Camtasia vs ScreenFlow
We give Camtasia a 3.2 GPA and ScreenFlow a 2.6, out of 4.0. Camtasia grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Camtasia
Screen recorder and video editor for tutorials and training videos
ScreenFlow
Mac screen recorder with a built-in multi-track video editor
How we grade them
| 3.2GPACamtasiaVery good | 2.6GPAScreenFlowGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BEssentials is $179.88 a year, billed yearly, and it's the first plan with clean exports. That works out about typical for video tools here. Starter at $39 keeps the watermark, so we wouldn't count it as the entry price. AI voiceover needs Create at $249, and avatars need Pro at $599. | B$199 once for ScreenFlow 10, with no subscription. That's more than a year of what tools here usually charge but well short of three, so it pays off if you keep it. New major versions are paid upgrades, at $79 from version 8 or 9. |
| Free plan and trial | BCamtasia Editor is free to download with every editing feature and no time limit. That's a proper look round. But exported videos carry a watermark until you buy Essentials or higher, so it's for trying, not for publishing. | CNo free plan. The trial has no time limit, which is generous, but every exported video is watermarked until you enter a license. The listing doesn't say whether it asks for a card. |
| Features | AScreen, camera, system audio and microphone on separate tracks at up to 4K. A timeline with callouts, zoom and pan. A cursor you can smooth, enlarge or replace afterwards. Delete a word in the transcript and the video is cut. Captions, quizzes and SCORM packages for an LMS. The whole job, in depth. | AScreen, camera and microphone recorded together and in sync, then multi-track editing with nested clips, transitions, text and video animations, freehand annotations and a caption editor. It records an iPhone or iPad too, and exports MP4, ProRes and animated GIF. Recording and editing, both covered. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Effects are drag and drop, and because the cursor is captured as data you can fix it later without recording again. It's still a full timeline editor, so give it an afternoon. | BNo rating is on record to go by, so a B. Recording and editing happen in one app, and styles and templates speed up a series of similar tutorials. A multi-track timeline is still more to learn than a click-and-share recorder. |
| Platforms and integrations | BA desktop app for Windows 10 or later and macOS 14 or later, plus Camtasia Online in the browser, which offers simple editing only. It works with ChatGPT, Zoom, YouTube and Microsoft PowerPoint. No phone app. | DMac only, with no Windows version. It records an iPhone or iPad screen from the Mac and takes supported UVC capture cards as sources, but no integrations are listed. The Mac App Store version has sandbox limits on some virtual cameras. |
| Best for | tutorials and training videos made from screen recordings | recording and editing tutorials on a Mac |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Camtasia and ScreenFlow. How we grade
Where they differ
- Camtasia starts at $39 per year, billed yearly (Starter; Editor exports stay watermarked). ScreenFlow starts at $199 one-time purchase.
- Camtasia has a free plan. ScreenFlow does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Camtasia lists a web app.
- Only Camtasia lists a Windows app.
- ScreenFlow can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Camtasia also covers transcription and noise cancellation.
At a glance
| Camtasia | ScreenFlow | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $39 per year, billed yearly (Starter; Editor exports stay watermarked) | $199 one-time purchase |
| Free plan | Camtasia Editor is free to download with every editing feature and no time limit, but exported videos carry a watermark until you buy Essentials, Create, Pro or a Business license. | None |
| Free trial | Camtasia Snagit has a 15-day trial and Camtasia Audiate a 7-day trial; the free Editor has no time limit | Free trial with no time limit; exported videos are watermarked until a license is entered |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | TechSmith | Telestream |
| Price read from | techsmith.com | telestream.net |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Camtasia
- Tutorials, software demos and training videos built from screen recordings
- Instructional designers who need quizzes and SCORM export for an LMS
- Trying the full editor before paying, with watermarked exports
ScreenFlow
- Mac users making software tutorials and product demos
- Trainers and teachers who record and edit in one app
- Buyers who want a one-time license instead of a subscription
Worth knowing
Camtasia
- The free version and the $39 Starter plan both watermark Editor exports; removing it takes Essentials at $179.88 a year or higher.
- Individual plans are billed yearly, cannot be transferred to another person and cover two devices for the same user.
- Teams of up to 99 buy a separate Business license, priced per user per year, that covers Camtasia Editor and Camtasia Snagit.
- The editor is a desktop app for Windows 10 or later and macOS 14 or later; Camtasia Online, the browser tool, offers simple editing only.
ScreenFlow
- ScreenFlow runs only on macOS; there is no Windows version.
- ScreenFlow 10 is a paid upgrade for owners of earlier versions, and the $199 license allows one activation.
- The Stock Media Library is a separate $99-a-year subscription, and its purchases and renewals are non-refundable.
- The Mac App Store version gets no upgrade discounts and has sandbox limits on some virtual cameras.
Key features
Camtasia
- Multitrack screen recording
- Records the screen, camera, system audio and microphone on separate tracks, at up to 4K, so each one can be edited on its own afterwards.
- Timeline editing with drag-and-drop effects
- Non-linear multitrack editing with transitions, callouts, zoom and pan, text animation and custom themes for brand colors and fonts.
- Cursor editing
- Cursor data is captured with the recording, so the pointer can be smoothed, enlarged, replaced or given a new path later.
- Text-based editing with Audiate
- Audio is transcribed so that deleting a word cuts the video, and filler words and hesitations can be removed. Included from Essentials.
- Captions, quizzes and SCORM
- Generates captions and subtitles, exports .srt, .json and .txt caption files, and builds interactive quizzes with SCORM packages for an LMS.
- AI voices, avatars and translation
- Create adds AI-written scripts and 200+ voiceover options. Pro adds 49 avatar styles, script translation and audio dubbing.
ScreenFlow
- Simultaneous recording
- Record the screen, a camera and a microphone together and in sync, across several apps in one session. Supported UVC capture cards can be used as sources.
- Timeline editing
- Multi-track editing with nested clips, markers and color labels, plus transitions, text and video animations, freehand annotations and multi-channel audio.
- iPhone and iPad recording
- Record the screen of an iPhone or iPad from the Mac to make app demos.
- Styles, templates and titles
- Styles and templates speed up editing a series of similar tutorials, and a customizable title library adds branded titles.
- Captions and export
- A caption editor adds, edits and burns in subtitles. Export presets cover MP4 and ProRes, along with animated GIF and animated PNG.
- Stock Media Library
- An optional $99-a-year subscription that puts stock images, audio and video clips in a tab inside ScreenFlow projects.
Plans
Camtasia
Free$0
Camtasia Editor with all editing features and no time limit. Exported videos are watermarked.
Starter$39
per year, billed yearly
Camtasia Snagit plus a watermarked Camtasia Editor: screen capture, unlimited 4K/60fps recordings, and AI blur and redaction.
Essentials$179.88
per year, billed yearly
Editor without the watermark, plus text-based editing, filler word removal, captions, cursor effects, and quizzes with SCORM export.
Create$249
per year, billed yearly
Everything in Essentials, plus AI script generation and voiceover with 200+ voice options and multi-language support.
Pro$599
per year, billed yearly
Everything in Create, plus AI avatars, script translation, audio dubbing, 100 million+ premium stock assets and unlimited sharing on Screencast.
EnterpriseCustom
Site license with a flat annual fee that covers every user, pricing locked for three years and a dedicated success manager.
ScreenFlow
ScreenFlow$199
one-time purchase
A license for ScreenFlow 10 with one activation and free self-help support. New major versions are paid upgrades.
ScreenFlow Super Pak$275
one-time, with the first year of Stock Media Library
ScreenFlow plus the Stock Media Library at $76 for its first year instead of $99 a year. Shown against a crossed-out $298.
ScreenFlow Super Pak +$325
one-time, with a first year of stock media and support
ScreenFlow, the Stock Media Library and Premium Support ($59 a year) with priority email replies. Shown against a crossed-out $357.
Ways to pay less
Camtasia
- Education
Student offer: Camtasia for $45 a year
Verified students in the US, Canada and the UK can get Camtasia for $45 a year through Student Beans, against a stated value of $179.88.
- Education
Education discount for educators
Accredited institutions can buy a discounted, transferable educator license, priced per user per year, on the Education tab of the store.
- Other savings
Volume discount from 10 Business licenses
The Business license is discounted for 10 or more users. Volume discounts do not apply to individual subscriptions.
ScreenFlow
- Other savings
Upgrade pricing for owners of earlier versions
Owners of ScreenFlow 8 or 9 can move to version 10 for $79, and owners of versions 4 to 7 for $119, instead of buying a new $199 license.
- Other savings
Volume discounts from 10 copies
Telestream publishes a volume price table for ScreenFlow 10 that lowers the unit price for orders of 10 to 20 copies and again for 21 or more.
