They say there is no free lunch and, more often than not, that’s the rule. Screen recording software, though, is a delightful exception — there are heaps of free tools out there.
For finding more game recorders, you can jump in here. Secret Screen Recorder for Mac – QuickTime. QuickTime is to the official media player what Windows Media Player to Windows computer. Here, QuickTime can work as the hidden screen recorder. It can capture the screen and audio on Mac with the quick controls. Best Free Screen Capture & Video Recording Software. TinyTake is a free screen capture & video recording software for Microsoft Windows & Mac. With TinyTake, you can capture images and videos of your computer screen, add comments and share them with others in minutes. TinyTake is built by MangoApps and is available for free.
Bandicam is an easy-to-use free screen recording software that enables you to capture everything you want on your PC screen. Easily record your computer screen for video tutorials with Bandicam's screen recording functions, such as audio recording, webcam overlay, real-time drawing, scheduled recording, and 24-hour long-term recording.
Monosnap is a free screenshot program for Mac that enables clients to make screenshots, clarify and transfer them to the cloud. Monosnap is the best screen capture that enables its users to save screenshots with ease. Features: Highlight important details with pen, text, arrow, and shape.
To help you find the best free screen recorder, we have created a shortlist of the best free screen recorders in 2021 that are free. Ideal for communicating your ideas and feedback faster, recorder video tutorials, explainer videos, report bugs, etc.
What Is Screen Recording Software?
Screen recording software captures what is on your computer screen. You can either record in full screen or capture a specific area. Most of these apps can record your microphone (audio narration) and the best desktop recording software can also record your computer screen with audio (the system sound).
However, this is where the similarities end. Not all such programs are HD screen recorders . Some screen recording tools can save the recording in various file formats or export it to social media websites like YouTube. Top screen recorders, though, can upload your screen captures to the cloud in real-time and give you a sharing link instantly (much more effective).
So, before you set your mind on a free screen recording software, it’s best to evaluate your own recording needs. Maybe you don’t need to upload your videos to social media or maybe you don’t need to record in HD.
How we reviewed the top screen video recorders
We took information about each of the best desktop recorders directly from their official website. In addition, we gathered insights from independent reviews published on G2Crowd and tested each tool ourselves.
What is a good screen recorder?
While our picks range from desktop apps to browser plug-ins, each one meets the following basic criteria:
User-friendly interface
Can record the entire screen or a specific area
Captures both system and microphone audio
Built-in video sharing and/or convenient exporting options
See this video for more information.
Here Are The Best Free Screen Recording Software In 2021
Pros:
Record and save computer screen to various format in high-definition.
Advanced task schedule to set up recording automatically.
User-friendly interface without ads.
Basic video editing tools to make your recording easier.
Stable recording performance and no time limits.
Webcam recording available.
Cons:
Not free but provides a free trial version with recording time limitation.
Available for:
Windows 10/8/7/Vista/XP (SP2 or later)
3. EaseUS RecExperts
EaseUS RecExperts is an all-in-one yet easy-to-use screen recording software to capture any screen activities happening on your screen. With the options of recording screen, audio, webcam, screen with audio, screen with webcam, this screen recorder is a nice choice to record zoom meetings, presentations, video tutorials, online courses, games, etc.
Pros:
Capture full screen or custom region up to 1080P
Record computer internal audio or/and sound from microphone
Record screen and audio simultaneously or separately
Record webcam only or with screen
Schedule recording tasks to start, stop or split recordings automatically
Take screenshots of the screen or from the recorded video
Play recorded audio or video with built-in player
Mange the recordings with ease
Save file in MP4, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, MP3, AAC, WAV, OGG, WMA, FLAC, GIF and PNG
Ad-free
Cons:
Include basic video editing tools only
10 minutes of recording limit for the free trial version
Available For:
Windows and Mac
4. AceThinker Free Online Screen Recorder
AceThinker Free Online Screen Recorder is a web-based tool that is simple yet comprehensive and easy to navigate due to its intuitive instructions and guide. One of AceThinker’s stand-out features is capturing an entire screen with unlimited duration or an infinite number of recordings.
Pros:
Annotate while you’re recording your screen
High fps screen recording for gameplay capture
Computer audio recording.
Webcam video recording
Record the entire screen or just choose to record a specific area
Save file in AVI, MOV, WMV, FLV, MP4
Upload to YouTube, Video, Google Drive, or Dropboxs
Cons:
No Cloud Recording – need to wait for the video to upload
You need to download a launcher for first time use
Available for:
Chrome, Mozilla, and Internet Explorer
5. Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder
A nice online screen recorder with basic video editing capabilities. This free screen capture software runs in your browser (Mac or Windows) and requires an internet connection. The Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder might be a good choice if you’re looking for a one-time solution.
Pros:
Record your webcam
Add annotations within the video
Capture computer audio
Crop your video (no other editing tools, though)
Works on Windows and Mac but not on Linux
After recording, you can save the video file to your computer or upload it to YouTube, Vimeo, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.
You can save the file in a number of different formats (This can also be a con if you don’t know what you’re doing)
Cons:
Requires a browser plugin to run which may slow your browser down. There is a “Download desktop version” button on the website but this is actually the Pro version, not the free one.
No cloud recording option. If you want to share your screencast, you will have to wait for the video to render and, then, you will have to wait for it to upload.
Time limits and watermarks (removed when you create a free account)
Not suitable for game recording because you can’t hide the recording widget
Users report that it takes quite a lot of time to view the replay
You must be online to use it
Available for:
You must be online to use it
6. Screencast-O-Matic
The free version of Screencast-O-Matic is another browser-based screen recording tool. It should work for you if you don’t need to record computer audio and you only want to make very short videos.
Pros:
Narrate the video (record your computer microphone)
Record your webcam
After recording the video, you can upload it to YouTube or the Screencast-o-matic hosting service
Highlight your mouse
Cons:
15-minute recording limit
There is a watermark
You can’t record computer audio in the free version
No screenshot tool
The free version can only run in the browser which can slow your computer down
Ads on your screencasts
Requires Java to run
Some users report that it crashes their browsers and slows down their computers
No cloud recording option. If you want to share your screencast, you will have to wait for the video to render and, then, you will have to wait for it to upload.
Available for:
Windows and Mac
7. Ezvid
Ezvid is on our best screen recording software list because it has some cool features like the ability to draw while recording or synthesize human speech from text. Like iSpring Free Cam, it only works on Windows and saves screencasts in the bulky WMV format.
Pros:
HD video capture
Include computer narration with your video
Trim videos
Insert images and videos in your screencast
Draw while recording
Facecam recording
No watermarks
No ads
Cons:
Works on Windows only
Recording limit — depends on how much free space you have on your hard drive
Delayed replay — you have to wait until your video is rendered
Some users report that it slows down their computers
Screen captures are saved in .WMV format (OK if you’re using a Windows PC but the video might not play on other platforms)
Available for:
Windows
8. Prezi Video
Prezi Video gives you the opportunity to record a presentation from your Prezi slideshow using the desktop app. This app lets you record, edit, and download your presentations and even stream them to conference apps.
Pros:
Connects with Prezi or other Powerpoint presentations.
Powerful editing right within the app
Offers templates to customize videos
Have the option to show either webcam with presentation in background or just the presentation content
Downloads in mp4 format
Can live stream to Zoom, Webex, and GoToWebinar
Can pause and resume recording
Cons:
15 minute recording limit
Only records up to 720p
Available for:
Windows, Mac and Chrom
9. Veed
Veed is an online screen recorder and video editor. If you can’t install new apps on your computer, this may be a good solution. Works on Windows and Mac, no software download or plugin required.
Pros:
Screen capture with a click
Unique layout options
Fast and simple review
Full video editing
Auto-generated subtitles
2 GB of free storage
No need for downloading
Cons:
Has watermark
10-minute recording limit
No customer support
Available for:
Windows and Mac
10. Movavi Screen Recorder
Screen recorder by Movavi is a simple but functional program. It will work perfectly if you need to record a screencast with the sound, webcam, and highlighting of your mouse and keyboard clicks, or make a screenshot. The program is suitable for Windows and Mac users, and it does not require an internet connection.
Pros:
Record both the system sound and the microphone. Disable one or both of them if you do not need to record it
Record your screen and your webcam
Highlight the cursor and keystrokes
Make screenshots
Save recordings to the hard drive or the Google Drive
Save videos in MP4, AVI, MOV, MKV, WEBM, GIF, or MP3 formats
Instant sharing: you can share a video on a cloud, on WhatsApp, YouTube, Telegram, or via email directly from the program
No time limitations for recordings
No ads
Cons:
There are no opportunities to edit a recording; you can only cut extra fragments
No support for Linux
Available for:
Windows and Mac
What Is a Good Screen Recorder?
There are two important points to consider when looking for the best free screen recorder in 2021.
1. File Format & Compression
A file format is a particular way of organizing the data within the file. There are many video file formats and some screen recording tools support more than one. However, most of the time, it goes down to MP4 vs. WMV.
MP4 or WMV for screen capture?
The WMV format is a product of Microsoft. Back in the day, it was created to allow professional videos to be recorded in high quality, e.g. on DVD, Bluray. The biggest issue here is that Mac users often have trouble viewing WMV files.
MP4, on the other hand, helps you produce video files that can be opened on any platform. And, when it comes to video quality, MP4 is actually better than WMV.
So,MP4 is more suitable for publishing your screen captures on the web and sharing them with others. The best free video capture software allows you to save your videos in MP4.
2. Video Hosting & Uploading
When looking for a screen capture software, you’d probably look at the recording features like — recording time, ability to record the computer audio, and so on.
But what happens after you record your screencast?
Most of the time, video files are very big and can’t be attached to emails. This means that, to share a video, you have to upload it somewhere in the cloud. In other words, you need video hosting.
This is a book-worthy topic but here are a few things to keep in mind:
Hosting on YouTube. Some screen recorders allow you to post your videos on YouTube. That’s great when you want to share your videos publicly but not recommended if the screencast contains sensitive information.
Proprietary video hosting. Some screen recorders like Screenrec, Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder and Screencast-O-Matic come with video hosting. When storing your videos on these platforms, it would be wise to research if the platform is free and what level of security it offers.
Cloud Recording. If there is no Cloud Recording option, you will have to wait for the video to upload until you can share it. The best free screen capture tools come with this option.
Conclusion
Even the best free screen recording software has advantages and disadvantages. At the end of the day, the recording features — what you can do with the tool, are just as important as the effectiveness — how quickly you can record your computer screen and share it with others.
So, before you set your mind on a free screen recording software, it’s best to evaluate your own recording needs. Maybe you don’t need to upload your videos to social media or maybe you don’t need to record in HD.
Based on this criteria, the top screen recording software for us is the free screen recorder by ScreenRec. The final decision is, of course, yours to make.
As the names suggest, the biggest difference is that a desktop screen recorder can capture your screen while you're offline or on a poor internet connection. An online screen recorder requires stable Internet. For this reason, an online screen recorder isn't the best option when it comes to game capture. It may be a viable option when you're recording a tutorial, though.
Screencast-O-Matic is a popular screencasting tool. Many people use it to record tutorials, training videos and other educational content. The biggest advantage of Screencast-O-Matic is, perhaps, the ability to share the recording to a number of platforms like Vimeo, YouTube and Screencast-o-Matic's own video hosting platform. One downside, however, is the fact that you have to wait for the recording to upload and, if you've been recording for, say, 1 hour, this can be a huge pain. That's why, as an alternative, we'll suggest ScreenRec. It's quick and lightweight, allows you to capture both your computer audio and microphone audio and, finally, it's got instant private sharing--your screen recordings are uploaded in real time which means that you never have to wait. You get a sharing link as soon as you press 'Stop'.
It depends on the screen capture tool you're using and your platform (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc). With ScreenRec, for example, you have to press Alt + S to start recording your desktop. This works on all platforms.
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