Capto vs ScreenFlow

Capto

• Tutorial and lesson videos recorded on a Mac with voice and camera
• Buyers who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
• Recording an iPhone or iPad screen through a connected Mac

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

Capto

• There is no free plan: the Mac trial lasts 15 days and exported videos carry a watermark until a license is bought.
• The Mac App Store edition is unlocked by its own in-app purchase, listed at $49.99 for the Lifetime Pack, against $29.99 on the web store.
• 4K recording runs at 60 fps only with the camera off; with the camera on it drops to 30 fps.
• Capto for Windows is a separate Microsoft Store app with a 7-day trial; the vendor's web store sells the Mac version 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.

Capto

Screen recording

Records the full screen or a selected region at 60 FPS with computer and microphone audio, with an option to stop after a set time. 4K is supported at 60 fps when the camera is off.

Camera overlay for tutorials

Records the built-in camera or an external device alongside the screen, and lets the camera picture be resized and repositioned.

Video and audio editor

Cuts, joins, trims and crops recordings and adds shapes, arrows, callouts, text and blur. System and microphone audio sit on separate tracks that can be adjusted on their own.

Screenshots and web page capture

Captures the full screen or a selection, saves a whole web page in one click, and opens the result in an image editor for annotation and adjustment.

iPhone and iPad recording

Records the screen of an iPhone or iPad connected to the Mac, so a voiceover and edits can be added afterward.

Sharing and file organization

Uploads captures to YouTube, Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, Facebook, Tumblr or an FTP/SFTP server, and sorts them into folders and tags them for search.

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.

Capto

• Single License$29.99

  one-time purchase

  Capto for Mac from the vendor's web store. The store shows it at half price during a sale that runs until 12 October 2026.

• Family Pack$74.99

  one-time purchase

  A family license for Capto for Mac from the vendor's web store.

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.

Capto

• Education

  Student / Educator Pack for $19.99

  The web store lists a Student / Educator Pack at $19.99 against $29.99 for a single license. Institutions can also register for educational licensing.

• Other savings

  50% off a single license until 12 October 2026

  The web store shows the single license at half price during a promotion with a countdown; its settings end the sale on 12 October 2026.

• Other savings

  Available through Setapp

  Capto's product page carries a Setapp button linking to its Setapp listing, where the app is offered as part of that subscription.

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.