Tools for recording your screen for tutorials, bug reports or presentations. First decide whether you need the whole screen or one window, and where the audio should come from.
Good to know: Free-use terms vary by tool and plan. When a card lists no tool-specific limit, check quotas, watermarks and export terms on the official page.
OpenScreen is a free, open-source screen recorder and demo-video editor for Windows, macOS and Linux that records, transcribes and renders on your own computer.
Screen Recording
Good to know: Requires desktop installation.
Microsoft Clipchamp is Microsoft's online video editor that records the screen, webcam and audio in the browser and lets you continue editing the video in the same place.
Screen Recording
Loom is a video recording and sharing tool that records the screen and webcam and turns them into a shareable link, with a desktop app and a Chrome extension; it requires an account.
Screen Recording
Good to know: Requires desktop installation.
OBS Studio is free, open-source software for Windows, macOS and Linux that combines screen, window, webcam and audio sources in scenes for recording or live streaming.
Screen Recording
Good to know: Requires desktop installation.
Reframed is a free, open-source macOS app that records the screen, a window, a region or a connected iPhone or iPad, then edits with trimming, zoom and captions.
Screen Recording
Good to know: Requires desktop installation.
Better Shot is a free, open-source app for macOS 26 and later that takes screenshots, marks them up with arrows and text, polishes them and records the screen.
Screen Recording
Good to know: Requires desktop installation.
ShareX is a free, open-source Windows tool that captures and annotates screenshots, records the screen, makes GIFs and can upload the result to destinations you choose.
Screen Recording
Good to know: Requires desktop installation.
Snow Shot is an open-source tool for Windows and macOS that captures and annotates screenshots, extracts text from images, records the screen and pins images on top of the screen.
Screen Recording
Good to know: Requires desktop installation.
Make a short test recording and watch the selected area, the cursor and any camera overlay. Listen to the microphone and system audio separately; systems such as macOS may require you to grant the app screen recording and microphone permission.
Check recording length limits, watermarks, resolution and export formats for the free version on the product’s official page. If recordings are uploaded to the cloud, also check who can open the share link and how long recordings are kept.
Can I record system audio too? It depends on the operating system and the tool; some setups capture only the microphone. Test by recording a few seconds of a video with sound. Ask for permission before recording calls that include other people’s voices or faces.
Is this the same as taking screenshots? Screen recording produces video, which suits showing a process step by step or reproducing a bug. To share a single moment or add notes on top of it, screenshot tools are quicker.
This comparison is based on published official documentation. It is not a hands-on test or a quality ranking. Unknown features are not treated as verified.
| App name | Where will you use it? | Free output | No account needed | No watermark | Works offline | Batch processing | Content language | Good to know / Sources and review date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenScreen | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not verified | Not verified | Requires desktop installation. Available features may vary by device and access method. Sources and review date |
| Microsoft Clipchamp | Website | Yes | No | Yes | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Check each tool’s plan separately; one feature’s allowance does not cover another. High-resolution output and advanced tools may require a different plan. Available features may vary by device and access method. Sources and review date |
| Loom | Desktop | Yes | No | No | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Check each tool’s plan separately; one feature’s allowance does not cover another. Requires desktop installation. Available features may vary by device and access method. Sources and review date |
| OBS Studio | Desktop | Yes | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Requires desktop installation. Available features may vary by device and access method. Sources and review date |
| Reframed | Desktop | Yes | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Requires desktop installation. Available features may vary by device and access method. Sources and review date |
| Better Shot | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not verified | Not verified | Requires desktop installation. Available features may vary by device and access method. Sources and review date |
| ShareX | Desktop | Yes | Yes | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Requires desktop installation. Available features may vary by device and access method. Sources and review date |
| Snow Shot | Desktop | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Requires desktop installation. Available features may vary by device and access method. Check the official page for current quotas and output conditions. Sources and review date |