There are many reasons why you might want to record your screen. Maybe you need to create a tutorial for work, or perhaps you want to show off your gaming skills online. Whatever the reason, there are a lot of different screen recording tools out there.
In this blog post, we will take a look at six of the best screen recorders for PC and Mac and see how they compare. They are all compatible with Windows 10 and macOS 12 Monterey. Some of them also provide versions for Linux, iOS, and Android.
Loom
Loom claims to revolutionize the traditional office workflow. This tool enables you to record your screen, overlay webcam video, then share the screencast via a link. The recipient won’t even have to have an account or log in somewhere to watch it. Additionally, your colleagues will be able to leave comments and emoji reactions to specific moments of the video to keep everything transparent. These features make Loom one of the best solutions in asynchronous video messaging. It also lets you take screenshots, also shareable via links.
OS: Windows, macOS, Web (Chrome extension), iOS, Android
Pricing:
- free starter plan
- 14-day free trial
- paid plans (business and enterprise) start at $8 per month
The free plan includes all the basic features: screen recording, webcam bubble, editing tools, and unlimited transcriptions. The paid package adds a couple of extra pizzaz like custom branding, embedded links, password-protected videos, and drawing tools.
CloudApp
CloudApp is similar screen recording software that enables you to save your screen as a video, an annotated image, or GIF. The CloudApp team says you will be able to free your calendar from excessive meetings and replace them with handy video messages with screen sharing. An additional handy thing is that you can annotate any screenshot, providing extra information about the image. It’s an effective solution for customer support, product development, sales, and engineering.
OS: Windows, macOS
Pricing:
- free plan
- 7-day free trial
- individual paid plan starts at $9.95
- team paid plans start at $8 per user
The free plan enables you to record videos up to 1 minute, 30 seconds, and create 25 recordings in total in 720p quality. Paid plans don’t limit you in time and number of captures but do give you some extra capabilities: custom branding, transcription, single sign-on, and search.
OBS Studio
OBS Studio is a time-proven solution for many streamers and YouTubers. It’s a feature-rich tool that lets you do more than just record your screen. With OBS Studio, you can create professional-looking live broadcasts and video recordings. The software is also great for capturing gameplay, as it supports real-time video editing and provides various plugins. You can use hotkeys to start/stop recording, take screenshots, and more.
OS: Windows, macOS, Linux
Pricing: free and open-source
OBS Studio is completely free and doesn’t charge you for using the tools or adding plugins.
Movavi Screen Recorder
Movavi Screen Recorder is one of the simplest screen recorders for Windows 10 on our list. It’s great for beginners who need to record quick tutorials or capture online video calls. The program can record your screen in Full HD and save videos as MP4 or MOV files. You can also draw on your screen while recording, as well as demonstrate hotkeys and cursor movement. Movavi Screen Recorder also supports webcam recording and audio capture, with or without the screen. You can record audio from an external microphone or capture system audio from speakers or headphones. The program also enables you to take screenshots and edit them by adding text and other explanatory elements like arrows and highlights.
OS: Windows, macOS
Pricing:
- 7-day free trial
- 1-year license – $42.95
- lifetime license – $57.95
During your 7-day free trial, you can use all the tools without any limitations; however, your output videos will have a watermark.
ApowerREC
ApowerREC is a screen recording toolkit that comes with various extra features. With this software, you can record your screen and webcam at the same time, as well as capture audio from multiple sources. You can also schedule recordings, set up video editing tasks, and more. The application is quite intuitive and easy to use, with a minimalistic interface. It also provides multiple exporting options, including sharing to YouTube, Dropbox, Google Drive, FTP servers, and RecCloud.
OS: Windows, macOS, Android, iOS
Pricing:
- lifetime license – $129.9
- annual subscription – $59.9
- monthly subscription – $29.9
- free trial period
ApowerREC won’t add a watermark to your videos if you use the trial version. However, your recordings will be limited to 1 minute, and you can process footage (edit, join, and compress) of only up to 1 minute.
Icecream Screen Recorder
Icecream Screen Recorder is the last tool on our list that’s great for recording both your screen and webcam at the same time. The program also enables you to record system audio, set hotkeys, take screenshots, and more. One of the most convenient features is that Icecream Screen Recorder lets you add a custom watermark to your videos. The application is quite intuitive and easy to use, with a user-friendly interface. It’s also available in 47 languages.
OS: Windows, macOS, Android
Pricing:
- free plan is available
- lifetime license – $29.95
The free version of Icecream Screen Recorder is fully functional. However, you can only save videos in WebM, and your recording cannot exceed 5 minutes. In the PRO version, you will be able to save videos in AVI, MP4, MOV, schedule recordings, and capture desktop without any time limit.
Conclusion
When looking for a screen recorder, it’s important to decide what your needs are. If you need a tool that can record both your screen and webcam simultaneously, then Movavi Screen Recorder or Icecream Screen Recorders are good options. If you want a screen recorder that also offers video editing features, then OBS Studio and ApowerREC are a good choice. If you want extra pizzaz for enhancing the workflow – instant reactions and annotations – pick Loom or CloudApp