Screencast software: 6 programs for Windows, Mac, and Linux

The screencast software Screenrec is known for offering a simple and safe way to share screen recordings. The app saves your videos in the cloud after you’re done recording and generates a link that you can use to access the screencast. If your recording contains sensitive data, you can set a password. Screenrec also allows you to restrict access to certain IP addresses or geolocations.

You’re offline and want to make a screencast? That’s possible as well, since Screenrec automatically syncs your local drive with the cloud as soon as you’re connected to the Internet again. In the meantime, you can save your videos locally as an MP4.

Camtasia is a classic among screencasting apps. However, with a price tag of $250, it’s also the most expensive app on our list. Camtasia is known for its wide range of user-friendly features, making it a professional-level tool that’s also suited for beginners. In addition, there are also tutorials and instructions available to help you with the more complex features.

As a less expensive alternative, the software producer TechSmith offers a pared down alternative: With Snagit you can make professional screen recordings with layout templates for just $50.

The apps are available for Windows and Mac.

ScreenFlow presents Mac users with a more affordable alternative to Camtasia, at a price of $129. You can find out if the program suits your needs with a free test version, which allows you to explore the app’s full range of features. (However, all videos made in the test version will bear a watermark.)

After you’ve made your screen recording, you’ll have access to all of the features that typically come with video editing software - for example, inserting text, visualizing mouse clicks and keyboard input, transitions, and animations. After you’ve upgraded to the paid version, you’ll also gain access to a library of over 500,000 media files that you can use in your videos.

This screencast software is a good choice for anyone who wants to create a screen recording as quickly as possible and doesn’t need a wide range of options for editing. You can use FlashBack Express to record your screen, webcam, and audio content. Afterwards, you can cut the video material to make individual clips.

Even in the free version, there’s no limit on the length of your recordings. Export formats are limited to MP4, AVI, and MWV, which should be sufficient for the most common use cases. Further export formats are available in the pro version, which costs $49. This version also offers more options for post-production, including inserting text, images, sounds, and video effects.

OBS Studio is open-source software that’s compatible with all operating systems. The app is mainly used for broadcasting live streams. Its use as a screencast software is mostly interesting for professionals and plugin developers. The video editing features are extensive and complex, ranging from transitions, color correction, and chroma keying to a professional audio mixer.

Screencastify is a free extension for the Chrome browser that’s perfect for quickly making screen recordings. The downside: Videos have a maximum length of five minutes, though the number of videos you can record is unlimited. With an upgrade to the paid version for $50 a year, you’ll be able to record without any limits.