Free picks
8 Best Free Screen Recorders
Recording your screen is the quickest way to explain a bug, show a process or make a tutorial. These screen recorders are free or have free plans, from shareable video messages to open-source apps with no watermark and no time limit.
Short answer
Our top picks for free screen recorders are Loom, OBS Studio and Cap. Of the 8 picks on this list, 5 are completely free and 3 have a free plan.
Updated
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The list
Every pick is free or has a usable free plan. Pricing and features change, so check each tool's own site before you commit.
- 1
Replace meetings with quick async video.
Why it stands out: Kills unnecessary meetings
Best for Remote Workers, Teams, Managers · Web App
- 2
Free, open-source software for screen recording and live streaming.
Why it stands out: Completely free and open source, no watermarks or time limits
Best for Creators, Developers, Remote Workers · Desktop App
- 3
The open-source alternative to Loom: record your screen and share a link.
Why it stands out: Open source (mostly AGPLv3), with a self-hosting option
Best for Remote Workers, Teams, Creators · Desktop App
- 4
A free, privacy-friendly screen recorder and annotation tool for Chrome.
Why it stands out: Unlimited recordings at no cost
Best for Remote Workers, Creators, Teams · Browser Extension
- 5
Free, open-source screenshots, screen recording and GIFs for Windows.
Why it stands out: Free and open source (GPL-3.0)
Best for Developers, Remote Workers, Personal Use · Windows App
- 6
An open-source screen recorder for Mac built with web technology.
Why it stands out: Free and open source
Best for Creators, Developers, Designers · Mac App
- 7
Create polished demo videos without editing skills on Mac, Windows and Linux.
Why it stands out: Polished demos with zero editing skills
Best for Creators, Developers, Marketers · Desktop App
- 8
Edit video and podcasts by editing the transcript.
Why it stands out: Text-based editing is dramatically faster
Best for Creators, Marketers, Freelancers · Desktop App
Frequently asked questions
- Which of these free screen recorders is the top pick?
- Loom is our first pick. Replace meetings with quick async video. Loom has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features or usage.
- Are all of these screen recorders free?
- Every pick is free to start. 5 picks are completely free, and 3 have free plans with paid upgrades for more features or usage.
- Which ones are easiest for beginners?
- Loom, Cap and Screenity are rated beginner-friendly in our directory, along with 3 other picks.
- What platforms do these tools run on?
- The most common platforms are macOS (6 of 8 picks), Windows (6) and Web (3). Check each tool's page for its full list of platforms.
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