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:Comparison of screencasting software

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This page provides a comparison of notable screencasting software, used to record activities on the computer screen. This software is commonly used for desktop recording, gameplay recording and video editing. Screencasting software is typically limited to streaming and recording desktop activity alone, in contrast with a software vision mixer, which has the capacity to mix and switch the output between various input streams.

Comparison by specification

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size: 85%; width: auto; table-layout: fixed;"
scope="col" style="width: 14em" | Product name

! scope="col" | Publisher

! scope="col" | Latest stable version

! scope="col" | Latest release date

! scope="col" | OS

! scope="col" | Software license

! scope="col" | Source code
available?

scope="row" | ActivePresenter

| Atomi Systems || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q4677477|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q4677477|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows
macOS || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | ActivePresenter Free Edition

| Atomi Systems || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q4677477|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q4677477|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows
macOS || {{Partial|Freeware}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Adobe Captivate

| Adobe Systems || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q360071|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q360071|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows
macOS || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Adobe Presenter Video Express

| Adobe Systems || 12.0.2.170 || 2017-11-28 || Windows
macOS || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | AVS Video Editor

| Online Media Technologies Ltd || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q4655074|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q4655074|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows || {{Nonfree| Commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Bandicam

| Bandicam Company || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q4854593|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q4854593|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows || {{Nonfree|Freemium commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | BB FlashBack

| Blueberry Software || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q4835099|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q4835099|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | BB FlashBack Express

| Blueberry Software || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q4835099|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q4835099|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows || {{Partial|Freeware}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | CamStudio

| CamStudio.org || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q386811|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q386811|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows || {{open source|GPL}} || {{Yes}}

scope="row" | Camtasia (Windows)

| TechSmith ||{{Wikidata|property|Q1031755|P348|P306=Q1406}} {{Cite web|url=https://support.techsmith.com/hc/en-us/articles/115006443267|title=Camtasia (Windows) Version History|website=TechSmith Support}}|| {{Wikidata|qualifier|raw|Q1031755|P348|P306=Q1406|publicationDate}} ||Windows || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Camtasia (Mac)

| TechSmith ||{{Wikidata|property|Q1031755|P348|P306=Q14116}} {{Cite web|url=https://support.techsmith.com/hc/en-us/articles/115006624748|title=Camtasia (Mac) Version History|website=TechSmith Support}}|| {{Wikidata|qualifier|raw|Q1031755|P348|P306=Q14116|publicationDate}} ||macOS || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | CloudApp

| CloudApp || 6.1{{Cite web|url=https://getcloudapp.com/blog/feature-update-6-1|title=Introducing: Automated Drop Naming, Enhanced Annotations, Multi-Monitor Support, and 4k Video Quality Options|website=CloudApp Blog|date=28 April 2020 |language=en-US|access-date=2020-09-06}}|| 2020-07-13 || Windows
macOS
Linux || {{partial|Freemium}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Debut (Windows)

| NCH Software || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q43080158|P348|P400=Q1406|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q43080158|P348|P400=Q1406|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows || {{Nonfree|Trialware}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Debut (Mac)

| NCH Software || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q43080158|P348|P400=Q14116|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q43080158|P348|P400=Q14116|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || macOS || {{Nonfree|Trialware}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Fraps

| Beepa Pty Ltd || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q1054069|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q1054069|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Freeseer

| FOSSLC || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q5501149|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q5501149|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows
macOS
Linux || {{open source|GPL-3.0-or-later}} || {{Yes}}

scope="row" | HyperCam

| Solveig Multimedia || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q3072026|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q3072026|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | HyperCam

| Hyperionics || 2.29.00 || 2016-01-07 || Windows || {{Partial|Freeware}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Microsoft Expression Encoder

| Microsoft || 4 || 2011-11-02 || Windows || {{Partial|Freeware}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Nero Vision

| Nero AG || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q1002327|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q1002327|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Nvidia Shadowplay

| Nvidia || 2.11.4.0 || 2016-06-21 || Windows || {{proprietary}} (Part of NVIDIA GFE) || {{No}}

scope="row" | Open Broadcaster Software
(OBS Studio)

| OBS Project || {{wikidata|property|edit|reference|Q21707789|P348|P548=Q2804309}}

| {{wikidata|qualifier|raw|Q21707789|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}}

|Windows
macOS
Linux || {{open source|GPL-2.0-or-later}} || {{Yes}}

scope="row" | Peek

| Philipp Wolfer || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q39073136|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q39073136|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Linux|| {{open source|GPL-3.0-or-later}} || {{Yes}}

scope="row" | Pixetell

| Ontier Inc. || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q7199724|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q7199724|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | QuickTime X

| Apple Inc. || 10.0 (118) || 2010-03-29 || macOS || {{proprietary}} (Part of macOS) || {{No}}

scope="row" | recordMyDesktop

| SourceForge || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q1128413|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q1128413|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Linux || {{open source|GPL-2.0-or-later & GPL-3.0-or-later}} || {{Yes}}

scope="row" | Screencam

| SmartGuyz Inc. || 3.3.0 || 2009-03-24 || Windows || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | ScreenPal

|ScreenPal || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q125447659|P348|P400=Q1406|P548=Q2804309}}
{{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q125447659|P348|P400=Q14116|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q125447659|P348|P400=Q1406|P548=Q2804309|P577}}
{{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q125447659|P348|P400=Q14116|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows
macOS
|| {{partial|Freemium}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | ScreenFlow

| Telestream || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q3953069|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q3953069|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} ||macOS || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | ShareX

| Jaex and Michael Delpach || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q17048664|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q17048664|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} ||Windows || {{open source|GPL v3}} || {{Yes}}

scope="row" | SimpleScreenRecorder

| maartenbaert || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q17080898|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q17080898|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} ||Linux || {{open source|GPL-3.0-or-later}} || {{Yes}}

scope="row" | Snagit (Windows)

| TechSmith || {{Wikidata|property|Q1776235|P348|P306=Q1406}} {{Cite web|url=https://www.techsmith.com/snagit-version-history.html|title=Snagit (Windows) Version History|website=TechSmith Support|date=13 November 2024 }}|| {{Wikidata|qualifier|raw|Q1776235|P348|P306=Q1406|publicationDate}} || Windows || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Snagit (Mac)

| TechSmith || {{Wikidata|property|Q1776235|P348|P306=Q14116}} {{Cite web|url=https://www.techsmith.com/snagit-mac-version-history.html|title=Snagit (Mac) Version History|website=TechSmith Support|date=14 November 2024 }}|| {{Wikidata|qualifier|raw|Q1776235|P348|P306=Q14116|publicationDate}} || macOS || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | Snapz Pro X

| Ambrosia Software || 2.6.1 || 2016-10-17 || macOS || {{Nonfree|Proprietary commercial}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | VirtualDub

| SourceForge || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q960874|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q960874|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows || {{open source|GPL-2.0-or-later}} || {{Yes}}

scope="row" | VLC media player

| VideoLAN || 3.0.18 || 2022-11-08{{cite web |url=https://www.videolan.org/ |website=VideoLAN |title=VLC: Official site - Free multimedia solutions for all OS! - VideoLAN|access-date=2022-12-28}} || Windows
macOS
Linux
BSD
Solaris
QNX
Haiku
Syllable
OS/2 || {{open source|LGPL-2.1-or-later}} || {{Yes}}

scope="row" | Xbox (Game DVR) / Xbox Game Bar

|Microsoft || || ||Windows || {{Partial|Freeware}} || {{No}}

scope="row" | XVidCap

| SourceForge || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q2729904|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q2729904|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Unix-like || {{open source|GPL-2.0-or-later}} || {{Yes}}

scope="row" | XSplit Broadcaster

| SplitmediaLabs || {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q17048768|P348|P548=Q2804309}} || {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|raw|Q17048768|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} || Windows || {{partial|Shareware}} || {{No}}

scope="col" style="width: 14em" | Product name

! scope="col" | Publisher

! scope="col" | Latest stable version

! scope="col" | Latest release date

! scope="col" | OS

! scope="col" | Software license

! scope="col" | Source code
available?

Comparison by features

The following table compares features of screencasting software. The table has seven fields, as follows:

  1. Product name: Product's name; sometime includes edition if a certain edition is targeted
  2. Audio: Specifies whether the product supports recording audio commentary on the video
  3. Entire desktop: Specifies whether product supports recording the entire desktop
  4. OpenGL: Specifies whether the product supports recording from video games and software that employ OpenGL to render digital image
  5. Direct3D: Specifies whether the product supports recording from video games or software that employ Direct3D to render digital image
  6. Editing: Specifies whether the product supports editing recorded video at least to some small extent, such as cropping, trimming or splitting
  7. Output: Specifies the file format in which the software saves the final video (audio output types are omitted)

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="font-size: 85%; width: auto; table-layout: fixed;"
scope="col" | Product name

! scope="col" | Audio

! scope="col" | Entire
desktop

! scope="col" | OpenGL

! scope="col" | Direct3D

! scope="col" | Editing

! scope="col" | Output

scope="row" | ActivePresenter{{cite web|title=Feature Comparison|url=http://atomisystems.com/activepresenter/features-comparison/|work=ActivePresenter website|publisher=Atomi Systems|access-date=10 April 2012}}

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{ubl

|Video: AVI, MKV, MP4, WebM, WMV

|Image sequence: PNG, JPEG

|Slideshow: PowerPoint

|Scripted animation: SWF, HTML5, SCORM

}}

scope="row" | ActivePresenter free edition

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{ubl

|Video: AVI, MKV, MP4, WebM, WMV

|Image sequence: PNG, JPEG

}}

scope="row" | Adobe Captivate{{cite web | url=http://helpx.adobe.com/captivate/kb/supported-file-formats-captivate-6.html | title=Supported file formats | publisher=Adobe Systems Incorporated | work=Adobe Captivate Help | access-date=2013-06-03}}

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{Yes}} || SWF, EXE, MP4

scope="row" | Adobe Presenter Video Express{{cite web | url=https://helpx.adobe.com/presenter/using/record-video-presentations.html | title=Output formats | publisher=Adobe Systems Incorporated | work=Adobe Presenter Video Express Help | access-date=2015-09-14}}

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{Yes}} || MP4

scope="row" | Bandicam

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{ubl

|Video: AVI, MP4

|Images format:BMP, PNG, JPEG

|Audio: WAV, MP3

}}

scope="row" | BB FlashBack

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{Yes}} || AVI, FLV, SWF

scope="row" | BB FlashBack express

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{No}} || AVI, FLV, SWF, MP4 (H.264 or MPEG-4 ASP), WMV, Animated GIF, PowerPoint slideshow, self-extracting EXE{{cite web|title=Feature Comparison|url=http://www.bbsoftware.co.uk/BBFlashBack/CompareEditions.aspx|website=bbsoftware.co.uk|publisher=Blueberry Software|access-date=13 January 2015}}

scope="row" | CamStudio

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{Yes}} || AVI, SWF

scope="row" | Camtasia (Windows)

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{ubl

|Video: MP4, MP4 embedded in webpage (HTML5), WMV, AVI, Animated GIF

|Images format: PNG, JPEG, GIF, BMP

|Audio: WAV, MP3, M4A (audio-only MP4)

}}

scope="row" | Camtasia (Mac)

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{ubl

|Video: MP4, MP4 embedded in webpage (HTML5), MOV, Animated GIF

|Images format: PNG

|Audio: WAV, M4A (audio-only MP4)

}}

scope="row" | CloudApp

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}}

scope="row" | Debut

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{Yes}} || AVI, FLV, MKV, MP4, WebM, WMV, 3GP, ASF, DV, MOV, MPG, OGV

scope="row" | FFmpeg with a plug-in

| {{Depends}} || {{Depends}} || {{Depends}} || {{Depends}} || {{No}} || cf. {{section link|FFmpeg|Codecs, formats and protocols supported}}

scope="row" | Fraps

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || FPS1 in AVI

scope="row" | Freeseer

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{No}} || Ogg

scope="row" | HyperCam

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{No}} || AVI, WMV

scope="row" | Jing

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{No}} || SWF

scope="row" | Microsoft Expression Encoder

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}} ||

scope="row" | Nero Vision

| {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{Yes}} ||

scope="row" | Nvidia Shadowplay

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{ubl

|Video: MP4

|Image sequence: PNG

}}

scope="row" | Open Broadcaster Software

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || Simple mode: FLV, MP4, MOV, MKV, TS, HLS
Advanced mode: Any format supported by libavformat

scope="row" | Pixetell

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} ||

scope="row" | QuickTime X

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{No}} ||

scope="row" | recordMyDesktop

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{N/A}} || {{No}} || Theora in Ogg

scope="row" | Screencam

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} ||

scope="row" | ScreenPal

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{ubl

|Video: MP4, FLV, AVI. Animated GIF

|Audio: WAV

|Images format: PNG, JPEG, TIFF, GIF, BMP

|Optical character recognition (OCR): simple text }}

scope="row" | ScreenFlow

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{N/A}} || {{Yes}} ||ProRes, MP4, GIF, AAC

scope="row" | ShareX

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || {{No}} || AVI, MP4, GIF

scope="row" | SimpleScreenRecorder

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{N/A}} || {{No}} || Formats supported by libavformat

scope="row" | Snagit (Windows)

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{ubl

|Video: MP4, Animated GIF

|Images format: PNG, JPEG, TIFF, GIF, WebP, BMP

|Documents: PDF

|Optical character recognition (OCR): simple text

}}

scope="row" | Snagit (Mac)

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{ubl

|Video: MP4, Animated GIF

|Images format: PNG, JPEG, TIFF, GIF, WebP, HEIF, BMP

|Documents: PDF

|Optical character recognition (OCR): simple text

}}

scope="row" | Snapz Pro X

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{No}} ||

scope="row" | VirtualDub

| {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{Yes}} || AVI

scope="row" | VLC

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{Yes}} ||

scope="row" | Windows Media Encoder

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{No}} ||

scope="row" | Xbox (Game DVR) /Xbox Game Bar

|{{Yes}}

|{{No}}

|{{Dunno}}

|{{Dunno}}

|{{No}}

| MP4

scope="row" | XVidCap

| {{Yes}} || {{dunno}} || {{dunno}} || {{N/A}} || {{No}} ||

scope="row" | XSplit Broadcaster

| {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || {{Yes}} || MP4, FLV

scope="col" | Product name

! scope="col" | Audio

! scope="col" | Entire
desktop

! scope="col" | OpenGL

! scope="col" | Direct3D

! scope="col" | Editing

! scope="col" | Output

See also

References

{{reflist}}

*

Screencasting software

Category:Lists of software