The Screen Recording & Video Insider’s Guide
Every one of the 53 screen recording and video tools we grade in one document: the top three, what they cost, the grades and the full list. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Screen Recording & Video
The Insider’s Guide
Record your screen, edit quickly and share an update without booking a meeting.
- ScreenPal
- Loom
- OBS Studio
- DaVinci Resolve
- Zencastr
- Cap
Every one we grade, what they cost, the best buy at each budget and the three to look at first.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat these tools do, how many we grade and what to know before choosing
- 02Our top threeThe three we'd look at first, and who each one suits
- 03What they costWhat paid plans start at, the best buy at each budget and the free plans
- 04The gradesThe highest graded, and how the whole category does on each subject
- 05Keep or make?Which are worth paying for, and which you could make yourself
- 06Every toolAll of them, best graded first, with what each costs
- 07Quick answersThe questions people ask when choosing, each answered in a line or two
- 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from each tool’s own pages, their app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on the Screen Recording & Video page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What these tools do, how many we grade and what to know before choosing
53
screen recording and video tools we grade, from their own pages
Record your screen, edit quickly and share an update without booking a meeting.
Before you choose, here are 8 things to know about screen recording and video tools, worked out from every one we grade.
- 1
We grade 53 screen recording and video tools
42 of them are free or have a free plan, and 9 more let you try before paying. Everything in this guide comes from their own pages and our grades.
- 2
Paid plans start at $10 a month in the middle
From $2.42 (Cap) to $79 (Wistia), going by what each one's paid plans start at.
- 3
Best value: ScreenPal, Cap, Recordly and iMovie
Nothing on our chart scores higher than these without costing more.
- 4
11 of 53 have iPhone and Android apps
31 run in a web browser and 32 have a Windows app. Check the one you need before you fall for anything.
- 5
The middle GPA is 2.4
8 score 3.0 or higher. The highest is DaVinci Resolve, at 3.4.
- 6
Best free option: DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve has the highest GPA of the free ones, 3.4. Video editing, color, effects and audio post-production in one app.
- 7
53 worth keeping, 0 you could make
By our keep-or-make rules, 53 do something you couldn't reasonably build yourself, 0 are simple enough to make with an AI app builder, and 0 are a close call.
- 8
1 price changes in the past year
That's how many price moves we've recorded for screen recording and video tools in twelve months. Prices change, so check the maker's page before you pay.
Part 02 · Top three
Our top three
The three we'd look at first, and who each one suits
The three screen recording and video tools we'd look at first. First place suits the most people; second and third are the best picks for the people it leaves out. Each has an Insider's Guide of its own.
1st
3.0GPAScreenPal
Free plan · from $4/mo
For: Most people
ScreenPal records the screen, the webcam or both, edits the result and hosts it for sharing, on the web, Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and a Chrome extension. The free plan allows unlimited recordings of up to 15 minutes each with no watermark, basic editing, screenshots and 10 hosted videos. Solo Deluxe, at $4 a month paid annually, lifts the limits on recording time and hosting and adds the full editor and AI captions. Its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 from about 5,400 ratings. Know the limits: listed prices are for annual payment and monthly billing costs more, text-based editing and the AI video generator need Solo Max at $10 a month, and Team Business needs at least 3 users.
The ScreenPal Insider’s Guide2nd
2.8GPALoom
Free plan · from $18/mo
For: Teams that send video messages instead of meeting
Loom is built for the short walkthrough sent as a link: record the screen, the camera or both from a Mac or Windows app, a Chrome extension or an iPhone or Android app, and viewers answer with comments and emoji reactions. The free Starter plan takes up to 50 members and includes transcripts in more than 50 languages, and its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 from about 19,100 ratings. It is second because it costs more and its free plan stops sooner: Starter is capped at 25 videos per person, 5-minute screen recordings and 720p, and Business is $18 per user a month, billed monthly. Summaries and chapters written by AI need Business + AI at $24, and no Linux app is listed.
The Loom Insider’s Guide3rd
2.8GPAOBS Studio
Free
For: Anyone who wants to pay nothing, on Windows, Mac or Linux
OBS Studio is a free, open-source program for recording video and streaming it live on Windows, Mac and Linux, with no paid edition. You build scenes from display and window captures, webcams, images and text, then record to a local file or broadcast. Its audio mixer adds noise suppression, and a virtual camera sends a scene to apps such as Zoom. It is third because it stops at recording: its feature list does not include editing a recording afterwards, and its listing shows no hosting or share links, which the two above are built around. No mobile or browser version is listed, the Game Capture source is Windows only, and help comes from forums and a Discord server, not a support desk.
The OBS Studio Insider’s Guide
Part 03 · Pricing
What they cost
What paid plans start at, the best buy at each budget and the free plans
$10
A month to start, in the middle of those that charge
Going by our grades, ScreenPal, Cap, Recordly and iMovie give the most for the money among screen recording and video tools: no tool on this chart scores higher without costing more.
Paid plans start at a middle price of $10 a month across the 42 that charge, from $2.42 (Cap) to $79 (Wistia). 4 more cost nothing at all.
16 of the 46 score above the category's average while starting at or below its middle price. 5 cost more than the middle price and score below the average.
The best buy at each budget
Free
iMovie, Recordly
Costs nothing. Nothing at that price or less scores higher.
Up to $5 a month
ScreenPal
Starts at $4 a month. Nothing at that price or less scores higher.
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 46 screen recording and video tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. The green line is the best score at each price.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
The best free ones
- 3.4
DaVinci Resolve
Free plan · Free plan · from $94.99
- 3.4
Zencastr
Free plan · Free plan
- 3.2
Cap
Free plan · Free plan · from $29/yr
- 3.0
Cursorful
Free plan · Free plan · from $79 one-time
- 3.0
iMovie
Free
- 3.0
Recordly
Free
Part 04 · Grades
The grades
The highest graded, and how the whole category does on each subject
3.4
The highest GPA, DaVinci Resolve's
Every tool gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. Here are the 12 highest graded screen recording and video tools, then how the whole category does on each subject.
| Tool | Value | Free | Features | Ease | Platforms | GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DaVinci Resolve | B | A | A | B | B | 3.4 |
| Zencastr | A | A | B | B | B | 3.4 |
| Cap | A | B | B | B | B | 3.2 |
| Cursorful | A | B | C | B | B | 3.0 |
| iMovie | A | A | C | B | C | 3.0 |
| Recordly | A | A | C | B | C | 3.0 |
| ScreenPal | B | C | B | B | A | 3.0 |
| Wondershare Filmora | A | C | B | B | B | 3.0 |
| CapCut | C | B | B | B | B | 2.8 |
| Clipchamp | C | A | B | C | B | 2.8 |
| Loom | C | C | C | A | A | 2.8 |
| Monosnap | A | C | C | B | B | 2.8 |
How the whole category does
Each bar is every screen recording and video tool we grade, cut by the letter it got on that subject.
- Value for moneyavg 2.5
- Free plan and trialavg 2.3
- Featuresavg 2.5
- Ease of useavg 2.7
- Platforms and integrationsavg 2.7
Part 05 · Keep or make
Keep or make?
Which are worth paying for, and which you could make yourself
0
Simple enough to make yourself, of 53
Some software does something you couldn’t reasonably build yourself. Some is simple enough that an AI app builder could make the core of it in an afternoon. Here’s where screen recording and video tools land, by the same rules for every tool.
53
Keep it
It does something you could not reasonably make for yourself, or it costs nothing.
0
Your call
You could make the core of it, and you would give something up.
0
You could make this
What it does is the kind of thing an AI app builder makes well, and it charges every month.
Worth keeping
DaVinci Resolve
To replace DaVinci Resolve you would be making a video editor. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Zencastr
To replace Zencastr you would be making a video editor. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Cap
To replace Cap you would be making a video editor. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Cursorful
To replace Cursorful you would be making a video editor. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Part 06 · Every tool
Every tool
All of them, best graded first, with what each costs
53
Tools, best graded first
Every screen recording and video tool we grade, with its GPA and what it costs. Each one has a page of its own on toolgpa.com, with its Insider’s Guide.
- 1DaVinci ResolveFree plan · from $94.993.4
- 2ZencastrFree plan3.4
- 3CapFree plan · from $29/yr3.2
- 4CursorfulFree plan · from $79 one-time3.0
- 5iMovieFree3.0
- 6RecordlyFree3.0
- 7ScreenPalFree plan · from $4/mo3.0
- 8Wondershare FilmoraFree plan · from $49.99/yr3.0
- 9CapCutFree plan · from $9.99/mo2.8
- 10ClipchampFree plan · from $9.99/mo2.8
- 11LoomFree plan · from $18/mo2.8
- 12MonosnapFree plan · from $2.5/mo2.8
- 13OBS StudioFree2.8
- 14ScreenToGifFree2.8
- 15Wondershare DemoCreatorFree trial · from $29.992.8
- 16Adobe PremiereFree plan · from $22.99/mo2.6
- 17Awesome ScreenshotFree plan · from $5/mo2.6
- 18BandicamFree plan · from $33.26/yr2.6
- 19CaptoFree trial · from $29.99 one-time2.6
- 20FocuSeeFree trial · from $49.99/yr2.6
- 21HeyGenFree plan · from $24/mo2.6
- 22JumpshareFree plan · from $12/mo2.6
- 23RiversideFree plan · from $9.99/mo2.6
- 24TellaFree trial · from $13/mo2.6
- 25VimeoFree plan · from $12/mo2.6
- 26CamtasiaFree plan · from $39/yr2.4
- 27Camtasia SnagitFree trial · from $39/yr2.4
- 28CaptionsFree plan · from $4.99/mo2.4
- 29DescriptFree plan · from $16/mo2.4
- 30GifoxFree plan · from $14.99 one-time2.4
- 31Google VidsFree plan · from $7/mo2.4
- 32KapwingFree plan · from $16/mo2.4
- 33Movavi Screen RecorderFree trial · from $19.99/mo2.4
- 34ScreencastifyFree plan · from $7/mo2.4
- 35ScreenityFree plan · from $10/mo2.4
- 36ScreenRecFree plan · from $4.99/mo2.4
- 37SynthesiaFree plan · from $18/mo2.4
- 38VEEDFree plan · from $25/mo2.4
- 39VidyardFree plan · from $59/mo2.4
- 40Vmaker AIFree plan · from $18/mo2.4
- 41WistiaFree plan · from $79/mo2.4
- 42ZightFree plan · from $9.95/mo2.4
- 43AirtimeFree plan · from $10/mo2.2
- 44ArcadeFree plan · from $42.50/mo2.2
- 45CluesoFree plan · from $40/mo2.2
- 46DroplrFree trial · from $6/mo2.2
- 47OpusClipFree plan · from $14.50/mo2.2
- 48ScreenFlowFree trial · from $199 one-time2.2
- 49SupademoFree plan · from $38/mo2.2
- 50CleanShot XFrom $35 one-time2.0
- 51Final Cut ProFree trial · from $12.99/mo2.0
- 52StreamYardFree plan · from $35.99/mo2.0
- 53Screen StudioFrom $9/mo1.6
Part 07 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask when choosing, each answered in a line or two
10
Questions, each answered in a line or two
What are the best screen recording and video tools?
ScreenPal first, Loom second, OBS Studio third. ScreenPal is for most people.
Which screen recording and video tools give the most for the money?
ScreenPal, Cap, Recordly and iMovie. Each is the highest-scoring tool at its price or below: iMovie scores 2.3 out of 4 and is free; Recordly scores 2.3 out of 4 and is free; Cap scores 3.0 out of 4 and starts at $2.42 a month when paid by the year for each person; ScreenPal scores 3.3 out of 4 and starts at $4 a month.
Which are the best free screen recording and video tools?
Of the 4 screen recording and video tools here with no paid plan at all, iMovie and Recordly score highest, at 2.3 out of 4.
Which screen recording and video tools are best for under $5 a month?
ScreenPal, with a score of 3.3 out of 4: the highest among the 17 that start at $5 a month or less.
Which screen recording and video tools are best for under $10 a month?
ScreenPal and Riverside, with a score of 3.3 out of 4: the highest among the 27 that start at $10 a month or less.
Which screen recording and video tools are best for under $20 a month?
ScreenPal, Riverside and Loom, with a score of 3.3 out of 4: the highest among the 38 that start at $20 a month or less.
Which screen recording and video tools cost the most for what they offer?
On this chart, StreamYard (starts at $35.99 a month, scores 2.3 out of 4, and 27 tools score higher for less), OpusClip (starts at $14.50 a month, scores 2.3 out of 4, and 20 tools score higher for less) and Screen Studio (starts at $9 a month, scores 2.0 out of 4, and 19 tools score higher for less).
How much do screen recording and video tools cost?
The middle starting price is $10 a month: half of the 42 screen recording and video tools with a recurring price start below that and half above.
How is the score on this chart worked out?
It is the average of three of the five grades ToolGPA gives every tool: features, ease of use, and platforms and integrations, with an A worth 4 and an F worth 0.
How does ToolGPA grade screen recording and video tools?
Five grades, A to F, for value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them.
Part 08 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Screen Recording & Video, kept up to dateEvery tool in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/categories/video
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Screen Recording & Video: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/categories/video
Know someone choosing between screen recording and video tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/categories/video/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The top three screen recording and video tools have guides of their own, and so does every category near this one.
- ScreenPal Insider's GuideScreen recorder, video editor and video hosting in one low-cost suite3.0 GPA
- Loom Insider's GuideScreen and camera recorder for shareable video messages2.8 GPA
- Project Management Insider's Guide80 project management tools, graded and compared
- Email Apps Insider's Guide52 email apps, graded and compared
- Automation Insider's Guide41 automation tools, graded and compared
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what each tool’s pages, app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Product names are trademarks of their owners, and no maker made, paid for or approved this guide. Prices and plans change: check each maker’s own site before you buy.