From presentations and software demos to how-to videos, tutorials and webinars, the uses for screencasts are wide ranging. Screencasts have become a popular way to record what’s happening on your computer screen, in order to explain digital processes in a simple and entertaining way. There are numerous programs available for making screencasts, some of which even offer a free version. So which screencast software is right for you? Keep reading for a hand-picked selection of the best programs, as well as an explanation of what to look out for when making your choice.
- Screencast software in comparison
What should you consider when choosing screencast software?
Screencast-O-Matic offers teams video creation solutions for faster, clearer communication. Videos for coaching, marketing, demos, training and more. Quickly create videos, manage content and collaborate with your team. Video to get the job done. Let’s look at the app in more details. Installing Screencast-o-matic on Windows & Mac. Screencast-o-matic is available in Windows, Mac, iPad, iPhone, Android, and Chromebook. To install the app on Windows and Mac, just visit the download page, click Launch Free Recorder, and the installer file will download. The file is tiny, so it won’t.
There are a number of factors that come into play when it comes to choosing screencast software. A lot depends on your personal preferences and what you need from the program.
- Operating system: Make sure that the screencast software is compatible with your operating system. Not all programs are available for all operating systems.
- Price: Free screencast software can sometimes provide you with all the features you need. One of the main reasons to invest in paid software is if you want to use your video for commercial purposes.
- Features: With free screencast software, you can make a recording of your screen, record audio content, and cut your video. Paid software offers a wider range of features for post-production and makes your screencast look more professional.
- Complexity: Programs with a wider range of features tend to also be more complex. If you don’t have any previous experience with screencasts and don’t have a specific need for more advanced post-production features, we recommend that you start with a more simple screencast app.
- Exporting: The file formats that are available for exporting are usually rather limited in free screencast software. Make sure that the app you’re considering offers the format that you need.
- Memory: Memory is another way that free screencast software often shows its limits. Check the maximum recording length and available storage space for your app before committing to it.
In some cases, you don’t even need to download a separate app to make a screencast. Mac screenscan be recorded using the pre-installed screenshot app or the QuickTime player. In Windows 10, you can make a screencast using the XBox Game Bar. However, you won’t be able to cut your video or do any post-production with these apps, so it will often be worth it to look into free alternatives.
Screencast software in comparison
Now that you know what to look for in a screencast software, let’s take a look at some of the most popular apps.
Screenrec: A free tool for all operating systems
The screencast software Screenrec is known for offering a simple and safe way to share screen recordings. The app saves your videos in the cloud after you’re done recording and generates a link that you can use to access the screencast. If your recording contains sensitive data, you can set a password. Screenrec also allows you to restrict access to certain IP addresses or geolocations.
You’re offline and want to make a screencast? That’s possible as well, since Screenrec automatically syncs your local drive with the cloud as soon as you’re connected to the Internet again. In the meantime, you can save your videos locally as an MP4.
Screencast provides you with 2 GB of cloud storage for free - that comes out to around 10 hours of video footage.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| ✔ Available for Windows, macOS and Linux | ✘ Upgrade not available |
| ✔ Completely free | |
| ✔ Simple and secure sharing with link | |
| ✔ No watermark | |
| ✔ Includes 2 GB of storage in the cloud |
Camtasia: Professional videos for beginners
Camtasia is a classic among screencasting apps. However, with a price tag of $250, it’s also the mostexpensive app on our list. Camtasia is known for its wide range of user-friendly features, making it a professional-level tool that’s also suited for beginners. In addition, there are also tutorials and instructions available to help you with the more complex features.
As a less expensive alternative, the software producer TechSmith offers a pared down alternative: With Snagit you can make professional screen recordings with layout templates for just $50.
The apps are available for Windows and Mac.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| ✔ Free test version for 30 days, with full range of features and watermark | ✘ Not available for Linux |
| ✔ Wide range of features | ✘ Relatively expensive |
| ✔ Professional | |
| ✔ User friendly |
ScreenFlow: An affordable alternative for Mac users
ScreenFlow presents Mac users with a more affordable alternative to Camtasia, at a price of $129. You can find out if the program suits your needs with a free test version, which allows you to explore the app’s full range of features. (However, all videos made in the test version will bear a watermark.)
After you’ve made your screen recording, you’ll have access to all of the features that typically come with video editing software - for example, inserting text, visualizing mouse clicks and keyboard input, transitions, and animations. After you’ve upgraded to the paid version, you’ll also gain access to a library of over 500,000 media files that you can use in your videos.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| ✔ Unlimited free test version with full range of features and watermark. | ✘ Only available for MacOS |
| ✔ Full range of video editing features | ✘ Paid |
| ✔ Media library with 500,000 files |
FlashBack Express: Quick and easy
This screencast software is a good choice for anyone who wants to create a screen recording as quickly as possible and doesn’t need a wide range of options for editing. You can use FlashBack Express to record your screen, webcam, and audio content. Afterwards, you can cut the video material to make individual clips.
Even in the free version, there’s no limit on the length of your recordings. Export formats are limited to MP4, AVI, and MWV, which should be sufficient for the most common use cases. Further export formats are available in the pro version, which costs $49. This version also offers more options for post-production, including inserting text, images, sounds, and video effects.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| ✔ Free version without recording time limits or watermark | ✘ Only available for Windows |
| ✔ Quick and easy to use | ✘ Limited export formats in free version |
| ✔ Upgrade possible |
OBS Studio: The open source software for pros
OBS Studio is open-source software that’s compatible with all operating systems. The app is mainly used for broadcasting live streams. Its use as a screencast software is mostly interesting for professionals and plugin developers. The video editing features are extensive and complex, ranging from transitions, color correction, and chroma keying to a professional audio mixer.
The extensive API makes it possible for plugin developers to adapt the software and integrate features.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| ✔ Open source | ✘ Very complex |
| ✔ Completely free | ✘ Not suitable for beginners |
| ✔ Available for all operating systems | |
| ✔ Extensive video editing features |
Screencastify: Chrome extension for screen recordings
Screencastify is a free extension for the Chrome browser that’s perfect for quickly making screen recordings. The downside: Videos have a maximum length of five minutes, though the number of videos you can record is unlimited. With an upgrade to the paid version for $50 a year, you’ll be able to record without any limits.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| ✔ Simple screen recordings | ✘ Recordings limited to 5 minutes in free version |
| ✔ Upgrade possible | ✘ Requires Chrome browser |
| ✔ Compatible with all operating systems |
HiDrive Cloud Storage with IONOS!
Based in Europe, HiDrive secures your data in the cloud so you can easily access it from any device!
Side-by-side comparison of the 6 screencast softwares
Already lost track of all the options? This table sums up the most important features of the six screencast softwares we’ve covered.
| Windows | macOS | Linux | Limits of the free version | Paid version | Our tip | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screenrec | X | X | X | 2 GB storage | Not available | The best free app |
| Camtasia | X | X | 30-day test version with watermark | $50 / $250 | Good for beginners | |
| ScreenFlow | X | Unlimited test version with watermark | $129 | Alternative to Camtasia for Mac users | ||
| FlashBack Express | X | Export formats limited to MP4, AVI, and MWV | $49 | Perfect for beginners | ||
| OBS Studio | X | X | X | No limits | Not available | Only for pros |
| Screencastify | X | X | X | Maximum five minute length per video | $49 per year | Perfect for spontaneous use |
The most important factor to take into consideration when choosing a screencast software is the compatibility with your operating system. Since all of the apps we discussed offer a free version, you can test them out and then decide for your personal favorite.
Screencasting software is often used for various demonstration purposes with your screen recordings and to create amazing tutorial videos. Screen recording tools are very helpful for sharing content with others and streaming live. Most of the free screencasting software runs perfectly on any platform regardless of the operating system you are using.
There are several free screen recording software that works perfectly in Mac or Windows operating system. The screencasting software is mostly free but if you need proper screencasting software with a multitude of different extraordinary features then you should go for the premium best screen recording software.
Free Screencasting Software
Here are few of the best screencasting software for you to check out.
CamStudio
If you are using Windows operating system then it is one of the best screen recording software that you should look out for. CamStudio, as it is most popularly called, is free open source software that helps you to create AVI video files of all the activities on your monitor screen.
CamStudio is so easy to use that you can learn it in a few moments even without having any prior knowledge of using any screencasting software. The website of this popular software claims that the size of the videos that you will create by using CamStudio will be much lesser than the ones created with any other screen recording software and will also be much better in quality.
Note: You can try these top screen recording software for free.
Screencast-o-Matic
It is a popular web-based screencasting software. Although it has a desktop app its web version is far better than the desktop application. Screencast-o-Matic is one of the most popular screen recording tools that you can get for your windows operating system without having to pay anything.
It is completely free to use and quickly broadcasts whatever there is on your desktop screen or whatever your computer can see through the webcams. Screencast-o-Matic offers several features but it works far better in the premium mode than the free one.
Jing
Jing is a free screencasting tool that can be used on both Windows and Mac operating systems. Moreover, this software is completely free to use. Jing offers you all kinds of features that you want from at a screencasting application although there are certain limitations to those features.
Jing allows you to record any specific part of the screen but the recording time limit is only 5 minutes. With Jing, you will also be able to share videos on any website including sites like YouTube or Vimeo and you will even be able to share your videos through email. The free version comes with a watermark on the videos; you will have to upgrade to the paid version to get rid of the watermark.
You can also do screen captures using Jing with features like text, annotations, etc.
You Might Like:Best Explainer Video Creators
Nimbus Plugin
If you are looking for a lightweight way to manage a screen recorder, then the Nimbus chrome & firefox plugin is for you. You just need to install this plugin from the for your web browser
Nimbus offers the following features.
- Screen captures with scroll
- Screen recording
- Webcam recording
Quicktime Player
The version of the Quicktime player which is usable only in Mac OS offers some easy-to-use screen recording features. Although the screencasting features are highly limited but it provides almost all the features that you require to create a screencasting video. Moreover, it is completely free as you do not need to pay anything for it.
This screencasting software records the videos in H.264 format so that the videos are easy to upload and can be shared on different websites easily.
Quicktime is the best screencast software for mac which comes with the system by default.
Icecream Screen Recorder
Icecream Screen Recorder is a popular screen recording tool for the Windows operating system users. It provides you with efficient screen capturing and screen recording features for free. With Icecream recorder, you can easily capture screenshots of specific parts of your desktop screen or you can make an excellent screencasting video.
Icecream recorder is completely free and you can use it on any Windows version with the same efficiency. It has great features and it allows you to record anything that is on your desktop; even you can record videos when you are playing games or having face time on Skype.
Ezvid Easy Screen Recorder
It is a popular screen recording tool that comes with a multitude of features and is perfect for the Windows operating system users. Ezvid is a free source web-based screencasting tool and it is also one of the easiest screencasting software that you can use to make your tutorial videos or the demonstrations.
Ezvid has an inbuilt video recorder, voice recorder, face camera, voice synthesis and cutting-edge features which make it one of the best free screencasting software for the Windows operating system.
iSpring Free Cam
iSpring is a famous screen recording tool for the Mac OS which has a cushy user interface and all the features that are necessary including 1080p HD recording.
Screencast App For Kindle
Moreover, it is completely free to use and you can simply download it from your Apple app store. iSpring provides various features such as video trimming, noise removal, user narration and lots of other interesting features which make it one of the top free screencasting apps for the Mac OS.
Screencast O'matic For Mac
ShareX
Screencast Download App
ShareX is a screen capturing software and it gives the widest range of most interesting features for uploading screencast videos to different websites and social networking sites. Although it is very good at uploading videos it does not provide any editing feature. ShareX is ideal for windows OS users and it is also completely free to use.
Monosnap
Monosnap is a screen capturing and screen recording software which is suitable for use in both Windows and Mac OS. It is a free source screencasting tool that you can use with relative ease. Although it does not allow any specific resolution for the screencast video recording it does not allow full-screen recording.
Moreover, mon snap does not provide any editing features for the recorded videos although you can still draw some lines on the video you have recorded.
If you are a blogger, vlogger or website owner, screencasting makes it easy for us to make professional tutorial videos and demonstrations. There are several screencasting software tools available in the market of which some are free and the rest are paid. Use the paid screencasting software for better features and reliability than the free ones.