How to show your heart rate on stream in 2021 [Guide]

Random person playing Fortnite

For those of you interested in streaming horror games, competitive Esports, speedrunners, or streamers who livestream their workout routines there is no better way to enhance this experience than broadcasting your heart beat in real-time.

We’ve seen a number of content creators do this already in past years and luckily today there are some new and easier ways of doing this. In this article we are going to cover exactly that. We will look into different methods of achieving the same result and leave it up to you to pick the one that fits your needs the best. Starting with the old school methods all the way up to latest tech picks on the market.


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The old way:

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For many years streamers have been using the open-source software for cyclists and runners called GoldenCheetah. In order to get the data you need to purchase one of the supported heart rate measuring devices and an ANT+ bluetooth receiver (unless your PC supports this already), that will allow your computer receive the data.

In order to get it running you can follow step by step guide created in 2016 by our friends at StreamerSquare.

Cost:
Software is free, but you need to own a compatible heart rate measuring device and a Bluetooth dongle.

Our rating:
3/5 – Will get you there, but there are already better options.

Making it easier for the gamers

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A good alternative to GoldenCheetah is a tiny piece of open-source software called Cardia. This free software is focused just on the needs of the gamers and this should make it easier for you to get the things running. You will still need a Bluetooth dongle for this method (unless your PC supports Bluetooth natively).

You can follow step by step guide created by Wiretuts here.

Cost:
Software is free, but you need to own a compatible device and a Bluetooth dongle.

Our rating:
4/5 – A decent & simple option for those who don’t seek more advanced complex features.

Fancy some customization?

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Meet Pulsoid, the “Heart Rate Widget for your Live streams”. Pulsoid works with a broad variety of devices. What sets them apart from the other options is their broad configurability and customization.

If you decide to upgrade to their paid “BRO Plan” you will get access to custom sounds and images, themed overlays in their marketplace for many popular games, detailed analytics and more.

How to do it? Find the instructions from the Pulsoid team on their blog here.

Cost:
Software is freemium, but you need to own a compatible device and a smartphone. Compatible with iOS and Android.

Our rating:
5/5 – Pulsoid offers a crazy wide range of customization and is free for basic usage.

Meet the new king:

Garmin Instinct® – Esports Edition

Garmin had enough of this and decided to step in. This month they have not only launched their new model of smart watch dedicated to Esports but packed it with some awesome software that will help you easily embed this into your streaming software.

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You can grab the new smartwatch on Amazon here (affiliate link).
And the software that makes this happen called Str3amup! is available for grabs for free here.

Cost:
Software is free, but you need to purchase the Garmin watch for $299.99 :)

Our rating:
5/5 – simple and awesome (if you want a new smartwatch)

Where do I get the heart rate monitor?

Here’s our recommendations! (affiliate links)
POLAR H10 Heart Rate Monitor Chest Strap – $87.80
Polar OH1+ Optical Heart Rate Sensor Armband – $61.30
CooSpo Heart Rate Monitor Chest Strap – $31.99

Hyperate.io

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Our last and latest heart rate monitor is a free widget called HeartRate.io. This solution allows you to display your heart rate directly on the stream and it takes just a few minutes to setup. It’s available for both Android and Apple devices and it’s super simple to integrate with OBS, Streamlabs, Xsplit, and other popular streaming solutions.

Some advanced features of HeartRate.io are the ability to display the data within popular apps like LaMetric, multiple customized designs to choose from, and last, but not least, a growing Discord community to help you with not only the app itself.

You’re good to go!

So what are you waiting for? Pick your favorite method, order whatever gear you’re missing and go to stream! Let us know which method did work for you or in case you find some new solution.

PS: Please do not attempt to reach BPM over 9000

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