# ActivePresenter review (2026): is the free plan enough? > Screen recorder, video editor and eLearning authoring tool Checked Nov 13, 2026 ยท graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA. ActivePresenter, from Atomi Systems, combines a screen recorder, a video editor and an eLearning authoring tool for Windows and macOS. It records software walkthroughs, then exports to video, PDF and Office files, and in the Pro edition to HTML5, SCORM and xAPI. It is licensed once per computer, not by subscription. - **Category:** Screen Recording & Video - **Made by:** Atomi Systems - **Website:** https://atomisystems.com/activepresenter - **Runs on:** Windows, macOS - **Who should skip it:** Skip it if you want to use the free edition commercially, as it is non-commercial only. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 13, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 13, 2026, ActivePresenter has a free plan, and paid plans start at $249 one-time, per computer. - **Pricing model:** Free plan - **Free plan:** Free edition with no time limit, for trial and non-commercial use only; output that uses paid features carries a watermark. - **Free trial:** None listed. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | Free | $0 | Screen recording and basic editing with no time limit; non-commercial use only, and no AI tools. | | Standard | $249 one-time, per computer | Commercial use, advanced video effects, Smart Studio and AI tools with credits included; exports to video and documents. | | Pro | $499 one-time, per computer | Adds interactive eLearning editing, Scenario Editor and exports to HTML5, SCORM 1.2/2004 and xAPI. | | Pro EDU | $249 one-time, per computer | The full Pro edition for students, teachers, schools and nonprofits; approval is needed before buying. | Read from https://atomisystems.com/pricing/ on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with ActivePresenter before buying. ## Ways to pay less - **Pro EDU: full Pro for $249** (Education): Students, teachers, staff, schools and nonprofits get the Pro edition at half price after sending proof of eligibility. Source: https://atomisystems.com/pricing/ - **Volume discounts of 20% to 45%** (Other savings): Buying two or more licenses cuts the price per license, from 20% for 2 to 5 licenses up to 45% for 50 or more. Source: https://atomisystems.com/pricing/ ## Key features - **Screen and webcam recording:** Records the screen, webcam, microphone and system audio, with cursor styling and click sound effects for software tutorials. - **Audio and video editing:** Cut, split, crop, change speed and adjust volume; Standard adds blur, green screen, noise reduction and auto zoom. - **Interactive eLearning courses:** Pro builds quizzes with 14 question types, variables, conditions and branching scenarios. - **LMS-ready exports:** Pro exports to HTML5, SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004 and xAPI, or publishes to the vendor's uPresenter LMS. - **AI tools:** AI Assistant, image generation, text to speech, auto captions and translation, paid by credits that licenses start with. ## Good for - Trainers who want a one-time license for software tutorials - Instructional designers who need SCORM or xAPI output - Schools and nonprofits eligible for the EDU price ## Worth knowing - The Free edition is for non-commercial use and puts a watermark on output that uses paid features. - SCORM, xAPI and HTML5 export and interactive editing need Pro at $499. - Licenses cover one computer at a time and include one year of upgrades; later major versions cost 40% of the full price. - Perpetual licenses are non-refundable except a wrong product or duplicate order within 7 days; more AI credits cost extra. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 2.2 out of 4**, graded Nov 13, 2026. ActivePresenter records the screen, edits the video and, on Pro, exports SCORM and HTML5 courses on a one-time license. Commercial use starts at $249 per computer, the e-learning exports need $499, and later major versions cost 40% of full price. - **Value for money: C.** Standard is $249 once per computer, under two years of a typical $14 subscription. But SCORM, xAPI and HTML5 export need Pro at $499, which is what most buyers come for. - **Free plan and trial: C.** The free edition has no time limit but is for non-commercial use, and output using paid features carries a watermark. No trial on record. - **Features: B.** Records screen, webcam and audio, edits video, builds quizzes with 14 question types and exports to LMS formats. AI tools run on credits, and more credits cost extra. - **Ease of use: C.** No store rating on record. Recording is quick, but the quiz and branching editor takes time to learn. - **Platforms and integrations: C.** Windows and Mac programs only. PowerPoint and the vendor's own uPresenter LMS are the only integrations listed. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Atomi Systems's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among screen recording and video tools - ActivePresenter's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 42 of the 133 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 23. - It stands best on features (B, above 78 of 133) and worst on ease of use (C, above 2). The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/video ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** To replace ActivePresenter you would be making a video editor. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one. That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 68 of the 133 other screen recording and video tools grade higher. It costs $249, paid once. - You could make: Online courses: an app builder makes this well. - You could not: A video editor. - You could not: Recording the screen with its sound, and somewhere to keep the video. - You could not: A slide editor. - You could not: A real app for macOS and Windows. Something home-made would be a web page. - You could not: AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself. - You could not: The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. ## Works with PowerPoint, uPresenter **Tags:** Screen recording, Video editing, Online courses, One-time purchase, AI features, Presentations ## Alternatives - [Camtasia](https://toolgpa.com/tools/camtasia): Screen recorder and video editor for tutorials and training videos. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/activepresenter-vs-camtasia) - [Camtasia Snagit](https://toolgpa.com/tools/snagit): Screen capture and recording tool with annotation and step guides. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/activepresenter-vs-snagit) - [ScreenPal](https://toolgpa.com/tools/screenpal): Screen recorder, video editor and video hosting in one low-cost suite. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/activepresenter-vs-screenpal) - [OBS Studio](https://toolgpa.com/tools/obs-studio): Free, open-source software for video recording and live streaming. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/activepresenter-vs-obs-studio) - [FlashBack](https://toolgpa.com/tools/flashback): Windows screen recorder with a built-in video editor. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/activepresenter-vs-flashback) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026: - https://atomisystems.com/pricing/ - https://atomisystems.com/activepresenter/ - https://atomisystems.com/activepresenter/features-comparison/ - https://atomisystems.com/download/ Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/activepresenter Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).