Best Screen Recording Software in 2022 (Ranked & Reviewed)

With the release of numerous screen recorders in the past five years, choosing one is becoming increasingly difficult. Apart from them all offering the basic function of recording a screen, they all come with unique features that help set them apart from others.

In this article, we’ve put together some of the best screen recording software available today. The features you’ll find in one great piece of software might be absent in the next. This round-up will help you discover the perfect software application for your requirements.

Before we go deeper, however, it’s important to note that screen capture software, screen recorders, screen recording software, and screencasting software, all refer to the same tool that gets installed on a computer, on a browser, or smart mobile device to enable the user to record their screen in action.

Although screen recording software is not exclusive to computers, this article focuses mostly on desktop applications and not on mobile-specific applications. Some of the options do work across multiple platforms and devices. Let's dive in!

What is Screen Recording?

Screen recordings, which are sometimes referred to as screen captures, involve recording any action happening on a user’s computer screen. There are many reasons why people record their screens. In workplaces, for example, a training facilitator can record their screen as they demonstrate the use of a new piece of technology to the staff undertaking the training.

In schools and lecture halls, teachers can prepare video lessons to give their students practical examples of the course module being studied. Most software tutorials we have available to us today were recorded using the best screen recorders. Others, such as gamers, also use free screen recorders to capture themselves in action – having a good time with their gameplay.

Whatever your application, there is a screen recording solution that is likely a good fit and will provide the value needed for your particular use case.

Here are our picks for the best screen recording software in 2022.

Movavi

Best Overall

Movavi screen recording software is a powerful yet lightweight screen capture tool that also doubles as a video editor – which can be used for grabbing music and media from different websites, creating interactive video tutorials, video streaming, capturing video calls, or simply capturing screenshots of your desktop.

It comes with a user-friendly interface with intuitive controls to complement that. Its built-in editor comes with a good number of features – such as editing tools, special video effects, and stylish filters – with which one can edit their screen captures to produce a professional look.

The software allows you to save the recorded videos in whatever format you prefer via the advanced screen recording tool. And once you’re done with all that, you can go ahead and upload your video to Google Drive and YouTube after saving it locally to your computer.

Movavi Features

Ease of use

Movavi provides an intuitive interface that makes it easy to get up and running with the platform quickly and seamlessly. Users tout the software as being extremely easy to work with.

Video effects

Movavi claims to provide access to “Hollywood caliber effects” within their platform to ensure the videos you are producing meet the expectations for any application and use.

Stock video, audio, and photos

Movavi offers stock video clips, audio recordings, and images to aid in the editing and finishing process for your video production needs.

Support for a wide range of formats

You can convert between 180+ media formats, capture VHS output, and TV signals as well as export to an incredible number of formats and quality levels.

Ready-made intros

Movavi provides multiple ready-made intros to help in creating your finished video recording without needing to build your own.

Movavi User Reviews

Here's how software review sites are rating Movavi

Capterra – 4.6 out of 5, based on 147 reviews and ratings.

G2 – 4.6 out of 5, based on 627 reviews and ratings.

Movavi Pricing

Both Mac and Windows versions of Movavi Screen Recorder can be purchased for $44.95 – for a 1-year license or $59.95 to give lifetime access to the user. Both licenses are for 1 PC only. The software also has a macOS version. There are also bundled versions of the products, Unlimited, Video Suite Business, Video Editor Plus, and more.

Movavi Support

To receive assistance from the Movavi support team, you can access the support center via the top navigation on the website. From there, you have access to a number of areas of support and FAQs.

You can submit a ticket via the support center, initiate a live chat session or call them at 1 (205) 846-4477.

Loom

Best Online Screen Recorder

If you want screen casting software that can be used both on the PC and smartphone, then, Loom is your go-to software. This recording app is an easy-to-use one from the get-go, with a recording interface that is pretty much point-and-click. From the main UI screen, all you have to do is click the Record a Video Button and start creating content.

Loom Features

Recording options

Single screens, multiple screens, and picture-in-picture options. You can choose to use your device’s stock camera or connect an external one to achieve maximum resolution.

Out-of-the-box

Loom provides an online recording option, which makes it unique from other options. The Chrome extension gives users three recording options: camera only, hybrid screen, and camera, and screen only. The hybrid screen is great for virtual walkthroughs or product demos.

Editing

Editing is easy with Loom; all you have to do is point and click to select parts that need enhancing or removal. With Loom, this functionality allows users to select parts for editing without constantly playing and replaying parts to get things right.

Also, adding calls-to-action (CTAs) is easy with Loom, making it a perfect fit for tutors and sales teams.

Integrations

Loom’s integrations allow users to record and share their videos on platforms like Facebook, Gmail, and Twitter. Users can also share content to platforms like Jira and Jira Service Desk, as well as embed Loom videos into posts on Medium and Notion.

Loom User Reviews

Here’s how software review sites are rating Loom

Capterra – 4.6 out of 5, based on 230 reviews and ratings.

G2 – 4.6 out of 5, based on 442 reviews and ratings.

Loom Pricing

Loom Screen Recorder has a free Starter plan. Loom offers two paid plans, Business, and Enterprise. There are free plans for educators as well.

Starter: $0/month includes:

• Screen recording
• Instant editing
• Unlimited transcriptions
• Unlimited controls
• Viewer insights

Business: $8/month includes:

• Everything included the starter plan
• Unlimited creators
• Custom branding
• Video uploads
• Embed links in videos

Enterprise: call sales to inquire, including:

• Unlimited members
• Unlimited videos
• Unlimited recording length
• Advanced content privacy
• Salesforce integration

Loom Support

You can receive support from the Loom help center, where there are links to multiple resources on how to use the software, as well as best practices, use cases, and the software's roadmap.

Additionally, there are multiple categories to review FAQs and documentation, and you can contact support using the online support form located on the website.

iSpring Suite

Best for Corporations

iSpring Suite screen recorder is quite powerful and can easily capture any screen activities with audio on your computer. It comes with a built-in editor where you can refine your recording in a number of ways. Like most other screen recorders on this list, this software allows you to export 4k quality recorded videos (Pro version).

Although this software is Windows exclusive, it comes with a clean, minimal, and intuitive interface, so everything is as straightforward as it can be. One limitation is that the software can only output video in two formats; WMV for the free version and MP4 for the pro version. However, both options are HD with 720p for the free version and 4k quality for Pro.

One great advantage this particular software has over the others here is that there are no watermarks on the free version, and you won’t have to deal with time limits either as you can record as much footage as you need.

If you’re looking to have software that can easily scale with your business needs, iSpring Suite is designed to do just that. They are directed toward the educational user as most of the website content discussed using the tool for educational video editing and creation.

Let’s take a look at the features that make iSpring Suite Screen Recorder worth considering for your business.

iSpring Suite Features

Annotations and intro slides

How good are instructional videos without annotations? I’ll tell you; still good, but never great. With iSpring Suite recorder’s annotation feature, you get to make your videos interactive by giving your students or audience something to help center their focus when lessons are in session.

Annotations are important for engaging students’ attention because, just like we all know about video lessons and even PowerPoint presentations, after a while, things become boring when everything sounds monotonous and lacks excitement. This is where the intro slides also come in. A lot similar to what you may remember from using PowerPoint, the slides can come in handy when you need to introduce topics or sub-topics but don’t want them to stay and compete for space on your screen.

Record narrations

Again, this is another feature gamers and instructors, or virtual tutors will be excited about. Do you want to be narrating what you’re working on as you record your desktop screen? If yes, then this is just the right tool for you.

You simply need to plug in your microphone, turn on the record, and just go ahead to narrate the action taking place.

Record both screen and webcam (Picture in Picture Mode)

This is another feature of interest to gamers and tutors hosting virtual classes. And for gamers, this feature allows them to show their faces in a small window somewhere in the corner of the screen while the rest of the gameplay takes over the rest of the screen.

For gamers who love to interact with their audience while the fun is ongoing, this is a convenient feature that makes their sessions interesting.

Record from system sound and microphone

iSpring Screen Recorder gives you the ‘two source mixing’ option where you get to record audio from your computer as well as add computer audio recorded from your microphone. This double source option makes it possible to overdub source audio in much the same way as you can record narration over a video.

Video sharing

How do you want your edited video shared? Do you want it saved directly to YouTube and your favorite social media channels, or would you rather save it locally to your computer’s storage drive or online? Whatever your choice, you won’t have a problem sharing or saving it according to your preference.

iSpring Suite User Reviews

Here’s how software review sites are rating iSpring Suite

Capterra – 4.6 out of 5, based on 1,355 reviews and ratings. 

G2 – 4.7 out of 5, based on 360 reviews and ratings.

iSpring Suite Pricing

Compared to the other software here, iSpring Suite is quite pricey at $770 for the paid version per author, per year. Additionally, iSpring Suite Max is $970 per author/year.

Cost breakdown for Spring Suite Max:

• iSpring Suite: $770
• Text to speech: $397
• Content library: $397
• Online collaboration tool: $770

Priced as a bundle for $970 (regularly $2,334)

iSpring Suite Support

iSpring Suite offers email support, live chat support, and telephone support, as well as a search bar for searching answers to frequently asked questions.

You can find documentation and videos of the training sessions and webinars; they also have you covered.

Camtasia

Best for YouTube

Camtasia screen recorder is a powerful tool that doubles as video editing software. It is produced by Techsmith, who also makes Snagit, a very robust and popular screen capture tool. It supports a wide range of media formats compatible with both macOS and Windows platforms – giving user control over their projects through a user-friendly interface.

Camtasia is easy to learn and start editing on. From the effects to the presets and templates for enhancing your video projects – this screen recorder gives you everything you’d need for making high-quality content to engage your viewers, increase interaction, as well as reach out to your audience.

With Camtasia, you get to test the software with a free trial version, and if you love the experience and want premium features as well as to remove watermarks for more professional-looking videos, you upgrade to the Pro version.

Camtasia Features

Annotations

People have short attention spans, and videos that follow the same format from beginning to end hardly ever command attention for long periods. However, with the annotations feature, you can get your users to focus on the essential elements of your video more easily.

Adding annotations in the Camtasia screen recorder is quite a simple task to execute. Camtasia has several types of annotations; you can use sketch motion callouts to bring attention to elements by creating drawings while hiding sensitive information with shapes and blur.

The lower thirds are for adding information to your video, and also, you can change the look and feel of your video by adding themes to the annotations.

Audio effects

Camtasia’s set of audio editing features are serviceable and get the job done satisfactorily. Aside from the standard options such as fades, noise removal, speed customization, and volume leveling, Camtasia users are able to detach audio from imported video files, which can be applied separately; as a track for cutting and trimming.

Also, if you’re recording a screen as part of a video tutorial series, you’ll find the feature which allows you to add your voiceover or narration directly from within the app to be handy. And what makes this fantastic is that because the voiceover is being recorded in real-time, there’s no need to worry about syncing the computer audio with the action.

Camtasia recording software’s fleet of powerful audio editing features is more than enough to meet your recording needs, and so you should explore them further to maximize their potential before considering third-party options.

Screen capture

Camtasia’s built-in screen recorder can be accessed by the red ‘Record' button found on the top left corner of the interface – with its audio settings, mouse movement, and picture-in-picture effect along with webcam recording. You can locate finished recordings in the project's media bin along with some other project media – which you can then add to the timeline to be edited or exported like you would any additional file.

After video recording and editing, you have a range of options for rendering the final file. You can choose to store the finished video locally on your computer or let Camtasia upload it to Vimeo or YouTube. You also have the option to save it to the website [screencast.com]. Camtasia renders just as it uploads – smoothly.

Screen recording

Camtasia lets you record anything you have on your screen – from live gaming sessions to PowerPoint presentations and even software demos – all you have to do is hit the record button and it will capture everything happening on your desktop screen.

You can customize the recording settings to either record full screen or only capture a particular area of your screen. To go full screen, simply click on the ‘Full Screen On’ button. In order to capture a specific area of the screen, simply find and click on ‘Select Area to Record.’

Also, along with the display, you can choose the source of media relay in Camtasia – with options to choose between a microphone, system audio feed, or webcam video. Using the dropdown icon that can be found on the also gives you the option to choose the source of media relay along with the display. You can choose between a webcam video, microphone, and system audio feed. Select the input source by clicking on the dropdown icon on the camera or microphone.

To end recordings in Windows, click the recorder icon in the panel and then hit the stop button. To do so in Apple, click the Camtasia icon in the menu and hit ‘Stop Recording' to finish recording in macOS.

Video sharing

You can use a wide array of video effects in Camtasia for general color adjustments, chroma-keying, and speed adjustments.

In the Camtasia desktop recorder, the chroma key is straightforward. With a few clicks of the eyedropper tool, you get to remove colors – and even when the editing is high quality, you wouldn’t have issues with rendering.

You can create a local path on your computer to save the project file or choose to save it to your Google Drive, Vimeo, YouTube, or as noted earlier, on [screencast.com].

Google would trigger two-factor authentication in the event that you decide to upload your files to Google Drive. Here, Camtasia will first let you sign in through a browser popup. The rendering and uploading will automatically begin after you sign in.

Camtasia User Reviews

Here’s how software review sites are rating Camtasia

Capterra – 4.6 out of 5, based on 147 ratings and reviews.

G2 – 4.6 out of 5, based on 627 ratings and reviews.

Camtasia Pricing

Both Mac and Windows users can purchase Camtasia desktop recorder for $299.99. For users of an older version, an upgrade to the latest paid version will cost $50.

Camtasia Support

To receive support, Camtasia offers a help center, which you navigate through to get to the specific product and then can select from options to fix a problem for licensing and accounts.

Once you've chosen to fix a problem, you will be sent to search through specific categories of helpful documentation that likely solves your issue. If you still can't solve it, they offer a form to submit based on the product to obtain support via email.

You can also call support at (517) 381-2300 for supported versions only and chat 24/5.

Screencast-O-Matic

Best for macOS and iOS

Screencast-O-Matic screen recorder is an easy-to-use desktop screen recorder and video editor with which any video enthusiast or content creator can create amazing videos. If you want something that is affordable and offers intuitive tools for video creation, this is the ideal software for the project you have at hand.

With it, you can import your own videos into the editor, mix clips, and record your screen, as well as use your webcam to record content – all done without having to go through a tedious process or endure a difficult learning curve.

You can add images, shapes, and text to your video recording creations, from importing music and using auto-captions to making your videos more fun or accessible.

Just like some of the other video recording options on this list, you can decide to either record the entire screen of your computer display or just a specific region. You can narrate videos as you capture your screen – making it ideal for educational content creation whereby a tutor narrates aspects of the lesson to make it easier for the students to digest.

If you’re looking for a screen recorder that offers more than just simple capture and playback, this screen recorder is worth considering.

Screencast-O-Matic Features

Record and capture any portion of your screen

The platform allows you to record videos of any part of your computer display. From going full-screen to marking out a section, you can only capture what you want to see a playback of.

Add captions and stock music

Do you want to create something different from the ordinary? With this software, you can give your videos a unique feel with stock music and captions to keep the audience engaged. This is perfect for creating clips to be used on social media.

Narrate the action from your microphone as you record

Again, this is perfect for, but not limited to tutors and people creating educational content. While recording, you can narrate the steps or explain what’s happening on the entire screen so the audience feels as if they are participating.

Save to PC or upload to YouTube in just one-click

Do you want to upload your content to YouTube right after rendering the edits? No worries here. With just one click, you can share it to YouTube and add titles and descriptions, or simply save it to your local storage on the PC.

PiP (picture in picture) mode

This is especially convenient for gaming content creators who would love to show the gameplay on their recording screens as well as their faces to add a personal touch to the session.

Video trimming

You can trim out sections based on time stamps and other areas of the video recording to ensure your final product meets your expectations for professionalism.

Screencast-O-Matic User Reviews

Here’s how software review sites are rating Screencast-O-Matic

Capterra – 4.5 out of 5, based on 29 reviews and ratings.

G2 – 4.2 out of 5, based on 54 reviews and ratings.

Screencast-O-Matic Pricing

The platform offers paid plans for individuals, businesses, and educators.

For individuals and businesses, there are three plans:

Solo Deluxe: $4.00/month paid annually (50% off for educators)

With the Deluxe package, you get all features that the free version offers in addition to the following:

• An intuitive video editor and screen recorder
• Mix images, music, and videos
• Add animations and effects
• Multi-track audio recording and editing
• Smart narration and voice-over tools
• Mobile and desktop app with offline access
• Automated caption creation
• Unlimited recording and publish to anywhere
• Integration with top productivity tools

Solo Premier: $6.00/month paid annually (34% off for educators)

With this package, you get everything from the Deluxe package in addition to the following:

• Unlimited stock images, music, and video
• Unlimited secure video hosting
• Complete sharing and privacy controls
• Unlimited online video backup
• Branded, ad-free video player and pages
• CTA and annotation buttons

Business Team: $5.00/per user paid annually (80% off per user for educators)

The Business team package gives you everything from the Solo Premier in addition to the following:

• Scale from 3 seats on up at anytime
• Collaboration tools
• Advanced team management tools
• Advanced integrations
• SSO including SAML support

Screencast-O-Matic Support

They do a great job at keeping users updated with the latest software, tutorials, and news about their product.

If you’re new to the software and want to get familiar with maneuvering your way around the product, you can find their video tutorials, training materials, and an extensive knowledge base.

You can reach their support team but submitting a ticket to their help center, but it doesn't appear that there are other channels to reach support.

Bandicam

Bandicam is a lightweight screen recording software that is used for capturing gameplay and creating videos. Just like some of the other software in this article, Bandicam allows you to record specific areas of your PC screen and compresses videos without sacrificing quality.

If the thought of recording 4K video excites you, then be happy to know that with this software, you can record ultra-high-definition 4K videos with 10 frames per second capture rate – while providing a hardware-accelerated h.264 encoding.

Also, you can capture still images in BMP, JPEG, and PNG format in Bandicam – with continuous image capture mode offered as well.

There are three modes of operation in Bandicam; Device recording, Game recording, and Screen recording. Let’s take them individually here.

Bandicam Features

The good thing about Bandicam's screen recording tools is that your video gets compressed during the recording process. As a result, the final file size is small, and you get better performance during the gameplay. Also, the integrated support for direct upload of your captured video to YouTube means you can go ahead to upload the video file to YouTube with no need for further conversion.

Device recording mode

With Bandicam’s device recording mode, you can record video via webcam and other external sources such as capture cards, game consoles, and smartphones, among others. Although this mode is quite difficult to use, it guarantees a higher video quality.

Sometimes, advantages come with conditions, and in the case of this mode, you will need to have additional hardware as the condition to record high-quality videos from external sources.

In order to enjoy the best results on game console recordings, for example, it would do you good to have a USB 3.0-compatible capture card or a PCI/PCI-E card – while making sure all your device drivers are installed correctly and with the latest version.

Game recording mode

How about recording your gameplay while showing your frames per second – and doing all that without any latency? Yes, this mode is great for games that use DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan graphic technologies. Also, it is compatible with most webcams as well as HDTV, iTunes games, Windows Media Player, and other such 3D applications.

Although the video output from this mode is better than that of screen recording mode, you cannot record your entire screen or Powerpoint presentations and similar applications with it. Also, it can be quite difficult to use even though the videos it records are high quality. 

Screen recording mode

With screen recording mode, everything on your computer screen – such as excel spreadsheets, flash games, Powerpoint presentations, and web browser activity, among others – is captured in the recording.

While the quality may not be as good as that of Game Recording mode, it is easier to use. It is not suitable, however, to be used in recording videos with high framerates – meaning it is bad for video games too.

Audio recording

While playing, you can record sounds sourced from your computer. The ‘two source mixing’ option lets you record any audio feedback you may want to add via a microphone.

CCTV recording mode

Ever wondered if it’s possible to use your computer like you would a security camera with storage and all? Well, you can record your screen continuously, all year long, provided you have enough storage on the PC to handle that workload.

Dual screen recording

One of the advanced features of Bandicam is the ability to record the screens of two computers simultaneously. This feature is convenient when you have to record video lessons while using a dual/split screen.

Hardware-accelerated game recording

Media formats supported by Bandicam include AAC, AVI/MPG, and MPEG-1 media formats as well as PCM audio codecs. Bandicam is also compatible with AMD APP H.264, Intel Quick Sync video H.264 encoder, as well as the Nvidia CUDA/NVENC H.264 encoder. For continuous image capturing, supported formats are BMP, JPEG, and PNG.

Bandicam is popular among gamers, with it being used to record Battlefield, Call of Duty, League of Legends, Minecraft, Overwatch, Runescape, Skyrim, and Team Fortress 2 gameplays; among many others.

Record 4K Ultra HD video

One thing you’d like about this screen recording software is how it uses less of your CPU, GPU, and HDD during the recording process – resulting in little latency. With Bancicam, you get to record videos in the superior 4K Ultra HD quality – with up to 3840 x 2160 in video resolutions at a maximum framerate of 120 frames per second.

With its integrated h.264 encoder, you get to have over 24 hours straight of recorded gameplay due to the optimized recording performance made possible by the integrated encoder. The frames per second being captured can be viewed and appropriately adjusted by players during gameplay.

Video editing

Just like some of the other screen recording software in this article, Bandicam doubles as a video editor – albeit in a separate bundle. You can use it for free, although that would mean having a watermark on your finished video.

Bandicam User Reviews

Here's how software review sites are rating Bandicam

Capterra – 4.4 out of 5, based on 56 reviews and ratings.

G2 – 4.3 out of 5, based on 32 reviews and ratings.

Bandicam Pricing

Bandicam operates a one-time purchase license program; pay now and use the product for a lifetime; so long as the user follows the license policy.

Here is the pricing for all plans:

• 1 – PC License: $39.95
• 2 – PC License: $59.96
• 5 – PC License: $138.95
• 10 – PC License: $258.00
• 20 – PC License: $500.00

Upgrading your license to the latest version of Bandicam will cost you $27.79 for each PC.

Bandicam Support

The Bandicam FAQ page has lots of information for troubleshooting, how to use the software, common problems and how to solve them, the refund policy, as well as general information regarding the software.

Users can visit the forum, or send an email [to: bandicam@bandicam.com] for help with any problems that have not been addressed in the above-mentioned help center.

Bonus Tool – Flexclip

FlexClip is an online video editor with a screen recorder feature, allowing you to capture your computer screen as you work, play, or create.

Here are some of the key features and benefits of the FlexClip screen recorder:

Key Flexclip Features

Simple interface: The screen recorder tool is easy to use, and you don't need any special equipment or software to get started.

Customizable settings: You can customize the settings of the screen recorder to capture the entire screen or just a specific window, and you can also choose to record audio from your microphone or computer.

Pause and resume recording: The screen recorder allows you to pause and resume your recording at any time, so you can easily take breaks or edit out any mistakes later.

Preview and edit: After you've finished recording, you can preview and edit your footage, trimming any unwanted sections and adding text, music, or other effects.

Fast processing: FlexClip's servers process your screen recordings quickly, so you can make edits and see the results in real time.

Export and share: Once you've finished editing your screen recording, you can export it in a range of formats, including MP4 and GIF, and share it on social media, websites, or other platforms.

Flexclip Pricing

Flexclip offers a free plan that provides the user with enough to test out this powerful software. You can then upgrade to plans ranging in price from $9.99-$29.99/month with 50% savings on annual payments.

Overall, the FlexClip screen recorder is a useful tool for anyone who needs to capture and share their computer screen, whether for work, education, or entertainment purposes.

And because it's integrated into the FlexClip video editor, you can easily edit and enhance your screen recordings before sharing them with the world.

Characteristics of a Good Screen Recorder

While it is expected for a powerful screen recorder to differ in functionality and price from a simple screen recorder, there are basic functions they are expected to offer users, which include the following:

• Easy to adjust video frames
• Editing options for cut and paste
• Unlimited recording time
• Whole screen recording
• Mobile screen capture
• Built-in video editor

User-friendly interface

Anyone who’s ever used any new software or even device would tell you that the first point of resistance they faced was with the interface. User experience is an important part of software development. And it is important to factor in convenience whenever you’re recommending some software to others or purchasing it for personal use.

Some questions to ask oneself are; was it made with the non-tech-savvy in mind? Is the interface easy to figure out, or would the inexperienced user be like deer caught in the headlight as they try to figure out how the software works? Is there a steep learning curve for people wanting to learn?

Assuming you have to recommend a piece of software to be used by the top executives in the organization you work in, would you make a great impression with your recommendation, or will you and the staff all be left embarrassed?

It is important to only make a decision on tools you are conversant with. If you cannot figure your way out easily on the first try, it’s likely to remain complicated even after future updates.

Simplicity is key; if the user interface is complicated, trust the user experience to be uninspiring as well.

Options for screen recorders

There are lots of free screen recording software on the market, each focusing on a particular functionality with its features. While some free screen recorders can focus on and record your entire screen, others give you the option to only record a portion of your computer screen.

However, better than both are the tools that allow you to decide whether to record the entire screen or only a segment – away from the prying eyes of any inquisitive person – without you having to choose between options.

Before committing to a piece of software – whether to yourself or the people you work with – endeavor to find out how well that recording software gives users as many options as possible.

The audio feed is an important part of any screen recording activity. Does the screen recording software capture audio? Will you need to go to work with the system’s audio recording, or will you be better off recording from your microphone audio receiver? In recent times it has become common for screen recording software to be able to do both.

Nobody will like paying a significant amount of money for a piece of software only for it to turn out to be a disappointment. You would want advanced screen recording software options to be present in it.

Also, if you’re into live learning sessions such as classroom lectures, webinars, and corporate training, the ability of the screen recording software to superimpose the webcam feed over what’s captured in the screen recordings is one of the things that should excite you. That is a key feature you should be interested in having if you intend to add some commentary over your screen recording as well as give the voice a face.

Also, does the software guarantee you an HD video capture or will you be left with a grainy disappointment at the end of the day? The quality of the recording should be key to your search for screen recording software for long-term use.

The best free screen recorders can make how-to videos by combining a webcam and your screen recordings. The free screen video recorder would also offer editing tools to add video clips and cut off portions of the screen recordings.

Editing function

A running theme you’ll notice with this list is the ability of these online screen recorders to double as video editors. While they may not be Final Cut Pro, or even Adobe Premiere level of video editing, the long and short of it all is that they have built-in video editors with which you can make cuts and other edits to your screen recordings and audio simultaneously.

It is important for screen recorders you work with to have some advanced editing tools and features you expect to see in paid software vs free tools. Screen recording software wouldn’t be of any use post-purchase if you found out that its editing capabilities were lacking when it came to basic needs

While it is quite common for screen-recording software to have professional editing tools included, if not an entire built-in editor, do not assume that all of them do. Additionally, not all will make recording audio as seamless as you might want.

Screen Recording Software Pricing

Okay, so you’ve downloaded a free desktop app but the question lingers, is it truly free or is it only a free desktop screen recorder with the essential features behind a paywall?

Some screen-recording tools may offer free versions with limited features such as watermarks or time restrictions for the recordings. Be sure you know what you are getting before you commit.

Free trials of paid versions do not come with such ambiguity – they offer limitless use of all features for a restricted period of time so you can make an educated decision to purchase the full product or not.

Before making a commitment that could be as much as $1,000, understand what your needs are and the price point you want to be at before selecting a product.

Best Screen Recording Software Wrap-up

We hope this guide helped you identify some of the best screen recorders to start your video-making journey. It is a good idea to use the free version of the software (if available) before spending any money on it. A free screen recorder is enough to start recording.

You might need to try out a few screen recorders before you determine the best free screen recorder for you.

Although a free screen recorder is ideal, you can't get everything completely free. The best free screen recorders have paid versions for a reason. You'll likely want to unlock the advanced features at some point to ensure your production is exceptional.