Best free screen recorders and screenshot tools
Free options range from built-in tools to open-source apps like OBS and ShareX. Free plans of cloud apps usually limit video length or how many recordings you keep.
Quick answer ShareX is the top pick, followed by OBS Studio and ScreenPal.
Top pick
ShareX by ShareX Team
Free, open-source Windows tool for screenshots, screen recording and file sharing
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free
- Works on
- Windows
- Screenshots
- Yes
- Screen recording
- Yes
- Share links
- Yes
- Markup
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026FreeTry ShareX free
OBS Studio by OBS Project
Free, open-source app for screen recording and live streaming with scenes and sources
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free
- Works on
- Mac, Windows, Linux
- Screenshots
- Yes
- Screen recording
- Yes
- Camera bubble
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026FreeTry OBS Studio free
ScreenPal by ScreenPal
Screen recorder, screenshot tool and video editor; formerly Screencast-O-Matic.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $4/user/mo
- Works on
- Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, Chrome extension
- Screenshots
- Yes
- Screen recording
- Yes
- Share links
- Yes
- Camera bubble
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $4/user/moTry ScreenPal free
Loom by Atlassian
Records screen and camera as video messages shared by link; part of Atlassian.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $15/user/mo
- Works on
- Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, Chrome extension
- Screenshots
- Yes
- Screen recording
- Yes
- Share links
- Yes
- Camera bubble
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $15/user/moTry Loom free
Snipping Tool by Microsoft
Built into Windows 11: screenshots, video snips, markup and text extraction
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free
- Works on
- Windows
- Screenshots
- Yes
- Screen recording
- Yes
- Markup
- Yes
- Scrolling capture
- No
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026FreeTry Snipping Tool free
Greenshot by Greenshot team
Free, open-source Windows screenshot tool with a built-in annotation editor
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · $1.99 one-time
- Works on
- Mac, Windows
- Screenshots
- Yes
- Screen recording
- No
- Camera bubble
- No
- Markup
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · $1.99 one-timeTry Greenshot free
Zight by Zight
Screen recordings, screenshots and GIFs shared as links; formerly CloudApp.
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $9.95/user/mo
- Works on
- Mac, Windows, iPhone, Chrome extension
- Screenshots
- Yes
- Screen recording
- Yes
- Share links
- Yes
- Camera bubble
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $9.95/user/moTry Zight free
Shottr by Electric Endeavors LLC
Lightweight Mac screenshot tool with annotation, scrolling capture, OCR and S3 upload
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · $12 one-time
- Works on
- Mac
- Screenshots
- Yes
- Screen recording
- No
- Share links
- Yes
- Camera bubble
- No
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · $12 one-timeTry Shottr free
Camtasia by TechSmith
Screen recorder and multitrack video editor for Windows and Mac
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $3.25/user/mo
- Works on
- Mac, Windows, Web
- Screenshots
- Yes
- Screen recording
- Yes
- Share links
- Yes
- Camera bubble
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $3.25/user/moTry Camtasia free
Monosnap by Monosnap Inc.
Screenshot and screen recording app with its own cloud storage and share links
- Has a free plan
- Price
- Free plan · paid from $2.50/mo
- Works on
- Mac, Windows, Chrome extension
- Screenshots
- Yes
- Screen recording
- Yes
- Share links
- Yes
- Markup
- Yes
Price, checked Oct 26, 2026Free plan · paid from $2.50/moTry Monosnap free
Compare the top picks
| App | Price | Works on | Screenshots | Screen recording | Share links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ShareX | Free | Windows | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OBS Studio | Free | Mac, Windows, Linux | Yes | Yes | – |
| ScreenPal | Free plan · paid from $4/user/mo | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, Chrome extension | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Loom | Free plan · paid from $15/user/mo | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, Chrome extension | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Snipping Tool | Free | Windows | Yes | Yes | – |
| Greenshot | Free plan · $1.99 one-time | Mac, Windows | Yes | No | – |
| Zight | Free plan · paid from $9.95/user/mo | Mac, Windows, iPhone, Chrome extension | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Shottr | Free plan · $12 one-time | Mac | Yes | No | Yes |
| Camtasia | Free plan · paid from $3.25/user/mo | Mac, Windows, Web | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Monosnap | Free plan · paid from $2.50/mo | Mac, Windows, Chrome extension | Yes | Yes | Yes |
How we picked
We compared 18 screen capture apps and kept the 14 that fit this guide. We don't test apps ourselves: features and prices come from each app's own site, and the order follows what independent reviewers recommend. No app pays to be listed or placed higher, and whether an app pays us a commission never changes its place.
Questions
How are these apps ranked?
Apps that independent "best of" roundups recommend come first, the most often recommended at the top; the rest follow with the best-known first. Every app listed meets this guide's needs.
Are these links sponsored?
Links to apps whose affiliate programs have approved Build Your Toolkit are affiliate links, marked as such, so we may earn a commission if you sign up for a paid plan. It doesn't change what you pay, and no app pays to be listed or placed higher.
Where do the prices come from?
From each app's own pricing page, on the date shown next to the price. Prices for screen capture apps change often, so check the vendor's page before you buy.