As the title reads, today’s article will help you choose the best screen recording software out there, and the best news for “screen sharing” aficionados is that most of this stuff is absolutely free of charge. Why should you use screen recording software in the first place, you asked?
Well, think along the lines of game recording software. Are you starting to get the “picture”? Since we live in the day and age of live-streaming, gamers are also using screen capture software to show their followers on Twitch or whatever software they’re using nowadays, how to kill the biggest boss in style, or how to get through a difficult level. We’ve already combed the drag-net for the best screen recording software, so you won’t have to, and we’ve selected no less than 13 great tools. Stick around, because you’re in for a real treat.
How to Choose the Best Screen Recording Software
If you’re an old Linux user like yours truly, you probably know that old saying, #RTFM, right? So, before eating the “meat of the article”, let see what makes for great screen recording software in the first place. The basic criteria are as follows: proper screen recording software must be able to allow you to record your entire screen, or a specific area, or just one window. Then, you should be able to superimpose your webcam feed over the screen capture thing. In terms of audio, look for simultaneous system audio and microphone recording, and then, as usual, a friendly user interface is nice to have, especially if you’re a total “n00b”, i.e. this is your first time playing with screen recording software.
As an extra, having built-in exporting/video sharing tools would be nice, but hardly a deal-breaker. With all these things in mind, let’s get to the actual list?
Best Screen Recording Software
CamStudio
The Best Free Screen Recording Software
Despite of what one might believe reading the title, CamStudio is not for cam-girls, but for IT professionals. What is it, you asked? Well, if you’re looking for open-source (read free) recorder streaming video software, you’ve just found your match in CamStudio. This desktop screen recorder can record both screen and audio activity on your laptop or PC, and, on top of that, you’ll get .AVI video files with the respective “activity” rendered instantly via CamStudio’s built-in SWF Producer.
But wait, there’s more: the software is able to further turn the .AVI files into SWFs. If you’re already lost, SWF stands for Streaming Flash videos, i.e. bandwidth-friendly stuff. Speaking of user-friendliness and ease of use, CamStudio basically allows you to record everything from your screen (audio included), add annotations and then save your activity in any video format you like, everything open-source and free of charge. There are no size limitations in regard to file length, the interface is very simple and you’ll get lots of customization features.
Moreover, CamStudio allows you to capture your entire screen, or, if one so inclined, just the active window or the desired area (manually selected, obviously). Finally, one of our favorite features is the ability to capture screenshots (still frames if you like) at regular intervals, instead of recording video continuously.
- captures everything: video, screenshots, audio
- deceptively simple to use
- open source
- no size/file length limitations
- exports finished recordings in all formats
- zero ads
- completely free of charge
- comes with the advanced annotation tool
- highly versatile
- regularly updated
- none we can think of
Bandicam
The Best Screen Recording Software for Gamers
To make a long and boring story short, Bandicam is one of the best screen recorder and capture software out there, which allows you to record literally anything: videos of tutorials, webcams, gaming sessions, demonstrations etc. in 4K Ultra HD video up to 3840×2160 resolution, and over twenty four hours non-stop. Looking at these metrics alone, it becomes pretty clear that Bandicam is a serious piece of screen recording software, and here’s another cool thing: it allows simultaneous webcam overlay while recording!
Basically, Bandicam ticks all the important boxes we told you about in the short preamble of today’s article, and it makes for a jack of all trades, master of ALL, i.e. an all-in-one solution to all your recording needs: games, screen and devices. One of the most important qualities of Bandicam is that it allows you to capture video/screenshots of anything while keeping the level of quality of the original source. And we’ve saved the best for last: there’s a free version of Bandicam, as well as a paid version. And both are incredibly easy to use!
- light on resources
- friendly user interface
- allows you to record a specific area
- free version available
- allows real-time drawing on your screenshot/video
- allows webcam overlay
- you can mix your voice in the videos you’re recording
- allows mouse effects while recording
- excellent performance via hardware-accelerated H.264/HEVC encoder
- recorded file-size is tiny compared to other software
- some users complain about corrupted videos/crashes
Snagit
A Meme Lord’s Best Friend
Snagit is arguably one of the best screen capture software out there, and yes, this may already sound redundant. However, what’s different about Snagit is that it makes for one of the few programs to feature advanced image editing, as well as screen recording tools as built-in options. The interface is well designed, intuitive and easy to use, and it allows you to do literally anything, ranging from capturing your whole screen (desktop), region, window or even scrolling screen.
Obviously, Snagit works great with taking screenshots too, and it permits you to easily annotate them with a few clicks via the software’s full-suite of built-in editing tools. Moreover, you can add custom graphics, edit the screenshots and even create images of your own.
- well-designed interface
- intuitive and easy to use
- comes with a plethora of built-in tools
- highly customizable
- allows to record and share your screen
- you can capture virtually any part of your screen
- allows adding details to capture
- allows combining images to make collages/memes or whatever
- allows sharing and exporting your screenshot
- 15-day free trial available
- supports high DPI displays
- it’s not free
- you can export videos in just 1 format
TinyTake
The Best Screen Recording for Windows
Next in line we have TinyTake, which makes for yet another take on free screen capture software that works equally well both on Mac and Windows machines. Built by MangoApps, TinyTake is absolutely free of charge and it allows you to capture both images and videos of your screen, share them with others or add comments/annotations hassle-free, in a matter of minutes.
There’s a small caveat to video capture, as the saved video is limited to two hours/120 minutes. The good news is that you can capture basically everything: your whole screen, or just a region; on top of that, you can easily annotate your screenshots with a text box or whatever, and then share your screen with your online friends via a shareable link.
Bottom line, if you’re looking for good freeware that allows you to capture/record your screen hassle-free and user-friendly, look no further than TinyTake. If you’re a gamer, be advised: TinyTake is not built for capturing games. If you’re into that, try OBS Studio for example or Bandicam.
- absolutely free
- gets the job done drama-free
- intuitive interface
- easy to use
- affordable (and feature-rich) paid plans available
- you can record a video with your webcam
- screenshots/videos can be saved in the cloud
- works on both Windows and Mac machines
- not suitable for big broadcasts
- free version is limited in features
Screencastify
The Best Option for Chrome
Screencastify is a very interesting option if you’re looking to record your browser tab, on top of recording your screen, webcam and so on and so forth. There’s even a special add-on for the Chrome browser, which is free to use and allows you to capture your browser tab with a single click, a cool feature that makes Screencastify the number-one screen recorder for Chrome.
One of Screencastify’s top “selling” points is the Chrome compatibility (Chrome is the most popular web browser by the way) and simplicity, including the fact that you can record all your screen activity inside a tab, audio included, at a flick of the switch so to speak. All you have to do is press Record, and you’ll record the content of your tab hassle-free.
Another nice feature in our view is that all recorded videos are stored on a local HTML5 file, i.e. there’s no “offshoring” to cloud or wherever, everything’s done “locally”, not globally. Obviously, since we’re talking about Google-centric software, you can always store your recordings on Google Drive to save space, if one so inclined.
- literally lives in Chrome browser
- easy to use and setup
- allows you to annotate your recordings
- Google Drive compatible
- great for marketers, UX designers and schools
- free version available
- unlimited video length on premium plan
- you can record offline
- you can publish your screen-capture directly on YouTube
- any YT broadcaster’s dream
- free version is limited to 10-minute video length
Open Source and Free
Speaking of cool names, ShareX sounds awesome, as it reminds us of SpaceX, but what’s in a name, right? Joke aside, ShareX makes for open-source screen recording software, and, as you’ve may already guessed, it’s absolutely free of charge, which makes it the best of both worlds. Hence, if you’re looking for secure, free and open-source screen capture software that also allows you to share files and works wonders in terms of productivity, ShareX ticks all the important boxes: it’s free, easy to use even for non-techies, there are no annoying ads, it’s light on resources, supports over 80 destinations and allows customizable workflows.
Since we’re talking screen capture here, ShareX allows you to capture the entire screen, or just the monitor menu, the last region, scrolling capture, custom region, active window and even text capture (OCR), to name just a few. Speaking of versatility and feature-rich software, ShareX has them all.
- free/open source
- reliable and efficient screen capture
- feature-rich and highly customizable
- allows for multiple capture modes
- features automated capture (takes screenshots regularly)
- multiple upload options
- easy to use
- great for file sharing
- comprehensive support out of the box
- Google Drive compatible
- none really
Icecream Screen Recorder
Master of Productivity
During hot summer days, what else could be better than an Icecream Screen Recorder to boost productivity through the roof? Seriously, that’s how those dudes chose to name their product, and their strategy worked, as they’ve got our attention. Icecream Screen Recorder is an ergonomically designed and absolutely free screen recording software that allows you to do a lot of cool things: you can record basically any region of your screen, or save it (screenshot that is), as well as record games and apps, webinars, video tutorials, Skype calls, live streams and more, 100 percent hassle-free.
And the cherry on top is that you can record your screen session along with webcam and audio. There are two versions of the software: the free-for-all stuff and a Pro edition. Regardless of what you’re choosing, you’ll be a happy camper, as both versions feature scheduled screen recording, trim recordings (you can cut videos as you see fit) and various cool settings.
- lightweight and easy on resources
- comprehensive free version available
- tons of features
- cool interface
- allows you to convert videos in various formats
- features scheduled screen recording
- multi-platform compatibility (Mac, Windows, Android)
- none really
FlashBack by Blueberry Software
Very Easy to Use
Speaking of charming names, FlashBack by Blueberry comes to mind, and besides a cool sounding name, this screen recording software suite is designed to make your workstation look truly professional. Back in the day, Blueberry used to be a big name in telecommunications, but nowadays it stands for no-nonsense screen recording software, which is both flexible and easy-to-use.
To make a long story short, if you’re looking for an elegant solution for making your own videos, FlashBack would make for the sensible option, especially if this is your first time tinkering with screen capture stuff. Amazingly enough, FlashBack is free to use, and can record both video and sounds from your PC or webcam, which makes it a great choice for vloggers (think tutorials, let’s play videos or walkthroughs). There’s also a Pro version, which comes with more advanced features, the likes of frame-by-frame video/audio editing, PiP (picture in picture) video, plus annotations.
You can also export videos in various formats, including AVI, MP4 and WMW, and, if you’re a gamer, you’ll be thrilled to find out about FBX, a screen recorder from Blueberry specially designed for capturing HD in-game footage, which benefits from hardware acceleration.
- streamlined interface
- easy to use
- comes with all the important features
- features free (fully functional) version
- Pro version available
- does a great job as a screen recorder
- comes with dedicated gaming features
- no watermarks, no time limits
- none really
Camtasia
Great Tool for Pros
Camtasia is described by many as the go-to screen recording software for professional work. To make it really short and sweet, you must learn that Camtasia makes for a state of the art screen recorder and video editing software bundle, which works both on Windows and Mac OS. Hence, if you’re into making training, demos or tutorial videos, Camtasia has your name on it, especially if you’re also interested in a video editor, i.e. you’re looking for a comprehensive solution to all your video-related problems. Basically, Camtasia is an all-in-one screen recording software/video editing suite that allows you to first capture any action on your screen, then to edit/customize the respective video as you see fit.
It doesn’t get any better than that, believe us folks, but just as it’s the case with all good things in life, there’s a caveat to high quality: you’ll have to pay the premium. Yes, Camtasia “ain’t free”, unfortunately.
- comes with all the features in the world
- allows screen/webcam record AND editing
- you can add filters and effects to your recordings
- allows for music/audio customization
- you can add cool effects, including animation
- transition effects, Titles, Callouts, and Annotations available
- features MS PowerPoint Integration
- comes with Voice Narration and Caption for video-tutorials
- beginner-friendly
- intuitive user interface
- captures anything with or without audio feed
- stellar tech support
- expensive
- no auto-record option
Screencast-O-Matic
Automatic for the People
Screencast-O-Matic is a pretty funky name for screen recording software, but truth be told, marketing aside, this baby is a piece of work in the good sense of the word. So here’s what Screencast-O-Matic can and cannot do for you: first, its beauty is its simplicity, and also, it’s worth mentioning there are two versions of the software: a free and a premium/Pro one.
In laymen’s terms, Screencast-O-Matic makes for screen-casting software built for vloggers, tutorial-makers, teachers or whatever liberal profession requires you to broadcast your desktop.
The software is pretty feature-rich and easy to use, with straightforward mechanics so to speak, and our favorite feature is definitely the direct publishing thing, which allows you to publish your freshly-made video directly on world’s biggest platform, YouTube respectively. Just like most of its competitors, Screencast-O-Matic can record your screen and your webcam simultaneously, and, obviously, the paid version is better and comes equipped with all the bells and whistles one can think of, including stuff like onscreen drawing, editing features, sync-recording and a zooming option.
- lots of features
- easy to use
- light on resources
- Pro version is not expensive
- allows screen recording, editing videos, sharing videos
- requires Internet-access to work
- free version is severely limited (cannot record audio, doesn’t allow full-screen recording etc.)
ScreenFlow
The Best Screen Recording Software for Mac
ScreenFlow is next on our best screen recording software list, but we have bad news for home users: there’s only a limited free-trial available, and buying options start at $129, which means these are not the free droids you were looking for. On the other hand, if you’re a professional looking to maximize your business impact or whatever corporate-lingo are they using nowadays, ScreenFlow would be the sensible option, as it makes for professional-grade video editing/screen recording software.
So, here’s what you can do with ScreenFlow: first, you can create stunning videos, and share them on social media or with your friends/colleagues/followers. Since we’re talking professional-grade software, ScreenFlow can do literally anything, ranging from stellar video editing features to capturing from all types of video sources, like camcorders, cameras, smartphones, or even load existing video-files. That on top of screen recording stuff, as you can imagine. Editing features include video effects, filters, extensive transitions and precise audio editing, while the user interface is intuitive and extremely clean.
- professional-grade screen recording software
- comes with all the features in the world
- works great on Mac OS
- incredibly easy to use
- full titling effects
- comprehensive audio control
- excellent for marketing pros and teachers
- no free version
- works on Mac OS only
Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder
Very Customizable Software
The best things in life are free, and the improbably named Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder is proof of that. Okay, maybe this is not the best screen recording software in the world, but it gets pretty close, at least as close to perfection freeware can get. So, what is it?
To make it really easy for our tired readers, Apowersoft makes for a feature-packed piece of screen recording software, which, amazingly enough, has no time limits or ugly watermarks. The cherry on top is that it literally runs in your web browser, which is pretty cool.
There are two screen recorders available from Apowersoft, but the Free Online version is what it interests us, as it’s free of charge, contains no ads, there are no paywalls or watermarks and, first and foremost, does a great job when it comes to screen recording. You can choose to record footage from your laptop/PC screen, or your webcam, and yes, that includes audio from a microphone/soundcard or whatever.
- freeware for all
- no watermarks, no time limits
- feature-rich
- very customizable
- impressive user experience
- easy to use
- can upload video on YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive or Dropbox
- works on Mac OS and Windows
- not suitable for gaming
Movavi Screen Recorder Studio
Great Choice for Professionals
Last but not least, we have Movavi, a screen recorder software suite built with professionals in mind, which means we’re not talking freeware here. Even if there’s a free trial available, you’ll have to pay almost $40 for the basic screen-recorder, while the 8-apps-in-1 video suite costs twice as much.
However, if you’re looking for something that can record live streams (think gaming), apps, webinars, and can easily grab sound from your speakers and/or microphone, and also capture webcam output with flying colors, no time/size limits and no watermarks, it doesn’t get any better than Movavi. More advanced versions allow you to share your videos on social media, to create complete clips/movies from your footage, add all kinds of special effects and animated titles and so on and so forth. Yeah, this is professional-grade software, kids.
- professional screen recording software
- highly versatile
- feature-rich
- intuitive user interface
- full image editing options
- free trial available
- lots of sharing tools
- works both on Windows and Mac OS
- can’t capture footage on 2nd monitor
Thanks for your posting! It helps a lot. Actually, I’ve been using Bandicam you mention in this post. It’s pretty cool!
how is cam studio number 1 for 2020 when “Latest Version: CamStudio 2.7.2 (Build r326)
October 19th 2013” this is from their website. Are you saying its better than OBS Studio who is still up to par on releases.
Hi Albert,
No. We don’t base our lists on “from best to worst” logic. Besides, CamStudio is extremely lightweight, easy to use and free. We think it’s a great choice if you need something simple that just works.
Snagit and Camtasia are both from techsmith and the former one focuses more on screenshot and edits. Can you review more apps like RecMaster, RecExperts and DemoCreator from Wondershare? I thinks many users must have googled them out just like me..