30 Best Video Recording Software For 2024

Most of the media we consume on a daily basis is through video. Research shows that we retain more information by watching videos than we do by reading. Therefore, it’s easy to see how important video is in both our personal and professional lives.

Are you looking for a way to pass on more information through video? Maybe to your teams or even clients? You need the best video recording software. But, there are many screen recording software in the market, making it quite hard to choose. But we’re here to help! Read on to find our list of 30 best software and why we trust each to meet your needs.

Looking for features like SOC2-compliance, SSO support & permission management?

What is Video Recording Software?

The video recording software we’ll be talking about here is NOT the kind you would use to record and edit a Hollywood blockbuster or even a silly home movie. You won’t find Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro on this list.

Instead, the video recording software that we’ll discuss here is a program that allows you to record your screen, your webcam, or both at the same time. You can quickly record videos for your clients, give feedback on projects, and annotate issues clearly using visuals, not text. It maintains all the benefits of an in-person connection with voice and visuals, but adds the flexibility of consuming content at a time that fits your schedule.

This kind of screen recording software helps customer support specialists close tickets faster, sales teams sell with personalized demos, and is an essential tool for the remote workforce.

We’ve rounded up the best video recording software tools that will allow you to record your computer screen. These programs are extremely useful to business professionals and boost both productivity and efficiency by allowing users to easily share everything they see on their screens.

The most common uses of video recording software are to demonstrate tasks, troubleshoot problems, and craft intuitive tutorials.

How do we determine the best video recording software?

Your best video recording software is any application or tool that allows users to record their personal screens on a PC, laptop, browser, and/or smartphone. The functionality isn’t limited to just recording screens. They can record fullscreen video, app windows, games, webcam, system audio, microphone audio, and combinations of all of the above. 

We will list the pros and cons of every video screen recording software program we could find on the market: premium, free and open source to help you see how we determined the best video recording software.

How do we evaluate video recording software?

Each video recording software is different in terms of its design, functionality, price, extra features, and reliability. We evaluate video recording software based primarily on its key features, overall ease of use, and value.

To help you out, we’ve painstakingly sifted through lots of old video recording software reviews from our own site and others to compile what we consider to be a comprehensive list of all viable screen video recorders. All told, we reviewed 30 video recording software options.

In this post, we’ll give you a summary of each screen recorder, some of their most popular features, and their advantages and disadvantages. 

We hope this makes it easier for you to land on a video recording option that works for you and your team.

Best Video Recording Software Overall

1. Zight (formerly CloudApp) Video Recording Software

We’ll start our reviews with undoubtedly one of the best video recording software available: Zight. And yes, we are biased, but we believe the facts bear out our conclusion.

Zight is the perfect video recorder for recording screens, with or without a webcam. You can annotate your video in real-time and share those videos with your team for them to watch when they get time to. 

In addition, you can take screenshots, create GIFs, and make audio recordings with Zight. Anything you create gets automatically uploaded. It’s also secure and supports enterprise features like SOC2 integration. Its ease of use and wide range of features have proven it to be successful for over 4 million users worldwide.

Zight is available on different platforms, including Windows, Mac, Chrome, and iOS devices.

Moreover, Zight’s free version can record video in 720p for up to 5 minutes. It provides an opportunity for users to try out its UI and get a general feel of the video recording software so they can decide if they want to upgrade.

Upgrading the screen recording software to the individual plan only costs $9.95. This is on par with most other video recording software options, but it really shines when you compare it head-to-head per user for enterprise accounts.

Teams can also use Zight internally to communicate faster using templates, annotations, call-to-action buttons, and other features. In addition, Zight allows users to create animated GIFs. Creating a GIF helps to communicate a set of instructions to your team or clients.

Lastly, Zight allows users to upload their files and create easy-to-share links, which can be encrypted with a password and have a set expiry date too.

Pros:

• Easy to get set up and start recording videos
• Powerful video editing features
• Compatible with multiple platforms
• Relatively inexpensive compared to competitors

Cons:

• Free version video quality is limited to 720p and 90 seconds per video

To sum it up, Zight is our pick for the best video recording software. When you consider its multi-platform compatibility, extensive and intuitive set of features, and relatively inexpensive monthly premium plans, it’s your best bet.

Other Great Video Recording Software Options

2. TechSmith Snagit Video Recording Software

SnagIt is a powerful video recording software that is best utilized for making tutorials, how-to guides, and instruction videos. If that’s something you’re looking for, SnagIt is one of the best options available.

SnagIt is available on Windows and Mac devices. The screen recorder is better than the native screen-capturing options on both operating systems.

SnagIt has a free trial version with limited features. Its premium version comes at a high price of $62.99 with a plethora of features. You can install Snagit on up to two devices. Besides, users can save video recordings as an MP4 file or even an animated GIF, which is a nice plus.

With the option of multiple file formats to save videos, there’s a lot of versatility and functionality built into this screen recorder. This software saves users a ton of time in communication that would otherwise be wasted writing wordy emails. Now, using SnagIt, users can record videos with webcams and audio, edit, trim, and annotate them in several ways to communicate better.

Users can also grab text off a screen capture, allowing them to quickly copy and paste it into whichever document or file they want.

There are additional smart features that make the process of creating guides and how-to videos intuitive and relatively simple. What’s more, the screen recording tool quickly documents steps and workflows accordingly, with numbers that increase as steps are recorded. The text replaces, smart move, simplify tool, and stamps feature are all also incredibly useful.

Pros:

• A plethora of useful features
• Perfect for creating guides and how-to videos
• One-time licensing fee

Cons:

• Cannot record gameplay
• 6 times more expensive per user compared to Cloudapp

Overall, if you’re looking for video recording software for how-to videos, instructions, and guides, SnagIt is one of the best video software you could opt for while saving time and effort.

3. ShareX Screen Capture, file sharing & Productivity Tool

ShareX is an open-source, ad-free, free-to-use video recording software that provides features to match those of premium, paid video recording software. Its UI isn’t the best, but it has almost every feature a power user would need for any day-to-day work-related tasks.

ShareX is available only for Windows and Linux OS. It’s compatible with Windows 10, 8.1, and 7.

Users can save videos in a few file formats or simply upload them to a variety of websites, including Google Photos, Imgur, ImageShack, Flickr, Twitter, etc. You can save your screen recordings as animated GIFs as well.

The user interface for ShareX isn’t the most intuitive or user-friendly. It has a plethora of features categorized in old-school dropdown-type menus. Many of this screen recording software’s functions work best with keyboard shortcuts which are limiting for the average user. That’s why this software is most useful for power users and developers.

ShareX allows you to set custom watermarks and color effects for videos and even capture scrolling window screenshots.

It cannot record full-screen gameplay, which renders it generally unsuitable for gamers and gaming content creators. However, other users can record their screen in a variety of ways, including the whole screen, a portion of the screen, and a specific window.

ShareX also enables users to schedule recordings and customize hotkeys for specific functions. Although the video editing functionality in this software is a little limited, there are still quite a few features that make it viable for guides, instructional videos, and work-related content. Moreover, the recording software can recognize text in screen captures, which users can copy and paste into the video as needed.

Pros:

• Completely free to use
• A variety of export and upload options

Cons:

• No webcam recording
• Complicated UI
• Only available in Windows and Linux
• More suitable for power users and developers

ShareX is one of the best free video recording software available for professional purposes. If you’re looking for free software to record how-to videos and complete other work-related tasks, this is likely the best option for you. It does have a few limiting features, such as the lack of webcam recording, no full-screen gameplay recording, and limited video editing features, but it’s still one of the best free video software out there.

4. Debut Video Capture Software

Debut Video Capture is another great video recording software option that is free to use for non-commercial purposes. It has an array of highly useful features, including support for several file formats, external device video recording, time-lapse recording, and many more.

Debut Video Capture software works on Mac and Windows. It’s currently compatible with macOS X 10.5 onwards and Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8.1, and 10.

One of the primary features that set this screen recorder apart is that even as free software, it can record webcam footage and footage from external cameras. This means that it can be a hub for a home security system. Users can connect IP cameras or any other video input devices and record video. Moreover, Debut allows users to save video files as AVI, WMV, FLV, MPG, MP4, MOV, etc.

Although Debut Video Capture has a slightly dated look and isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing video recording software out there, it does have a ton of useful features for users of all types.

In addition to its multi-source video recording and ability to save videos in a variety of file formats, users can also directly upload screen recordings to YouTube, Flickr, and Vimeo.

This software has options like color grading your video before recording and setting up custom watermarks and logos. Furthermore, you can also replace backgrounds by using the Green Screen tool.

A downside is that there isn’t any post-recording editing tools included in the software. This doesn’t make it very suitable for recording how-to guides and similar video tutorials.

Pros:

• Completely free for personal use
• Versatile video output formats

Cons:

• Outdated UI
• No post-recording editing tools

Debut Video Capture is a really good free video recording software. Its set of features are great for personal use, to record videos of tasks, gameplay, meetings, lectures, or even for home security cameras. However, if you want to make how-to-guides with annotations or do some post-recording edits, you’d probably be better off selecting Cloudapp’s tool.

5. GoPlay Software

GoPlay is basically the Windows version of ScreenFlow. It has similar features, which means that it’s a video recording, editing, and publishing software all in one. GoPlay also allows users to record and edit videos efficiently within the GoPlay software itself. It supports 4K-60fps recording and has a vast range of built-in video editing tools, which makes it useful for all types of users.

The GoPlay video recorder only runs on Windows OS. It has a free trial version (which has a watermark) and is limited to 5 minutes of 720p video recording in one session. It also has ads on certain features. The premium version is available for $4.99 a month, which is fair considering its features and functionality.

Using GoPlay video capture software, users can record their screens in regular apps and games. They can also record their webcams and audio together with PIP (picture-in-picture) recording.

After the video is recorded, it can swiftly be edited in GoPlay using its basic and advanced editing tools that include trimming, transitions, and text animations. Furthermore, the video editing features allow users to select and apply several filters to enhance videos in only one click.

Users can create closed captions for their videos with relative ease. The process is relatively simple and intuitive.

After all editing is completed, users can export their videos directly from GoPlay onto YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. The entire process; from video recording to editing and sharing, is beginner-friendly. Lastly, the UI is intuitive to use and can be learned rather quickly.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• All-in-one suite
• Beginner-friendly

Cons:

• Very limited free-to-use version
• Free version has ads

GoPlay is a solid screen recorder for those who want powerful functionality combined with an easy-to-use interface. It boasts basic and advanced video editing tools that allow users to create high-quality videos efficiently and effectively. It’s an all-in-one suite that a wide variety of users would find themselves happy to use.

6. TechSmith Camtasia

Camtasia is one of the most widely-used video recording and editing standalone software currently available. It’s filled to the brim with fantastic features to create professional-quality videos with relative ease. These features don’t come cheap. Camtasia costs $249 per user.

Camtasia screen recorder can be used on Mac and Windows devices. It’s compatible with Windows 10 and macOS 10.14 or later. It supports a plethora of file formats, including MP4, AVI, WMV, WAV, and WMA. Users can record videos directly from iOS devices by connecting them to a Mac or PC. They can also add custom effects that simulate taps, swipes, and pinches in the video.

Users can make the most out of this video recorder by following a simple workflow to create high-quality videos with refined editing tools. The process starts with recording a video according to your liking. This can entail recording the whole screen, recording parts of the screen, or even just specific windows.

When the recording is completed, users can perform basic edits, which include trimming the video, adding audio, and adding texts, among other elements.

You can use advanced features that make creating professional-looking video recordings a breeze— cursor effects, transitions, animations, themes, background noise removal, closed captions, background removal, annotations, and pre-built assets – raising the quality of your videos immensely.

Camtasia also provides templates and presets to aid the video editing process. You can also create quizzes using the tools provided in the software to make interactive videos. This is perfect for online lectures and video courses.

When you complete this, you are able to export the screen recordings in a variety of file formats or directly upload the video to YouTube, Vimeo, Screencast, or a custom website.

Pros:

• Adds a professional touch to videos
• Optimized UI
• An extensive set of features

Cons:

• Expensive

Camtasia video capture software offers a refined recording and editing experience for users who can pay the premium price. Its advanced features aid users in creating high-quality videos with a professional touch. The ability to create interactive quizzes is unique and highly useful for teachers, especially in current world conditions.

7. Screencastify Video Recording Software

Screencastify is a simple and easy-to-use video recording Chrome extension that allows Chrome browser users to record videos in a jiffy. It may not have as many features as other popular tools, but it does its job perfectly. It allows users to record, trim, annotate, and share videos with ease.

This screen recorder works on any device that can run Google Chrome since it’s a Chrome extension and not standalone software. It also has a free version that offers all of the same features but is limited to only recording videos under 5 minutes long. The unlimited version is available for $49 a year.

Screencastify allows users to embed their webcam into the screen recording video, creating a picture-in-picture display. In addition, users can export videos recorded from Screencastify as MP4, animated GIF, and MP3.

Once you record the videos and edit them using the cut, crop, zoom, blur, and text tools, they can then be exported directly to YouTube or Google Drive.

Screencastify also supports schools and teachers by allowing teachers to send and assign videos to students directly, and then collecting their submissions using Screencastify as well. This proves to be a highly useful feature, especially in online teaching.

Pros:

• Free version
• Easy-to-use

Cons:

• 5-minute screen recording limit on the free version
• Limited editing tools

If you’re looking for a lightweight, easy-to-use screen recorder extension to use exclusively for your browser, Screencastify is likely your best bet. It has enough features to support multiple recording options, as well as basic editing options. Users can export and share their videos swiftly, making the whole process streamlined and efficient.

8. Covideo Video Recording

Covideo is the best video recording software geared towards business, marketing, and customer support professionals. It aids professionals in creating personalized screen recordings that can be shared primarily through email. It’s one of the best software for businesses that wish to add a human element to emails and engage with customers on a personal level.

Covideo is available on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. It offers a free video recording software version that is limited to 7 days. Its paid version starts at $69 per month per user. Covideo offers an array of unique features that aren’t available in most video recording software mentioned in this article.

Covideo allows users to record videos of their screens and webcams with ease. The iOS and Android applications even allow users to record themselves with their mobile cameras. This helps in creating videos on the go for customized, personal responses to emails. This is a big upside.

The screen recording software also allows basic editing of the videos and enables users to create custom brand overlays, video players, and add video captions.

There are several other features that support and enable the business side of the screen video capture software’s functionality. Although it costs extra, users can create customized landing pages for their videos, meaning whoever clicks on the video will be redirected to that page.

This can help drive traffic to websites and increase sales. Moreover, users can add a call-to-action button in their emails asking readers to visit their website, reply in an email, reply with a video (through Covideo), or even schedule an appointment.

All of this can then be sent through business emails and CRMs. This streamlines the process of personalized video emails and responses that ultimately helps drive sales.

Pros:

• Unique marketing-oriented features
• Customizable landing pages and CTA buttons
• Integrated with CRMs

Cons:

• Expensive

Covideo is a fantastic screen recorder for business professionals who want to personalize their emails, create and maintain a personal relationship with clients. The human element that a custom video embedded in an email brings cannot be matched by any number or variety of words. It has extensive functionality and integration with important CRMs, making it perfect for its primary usage.

9. Droplr Video Capture Software

Droplr is another business-oriented cloud-based screen recording tool that allows users to capture screenshots and videos swiftly and share them instantly with customers and other users. It immediately uploads your screen recordings to the cloud and creates a link for the video that you can share with anyone.

Droplr can run on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices. It’s also available as a Chrome extension, and can thus run on a Chromebook as well. You can try its free video recording software version for 3 days, after which you can sign up for $10 per month. Moreover, Droplr can record videos of unlimited length at up to 4K resolution, then upload those videos onto their Droplr cloud, and save them as WebM, GIF, and MPEG-4 files.

Users get all the standard screen recording options at 4K resolution, which is fantastic. They can record their screen, a specific window, or a portion of their screen, and also include their webcam to make the videos more personal.

After the video is recorded, it’s instantly uploaded to the Droplr cloud. The link is automatically copied to the clipboard. Now, users can paste this link anywhere and share their videos and screenshots in a matter of seconds.

All screenshots and videos are saved to the Droplr cloud, which reduces clutter on your system storage. Moreover, the URLs can be shortened to make sharing videos less of a hassle.

Droplr also offers analytics for clicks and views of users’ videos. This can aid businesses in analyzing the effectiveness of their personalized screen recordings and video messages, which can help them improve their marketing strategy and approach to customers.

To top it all off, Droplr is integrated with a large number of apps, including Gmail, Slack, Trello, Photoshop, Teams, and more.

Pros:

• Videos saved to Droplr cloud account
• Integration with multiple business apps
• Inexpensive

Cons:

• Cannot copy and paste videos from the clipboard directly

Overall, Droplr is a fantastic screen recorder software for customer service representatives, and businesses that need simple how-to videos and instructions shared instantly and effortlessly. It’s also relatively cheap compared to other software with similar features.

10. ScreenPal (formerly Screencast-o-Matic) Screen Recording Software

ScreenPal is a screen recording software that bridges the gap between free video recording software and expensive, paid screen video recording software.

It offers more features than comparable free software and is less complex than the more premium options. It offers extensive screen recording features, a few editing tools, a few file export options, and a plethora of sharing settings at a price of just $1.65 per month for the Deluxe version and $4.00 for the Premier version.

ScreenPal is available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Chromebook.The screen recorder perfect to use for online teaching, recording lessons, how-to videos, and other HR-related tasks. It has a free version that is limits users to recording 15-minute videos with a watermark.

This video capture software allows users to record their screen in several ways, including webcam footage. You can save videos as GIF, AVI, MP4, or FLV files. It can, however, only save screenshots as PNG files, which is slightly limiting.

It can perform edits such as cropping, blurring, adding text, recording audio, adding music, annotating, adding transitions, overlays, and a green screen filter, along with other features.

The Deluxe and Premier versions also come with a built-in music library for users to add music tracks to their videos. They also include speech-to-text captioning, which is perfect for teachers who want to record their lessons for students.

After recording and editing videos, you can host them directly on ScreenPal, or share to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google Classroom, MS Teams, Google Drive, and emails instantaneously.

Pros:

• Capable features
• Affordable
• Swift and extensive sharing options

Cons:

• Limited file options
• No OCR for screenshots

ScreenPal is unique in the sense that it offers a very cheap alternative to highly expensive, premium video recording software and is much better than most free video recording software. It is well worth its relatively low cost of $4 per user per month.

11. Loom Video Recording Software

Loom is a video recording software that allows teams to communicate through videos. It increases productivity and improves effective communication between collaborating remote teams.

This video recorder is available on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. It has a free version that has basic features and is limited to 5 minutes per video and 25 videos per person. The business version costs $8 per user/month and provides access to unlimited video recording and advanced features for effective communication and branding.

Loom supports up to 4K video recording with its business version. Additionally, it automatically uploads recorded videos onto Loom servers and creates a link for users to share the videos. This link is automatically copied onto a user’s clipboard for ease of use.

The screen recorder also enables teams to record and send videos with webcam footage and selective video recording, which enhances communication and makes it much more efficient compared to writing lengthy emails and how-to instructions.

Loom also allows users to edit and trim their videos, add call-to-action buttons, and even add customized branding to videos. Video owners can access and customize the privacy and sharing controls of each video. They can set passwords according to their need and choice.

Since Loom is available on iOS and Android, users can record and share videos with their team and clients on the go, which is a great facility.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use
• Swift screen recording and sharing options
• Call-to-action and custom branding

Cons:

• Limited integration with CRMs

Loom has grown exponentially over the past few years to become a popular screen video recording software. Its functionality is perfect for professionals, teams, and businesses. Communication between users proves to be efficient and effective when done through video instead of emails and text messages.

12. OBS Studio

OBS Studio is one of the most widely used video streaming and recording software available. It’s often called the most powerful screen capture tool – and we beg to differ because Zight’s screen capture tool is just as powerful. OBS Studio has everything a user would need to live-stream themselves playing games or doing absolutely anything on their device. It’s the go-to software for most streamers on YouTube and Twitch.

OBS Studio is open-source, free video recording software. It’s available on Windows, Mac, and Linux devices. It’s a full-fledged, feature-filled, professional streaming, recording, and editing solution for gamers and content creators alike. However, it is quite complex and takes some learning to use and master.

OBS Studio packs a ton of features and is an amazing software for streaming and recording gameplay. On top of that, users can customize hotkeys to instantly start recording, record the last few minutes of gameplay and make a clip, or switch overlays and transitions on stream.

Users can also add customized watermarks, custom stream frames, webcam frames, and much more.

The screen recorder has a steep learning curve for users to get the most out of the software. It has extensive features for professional editing from multiple clips and sources. It’s best to have a dual-monitor setup to use OBS Studio efficiently while streaming, recording, and editing.

The software provides support for many streaming platforms, including Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Live, and more.

Pros:

• Powerful streaming and recording features
• Highly customizable
• Completely free

Cons:

• Suitable only for advanced users

OBS Studio is easily one of the best video streaming, recording, and editing software available. It serves millions of users, but it isn’t beginner-friendly. It requires a lot of learning and getting used to for a user to make the most out of the software. However, when you learn how to use it properly, you can really elevate the quality of streaming and recorded video content exponentially.

13. Movavi Video Recording Software

Movavi is a video recording software that is most suitable for recording tutorials, webinars, lectures, and meetings. Users can record their screens, webcams, and audio. They can also record and capture separate streams. Movavi features a range of editing tools. Its set of features makes it perfect for teachers and business professionals.

Movavi is available on Windows and Mac devices. The video recorder has a free trial that lasts for 7 days and is limited to basic editing tools and a watermark on output videos. The premium version is available for $49.95 for lifetime use on PC and $39.95 for lifetime use on Mac.

Movavi also comes with extra paid video editing features for which users can pay a premium price. This enables users to not only capture and record videos but also use advanced editing tools such as animations, animated titles, special effects, clips, and more.

You can record, edit, and share 4K videos through Movavi. Gameplay cannot be recorded through this software, which is somewhat of a downside. However, since this software is primarily teacher and business-oriented, that isn’t necessarily a huge deal.

Movavi allows users to schedule recordings, show keystrokes and cursor movement, and draw on videos to make them more engaging or highlight information.

Pros:

• Simple UI
• Easy to use

Cons:

• Watermarked trial version
• Paid advanced editing tools

Overall, Movavi is a fantastic video recorder aimed at teachers and professionals to record, edit, and publish lectures, tutorials, webinars, and meetings. It has an intuitive and simple UI that enables users to create high-quality videos with ease. It does cost a premium to utilize all of its features, which can honestly be a bit expensive for the functionality it offers compared to other similar software.

14. Bandicam Video Software

Bandicam is a lightweight screen and webcam recording software that enables users to capture anything on their screen and save it as a high-quality video. Users can record a plethora of sources, including their screen and other externally connected devices such as a PlayStation, an Xbox, a smartphone, or even an IPTV device. It also has a variety of features that aid content creators and streamers, which makes it perfect for most gamers.

Bandicam exclusively operates on PC only, but it can run on any computer with a Windows operating system. However, the video capture software makes it possible for users to record their smartphone screen by connecting it to their PC and then recording it.

The free video recording software version of Bandicam is limited to only 10 minutes of recording at a time, and there’s a watermark that users do have to deal with. If users get the registered version, they can record videos for an unlimited time and record videos without a watermark.

Bandicam can’t record videos and save them as MP4 and AVI files, but you can upload these videos on Vimeo and Youtube with ease.

Bandicam is a highly versatile software for PC that allows users to record videos from an array of sources without any hindrance. Its ease of use is nearly unparalleled. In addition, it has a simple user interface that is easy to navigate, all while also incorporating a wide variety of features and functions.

Users can record videos of themselves with a webcam overlay, and they can set up a chroma key video in real-time while also recording the rest of their screen, which is a testament to its excellent functionality.

Bandicam also allows users to record both system audio and their voice through microphones. Users can even add mouse-click effects and draw on their videos or screenshots in real-time.

Pros:

• Can record any source connected to PC
• Easy-to-use interface

Cons:

• Watermarked free version
• Only available on Windows OS

All in all, Bandicam is an easy-to-use, highly versatile lightweight screen recording software that enables users to record their videos and gameplay with comfort. The free version is extremely limited, but the registered version allows an extensive amount of functionality that can be deemed worthy of its price.

15. Fluvid Video Capture Software

Fluvid is a Google Chrome extension that records screens and captures screenshots effortlessly. It’s built to carry out the entire process of capturing, editing, and sharing screen recordings fluidly. It’s perfect for recording lectures, webinars, meetings, and how-to tutorials.

Fluvid is available as a Google Chrome extension on a range of supported devices. The extension has a free version that allows users to record 50 videos of up to 1-hour duration. Users can export videos in MP4 without watermarks and even share links directly on any platform. Fluvid Pro is available for $8 per month with many extra features that are well worth its price.

Fluvid also allows users to record and stream their screens and webcams simultaneously. Users can create live annotations during recording and streaming to create effective how-to videos, guides, and more.

Along with basic video editing and annotation tools, Fluid has a feature that allows users to add a customizable call-to-action button that can generate leads from videos quite easily.

In addition, after streaming, recording and editing the videos, you can share them through direct links or save them as MP4 files.

The screen recordings are uploaded to the Fluid dashboard, which is easy to navigate and organize. Uploaded videos shared through links can also be password protected.

Users can add metadata such as titles, descriptions, tags, and more using Fluvid. The Fluvid video player also allows users to embed videos on any website. Moreover, it allows users to stream and publish videos directly on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.

Pros:

• Great free resource
• Useful embedding and sharing features
• Streaming on Facebook, YouTube & Twitch

Cons:

• Limited editing tools

16. Free Cam by iSpring

Free Cam (by iSpring) is a simple, easy-to-use, free-of-cost screen recording software for Windows. It targets users who want to create professional video lessons, webinars, and e-learning presentations. It has a relatively compact list of features that users would require to make a simple yet polished video recording.

Free Cam is free and available only for Windows. It can run on Windows 7, 8, and 10. It also comes with a Pro version which has additional features and functionality for creating advanced, higher-quality videos.

The free version of Free Cam is limited to recording 760p videos and exporting them as WMV files or uploading them to YouTube only. The Pro version of Free Cam enables users to record 1080p resolution and save videos as MP4 files as well.

This video recorder allows users to select a custom recording area on their screen, record system audio and user’s voice, highlight their cursor, and crop and trim videos. It has a noise reduction feature.

Users can adjust the volume, mute sound in certain sections of the video, and even add fade-in and fade-out effects to the audio. Once you record and edit the video, it can be exported locally or uploaded directly to YouTube.

Free Cam has limited editing features, but its UI and overall functionality are incredible, considering its completely free software and lets users record videos without a watermark or time limit duration, a rare find in video recorders.

Pros:

• It is a free video recording software & without a watermark or limit
• Noise reduction

Cons:

• Limited to 760p resolution
• No webcam recording

Free Cam is undoubtedly one of the best free video recording software available. It has a range of useful features, all sorted into an aesthetically pleasing and intuitive user interface which makes creating high-quality videos a simple and enjoyable task.

17. DVDVideoSoft Free Screen Video Recorder

The DVDVideoSoft Free Screen Video Recorder is a slightly outdated-looking software that is free-to-use and has the standard features of a free recorder, without any watermark or recording duration limit.

It is available only for Windows and compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP SP3. While it is a free video recorder software, it also does come with ads. Users can save screen recordings as MP4 files only, whereas screenshots can be saved as BMP, JPEG, GIF, TGA, or PNG formats.

Although the Free Screen Video Recorder has all the basic functions a screen recording software requires, it does look incredibly outdated. Its old icons and UI are unable to compete with modern-looking free software without ads. It also doesn’t record system sounds and can only record sounds from a microphone connected to the device.

It has almost no functionality beyond the basic trimming and cropping of videos.

With that being said, the software does allow users to record full-screen videos and specific portions of their screen.

Pros:

• Free

Cons:

• Excessive ads
• Very limited features

DVDVideoSoft’s Free Screen Video Recorder is one of the least favorable options on this list. It has a poor, dated interface with extremely limited functionality. The fact that it is free-to-use is marred by the ads on it. There are much better alternatives available for a free Windows screen video recorder, a few of which we’ve already mentioned in this list.

18. CamStudio – Opensource Video Recorder

CamStudio is another open-source, completely free video recording software for Windows that has been widely used over the years. However, it also has dated features and functionality. It’s still a great resource for simple, free video recording and screen capturing.

CamStudio is available for Windows only. It’s supported on Windows 10, 7, Vista, and XP. Although the software is free, its installer can try to install unwanted software, which can obviously be frustrating.

Installing CamStudio involves downloading the CamStudio installer, as well as the Codec available on its website. This process itself shows how old this software is.

CamStudio has very limited features in terms of editing but has a few recording features. Users can record picture-in-picture videos with ease. It also allows users to set variable output sizes for videos in case they want a smaller file to send through an email. Its video compression is a welcome feature.

Moreover, CamStudio enables users to save video formats only in AVI format, which they can later convert to SWF format as well.

You can annotate videos with simple objects and shapes to make them more engaging and easy to comprehend, but that’s pretty much where its list of features ends.

CamStudio has no video editing tools and lacks any animation or text addition.

Pros:

• Free

Cons:

• Extremely limited features
• Very dated UI
• Exports to AVI and SWF files only

CamStudio is now an outdated software that you can no longer consider relevant in today’s time and age. It just does not have the capability or the features to compete even with other free video recording software. Thus, it’s better to opt for other tools in this list, especially if you’re looking to create videos with advanced editing options.

19. Ezvid Video Recording Software

Released way back in 2011, Ezvid is one of the first free screen video recording software that was made available. It’s also a decently powerful, lightweight recording and editing suite with a simple UI geared toward gamers and content creators who want to publish their recordings on YouTube without spending too much time learning more complex software.

Ezvid is compatible with Windows, ranging from Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10. It’s completely free to use but it’s limited to recording videos with a maximum duration of 45 minutes. It does have a few useful features that appeal to gamers and content creators.

First off, the Ezvid video recorder is easy to use. It has an intuitive UI that can be learned within a matter of minutes. This video recording software allows users to record their screens and webcams simultaneously. It also supports live annotations and drawing on the screen.

Ezvid has a few other quite useful features. Its editing suite enables users to edit videos with ease. They can cut, crop, and trim videos efficiently. Users can also add text-to-speech and create a narration for their recorded videos.

In addition, Ezvid comes with a selection of popular music tracks that users can incorporate into their videos free of cost, which is a nice perk.

One issue that pertains to gamers is that they cannot record fullscreen gameplay. This hinders the use of this software for most gamers and content creators but is still a viable option for many users. Another potential issue is that it can only directly upload videos to YouTube, so users cannot save their recordings locally.

Pros:

• Easy & intuitive to use
• Free video recording software
• Text-to-speech voice synthesis

Cons:

• Cannot save recordings locally
• Records at max 720p

Ezvid is another example of video recorder tools that used to be competitive in the past but now seems less-than-stellar when compared to modern video recording software. There are simply better alternatives available.

20. TinyTake Video Recording Software

TinyTake is a relatively easy-to-use screen recording software with an aesthetically pleasing and intuitive UI. It can record, edit, and publish videos for Windows and Mac users reliably. It has a few key features that are quite useful for most users. But it has a very limited free version, and it only offers its full set of features for its most expensive plan.

TinyTake runs on Windows and Mac devices. Its free version allows you to record videos for up to 5 minutes. Only its most expensive Jumbo plan (which costs $99.95 per year) can record videos up to 60 minutes long. The Jumbo plan also has several useful features that the Free, Standard, and Plus versions do not.

For the sake of this review, we’ll discuss the Jumbo plan and its features. To begin with, TinyTake allows users to record high-quality screen recordings and save them directly on TinyTake’s online cloud-based gallery.

Users can access the gallery through the software and upload other videos and recordings too.

In addition, TinyTake allows users to create custom hotkeys and shortcuts for certain functions.

It comes with all basic editing tools and functions, including annotations, blurring, drawing, and more.

There is a lack of advanced editing tools but most users of TinyTake like its simplicity and ease of use. TinyTake enables users to directly upload videos to YouTube in a single click. It also allows users to share URLs to their saved videos.

Pros:

• Cloud-based storage and file viewer
• Intuitive UI

Cons:

• Expensive premium plan
• Limited editing features

TinyTake is perfect for casual users who want a simple yet capable video recording software. It provides decent functionality and features, albeit at a high price. For those who can afford the software and put simplicity above advanced editing features, this might be their best option. Power users and content creators who want high-quality video editing tools are advised to check out other software on this list.

21. iSpring Cam Pro Video Recorder

iSpring Cam Pro markets itself as the best video recorder for eLearning. It very well may be just that. It has fantastic yet simple features that allow users to create professional-looking lectures, webinars, software tutorials, how-to videos, and online courses. This does, however, mean that it comes at a premium price.

iSpring Cam Pro runs only on Windows. It supports Windows 10, 8.1, 8, and 7. iSpring Cam Pro has a free trial version that provides users access to all of its features for free for a period of 14 days. Users can avail its extensive features and streamlined functionality for $227 per year.

iSpring Cam Pro is optimized for creating tutorials, how-to videos, instructional guides, eLearning videos, lectures, webinars, and software courses. It allows users to record their entire screen, a selected area, and even any running application window.

The software records picture-in-picture footage as well. It can record voice overs and add that to videos with ease.

There are a few simple annotations to highlight areas, add text, and give instructions for the benefit of the viewer. iSpring Cam Pro also enables users to add smooth scene transitions to polish and enhance their videos, especially when there are cuts during recording.

iSpring Cam Pro allows users to polish the audio for each video. Users can adjust the volume, and add fade-in and fade-out effects. Apply noise reduction to get rid of different background noises.

Finally, you can publish the video recordings directly on YouTube or export videos locally as WMV files.

Pros:

• Polished audio and video output

Cons:

• Expensive
• Only exports WMV files
• Limited annotation tools

Overall, iSpring Cam Pro is a reliable software to record videos to create online courses, webinars, how-to guides, software tutorials, and more. It has a few features that make it suitable for this purpose, including its annotations, multi-track timeline for editing, scene transitions, and audio polishing features.

However, other than a few annotation tools and transition animations, there’s not much flair one can add to their recordings using iSpring Cam Pro. It’s also a relatively expensive option compared to many of its competitors.

22. My Screen Recorder Pro

My Screen Recorder Pro is a slightly dated but powerful screen recording software that exports video files in several formats and allows basic editing. Its UI and overall look aren’t the sexiest, given the software was released quite a few years ago. It’s older than most software on this list, and it does show.

The free video recording software is available only on Windows. It’s supported on Windows 10, 8, and 7. It allows users to save videos in MP4, AVI, WMV, and WebM file formats. Users can also create EXE files, which means users can create a self-playing package for recorded videos.

My Screen Recorder Pro enables users to record any region of their screen, and record their webcam footage simultaneously. It also has a few other useful features, which include mouse tracking, zooming, panning, creating time-lapses, adjusting resolution and frame rate, adding watermarks, drawing on the screen, and more.

Recordings can be automated to a customizable, preset schedule for most efficient, regular usage.

Pros:

• Export videos to AVI, MP4, WMV, and WebM formats
• Scheduled recording

Cons:

• Limited editing features
• Lacks animations and transitions

23. ScreenFlow Video Recorder

ScreenFlow is simply the best video recording, editing, and publishing software available exclusively for macOS and iOS devices. It has an assortment of features that cover video recording, editing, and publishing, all in one software. It allows Mac users to record and produce professional-looking videos with ease.

ScreenFlow is available only on macOS. It’s compatible with macOS Catalina 10.15 and macOS Big Sur only. Users can also connect iOS devices to their Mac laptops and record their mobile screens.

Using ScreenFlow, users can record retina-quality videos on their Mac devices. They can save the videos in ProRes, MP4, and several other file formats. ScreenFlow also enables users to create GIFs and animated PNGs (APNGs) from any video project in the software.

Along with extensive recording and file format options, ScreenFlow has quite a few features that enable users to create professional-quality videos just from one software. This includes recording from retina displays and multiple screens at once.

Once you finish recording the videos, they can be edited masterfully using a comprehensive set of editing tools available in ScreenFlow. These tools allow users to incorporate text, transitions, animations, translations, annotations, freehand annotations, and multi-channel audio, among others.

What’s more, the video project can be edited in a streamlined fashion, similar to professional video editing software such as Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro.

After the videos are recorded and edited, they can be directly published onto a handful of websites, including YouTube, Vimeo, Imgur, etc.

Users can also access an extensive library of video clips, images, animations, texts, and other media for their videos through ScreenFlow’s built-in stock library.

These features come at a hefty price of $259, which can definitely be worth it for the right users.

Pros:

• Recording, editing, and publishing suite
• Powerful editing tools
• Extensive file format support and publishing options

Cons:

• Expensive

All in all, ScreenFlow is an amazing screen recording software that combines professional-quality video recording, video editing, and publishing into one neat package. It’s available at a premium price, but for the features it offers, it may very well be worth it for the right individuals who would prefer to record, edit, and publish all through one software.

24. FlashBack Video Recording Software

Flashback is a relatively simple but feature-filled screen recorder with a variety of functions that enable users to capture, edit, and share videos. Its intuitive UI is easy to use and easy to learn, which makes it extremely simple to create high-quality tutorials, how-to videos, and instructional guides.

Flashback only runs on Windows OS and it supports Windows 10, 8, and 7. It can record high-quality videos and export them as MP4, AVI, GIF, and more. Users can also directly share recorded and edited videos straight to YouTube.

Flashback enables users to capture their desktop screen in several manners. They can record their webcams and microphones simultaneously. They can also record multiple displays at once, which is a unique feature.

You can set a recording schedule and the software will follow it to record videos automatically. Once the videos are recorded, they’re brought into the Flashback editing suite which has a variety of editing tools to offer. Users can trim the footage, zoom in and out, blur objects, add images, highlights, captions, text, apply transitions, and add custom watermarks.

Flashback users can also add audio and music to their videos and the editing timeline of this product makes the editing process a whole lot easier and more efficient.

Once you have the videos, export them in several file formats locally, or upload directly to YouTube.

Pros:

• Record multiple monitors
• Scheduled recording
• Capable editing tools

Cons:

• Watermarked free version

Flashback is an easy-to-use software targeted at individuals that are not too tech-savvy. It enables users to create tutorials, guides, and instructional videos with relative ease. Its features support each user in creating high-quality videos without having to learn advanced editing software.

25. AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium

AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium provides a comprehensive list of features for everyday screen recording usage. It’s very easy to use and learn. New users can get up-to speed with its features quickly. They can record and edit high-quality videos with ease. Its friendly interface appeals to all kinds of users.

AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium is available for Windows and Mac devices. It’s supported on Windows 10, 8.1, 8, and 7, as well as Mac OS X 10.10 and above. This software supports several formats, including MP4, WMV, MOV, AVI, M4V, F4V, and TS. The software is free for recordings of up to 3 minutes long. In addition, it has a paid version with unlimited recording, additional editing tools, and features.

AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium is a capable video recording and editing tool best suited for creating content. The software allows users to record videos in 4K resolution at up to 50 fps. It also allows custom screen capture options and enables users to record webcams separately.

Moreover, AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium also has scheduled recording.

Many users would be more than happy to use its built-in video editing tools to create engaging, professional-quality videos for themselves. The paid version includes several extra features, such as live annotation, mouse effects, and more.

Pros:

• 4K recording at 50 fps
• Live editing and annotation tools
• Support for several output video formats

Cons:

• Very limited free version

All in all, AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium is a safe bet for the average user. It has enough features to create basic videos and how-to guides, as well as record and annotate meetings, webinars, and online lectures. Its price may be a little high for its set of features, but it does just enough to make the cut.

26. MadCap Flare Screen Capture Software

MadCap Flare is primarily a professional authoring and publishing suite. It helps companies design, develop, and deliver training content, assistance in technical learning, and online documentation. Screen recording and editing are just one small part of this product.

MadCap Flare is available on Windows. It has a 30-day free trial, after which users will have to pay $182 per user per month. It has a very high cost, but it can be worth it for the right use cases and companies.

This option can record the entire screen or selected regions. However, the software cannot record webcam footage, which may not be suitable for some.

MadCap Flare provides a range of powerful and creative video editing tools that include basic ones, such as cropping, trimming, and zooming, and more advanced ones, such as transitions, arrows, callouts, and animated typing boxes.

Users can export videos directly to YouTube or Vimeo, or even export them locally as movies in HTML5 and PDF format.

The downside of MadCap Flare is that it is challenging to use. Users can spend hours trying to learn this software by themselves, but they might not get that far. Therefore, it is necessary to watch tutorials or have an in-person tutor to learn to use MadCap Flare to its full potential.

Pros:

• Amazing functionality
• Powerful editing tools

Cons:

• Very expensive monthly plan
• Difficult to learn

For those who can utilize the true potential of the software, MadCap Flare is an amazing choice. It incorporates screen recording and capturing into a powerful suite that allows you to create professional, high-quality videos and guides. However, between the price and UX, it tends to appeal to a limited niche of professionals and companies.

27. recordMyDesktop Free Video Recording Software

recordMyDesktop is a free, open-source screen recording app for Linux. It has the most basic features with minimal options. It is extremely dated with an unattractive user interface.

recordMyDesktop is available on Linux and GNU only. It is written in Python and offers the ability to record audio as OGA files and video as OGV files.

The best free video capture software is very lightweight and basic because it has limited features. For instance, there are no editing tools available in recordMyDesktop. Users cannot even trim and make changes to the video. There are options to select areas and windows to record, but webcam recording is not possible either. However, recordMyDesktop enables unlimited recording without watermarks on videos.

Pros:

• Free
• Simple to use

Cons:

• Very unattractive design
• No features beyond basic recording

recordMyDesktop is an app you’ll probably opt not to use in this day and age, especially considering other more advanced and aesthetically pleasing screen video recording software available. recordMyDesktop is a relic of the past and you should leave it there. Users can find much better alternatives, even the best video recording software!

28. Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder

Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder is an impressive software due to its functionality and features available for free. It’s quite easy to use and is most suitable for creating software tutorials and how-to videos.

Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder runs as a web-based tool. Users have to visit its website, click on “start recording” and follow a few simple steps to begin recording within a minute. It’s a straightforward process that enables users to create unlimited, free video recordings without downloading expensive and system-resource-heavy software. In addition, users can save videos as MP4, WMV, AVI, FLV, MPEG, VOB, ASF, and GIF files.

Using this free video recording software, users can run the launcher and start recording almost instantly. You can choose from a number of recording options that include recording webcam footage.

The software also enables users to edit screencasts in real time. Users can add text, lines, callouts, and other basic elements to make their videos more engaging.

The videos can be easily exported as several file formats, or be directly uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, and Dropbox. The software can also upload videos and screenshots into its drive.

Pros:

• Live annotations
• Lightweight, web-based software
• Free video recording software
• Unlimited recording without watermark

Cons:

• Fewer options on Mac devices

Overall, the Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder is an interesting blend of other screen recording options available. It strikes a decent balance between being lightweight, aesthetically pleasing, and functional. The fact that it comes with a few advanced video editing features, such as live annotations and uploading videos to the cloud, is impressive for this software.

29. AceThinker Screen Grabber Pro

AceThinker Online Screen Recorder is another rendition of a web-based screen recording software. It provides users the functionality to record screens with lightweight software that isn’t resource-hungry. This Online Screen Recorder allows users to record their screens in a few methods, record audio, and record webcam footage as well.

Since AceThinker Online Screen Recorder is a web-based tool, it doesn’t take up any space in the user’s device permanently. You launch it from the browser, and within a matter of seconds, users are ready to record their screens with ease. Video recordings can be saved as AVI, MOV, WMV, MP4, GIF, and more.

Once the Online Screen Recorder is launched, users can choose to record their whole screen, or a portion of their screen, or their webcam. Besides, system audio and microphone audio can be recorded and added to videos as well.

There are a few real-time video editing options that allow users to add notes, texts, images, shapes, lines, and drawings onto their screens while recording high-quality videos.

There are no advanced video editing tools in this software, which may not make it suitable for power users and content creators.

Users can choose to save videos in a range of formats or publish and save videos on YouTube, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Vimeo.

Pros:

• Record full screen and webcam
• Real-time video editing
• Ability to export in a variety of formats

Cons:

• No advanced editing tools

AceThinker Online Screen Recorder is a great choice for casual users who just want to record a video or two and then delete the software. This tool allows you to launch the software whenever you want to use it, and then not have to worry about uninstalling the program. Think of it as disposable video screen recording software. It does all its basics right and is intuitively simple to use. What’s not to like?

30. Wondershare DemoCreator

The successor to Wondershare Filmora Screen, Wondershare DemoCreator is a fantastic software for gamers, content creators, and tutorial creators alike. It offers professional recording and video editing tools with extensive effects that can elevate videos to a whole new level. It’s one of the best screen recorders available with a full set of features.

Wondershare DemoCreator is available for Windows and MacOS. It has a free trial version that has all the features available, but the videos created are watermarked. DemoCreator’s paid plans aren’t exactly expensive, either. The cheapest annual plan costs $45, and the perpetual plan costs just $75. Quite the deal.

Wondershare DemoCreator offers an amazing set of features. To begin with, users can record videos at up to 120 fps in 4K resolution. This is absolutely fantastic for gamers. Users can record anything on their screens, webcams and audio.

The editing suite of DemoCreator is also extremely powerful. It allows users to edit video and audio separately to get the best results. Users can enhance their videos with a wide range of visual effects, including green-screen effects, transitions, zooming, animations, text options, and panning.

Wondershare DemoCreator also offers AI facial recognition, which enables users to enhance faces. Dynamic stickers, cursor effects, motion effects, and several other effects can also be fun additions to make videos pop.

Pros:

• 120 fps 4K recording
• Powerful editing suite
• AI facial recognition

Cons:

• Can impact performance in games

The Wondershare DreamCreator is one of the best video recording software suites available on this list. It has extensive features with an aesthetically pleasing UI. It’s perfect for recording gameplay, tutorials, how-to guides, and basically anything. It’s also quite affordable, considering the features and functionality it offers.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Best Video Recording Software

a) Which software is used for video recording?

There are many video recording software available for different devices, so your best choice boils down to preference. Video recording software like Zight and others on this list offer a one-in-all package for screen recording, webcam and screen recording, video editing, easy sharing, and more features.

b) What is the best free video recorder software?

While you have different options based on your needs, we recommend using the Zight screen recorder as your best free video recording software. Zight comes with a free trial version that you can utilize for most of your needs. Unlike other free and outdated software with complicated UIs, Zight is the most modern, easy-to-use, and lightweight software you can get as a Chrome extension.

c) What is the best software for recording screen video and have good sound?

Zight is the best video recording software to record your screen and webcam with good sound. You’ll only need to open your Zight app or Chrome extension, click Record, and choose your screen recording preferences. Here, you choose between full screen or selecting a region, then choose to either record your screen with webcam or not. After that, click the Audio/Mic button to turn on your sound and start recording.