LICEcap review (2026): is it any good?
Lightweight free tool that records a screen area to an animated GIF
LICEcap report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for quick screen-to-GIF recording
LICEcap records a chosen area of your screen to an animated GIF, and it is free under the GPL. But it outputs only GIF or its own LCF format, the last release listed is from June 2022, and its macOS support is named only up to 12.x.
Who LICEcap is for
- Fits if you only need short GIFs of your screen with no extras
- Works for people who want a tiny download
Who LICEcap is not for
- Too light for you if you want MP4 or audio, since neither is mentioned
- Skip it if you run a new Mac, as support is named only up to macOS 12.x
- Watch out: the latest release listed is v1.32 from June 2022
- Not for you if you want to edit the capture, as editing is limited to a title frame and text messages
Why LICEcap gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree software under the GPL. No paid edition is listed.
- AFree plan and trialThe whole program is free, with the source included in each download.
- CFeaturesRecords to GIF or LCF, with pause, text messages and mouse press display. It does that one job, a smaller one: no MP4 export or audio.
- BEase of useMove the frame over the area and record. Nothing to set up, though no store rating is on record.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWindows and macOS, computers only. No Linux, phone or web version.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Cockos's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/licecap#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/licecap.svg" alt="LICEcap: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where LICEcap stands among desktop utilities
LICEcap's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 154 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 27.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 107 of 186) and worst on features (C, above 2).
LICEcap has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. LICEcap’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 55 of 186, level with 131
- AFree plan and trialAbove 107 of 186, level with 79
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 186, level with 110
- BEase of useAbove 78 of 186, level with 108
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 111 of 186, level with 60
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 desktop utilities. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep LICEcap, or make your own?
Keep it
LICEcap is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 154 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade.
What you could not
- Recording the screen with its sound, and somewhere to keep the video.
- A real app for macOS and Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. LICEcap’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is LICEcap?
LICEcap captures an area of the desktop and saves it as an animated GIF, or as its own lossless LCF format that can be played back in REAPER. It runs on Windows and macOS, is small to download, and is free software under the GPL, with the source included in each download.
Worth knowing
- The page lists only GIF and LCF output; MP4 export and audio recording are not mentioned.
- The latest release listed is v1.32 from June 2022.
- The macOS build is listed for macOS 10.7 through 12.x; newer versions are not named.
- Editing is limited to a title frame and inserted text messages.
Key features
- Record to GIF or LCF
- Save directly to an animated GIF, or to the native LCF format, which allows higher compression and more than 256 colors per frame.
- Movable capture frame
- Move the capture frame while recording, so the recorded area can follow what you are showing.
- Pause and text messages
- Pause and restart a recording with a global hotkey, and insert text messages or a basic title frame.
- Mouse presses and elapsed time
- Optionally show mouse button presses and the elapsed time in the recording.
- Frame-rate limit
- Set a maximum recording frame rate to throttle CPU use on slower machines.
LICEcap pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, LICEcap is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | GPL free software for Windows and macOS; each download package includes the source. |
Read from cockos.com on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with LICEcap before you buy.
Works with
- REAPER
LICEcap alternatives
- LICEcap vs Kap
Free
- LICEcap vs Gyazo
Free plan · from $6.99/mo
- LICEcap vs Screenpresso
Free plan
- LICEcap vs Greenshot
Free plan · from $1.99 one-time
Common questions
Does LICEcap have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. LICEcap is listed for Windows and macOS.
Does LICEcap have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. LICEcap is listed for Windows and macOS.
Is LICEcap open source?
Yes. LICEcap is open source, according to its own site.
Does LICEcap work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.