The ScreenToGif Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about ScreenToGif in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
ScreenToGif
The Insider’s Guide
Free Windows recorder that turns screen captures into GIFs
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among screen recording and video tools, read from ScreenToGif’s own pages.
Made by Nicke Manarin (N-Tech) · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from ScreenToGif’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on ScreenToGif’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 38 of the 52 other screen recording and video tools we grade
ScreenToGif is a free, open-source Windows app that records a selected area of the screen, a webcam feed or drawings made on a sketchboard. The recording opens in a frame-based editor where unwanted frames can be removed and captions and drawings added, and the result is saved as a GIF, APNG, video, PSD or PNG. It is the work of one developer, who now labels it a legacy app and offers a newer program, N-Studio, as its successor.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about ScreenToGif, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, and nothing to configure: drop a hollow window over what you want and record.
- 1
Best for free short GIFs on Windows
It's one developer's project, now marked legacy, with a newer app, N-Studio, offered as its successor.
- 2
It is free
ScreenToGif has no paid plan at all. The whole app is free, with its source code published on GitHub under the MS-PL license. The developer accepts donations through PayPal, Patreon and Ko-fi.
- 3
It runs on Windows
Windows.
- 4
Screen recorder
A hollow window is placed over the area to capture and can snap to another window. The frame rate is set from 1 to 60 fps, and the frame can be moved while recording.
- 5
Webcam recorder
Captures the video feed from a webcam chosen from the connected video devices; resizing the window changes the size of the recording.
- 6
Board recorder
A canvas for drawing with a pen whose color and tip size can be changed. Strokes are recorded automatically as they are drawn.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 38 of 52
That is against the other screen recording and video tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
ScreenToGif is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
ScreenToGif at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Windows
- Made by
- Nicke Manarin (N-Tech)
- Category
- Screen Recording & Video
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for free short GIFs on Windows
ScreenToGif is a free, open-source Windows app for short GIFs: put its hollow window over part of the screen, record, then delete the frames you don't want. It's Windows only, needs the .NET 9 runtime, and the developer recommends other software past a few minutes. It's one developer's project, now marked legacy, with a newer app, N-Studio, offered as its successor.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Nothing to pay against a category whose middle plan is $10 a month. The whole app is free with its source on GitHub under the MS-PL licence, and donations through PayPal, Patreon and Ko-fi are all the money in it. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The complete app, free from the developer's site, GitHub, the Microsoft Store, Chocolatey or FossHub. No paid version sits behind it and nothing is held back. |
| Features | C | It does the GIF job fully: record a screen area at 1 to 60 fps, a webcam or a sketchboard, strip out bad frames one by one, add captions, save as GIF, APNG, video, PSD or PNG. But that's a narrow slice of video, and the developer says to use other software past a few minutes. |
| Ease of use | B | No store rating on record, and nothing to configure: drop a hollow window over what you want and record. One hoop first, the .NET 9 Desktop Runtime or newer, on Windows 10 or 11. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | One operating system, Windows 10 or 11, with no Mac, Linux, phone or browser version and no integrations listed. It installs from five places, but that doesn't widen where it runs. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who ScreenToGif is for
- Fits if you make short GIFs for bug reports, documentation or tutorials on Windows
- Works for trimming or captioning single frames before you export a short clip
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you're on a Mac, Linux or a phone, as it's Windows 10 or 11 only
- Not for you if you record for more than a few minutes, since the developer recommends other software for that
- Watch out: the developer now marks it legacy and points to a newer app, N-Studio, as its successor
- Watch out: it's one developer's project, paid for by donations, and it needs the .NET 9 Desktop Runtime installed first
Good to know
Good for
- Short GIFs for bug reports, documentation and tutorials
- Windows users who want a free recorder with a built-in editor
- Removing or annotating individual frames before exporting
Worth knowing
- Windows only: it needs Windows 10 or 11 and the .NET 9 Desktop Runtime or newer.
- The developer describes it as a quick, small recorder and recommends other software for recordings longer than a few minutes.
- The developer's site now marks ScreenToGif as legacy and presents a newer app, N-Studio, as its successor.
- It is a one-developer project supported by donations and sponsors.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
ScreenToGif is free to use.
The complete app, free from the developer's site, GitHub, the Microsoft Store, Chocolatey or FossHub.
ScreenToGif
$0
The complete app, downloaded from the developer's site or GitHub, or installed from the Microsoft Store, Chocolatey or FossHub.
The free plan
The whole app is free, with its source code published on GitHub under the MS-PL license. The developer accepts donations through PayPal, Patreon and Ko-fi.
Read from github.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Windows
Free Windows recorder that turns screen captures into GIFs. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, screen recording, video editing.
But that's a narrow slice of video, and the developer says to use other software past a few minutes.
- Screen recorder
- A hollow window is placed over the area to capture and can snap to another window. The frame rate is set from 1 to 60 fps, and the frame can be moved while recording.
- Webcam recorder
- Captures the video feed from a webcam chosen from the connected video devices; resizing the window changes the size of the recording.
- Board recorder
- A canvas for drawing with a pen whose color and tip size can be changed. Strokes are recorded automatically as they are drawn.
- Frame-based editor
- Shows every frame of a recording so unwanted ones can be removed, and adds annotations such as captions and free drawing. It can also import GIFs and videos.
- Export to GIF, APNG, video, PSD or PNG
- A finished project is saved as an animated GIF or APNG, a video, a PSD file or PNG images, and single frames can be exported as images.
Where it runs
- Windows
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
ScreenToGif is made by Nicke Manarin (N-Tech).
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
38/52
Other screen recording and video tools it is graded above
ScreenToGif's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 38 of the 52 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 6.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 46 of 52) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
ScreenToGif has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 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 53 screen recording and video tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. ScreenToGif’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 39 of 52
- AFree plan and trialAbove 46 of 52
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 52
- BEase of useAbove 20 of 52
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 52
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. ScreenToGif is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
ScreenToGif is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 38 of the 52 other screen recording and video tools we grade.
What you could not
- A video editor.
- Recording the screen with its sound, and somewhere to keep the video.
- A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. ScreenToGif’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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
ShareX, Gifox, OBS Studio, Bandicam and ScreenRec
The 5 tools ScreenToGif is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
ShareX
Free
Free, open-source screenshot and screen recording for Windows.
- ScreenToGif also covers video editing.
- ShareX also covers screenshots and file sharing.
- 2.4GPA
Gifox
Free plan · from $14.99 one-time
Mac menu bar app for recording and converting animated GIFs.
- Only ScreenToGif lists a Windows app.
- Only Gifox lists a macOS app.
- ScreenToGif is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
OBS Studio
Free
Free, open-source software for video recording and live streaming.
- Only OBS Studio lists macOS and Linux apps.
- ScreenToGif also covers video editing.
- OBS Studio also covers noise cancellation.
- 2.6GPA
Bandicam
Free plan · from $33.26/yr
Screen, game and webcam recorder for Windows, with a Mac edition.
- Only Bandicam lists a macOS app.
- ScreenToGif is open source, according to its own site.
- Bandicam can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
ScreenRec
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Desktop screen recorder and screenshot tool with instant share links.
- Only ScreenRec lists macOS and Linux apps.
- ScreenToGif is open source, according to its own site.
- ScreenToGif also covers video editing.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is ScreenToGif free?
Yes. ScreenToGif is free to use.
How much does ScreenToGif cost?
ScreenToGif lists one plan. ScreenToGif: $0.
What platforms does ScreenToGif work on?
ScreenToGif is available on Windows.
Does ScreenToGif have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. ScreenToGif is listed for Windows.
Does ScreenToGif have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. ScreenToGif is listed for Windows.
Is ScreenToGif open source?
Yes. ScreenToGif is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes ScreenToGif?
ScreenToGif is made by Nicke Manarin (N-Tech).
What are the alternatives to ScreenToGif?
The closest alternatives to ScreenToGif in our directory are ShareX, Gifox, OBS Studio, Bandicam and ScreenRec.
How does ScreenToGif compare with other screen recording and video tools?
ScreenToGif's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 38 of the 52 other screen recording and video tools we grade, and level with 6.
Is ScreenToGif good value for money?
ToolGPA grades ScreenToGif A for value for money. ScreenToGif has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of ScreenToGif?
ScreenToGif is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from ScreenToGif’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from ScreenToGif's own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-04.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Nicke Manarin (N-Tech). Prices change, so check nicke.tech before you buy.
Part 07 · 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
- ScreenToGif, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/screentogif
- 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, "ScreenToGif: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/screentogif
Know someone choosing between screen recording and video tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/screentogif/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded screen recording and video tools after ScreenToGif, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Screen Recording & Video Insider's GuideEvery one of the 53 screen recording and video tools we grade, compared
- DaVinci Resolve Insider's GuideVideo editing, color, effects and audio post-production in one app3.4 GPA
- Zencastr Insider's GuideFree podcast recording, chat-based editing and hosting in one app3.4 GPA
- Cap Insider's GuideOpen-source screen recorder with instant share links and an editor3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what ScreenToGif’s pages, its 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. ScreenToGif is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Nicke Manarin (N-Tech). Prices and plans change: check nicke.tech before you buy.