the CPU path works but is slower, and the Live webcam preview takes roughly 10 to 30 seconds to appear.
The browser studio needs no installation, no Python and no local GPU: a current Chrome, Edge or Safari tab, a webcam and a stable connection are the whole requirement. The model runs in the cloud on LiveFaceSwap V1.
What each one costs
Deep-Live-Cam's source is free under the AGPL-3.0 licence, and the project also points to a pre-built Quickstart and Ultimate build sold as a subscription: its linked site listed an NVIDIA monthly plan at $22 and a quarterly plan at $40 per three months on 2026-11-07. The free route's real cost is a capable GPU and an afternoon of setup.
LiveFaceSwap.co bills by the live second at 0.6 credits, with no licence and no hardware. A 10-minute session uses 360 credits. One-time packs are $10 for 1,000 credits (about 28 minutes), $59 for 4,000 and $119 for 10,000, and they do not expire. Quarterly subscriptions start at $10 per month for 650 credits, Pro is $19 for 2,500 and Max is $46 for 7,500; new accounts get 10 free credits.
Privacy and recording
Local processing keeps the frames on your machine, which matters for sensitive footage. It does not make the tool private by default: it can save processed video, and its README still requires consent for any real face and a label on published output.
The hosted studio takes the opposite trade: camera frames leave the machine to reach the cloud model. The studio does not record the camera stream and the session ends when you stop it, but it cannot run offline the way a local install can.
Features and output
Deep-Live-Cam concentrates on face swapping: a mouth mask for lip movement, face mapping for multiple subjects, image and video modes, and a face enhancer processor. Video-mode output is saved as a file.
LiveFaceSwap.co puts three modes on one model: Face Swap, Restyle, which applies a reference image's look to the video, and Try-On, which swaps clothing. The output is a live preview rather than a rendered file, so fast motion can show soft edges or artifacts.
Which one fits you
- Deep-Live-Cam: you own a suitable GPU, want offline work, are comfortable with a terminal or the pre-built subscription, and want local video files.
- LiveFaceSwap.co: you want a browser tab with nothing installed, need Restyle or Try-On, or prefer paying for the minutes you use.
- Neither, if the goal is to pass as someone else: both require consent and labels, and the legal risk is the same.
Side by side
The table summarises the points above, using public information checked on 2026-11-07 rather than a benchmark on identical hardware.
| LiveFaceSwap.co | Deep-Live-Cam | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Cloud session, browser tab | Your machine, Python app |
| Install | None | Python 3.11-3.14, pip, git, ffmpeg, ~300 MB models; or pre-built build |
| Hardware | Any modern PC with a webcam | CPU works but slower; CUDA, CoreML, DirectML or OpenVINO recommended |
| Modes | Face Swap, Restyle, Try-On (LiveFaceSwap V1) | Face swap; mouth mask, multi-face mapping, enhancer |
| Cost | 0.6 credits/live second; packs $10/1,000, $59/4,000, $119/10,000; plans from $10/month | Source free (AGPL-3.0); pre-built build subscription: $22/month or $40/quarter (NVIDIA, 2026-11-07) |
| Session limit | 900 s per session; unused reservation refunded | None from the tool; limited by hardware |
| Streaming | Window capture in OBS; no virtual camera yet | Screen capture; OBS suggested |
| Recording | Camera stream not recorded | Video mode saves files locally |
| Offline | No | Yes |
| Rules | 18+, rights and consent, AI disclosure | Consent and labelling required; check its terms |
Sources checked 2026-11-07: Deep-Live-Cam repository and its README (install, models, execution providers, webcam mode, AGPL-3.0, disclaimer), plus the pre-built build plans linked from it. Third-party prices can change.
FAQ
- Is Deep-Live-Cam free?
- The source is free under AGPL-3.0 and can be installed manually. The project also links pre-built Quickstart and Ultimate builds sold as a subscription; its linked site listed an NVIDIA plan at $22 per month or $40 per three months on 2026-11-07. Check current plans before relying on that.
- Does Deep-Live-Cam need a GPU?
- It runs on a CPU, but its README calls that slower and lists CUDA, CoreML, DirectML and OpenVINO acceleration. For comfortable real-time use, plan on a capable GPU. LiveFaceSwap.co needs no local GPU.
- Can I run Deep-Live-Cam in a browser?
- No. It is a Python application installed on your computer; the browser route is a different hosted model running in a cloud session.
- Which one is better for streaming?
- Both end in OBS through a window capture; the README suggests a screen capture tool. The hosted studio caps a session at 900 seconds, while a local install has no per-session cap but depends on your hardware keeping up.