The 10 Best Screen Recording Software Of 2021: Battle of Screen Recorders

A Screen recorder is a quintessential application used by online tutors, social media content creators, and by professionals working remotely. Screen recorders are also used by gamers for live streaming and other content sharing.

In this post, we will walk you through some of the best screen recording software.

We will present you with some free recording software and other paid variants that can be used by enterprises and for creating professional content.

Let’s get started.

How to Record Screen on Windows?

Screen recording on Windows is pretty straightforward.

First, you need to launch the application and decide whether you want to take a screenshot or record activities on the screen.

When you start recording your screen you can either select a specific application or select a custom area. It is advisable to select a custom area while making tutorials, social media content, or other marketing content.

On the other hand, while recording gameplays, you should select the video game (or specific application) whose screen you want to record.

This way even if you get any unwanted notification on your screen it will be left out from the recording resulting in a picture-perfect video game walkthrough.

Depending on the application you use for screen recording you will get various other options like selecting audio source, mouse highlights, keystrokes, and also the option to record webcam content.

Once screen recording is ready you will be redirected to the video editor where you can edit your recorded screen content.

Best Screen Recording Software: Features You’re Looking For

The perfect video capture software depends on your needs.

For example, if you want to record video game walkthroughs and publish them on YouTube or Twitch you need a video capture software that can record high frame rate content in high quality.

However, while creating online tutorials or social media content 720p or 1080p content would do just fine. Here are some of the criteria that can help you to make the right choice.

• Different recording options – You should thoroughly inspect the different recording options in your video recording software. You should check the supported resolution and frame rate, different recording inputs, and the permitted duration of the recordings.
• Supported devices – The more supported devices the better. This way you can record screen content from all the different devices that you have at your disposal.
• Video Editing capabilities – This is one of the pivotal criteria that dictate the selection of a screen recording software. Even if an application records high-quality screen content, without a proper video editor you have to rely on a third-party editor for editing your video clips. You should invest in screen recording software that lets you edit your recordings with ease and provides different exporting options.
• Ease of use  – Screen recording is not rocket science. Still, many applications tend to make the screen recording process complicated. You should go for a screen recorder that has a simple UI and boosts a powerful yet clutter-free video editor.
• Other handy features – Screen recorders with cloud storage makes sharing your video clips easy. Configurable hotkeys for screen recording can come in handy while recording gameplays.

Now let’s look at some of the best free recording software.

5 Best Free Screen Recording Software

1. FreeCam

Overview

FreeCam is a free screen recorder that has all the basic features of screen capture software. You can select the portion of the screen that you want to record and the software would record all your screen content and mouse and key actions.

The editor lets you trim, adjust volume, and denoise your recording. Finally, you can export your recordings (without watermark or any time limitation) on your Windows machine or upload them directly on YouTube.

However, if you want to record content in 1080p, add voiceover and transition effects, then you have to subscribe to a paid Pro plan.

Supported OS – Windows 10/ 8/ 7 both 32 and 64-bit variants

Price – Pro subscription costs $227 per year

Best for – Creating social media content & for hobbyists

2. OBS Studio

Overview

OBS Studio is a free open-source live streaming application that can also be used as a free video recording software. You can record screens and system audio from various sources with no time limit.

It has excellent sound mixing features and lets you customize your recordings by adding various annotations and captions. This application is widely used by gamers for streaming their gameplay on YouTube, Twitch, and other streaming platforms.

To top it off you can run it on all popular Operating Systems. From a feature standpoint, It’s really difficult to take a jab at this application. OBS Studio is definitely one of the, if not THE best free screen recorder.

Supported OS – Windows 10/ 8/ 8.1; MacOS 10.13+; Ubuntu 18.04 onwards

Price – Free

Best for – Live streaming and gameplay recording

3. Screencastify

Overview

If you are looking for ease of use, then Screencastify is the right free recording software for you. To start using it you have to visit the Chrome Web Store and download the Screencastify extension.

Once installed you can start recording your screen right from the browser by tapping on the Screencastify extension. The application will record your screen elements, user actions, and audio input from your microphone. You can also use different drawing tools to draw the attention of your audience.

Once the recording is complete, you can trim your videos, add annotations, and then the recording will automatically get downloaded on your Google Drive in GIF, MP3, or MP4 formats.

This free screen recorder has been a hit amongst young students and non-technical users. 

Supported OS – Windows, Mac, Linus through Chrome browser

Price – Free

Best for – Short screen recordings right from the browser

4. ShareX

Overview

ShareX is a lightweight yet powerful Windows 10 screen recorder. You can use hotkeys and also customize them to record screens in a jiffy.

It also features OCR (Optical Character Recognition) that allows you to extract text from your screen recordings. All in all, it presents a plethora of features that might even seem overwhelming for the first time.

Even though it lacks game recording in HQ, it will do just fine as a run-of-the-mill screen capture software.

Supported OS – Windows 10/ 8.1/ 7

Price – Free

Best for – Swift screen recording and extracting data from the recorded screen (OCR, QR scanning e.t.c.)

5. TinyTake

Overview

The USP of TinyTake would be to record live screens and create short clips swiftly. It’s a great tool for creating presentations and demos.

It comes with a nice set of marking and annotation tools that will help you highlight elements in your recorded content. It also features cloud storage that allows you to share your recordings easily.

Even though it might not be the best free recording software (due to time restrictions and promotions linked with the free plan), if you want to record, edit and share short clips swiftly, TinyTake would do just fine.

Supported OS – Windows 7 & above, Mac OS X 10.13 & above

Price – Free, while paid plans range from roughly $30 – $100 per year.

Best for – Swift recording of short clips

5 Paid Screen Recording Software

1. Filmora Scrn

Overview

Filmora Scr is one of the best screen capture software for recording HD or 4K content at a high frame rate. You can also configure hotkeys to assign recording shortcuts which come in real handy while recording gameplays.

The drawing tools are one of the coolest features. It allows you to highlight, point, and caption items on the screen while you are recording. This feature is really helpful while recording tutorials and can save you a ton of editing time. 

It supports editing content in over 50 different file formats and lets you export your recording in any suitable format of your choice.

To get started you can check out its free version, however, all recordings made using the free version would have a watermark in them.

Supported OS – Windows and Mac OS

Price – Their annual plan costs roughly $62 while a perpetual license can be bought for a one-time payment of $90.

Best for – HD and 4K screen recording and recording multiple screens.

2. Camtasia

Overview

If you are wondering what value a professional screen capture software adds then you should definitely check out Camtasia. With this recording software for Windows, you can swiftly record, edit and export professional standard videos in a jiffy.

Unlike other video capture software, Camtasia provides you video templates that help you export your recordings quickly and reduce editing time. The application also features pre-built music and video libraries that can add a professional look and feel to your recordings.

You can add different call for action elements in the form of quizzes and questionnaires to increase interactivity with your audience. You can also add device frames to emulate your recording running on different devices. 

Video table of content, closed captioning, and audio FX are some other cool features of this versatile screen recorder. Camtasia is indeed a strong contender for the best screen recorder.

Supported OS – Windows, macOS & iOS devices

Price – A lifetime license would cost you around $250

Best for – Professional screen recordings

3. Movavi Screen Recorder

Overview

The Movavi Screen recorder is the perfect tool for recording tutorials and other online events. Its simple clutter-free no-nonsense UI along with straightforward recording controls promotes easy adoption.

While recording your screen you can utilize the drawing tools to add annotations and point to elements on your screen. The video editor is also quite simple and you can process and export your recordings by simple drag-and-drop actions in no time.

The recording scheduler is the feather in its cap and can be leveraged while recording gameplays and webinars. If you are intrigued by its features feel free to check out our detailed Movavi Screen recorder review.

Supported OS – Windows 10/ 8/7 and MacOS X or higher

Price – Around $35 for an annual subscription or $50 for a lifetime license.

Best for – Recording webinars, online events, and video calls

4. Screencast-O-Matic

Overview

Screen-O-Matic is definitely one of the best screen recording software. Given its conservative pricing, it is the best value-for-money screen capture software.

While using this application you would be able to leverage all the features of screen recording software, use stock images and audio clips for creating professional marketing videos, and much more.

If you are not looking to record high FPS 4K content, then this is the right application for you. 

Supported OS – Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Chromebook

Price – The Premier pack (all features) would cost you $4.00 per month billed annually. 

Best for – Creating tutorials, social media campaigns, and marketing.

5. ScreenFlow

Overview

If you are a Mac user and want to record screens of your iPad or iPhone then ScreenFlow is the best screen recorder for you. The latest version of ScreenFlow has made some impressive updates.

You can record Retina display content, add animation and motion graphics, create closed captioning, and publish content directly to popular video hosting sites like Vimeo, YouTube, in a format of your choice.

You can efficiently archive videos, add filters, and remove background with ease. New updates add noticeable performance improvement that will allow you to export videos quickly without draining your battery life. Read the full Screenflow review here.

Supported OS – macOS 

Price – Starting from $149

Best for – Retina display recording on Apple devices.

Conclusion

• You can use screen capture software to grab screenshots as well as to record screen activities.
• There are many paid and free screen recording applications in the market that let you record your activities on the screen as well as from other connected mobile devices and streaming sources.
• Almost every screen recorder features a video editor that can be used to add annotations and cool effects and finally export them in a format of your choice.
• If you do not work offline then you can also go for lightweight web-based screen recorders.

FAQs