• 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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