Best Screen Recording software
Record your screen, webcam and voice for tutorials and async videos.
12 apps
Top Screen Recording apps ranked by the community
Loom lets you record your screen, camera and voice and share the result instantly as a link, replacing meetings and long written explanations. Viewers can comment and react, and Loom AI generates titles, summaries and chapters. Part of Atlassian since 2023, it works through desktop and mobile apps, a Chrome extension and integrations with tools like Slack, Jira and Notion.
12 Loom alternativesPros
- Record screen and camera and share instantly as a link
- AI titles, summaries and chapters save editing time
- Comments and reactions keep feedback next to the video
Cons
- The free plan limits video length and library size
- Editing is basic compared with dedicated video tools
- Per-seat pricing adds up for large teams
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesOBS Studio is a free, open source app for recording and live streaming video from your screen, cameras, games and other sources. Scenes can mix multiple sources with audio filters, transitions and chroma key, and it streams to platforms like Twitch and YouTube. Widely used by streamers and educators, it runs on Windows, macOS and Linux and can be extended with plugins.
8 OBS Studio alternativesPros
- Free and open source, with no watermark or time limits
- Scenes mix screens, cameras and media with filters and transitions
- Streams to Twitch, YouTube and more, and is extensible with plugins
Cons
- Steep learning curve for first-time users
- No built-in editor for trimming recordings
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesCamtasia from TechSmith combines a screen and webcam recorder with a timeline editor tailored to tutorials, product demos and training videos. It provides callouts, cursor effects, zoom and pan animations, quizzes and templates, so non-editors can produce polished instructional content. It runs on Windows and macOS and is sold by subscription, with a free trial.
12 Camtasia alternativesPros
- Recorder and timeline editor tailored to tutorials
- Callouts, cursor effects and zooms without video editing skills
- Quizzes and templates for training content
Cons
- The subscription is expensive for occasional use
- Can slow down on long or complex projects
- Less flexible than a full video editor for advanced edits
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesScreenFlow by Telestream is a Mac app for recording the screen, camera, microphone and a connected iPhone or iPad, then editing everything on a multi-track timeline. It adds callouts, text, transitions, freehand annotations and a stock media library, and is used for tutorials, courses and software demos. It is a paid app with a free trial that adds a watermark.
8 ScreenFlow alternativesPros
- Records the screen, camera and a connected iPhone or iPad
- Multi-track timeline with callouts, text and annotations
- Access to a stock media library from the editor
Cons
- Available on macOS only, with no Windows version
- Trial exports carry a watermark
- Effects take more manual work than newer automatic recorders
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsScreen Studio is a macOS screen recorder designed for product demos and tutorials. It automatically zooms in where you click, smooths cursor movement, adds motion blur and backgrounds, and can include a webcam overlay, so recordings look edited without manual work. It can also generate captions from your voice, and videos export in up to 4K or as GIFs.
8 Screen Studio alternativesPros
- Automatic zooms and smooth cursor motion make demos look edited
- Backgrounds, motion blur and webcam overlay with little effort
- Exports up to 4K or as GIFs, with automatic captions
Cons
- Available on macOS only, with no Windows version
- Not a full video editor for complex projects
- Paid only, with no free tier
Cost / LicensePaidProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsShareX is a free, open source utility for Windows that captures screenshots, scrolling pages and screen recordings, including GIFs. Captures can be annotated, run through OCR and automatically uploaded to dozens of supported destinations through customizable workflows. It is popular with power users for its depth of options and has no ads.
7 ShareX alternativesPros
- Free, open source and ad-free
- Custom workflows upload captures to dozens of destinations
- Screenshots, scrolling captures, GIFs and OCR in one tool
Cons
- Available on Windows only, with no Mac or Linux version
- Dense settings can overwhelm casual users
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesPlatformsCleanShot X is a Mac app that replaces the built-in screenshot tools with a richer set of capture options: scrolling captures, screen recording with webcam overlay, GIF export, text recognition and hiding desktop icons. Captures can be annotated, blurred and uploaded to CleanShot Cloud for sharing. It is a paid app, also available through the Setapp subscription.
9 CleanShot X alternativesPros
- Scrolling captures, recording with webcam and GIF export in one app
- Fast annotation, blurring and text recognition
- Hides desktop icons for cleaner captures
Cons
- Available on macOS only, with no Windows version
- Advanced CleanShot Cloud features need a separate subscription
Cost / LicensePaidProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsSnagit is a screen capture tool from TechSmith for taking screenshots, scrolling captures and quick screen recordings with webcam. Its editor makes it easy to add arrows, callouts and step numbers, blur sensitive information, grab text from images and assemble visual guides from templates. It is used for documentation, support and training, on Windows and macOS.
7 Snagit alternativesPros
- Fast annotation with arrows, callouts and step numbers
- Scrolling captures and quick screen recordings with webcam
- Templates to assemble visual guides and documentation
Cons
- Paid after the trial, while free tools cover basic captures
- Video recording and editing are basic compared with Camtasia
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesTella records your screen and camera in short clips that you can retake and rearrange. It adds layouts, backgrounds, captions and transcript-based trimming, so creators, founders and teams can publish product demos, tutorials and online courses without a separate editor. Videos can be shared by link or exported in high resolution.
8 Tella alternativesPros
- Record in short clips you can retake and rearrange
- Layouts, backgrounds and captions give a polished look quickly
- Transcript-based trimming speeds up editing
Cons
- No free plan beyond the trial
- The desktop app is Mac only, other systems rely on the browser
- Limited editing for complex videos
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesVidyard helps businesses record, host and share videos, with a focus on sales outreach and marketing. Users record screen and camera messages from a browser extension or desktop app, embed them in emails, and track who watched and for how long. It integrates with CRMs such as Salesforce and HubSpot and offers a free plan for individuals alongside paid business tiers.
6 Vidyard alternativesPros
- Record screen and camera messages from a browser extension
- Shows who watched each video and for how long
- Integrates with CRMs such as Salesforce and HubSpot
Cons
- Sales-focused features are mostly in paid business tiers
- Overkill for teams that only need quick internal videos
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsBandicam is a Windows screen recorder known for capturing gameplay and desktop activity with a small performance impact. It can record a region or the full screen, DirectX and OpenGL games, webcams and external devices, with real-time drawing and up to 4K output. The free version adds a watermark and limits recording length; a paid license removes both.
6 Bandicam alternativesPros
- Low performance impact while recording games
- Captures DirectX and OpenGL games, webcams and external devices
- Real-time drawing on screen during recording
Cons
- Available on Windows only, with no Mac or Linux version
- The free version adds a watermark and limits recording length
- No built-in editor for trimming or effects
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsZight, formerly CloudApp, is a visual communication tool for capturing screenshots, GIFs and screen recordings with webcam, then sharing them instantly through a link. Captures can be annotated, and AI features generate titles and summaries. It is used by support, sales and product teams, works on macOS, Windows and Chrome, and integrates with tools like Slack, Jira and Zendesk.
9 Zight alternativesPros
- Screenshots, GIFs and recordings shared instantly by link
- Annotations plus AI-generated titles and summaries
- Integrates with Slack, Jira and Zendesk
Cons
- The free plan is restrictive compared with paid tiers
- Captures live in Zight's cloud, which may not suit every company policy
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPlatforms
