Image and video decision
StreamTrackr
A technically capable developer can build a useful overlay and persistent-link service (the core viewer-facing functionality), but reproducing StreamTrackr's near-instant Steam companion, Twitch/Discord integrations, public recap pages, and polished Pro features requires more work and operational effort than a small DIY replacement.
Visit website↗$2.99/mo
$36/yr
Read off the official pricing page.
$100one-off64 h to build
$10/mo6 h/mo upkeep
On cash alone, building overtakes the subscription at 7 seats.
No open-source build does this yet
Nothing published replaces this one, so a replacement starts from an empty file. Here is what it would have to cover.
What a replacement has to do
- Create a tracker for a game+username, backend polls platform APIs for new achievements, generate a persistent public overlay URL that the user adds as a Browser Source in OBS; allow minimal theme/customization stored in a database.
What it still won’t have
- Near-instant Steam detection via the StreamTrackr Companion (their open-source companion bypasses Steam batching delays)
- Native Twitch integrations: auto-title, dedicated bot account, clips, VOD markers, chat commands
- Discord rich embeds, milestones, and integrated notifications
- Pro UI features: per-element customization studio, custom animations, cloud-saved themes, and public recap pages
- Hosted payments, Stripe integration, and refund handling
What remains hard
- Product polish and ongoing maintenance
First-year cost
Keep paying
Paying is—cheaper in year one.
On cash alone, building overtakes the subscription at 7 seats.
Money you would actually spend
Time you would spend
—
What you would spend
What we assumed
The verdict above measures whether you could build it. This one is only about money.
Runnable build prompt
Build a minimal achievement-overlay service using Node.js + Express, Postgres, and a single-page React overlay: implement (1) a tracker CRUD API that generates persistent public tracker URLs, (2) platform polling adapters for Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and RetroAchievements that normalize unlock events into a single event schema, (3) a lightweight overlay SPA served over HTTPS that connects to the server via SSE/WebSocket and renders events with configurable colors/fonts, and (4) deployment scripts (Docker Compose) for a small VPS. Out of scope: Twitch/Discord integrations, a Windows companion app, payment handling, and analytics dashboards. Include error handling, input validation, unit tests for core API routes and adapters, and end-to-end test that a mocked platform event produces an overlay update.
How we checked
How the score was reached
- Partly verdict base52
- 2 cited sources+1
- Price verified on pricing page+3
- 3/3 assessment runs agreed+4
- Evidence score60
The base comes from the verdict. Everything under it is a check that either happened or did not, and each one is a fact frozen in this record rather than a judgement made at render time - so the same evidence always produces the same number.
How scoring works →Cited sources · 2
Every page the run actually retrieved.
- official productStreamTrackr — official product
- official pricingStreamTrackr — Pricing
Integrity checks
What held up, and what did not.
