Comparison of screencasting software


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

Product namePublisherLatest stable versionLatest release dateOSSoftware licenseSource code
available?
ActivePresenterAtomi Systems7.3.12018-07-11Windows
macOS
ActivePresenter Free EditionAtomi Systems7.3.12018-07-11Windows
macOS
Adobe CaptivateAdobe Systems9.02015-08-03Windows
macOS
Adobe Presenter Video ExpressAdobe Systems11.02016-09-14Windows
macOS
AVS Video EditorOnline Media Technologies Ltd7.5.1.2882017-01-16Windows
BandicamBandicam Company4.5.0.15872019-10-23Windows
BB FlashBackBlueberry Software5.4.0.34422014-12-18Windows
BB FlashBack ExpressBlueberry Software5.22.0.41782016-11-09Windows
CamStudioCamStudio.org2.7.2 r3262013-10-19Windows
Camtasia TechSmith2019.0.22019-05-29Windows
Camtasia TechSmith2019.0.12019-05-22macOS
Debut NCH Software4.082017-09-14Windows
Debut NCH Software4.012017-03-31macOS
FrapsBeepa Pty Ltd3.5.992013-02-26Windows
FreeseerFOSSLC3.0.12013-12-15Windows
macOS
Linux
GrabillaGrabilla0.3.12020-07-14Windows
Unix
macOS
Java
HyperCamSolveig Multimedia4.0.1511.062015-11-06Windows
HyperCamHyperionics2.29.002016-01-07Windows
Microsoft Expression EncoderMicrosoft42011-11-02Windows
mimoLiveBoinx Software Ltd.4.62019-01-08macOS
Nero VisionNero AG10.6.108002011-04-19Windows
Nvidia ShadowplayNvidia2.11.4.02016-06-21Windows
Open Broadcaster Software
OBS Project25.0.82020-04-26Windows
macOS
Linux
PeekPhilipp Wolfer1.4.02019-09-27Linux
PixetellOntier Inc.1.3.119132010-01-15Windows
QuickTime XApple Inc.10.0 2010-03-29macOS
RecordMyDesktopSourceForge0.3.8.12008-12-13Linux
ScreencamSmartGuyz Inc.3.3.02009-03-24Windows
ScreenFlowTelestream7.3.12018-06-20macOS
ShareXJaex and Michael Delpach13.0.12019-08-28Windows
SimpleScreenRecordermaartenbaert0.3.92020-04-08Linux
Snagit for WindowsTechSmith13.0.32016-10-25Windows
Snagit for MacTechSmith4.0.62016-10-25macOS
Snapz Pro XAmbrosia Software2.6.12016-10-17macOS
VirtualDubSourceForge1.9.112012-12-27Windows
VLC media playerVideoLAN3.0.82019-08-19Windows
macOS
Linux
BSD
Solaris
QNX
Haiku
Syllable
OS/2
WinkSatish Kumar2.02008-07-14Windows
Linux
Xbox MicrosoftWindows
XVidCapSourceForge1.1.72008-07-13Unix-like
XSplit BroadcasterSplitmediaLabs3.0.1705.31172017-06-27Windows
Product namePublisherLatest stable versionLatest release dateOSSoftware licenseSource code
available?

Comparison by features

The following table compares features of screencasting software. The table has seven fields, as follows:
  1. 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. DirectX: 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
Product nameAudioEntire
desktop		OpenGLDirect3DVulkanDirect2D FullscreenEditingOutput----
ActivePresenter----
ActivePresenter free edition----
Adobe CaptivateSWF, EXE, MP4----
Adobe Presenter Video ExpressMP4----
BandicamAVI, MP4----
BB FlashBackAVI, FLV, SWF----
BB FlashBack expressAVI, FLV, SWF, MP4, WMV, Animated GIF, PowerPoint slideshow, self-extracting EXE----
CamStudioAVI, SWF----
Camtasia.camrec, AVI----
DebutAVI, FLV, MKV, MP4, WebM, WMV, 3GP, ASF, DV, MOV, MPG, OGV----
FFmpeg with a plug-incf. ----
FrapsFPS1 in AVI----
FreeseerOgg----
Ginj is not JingPNG, Support for DropBox, Google Photos----
GrabillaWMV, mp4 on website.----
HyperCamAVI, WMV----
JingSWF----
Microsoft Expression Encoder----
Nero Vision----
Nvidia Shadowplay----
Open Broadcaster SoftwareSimple mode: FLV, MP4, MOV, MKV, TS, HLS
Advanced mode: Any format supported by libavformat		----
Pixetell----
QuickTime X----
RecordMyDesktopTheora in Ogg----
Screencam----
ScreenFlowProRes, MP4, GIF, AAC
ShareXAVI, MP4, GIF----
SimpleScreenRecorderFormats supported by libavformat----
SnagitMP4----
Snapz Pro X----
VirtualDubAVI----
VLC----
Windows Media Encoder----
WinkSWF, PDF----
Xbox MP4----
XVidCap----
XSplit BroadcasterMP4, FLV----
Product nameAudioEntire
desktop		OpenGLDirect3DEditingOutput----