Movavi’s Screen Capture Studio is one of the highest-rated screen recorders. It has all the ingredients of a fantastic screen recorder, with the full range of editing tools to suit both casual and professional users. Just try screen capture software for Mac by Movavi: record desktop video, create video. Our screen video recorder for Mac is hassle-free and fun to use at any skill level. Tests – our screen recording software for Mac is good for any purpose.
In order to save you the trouble of searching through Reddit posts and lengthy discussions on online communities, we have compiled a list of the best screen recorder for Windows. The following list has been composed keeping in mind the diverse needs of users, ranging from basic screen recording software to feature-heavy options for gamers and professionals. So without further ado, let’s go through our list of the 8 best screen recording software for Windows: 8 Best Screen Recording Software for Windows Note: I tried these screen recording software on my HP laptop running Windows 10 Pro and they all worked as you’d expect them to. Most of the screen recorder apps are free, while some have free versions and free trials.
OBS Studio (Free) High-quality screen recording? Multi-platform streaming? Pro level editing and control tools?
OBS Studio is one of the most decked out screen recording software in the domain. It brings a vast set of video editing tools to the table, which is what makes it a favorite among the gaming community and professionals who know their way around video editing.
Pros: Unlike a host of other options in the domain, OBS does not impose a restriction on the length of videos one can record or stream, despite being absolutely free and open source. You can choose from various resolutions (HD, FullHD, etc.) and video formats (flv, mp4, mkv, etc.) to stream them on popular streaming platforms like Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Live and DailyMotion to name just a few. And yes, OBS Studio can stream games in full-screen mode and record videos at frame rates of up to 60FPS. All in all, you won’t be left wanting for more options if you jump the OBS Studio bandwagon, provided you manage to ace its UI. Cons: The sheer diversity of tools available in OBS Studio makes it an intimidating option for newbies, not to mention the fact that it takes a lot of time to customize and tweak the settings to one’s liking and comfort. Download OBS Studio 2. Camtasia (Free Trial) One of the most popular screen recorder software out there, Camtasia lives up to its name with a huge set of editing tools neatly arranged in an interface which makes it relatively easy to find and utilize them.
Annotations, transitions, animations, you name it, Camtasia has it. Pros: One of the most appealing aspects of Camtasia is the placement of beautification tools in its UI, which are easy to locate and even easier to use as they follow a simple drag-and-drop mechanism to apply them. The software has virtually every tool in the book (custom dimension, caption effects, cursor effects, timeline quizzes, etc.) to help you make that perfect video which can be shared on platforms like Vimeo and YouTube. Moreover, you can choose to save the edited videos either locally or on the Google Drive straight from Camtasia. Despite being free, there is no time limit on the length of videos one can record, which is a huge bonus.
Cons: The rich array of goodies offered by Camtasia place it in a class of its own, but they come at a steep price. Even though you get a free trial period of one month, you’ll have to shell out $99.50 just to upgrade and $199 to purchase a single user license of Camtasia’s Mac and Windows versions in a single bundle. So, unless you are deeply invested in the ecosystem and can fully utilize its vast toolkit, going for the app’s premium version won’t be a good idea, as there are other options available which are free. And also, Camtasia takes a lot of time (and apparently, resources too) to load, so if you install the software on a not-so-powerful system, be patient.
Download Camtasia (, full version at $99.50) 3. Movavi Screen Capture Studio (Free Trial). The Movavi Screen Capture Studio is a relatively lesser-known screen recording software for Windows, but don’t let its obscurity in the domain mislead you, as the Movavi offering is packed with all the core screen recording and video editing tools, and then some more.
Movavi Screen Capture Studio is equipped with some of the best video editing tools that are rarely found bundled with any other software in the segment. Pros: First things first, there is no time limit on the length of videos you can record with Movavi Screen Capture Studio. Aside from the core editing tools, the software also brings some novel beautification tools to the table such as mosaic, noise reduction, focus adjustment lenses, artistic blur tools, scenic filters, and stickers to name just a few. Text addition in various styles, stabilization, pan/zoom and frame-by-frame editing are some other options that make this software truly unique and totally worth a try. Cons: Although Movavi Screen Capture Studio’s UI is pretty clean and is loaded with features, the short free trial period of just 7 days is a bummer, plus, the exported videos have a big watermark slapped on them. Furthermore, whatever audio is recorded by users, only half of each audio file is saved in the trial mode. So, like it or not, if you want to use Movavi Screen Capture Studio for a long term, buying a premium version is the only option.
Download Movavi Screen Capture Studio (, with premium version starting $25) 4. TinyTake (Free Version Available) TinyTake is to screen recording what MS-Paint is to drawing. The way MS-Paint lets you perform basic image editing tasks like cropping and adding a splash of color, TinyTask will let you record short videos and capture screenshots with the same level of ease. Pros: If you want a simple tool to record your screen activity that won’t confuse you with a complicated UI, loads of commands and hidden tools, TinyTake is the ideal option for you. The software is really fast when it comes to recording screen activity and taking screenshots. Moreover, all the necessary tools are neatly laid out on the software’s home screen, from where you can choose to capture a still or record the complete screen’s activity (or just a section of it by manually adjusting the focus area). Furthermore, you also have the option to save them locally or on the 2GB free cloud storage that comes bundled with the free version.
Cons: While basic editing options like annotations and text addition are available for screenshots, you can not do the same with videos. All you can do is record videos of up to 5 minutes in the free version, which essentially means recording a gaming session is far beyond its reach. In order to use the software’s video editing tools and enable direct YouTube upload, you have to shell out $9.95 for a 1-week pass or you can go for a subscription plan that starts at $29.95/year, which also bring facilities like increased video recording limit, more cloud storage, etc.
Download TinyTake (, Premium version starts at $29.95/year or $9.95 for 1-week pass) 5. Icecream Screen Recorder (Free Version Available) Icecream Screen Recorder is one of the more capable screen recording software out there, thanks to its clean user interface and a rich array of tools that will let users easily control variables like aspect ratio (4:3 or16:9), video resolution (240p to 1080p) and audio bitrate among others. Pros: Icecream Screen Recorder lets you capture screenshots in a wide array of resolutions and videos in multiple formats such as MP4, WebM, AVI, etc.
You can convert the videos into GIFs and also upload them to YouTube directly from the software. Furthermore, you also have the option to save the recorded files locally or upload them to Google Drive and Dropbox. As far as screenshots go, one can add a number of effects such as arrows, text, and numbers among others to enhance their aesthetic appeal.
Cons: As is customary with a host of other screen recording software for Windows, Icecream Screen Recorder’s free version offers a very limited recording time i.e. Apart from that, tools such as a customized watermark for videos, video format selection, etc. Are only available in the software’s Pro version which costs $29.95. And hey, if audio quality matters a lot to you, I’m afraid that you’ll be left wanting for more if you give Icecream Screen Recorder a try. Download Icecream Studio (, Pro version at $29.95) 6. DVD VideoSoft’s Free Screen Video Recorder (Free Version Available) If you want a no-frills-no-fuss screen activity recording software that is easy to use, fast, and lives up to its promise, then DVD VideoSoft’s Free Screen Video Recorder is the perfect software for you.
Presenting itself as a tiny window with just 6 basic commands for capturing screenshots and recording videos, DVD VideoSoft’s solution is fundamental in its approach, yet sufficient for a quick use. Pros: DVD VideoSoft’s Free Screen Video Recorder is 100% ad-free, spyware-free and malware-free as per the developers.
You can capture screenshots in various file types (viz. PNG, JPEG, etc.) and videos without a time limit in a wide range of resolutions ranging from 240p to 1080p. In my time with the software, I found it to be quite fast as it saved the recorded files almost instantaneously to the designated folder as soon as one presses the stop button. Cons: The video you record using the software, despite its superb visual quality and audio clarity, will be an aesthetic mess.
A huge ‘DVD VideoSoft’s Free Screen Video Recorder’ watermark splashed dead center on the video. So, can it be removed? Yes, but only if you are willing to opt for the premium membership which starts at $19. Download DVD VideoSoft’s Free Screen Video Recorder (, Premium version at $19 for a year or $29 for unlimited usage) 7. Active Presenter (Free Version Available) Active Presenter is a screen recording software tailormade for folks who want to create content like software tutorials, video demonstrations, and training videos to name a few.
Aside from that, Active Presenter is quite easy to use with an easily navigable UI and a host of tools to edit the captured screenshots and videos. Pros: When it comes to making software simulations, Active Presenter transforms the daunting task into a breeze, as it automatically segregates the video into multiple slides, much like MS-PowerPoint. If you seek to record reaction videos, shoot live commentary videos, etc., then Active Presenter can prove to be one of the better options, thanks to the sheer ease of recording such videos and the wide selection of editing tools like Smart Capture, Audio/Video Overlay, multi-format export and object highlight among others.
And the best thing is, there is no time limit on the length of videos you can record. Cons: Active Presenter appears to have been designed with a niche audience in mind, and as such, it is not a particularly good option for gamers to record their virtual action and dope combos. Also, the controls and editing tools can be quite confusing for folks who want to use the tool just for basic screen recording tasks.
Moreover, the majority of editing tools, especially for videos, are exclusive to the software’s premium versions. Download Active Presenter (, Premium version starting at $149) 8. Ezvid (Free) ezvid is a somewhat barebones screen recording software, but that’s the real USP of ezvid, as it blends fundamental screen recording tools with a simple UI that will make newbies feel right at home. Pros: First of all, there is no premium version of the software, so you won’t be compelled to shell out some hard-earned money for a more feature rich version.
When it comes to functionalities, you can upload your reaction videos to YouTube straight from ezvid, add annotations, stickers, and symbols in the videos and also control playback speed. Moreover, ezvid’s sizeable library of background scores and voice synthesizer options are an added bonus, but, you can only record videos of up to 45 minutes in length. Cons: One of the biggest drawbacks of ezvid is the lack of advanced video editing tools as well as its slow video processing and effect application speed on audio/video files, despite the developers claiming it to be one of the fastest options in its domain. Moreover, the software requires 10GB of free hard drive space on a system to work, not to mention the bugs and glitches you’ll encounter while using the software.
Download ezvid In addition to the aforesaid list of screen recording software, I also tried a few other options too, like, and to name a few, but they all have some major drawbacks which prevent them from being a truly productive option for taking screenshots or recording screen activity. Some of them are either primitive by today’s standards while the others are buggy and laden with malware. SEE ALSO: The Best Screen Recorder Apps for Windows All in all, the aforementioned 8 software are indeed the best screen recording software for Windows that you can install on your PC.
So, what do you think about our selection of the best screen recording software for Windows? Did we miss any ‘truly productive’ alternative? Do let us know in the comments section below, and also tell whether the list helped you in downloading that perfect software for your screen activity recording needs.
There are no shortage of free, but when it comes to macOS, most screen recording apps are paid. Yes, you can use the in-built QuickTime to record your screen (which is what I was using so far) but if you do a lot of screen recording than QuickTime is not the most efficient way to go about it. Well, to start with, there is no keyboard shortcut, no video editor, and no auto saved. Sometimes QuickTime just doesn’t work unless you restart it. In short, if you do a lot of screen recording on your macOS, you need a third-party screen recording software. So, here are some alternatives to QuickTime to record a screencast on Mac for free.
Related: Best Screen Recorder For Mac 1. Apowersoft Screen Recorder is one of the popular free screen recording tools on any platform.
Once installed on your mac, select a region and start recording. In the screen recording frame, you can click on the drop-down option to pick up a resolution like 720p, 1080p, iPhone, iPad etc. This free app allows unlimited screen recording with no watermark, however, the paid version has a Video Converter and Video Editor. You can set the recording quality from 15-60 fps, depending on whether you want to use on the web or make a professional video. Apowersoft also offers a web-based screencast software which means you can record your screen without downloading any software, you need to install a launcher though if it’s the first time. Screen recorder robot lite is a bit more powerful than Apowersoft screen recorder.
The unique thing about this screen recorder is, once you stop your recording it opens that clip in the built-in video editor, where you can trim, crop, rotate, change the playback speed etc. From here you can either edit your video in the video editor or just close the window and the recording will be saved in your Pictures folder on your Mac. The only issue with this video recorder is – every time you stop the recording, it shows a pop saying the lite version only records for 600s (or 5 mins), and to get rid of it, you need to click cancel each time.
The apps support keyboard shortcut for – start, stop, pause the recording and can also capture screenshots. Verdict: Screen recorder robot lite is definitely one of the best feature-rich screencasting apps out there. If you need a build in video editor with your screen recorder then look no further. However, the only limitation to the app is – 5 mins of free recording, if you want more than that, its $7.99 for the full version. This app is not for everyone. Unlike all the other screen recording app in the list, which saves the recording to the local drive of your computer, Recordit uploads the video to the cloud storage. It’s meant for sharing videos quickly with remote co-workers.
So, here is how it works, once installed, you’ll see a tiny Recordit icon on the top menu bar of your macOS, click on that to record any area of your screen and when once done, click the stop button, seconds after that, you’ll get a link to share your screencast. Once the video is uploaded it automatically copy the link of that video to your clipboard, and store it on the server for the unknown amount of time. So you can always go back and find the link by right-clicking on the app.
However, there is no naming, so you’ll have to rely on time date stamp. One thing to keep in mind is – you need to have a good upload speed if you are planning to use this. I recorded a 3 min full-screen video on my 5k iMac and it took the app 4 minutes to upload it to the server. I’ve 8 Mb/s upload speed. And the final size of the video was 35 MB, so it’s safe to assume they are compressing the video footage. Recordit also has a video to gif option on their website.
So, if you want to quickly share a small screencast on Reddit, this will make it a lot easier. Verdict Recordit is for people who want to quickly share their screencast with other people. The recordings are limited to 5 mins only in the free version.
And there is no paid version of this app. However, there is one major problem with the app – it doesn’t keep a local copy of your recording, which means if the internet goes down for some reason, the video’ won’t be uploaded and you have to start all over. Overall it’s perfect for sharing an image or video quickly. But not if you want to use the screen recording in some other video. It’s hard to figure out how to install and use OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) at first. But after bit Google search, I was able to figure out how it works.
Once installed, the app gives you auto configuration pop-up, asking you whether you want to configure it, go for 1080p, etc. It’s basically meant for streaming, but if you want to use it not for streaming then you can configure it in the start pop page. Verdict: OBS is a popular screen recording software among YouTuber gaming channel.
It’s free, open source and highly customizable. However, it’s difficult to setup and use. If you are not a geek, you might have a difficult time to set it up and the given that better version is available, I guess you should skip this one. This is one of the best screen recording software available out there for free. Just after using this software for 5 minutes, I know my search for best screen recording app for Mac has ended. Like every other software in this list, it lets you capture full screen or just part of the screen. But on top of that, it also lets you capture a particular window with a webcam in Picture-in-Picture mode.
Although, there is no video editor for screen recording. Monosnap does provide an image editor for your screenshot where you can add arrows, annotation, text etc.
And once you are done you can either save your video in the local storage or upload it cloud storage like Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote. However, these services are paid for $8 in-app purchases. You can upload it for free on Amazon s3 or R0emote FTP server though. But the feature that really blown my mind is – the built-in image editor (mini photoshop) i.e. Say, you have screenshot that you want to quickly edit or a picture that you find on the Internet, then you can just copy that picture to your clipboard and then right-click on Monosnap in toolbar and select open in the clipboard, this will open the image directly in Monosnap editor. There is also an option to convert your video to gif.
Verdict: Overall, if you are looking for an advanced screen recorder for Mac, then look no further. Monosnap is best you can get for free. It can do everything a paid screen recorder does.
The only limitation is – you can not edit your video.