Full disclosure: we make Boostcast, so we're not neutral. We've tried to describe each option fairly. Check each project's own page for current details, because they change often.
The four kinds of Rocket League overlay
| Kind | Reacts to the game | Setup | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosted Stats API overlay (e.g. Boostcast) | Yes: score, goals, kickoffs, boost, results | One ini line + one browser source | Streamers and casters who want a broadcast look without building it |
| Open-source broadcast HUD (community projects on GitHub) | Yes | Download, run locally, often some code or config | Tournament productions and people who want full control of the code |
| Desktop app overlay | Yes | Install a program on the gaming PC | Players who don't mind an extra program running |
| Generic alert tools (StreamElements, Streamlabs) | No (Twitch events only) | Easy | Follows/subs/bits alerts on any game |
What to look for
1. Does it need mods or extra software?
Older Rocket League overlays depended on BakkesMod plugins to read the game. The official Stats API makes that unnecessary: the game itself sends the data over a local socket. Overlays built on it run with no mods and nothing extra on your PC.
2. Does it work when you play and when you spectate?
Most broadcast HUDs are made for spectators and casters. If you mainly stream your own ranked games, check that the overlay knows which team is yours (your team on the left, your goals highlighted), and that it switches to a neutral blue/orange layout when you spectate.
3. Twitch integration
A Rocket League overlay that also handles Twitch can do things a generic tool can't: start a prediction at kickoff and pay it out when the match ends, or add a stream marker on every goal. If the overlay doesn't do Twitch, you'll run a separate alert tool next to it.
4. Effort per match
The good ones need nothing from you during a stream: no hotkeys, no scene switching, no typing team names before each game.
5. Hosting and cost
Self-hosted open-source projects are free but you run and update them yourself. Hosted overlays are maintained for you and usually have a free tier or trial.
Where Boostcast fits
Boostcast is a hosted Stats API overlay. One browser source gives you:
- Automatic match intros, goal stingers with shot speed (a gold BANGER! from 110 km/h), hat-trick and own-goal stingers.
- A live scoreboard with best-of series, your team on the left when you play and blue/orange when you spectate.
- A caster HUD with boost meters for every player, and an optional boost meter that covers the game's own.
- Twitch alerts (follow, sub, gift, bits, raid), a hype train, polls, a creator goal meter, automatic predictions and stream markers.
- Team logo stingers for tournaments, a layout editor and alert sounds.
It's in beta and free for testers. If you want to host everything yourself and edit the code, an open-source HUD is a better fit. If you only need follow/sub alerts, a generic alert tool is enough.
FAQ
What is the best Rocket League overlay for streaming?
It depends on how you stream. For solo streamers who want it working in minutes, a hosted Stats API overlay such as Boostcast is the simplest. For tournament productions with a technical crew, a self-hosted open-source broadcast HUD gives full control.
Do Rocket League overlays still need BakkesMod?
Not any more. Overlays built on Rocket League's official Stats API read the game directly, with no mods. Some older overlays still use BakkesMod plugins.
Are Rocket League overlays free?
Open-source HUDs are free to self-host. Boostcast is free for testers during the beta.
Can I use a Rocket League overlay on console?
No. The Stats API is only available in the PC version (Steam and Epic).
Try it on your stream
Boostcast is in beta and free for testers: match intros, goal stingers, a live scoreboard, caster HUD and Twitch alerts from one OBS browser source. No mods, no BakkesMod, nothing to install.
BECOME A TESTER