10 Best Screencasting & Screen Recording Software

When you are on a live video call, you can put across your words well. You can explain all that needs to be explained.

But imagine a situation where a video call or an audio call is not possible, and you need to explain complex things with texts.

Articulation might be a serious impediment to communication. You can miss out on certain things. You may not be able to articulate stuff the way it is expected.

This is where screencasting and screen recording software comes in handy, especially when you need to show your screen to many people. A visual aid is going to help you and others in better explaining and understanding things, respectively.

So, can you think of situations where screencasting and screen recording can come in handy?

Let me help!

What about explaining a step-by-step setup process for an application? A screen recording showing everything one step at a time will be beneficial.

What about showing the steps that lead to an error? How will someone trying to extend technical assistance replicate the error? A screen recording will become handy.

There are many such scenarios that can be cited to prove that screencasting and screen recording software is a vital tool that everyone should possess.

In this article, I am going to give you a list of 10 best screencasting and screen recording software that you can use daily. I will break the list into two segments. One segment will list the paid options, while the other segment will list only the free options.

Sounds Good?

Let us start!

Best Screencasting & Screen Recording Software – Paid Options

#1. Camtasia – Windows & Mac

A product from TechSmith, Camtasia came into existence in the year 2002. Its initial purpose was to help people create video tutorials and screencasts. The program has come a long way supporting a massive range of file formats in both importing and exporting videos.

Compatible with both Mac computers and Windows PCs, you can use Camtasia for creating educational videos, marketing videos, and YouTube videos.

If you happen to be a videographer or a designer, you will find Camtasia to be especially useful when you try to make your videos appear to be the work of professionals.

Camtasia comes with a range of excellent features that you will find interesting and extremely helpful. What are those features? Let us find out.

Camtasia Features

• The program allows users to add annotations, eye-catchy effects, and titles with absolute ease.
• Not only video recording, but you can also record audio simultaneously.
• It integrates with Microsoft Outlook flawlessly.
• In the videos you record, Camtasia will allow you to add pan, zoom in, zoom out effects.
• The program allows generating dynamic video content with in-video clickable links. This ensures that your videos are interactive.
• Camtasia can record a large number of things including voice recordings, webcam, presentations, PowerPoint, computer screens, and more.
• You can also edit your screen recordings and add whiteboard animations and visual effects.
• To make your videos far more interactive and engaging, Camtasia allows adding quizzes.
• Types of videos you can record using Camtasia include instructional videos, training & demo videos, presentations & webinar recordings, how-to & explainer videos, video lessons & video tutorials, meeting recordings, YouTube videos, etc.

Pros & Cons of Camtasia

The advantages of Camtasia include:

• Absolutely no limit on the video recording length.
• Easy integration with Google Drive.
• Works on both Windows and Mac computers.
• It offers discounts to both governmental and educational institutions.
• The program is available in different languages including English, French, Japanese, Chinese, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.
• It also offers access to 900,000+ royalty-free stock music and videos that you can use for your videos.
• They have a brilliant 30-day money back guarantee.

The disadvantages of Camtasia include:

• It has a steep learning curve when it comes to editing videos.
• Video editing capabilities are not highly advanced compared to its competitors.
• The pre-made sound themes are quite limited. You will not have many choices.
• If you want to record directly from your digital video camera, Camtasia cannot do that.

Camtasia Pricing

Camtasia comes with a price tag of $199. That is the one-time price you pay for a single license. If you want to try out their product prior to purchasing, you will get a 30-day free trial. You are also covered with a 30-day money back guarantee.

#2. Screencast-O-Matic – Browser-Based

Screencast-O-Matic is another famous screencasting and screen recording software. It was first launched in 2006, and ever since then, it has become one of the most-loved options. What sets it apart from Camtasia is that it can be launched directly from a browser, making it a great choice for those who are running short of local storage.

Furthermore, Screencast-O-Matic is platform-independent since it can work directly from a browser. You can use it on Windows, Mac, and Linux pcs. It also works with Chrome OS.

Screencast-O-Matic is extremely popular among students and teachers. It is extensively used for creating video assignments, lectures, and tutorials. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot use it for other purposes such as creating walkthroughs of video games, product demos, etc.

Screencast-O-Matic Features

• Screencast-O-Matic has an excellent array of tools that allow for amazing customization.
• It offers online backups for keeping your recording safe.
• The program allows adding infographics, animations, and music to the videos you create.
• The free screen recorder program comes with features like webcam recording, screen capture, and 15 minutes of audio recording.
• If you upgrade to the paid version, you can easily upload your videos to Vimeo, Dropbox, and Google Drive.
• The program allows adding texts, zooming in, and zooming out while recording videos.
• The paid version of the program allows editing, and even muting segments of video and audio of any screencast.
• The program also offers scripted recording options.
• It supports file formats like FLV, AVI, and MP4.

Pros & Cons of Screen-O-Matic

Screen-O-Matic has its fair share of advantages and disadvantages. Read on.

The advantages of Screen-O-Matic include:

• There is no time limit for the recordings.
• You can remove the watermark if you are using the paid version.
• Audio track editing is allowed.
• The paid version is one of the cheapest options you will get today.
• You can refer friends to earn discounts.

The disadvantages of Screen-O-Matic include:

• The free version will allow only 15 minutes of recording.
• In the free version you can never remove the watermark.
• The free version is so limited in features that you will feel frustrated.

Screen-O-Matic Pricing

There is a free version available that you can use forever. However, to get all the features, you must upgrade either to their Deluxe plan or the Premier Plan.

If you settle for the Deluxe plan, you must pay $1.50 a month. You will be billed yearly. The Premier plan will cost you $4 a month, billed yearly. Only the Premier plan will remove watermarks and ads. You will get extra bandwidth with the Premier plan.

#3. ScreenFlow – Mac Only

ScreenFlow is exclusively available only for Mac users. It is pretty advanced and allows recording a part of your screen or the entire screen – whatever you need.

There are some excellent customization abilities available with ScreenFlow, allowing users to insert, trim, delete, and readjust the recording to make it more acceptable. The program comes with closed-caption support, and you can even add professional motions.

Considering its feature sets, you will find the program to be an excellent choice for creating educational tutorials, product demos, training videos, etc. You can even add narrations, allowing a great degree of personalization.

ScreenFlow Features

ScreenFlow comes with some interesting features that include (but not limited to):

• Support for closed captions.
• Supports adding animation and motion graphics.
• Allows reliable iOS recording.
• It offers MP4 compatibility as well as encoding.
• Allows adding narration to the recorded videos.
• Allows adding texts on top of the recorded videos.
• Allows multi-source simultaneous recording.
• Allows adding reflection and drop-shadow.
• Supports Chroma key features.
• It can easily export multiple files at once.
• Allows exporting in various file formats like MP4, MOV, MV4, GIF, and AIFF.
• Allows uploading videos directly to Dropbox, YouTube, Google Drive, Facebook, and Vimeo.

Pros & Cons of ScreenFlow

Though ScreenFlow has a set of great features and advantages, it is also riddled with a number of disadvantages. Let us find out.

The advantages of ScreenFlow include:

• Exports videos in high quality.
• Allows high levels of customizations.
• It seamlessly integrates with Dropbox and other online storages.
• It offers batch export.
• You can add your narrations to make videos more effective.
• Offers excellent support, both online and over the phone.

The disadvantages of ScreenFlow include:

• It is a Mac-only product.
• It doesn’t list the media extensions it accepts.
• The UI is not very intuitive.
• Does not allow in-recording drawings.
• Transitioning from one stage to another is quite difficult.
• There are no free upgrades available.

ScreenFlow Pricing

ScreenFlow offers three pricing plans. It starts with a basic plan called ScreenFlow that costs $129. The next upgrade is ScreenFlow Super Pack that costs $175. The last option is ScreenFlow Super Pack + Premium Support that costs $209.

Remember that these are not one-time purchase plans. You must pay it every year. What’s horrible is that the prices can increase after a year.

#4. Movavi Screen Recorder – Both Windows & Mac

Movavi is another well-known name in the world of YouTube video producers. This business is responsible for the well-known Movavi Video Editor Suite and a slew of other critical tools that simplifies the life of video producers.

Movavi is renowned for its ease of use, while yet including some very strong capabilities that enable even the most inexperienced user to use the programs with reasonable ease while keeping a professional appearance. The Movavi Screen Recorder is one of the company’s several products. Notably, this PC screen recorder program is available in two flavors: as a component of the Movavi Video Editor Suite or as a standalone product.

Movavi Screen Recorder Features

• Allows adjusting screen size.
• Allows recording video and audio simultaneously. You can record them individually.
• It allows recording webcam.
• If you want, you can decide to display the mouse cursor.
• It also supports scheduled recording.
• It allows exporting in multiple formats including AVI, MP4, MOV, and MKV.

Pros & Cons of Movavi Screen Recorder

The advantages of Movavi Screen Recorder include:

• It has a simple and intuitive user interface.
• It allows uploading recordings directly to YouTube and Google Drive. You can directly share the recorded video to different social media platforms.
• Allows recording computer sound.
• Allows recording audio via microphone input.
• Offers a 7-day free trial.

The disadvantages of Movavi Screen Recorder include:

• Editing recorded videos requires a video editing program. If you purchase the Movavi Video Editor Suite, you don’t need a separate video editing program.
• It requires a powerful computer. Low-end computers can lead to occasional crashes.
• The trial version allows recording only 5 minutes of video.

Movavi Screen Recorder Pricing

The standalone application costs $39.95 for lifetime use on a single computer. As a bundled product with Movavi Video Editor Suite, it costs $79.95, or $64.95 if you opt for Movavi Video Editor Plus (which also bundles the screen recorder).

#5. Bandicam – PC Only

If you’re primarily interested in recording your gaming, Bandicam should be one of your preferred options. This screen recorder program for the PC was created with a primary focus on the gamers. However, it is capable of recording a variety of things in addition to your gaming. While Bandicam does provide a free version, it comes with significant restrictions. As a result, the premium version is a more rational choice.

Bandicam Features

• It allows recording screen and gameplay.
• The program has a high compression ratio yet never sacrifices the video recording’s quality.
• This program can even capture 4K movies at 120 frames per second refresh rate.
• The program has a feature called device recording that enables capturing content from Apple TV, PlayStation, Xbox, SmartPhone, HDTV, and IPTV. To use this feature, you will require a separate capture card.
• Additionally, the program supports capturing screenshots in three different formats including PNG, BMP, and JPG.
• The premium edition allows for up to 24 hours of recording! That is enormous!
• The program also supports voice mixing.
• It enables you draw, add text, and even capture screenshots throughout the video recording process.
• You can easily add various mouse click effects and different animations while filming.

Pros & Cons of Bandicam

Bandicam has its strengths and weaknesses. Here is what you must know:

The advantages of Bandicam include:

• It is great for balancing the depth of the recordings.
• It can record a variety of things like gameplay, spreadsheets, PowerPoint, web browser, and more.
• It allows capturing static screenshots.
• It allows 4K recording.

The disadvantages of Bandicam include:

• Output formats are quite limited to only AVI and MP4.
• Free version allows recording only for 10 minutes and leaves a watermark.
• There is no built-in video editor.
• It works only on Windows systems, and that too, on 64-bit systems.

Bandicam Pricing

One of the greatest advantages of Bandicam is that there are no recurring fees. You pay once and use it for a lifetime. However, there is a license limitation.

A single PC license will cost $39.95. Pricing keeps changing as you keep increasing the number of PC licenses you require. If you need licenses for 20 PCs, you must pay $500.00. If you want to upgrade license count, per additional license will cost $27.79.

#6. iSpring Cam Pro

In case you’re searching for software to assist you in recording gaming videos and videos for your YouTube channel, iSpring Cam pro disappoint you.

iSpring Cam Pro comes from the developers of iSpring Suite, which is an all-in-one solution for LMS integration and e-learning. It’s ideal for creating online courses, and many educators heavily depend on it. The whole suite includes many elements dedicated to developing courses, e-learning, and exams, among others. It is primarily targeted towards the education industry.

As far as the iSpring Cam Pro is concerned, it is an independent program that you can use only for your screencasting and screen recording needs. It is mostly designed for educators, but you can use it for almost anything.

iSpring Cam Pro Features

• Capable of recording two videos at once.
• The integrated video editor tool features a multi-track timeline.
• It allows adding visual hints, infographics, images, and captions.
• No time limits on the recordings.
• Allows recording voice overs and system sounds.
• Allows highlighting the mouse cursor and allows adding click sounds.
• Allows picture-in-picture screencast.
• Allows adding intro slides.
• Allows creating MP4 videos in 4K
• Allows direct uploading to any LMS or YouTube.

Pros & Cons of iSpring Cam Pro

The advantages of iSpring Cam Pro include:

• Great for recording lectures, online courses, exams, and so on.
• Makes it easy to add narrations.
• Offers smooth transitioning between scenes.
• Offers an interactive canvas allowing dragging and dropping videos, shapes, annotations, images, etc. right on the video.
• Offers a free trial.
• Quite easy to use.

The disadvantages of iSpring Screen Recorder include:

• Not particularly targeted towards people who want to record gameplay.
• The screen recorder can record only in MP4.
• Interactive and animation features are very limited.
• Extremely pricey!

iSpring Cam Pro

Talking of price, iSpring Cam Pro is one of the most expensive screencasting and screen recording programs you can find today. The asking price for this product is £ 168 per user per year. In Dollars, that translates to $ 230 (approximately).

Now, that is a recurring price you must pay per year for each user. However, considering its great LMS integration, it is one of the finest options for educators.

Best Screencasting & Screen Recording Software – Free Options

#7. Ezvid – For Mac and PC Users

Ezvid is designed for Mac and PC users. It is one of the best free options you will get with many features that are often found only in paid programs. The program comes with a screen recorder and a video editor that allows people to effortlessly create videos for their social media profiles and channels.

The program is designed to help you work without using your hands too much. There are keyboard shortcuts that will allow you to quickly start recording videos. The program also allows you to create slideshows instantly, and gives you access to free music, too.

It is one of the best options for content creators on YouTube, but it can also be used for various other purposes.

The Strengths of Ezvid Include:

• It comes with a powerful built-in video editor.
• It throws in a text-to-speech tool.
• The screen recorder is really easy to use.
• The program doesn’t leave any watermarks.
• It gives access to free soundtracks.
• It offers automatic audio normalization.
• There are automatic animation effects.
• It is capable of blocking advertisements, spyware, and malware.
• Features like speed control, screen drawing, voice synthesis, and FaceCam are available.
• It even allows controlling video speed.
• Allows easy YouTube upload in 1280×720 resolution.
• Allows to add audio, images, and text to videos with absolute ease.

The Weaknesses of Ezvid Include:

• The maximum length for YouTube recording is set to 45 minutes.
• Music will not appear on the video timeline.
• The only platform where direct upload is possible is YouTube.
• You cannot save the video to your PC.
• It does not allow muting the music. Nor does it allow exporting the video as a media file.

#8. Debut Video Capture

Debut Video Capture is a newcomer on the scene. This program is packed with various incredible features.

It is very strong and is completely free for non-commercial use. While the free version does have certain restrictions, they are way fewer than what you would usually find. You may always purchase the software’s pro edition, which includes more capabilities.

The Strengths of Debut Video Capture include:

• Debut Video Capture allows screen recording, recording from network IP cameras, recording from webcams and various external devices. It can even record streaming video and gameplays.
• Even the free version won’t add any watermark to the videos.
• It allows exporting recorded videos in myriads of formats including MP4, MOV, and AVI.
• It allows scheduled recordings.
• It also allows audio recording from an external device or your computer’s internal sound card or both of them.
• It supports both Mac and Windows platforms. Do make sure that you go through the system requirements.
• Overlay creation during recording is possible with the picture-in-picture support. For instance, you may overlay camera video on top of desktop footage.
• Pre-production editing capabilities include the features like subtitles addition, adjustments in colors, and filters application, etc.
• There is no time restriction on how long you may record a video.
• You can use the program for recording specific regions of your screen or your entire screen.
• You may choose to display or conceal your mouse pointer while recording, or even highlight the mouse clicks. This mouse pointer highlighting function comes in handy while filming any software lesson.

The Weaknesses of Debut Video Capture include:

• You cannot edit the videos after the recording is completed. This might be a bit problematic for many.
• The UI looks like it is from the 90s.

#9. Apowersoft Online Screen Recorder – Platform Independent

Apowersoft online screen recorder remarkable software. It’s free, it’s strong, and it has a slew of features that rival some of the most well-known and sophisticated paid offerings in this area.

Some online or internet-based screen recorder programs are incomparably inferior to the capabilities of the one offered by Apowersoft.

The Strengths of Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder include:

• It is entirely free and very effective.
• There will be no time limitations to any of your recordings.
• The program never taints the recorded video with a watermark.
• It allows annotations during recordings.
• You may immediately upload recorded video to Dropbox, Google Drive, Vimeo, or YouTube.
• Additionally, the program enables you to record video from a webcam or your screen.
• The recording toolbar that appears at the center of the screen offers a plethora of options that are buried under the settings. You may change the parameters to suit your needs, but the default values work very well.
• The program enables you to configure the output directory as well as the format of the output. You can define the frame rate, and even customize the keyboard shortcuts, among other settings.
• Because it is a browser-based program, it is independent of the platform. You can use it on Windows, Linux, and Mac.

The Weaknesses of Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder include:

• The program is accessed via your web browser. As a result, it is unable to record games.
• You need to install a browser plugin that behaves the program launcher. Because no shortcuts for the launcher are available, you must visit the Apowersoft website and then use the ‘Start Recording’ option to start recording your videos.

#10. OBS Studio

If you’re a gamer or operate a popular YouTube channel that includes live streaming, you’ll need a program that is much more sophisticated than Apowersoft.

OBS Studio enters the picture right here. With a plethora of very strong features, the OBS Studio is a free program that can make any paid software ashamed of its price tag. Unfortunately, there will be a steep learning curve that you must master before you can use it to its fullest potential.

The Strengths of OBS Studio Include:

• The program supports all major OS platforms. You can use it on Mac, Linux, and Windows.
• It is totally free and does not impose any restrictions on the duration of your video recording. Neither does it add any watermark on your videos.
• It enables high-definition video streaming and screen recording.
• Live broadcasting on Twitch and YouTube Gaming are supported by the software.
• You may save your project midway and return to it later to continue modifying it.
• Additionally, the program enables you to encode your recordings in FLV format before creating a local copy of the footage.
• The program is intended to record straight from your computer’s graphics card, which enables full-screen recording. Despite being in full-screen mode, you will have the ability to control the recording session using customized hotkeys.
• The program supports recording at 60 frames per second or higher.
• The software can use all the available CPU cores of your computer to optimize your screen recording.
• OBS Studio offers integrated editors for video and audio that allow you to customize, edit, and improve your recording.
• It is open-source and free to use on as many computers as you want.

The Weaknesses of OBS Studio Include:

• It is a highly sophisticated piece of software, and as such, mastering the program will require time investment.
• Additionally, installing the program takes time. Yes, the installation is quite slow.

Conclusion

The consumption of audio-visual content has increased by leaps and bounds. This means that content producers require simple and fast content creation options.

Screencasting and Screen Recorder programs are one of the many technologies that enables the creation of compelling audio-visual material. No wonder there is a whole ecosystem of such programs thriving openly.

I know! This list of the best screencasting and screen recording programs is not an exhaustive one. There are many more that I can happily list in both the paid and free segments.

However, after thoroughly testing many of them I decided to stick with the ten that I listed here. The ones you find here are very effective and dependable.

If you believe that other programs should be included on this list, please send a request through the comments form. I will evaluate your requests, and if they are worthy enough to be on the list, I will put them on it.