• Record and save computer screen to various format in high-definition.
• Advanced task schedule to set up recording automatically.
• User-friendly interface without ads.
• Basic video editing tools to make your recording easier.
• Stable recording performance and no time limits.
• Webcam recording available.

Cons:

• Not free but provides a free trial version with recording time limitation.

Available for:

• Windows 10/8/7/Vista/XP (SP2 or later)

3. EaseUS RecExperts

EaseUS RecExperts is an all-in-one yet easy-to-use screen recording software to capture any screen activities happening on your screen. With the options of recording screen, audio, webcam, screen with audio, screen with webcam, this screen recorder is a nice choice to record zoom meetings, presentations, video tutorials, online courses, games, etc.

Pros:

• Capture full screen or custom region up to 1080P
• Record computer internal audio or/and sound from microphone
• Record screen and audio simultaneously or separately
• Record webcam only or with screen
• Schedule recording tasks to start, stop or split recordings automatically
• Take screenshots of the screen or from the recorded video
• Play recorded audio or video with built-in player
• Mange the recordings with ease
• Save file in MP4, MOV, FLV, MKV, AVI, MP3, AAC, WAV, OGG, WMA, FLAC, GIF and PNG
• Ad-free

Cons:

• Include basic video editing tools only
• 10 minutes of recording limit for the free trial version

Available For:

• Windows and Mac

4. AceThinker Free Online Screen Recorder

AceThinker Free Online Screen Recorder is a web-based tool that is simple yet comprehensive and easy to navigate due to its intuitive instructions and guide. One of AceThinker’s stand-out features is capturing an entire screen with unlimited duration or an infinite number of recordings.

Pros:

• Annotate while you’re recording your screen
• High fps screen recording for gameplay capture
• Computer audio recording.
• Webcam video recording
• Record the entire screen or just choose to record a specific area
• Save file in AVI, MOV, WMV, FLV, MP4
• Upload to YouTube, Video, Google Drive, or Dropboxs

Cons:

• No Cloud Recording – need to wait for the video to upload
• You need to download a launcher for first time use

Available for:

• Chrome, Mozilla, and Internet Explorer

5. Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder

A nice online screen recorder with basic video editing capabilities. This free screen capture software runs in your browser (Mac or Windows) and requires an internet connection. The Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder might be a good choice if you’re looking for a one-time solution.

Pros:

• Record your webcam
• Add annotations within the video
• Capture computer audio
• Crop your video (no other editing tools, though)
• Works on Windows and Mac but not on Linux
• After recording, you can save the video file to your computer or upload it to YouTube, Vimeo, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.
• You can save the file in a number of different formats (This can also be a con if you don’t know what you’re doing)

Cons:

• Requires a browser plugin to run which may slow your browser down. There is a “Download desktop version” button on the website but this is actually the Pro version, not the free one.
• 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.
• Time limits and watermarks (removed when you create a free account)
• Not suitable for game recording because you can’t hide the recording widget
• Users report that it takes quite a lot of time to view the replay
• You must be online to use it

Available for:

• You must be online to use it

6. Screencast-O-Matic

The free version of Screencast-O-Matic is another browser-based screen recording tool. It should work for you if you don’t need to record computer audio and you only want to make very short videos.

Pros:

• Narrate the video (record your computer microphone)
• Record your webcam
• After recording the video, you can upload it to YouTube or the Screencast-o-matic hosting service
• Highlight your mouse

Cons:

• 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

What Is The Best Free Screen Capture Software For Mac

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.

References and Further Reading?

DON’T MISS OUT

Get updates on new articles, webinars and other opportunities:

Top 9 Free Bandicam Alternatives For Mac, Windows & Linux

🏆18 Free Screen Sharing Software 2021 (For Remote Teams)

⏰Best 7 No Lag Screen Recorders [Comparison]

Top 10 Camtasia Studio Alternatives You Didn’t Know About

7 Best Free Screen Recorders With No Watermark [Upd. 2021]

Best 8 Video Capture Software in 2021 for Any System

Best 8 Laptop Screen Recorders That Won’t Kill Your Battery

👌10+1 Best Screen Recorders For Windows 10 PC (All Free)

📼 Skype For Business: Record A Meeting & Share Instantly

Top 10 Linux Screen Recorders In 2021 + Instructions

THE 8 BEST HD SCREEN RECORDERS REVIEWED

The Best Screencast Software In 2021: Full Comparison

How To Record Your Computer Screen On Windows 10 (Free)

Record Your Computer Screen And Audio (For Free)

Do you want to record something on your Mac computer, like an online meeting, an exciting video clip, a video call, or a live streaming video? Whatever you want to capture, you need a free Mac screen recorder first.

In this article, we have rounded up the best 11 Mac video capture software to help choose. To help you select the best free screen recorder, we will introduce each software with its key feature in detail. Just read to learn more information.

#1. EaseUS RecExperts ★★★

When it comes to Mac screen recording software, EaseUS RecExperts is the best option. This software allows you to record the full screen, a selected area, or a locked window flexibly. Also, you can record screen with audio on Mac simultaneously, including the system sound, microphone, or sound from external audio devices.

Apart from capturing the screen, you can record audio or capture the screen as a GIF with one simple click. Most importantly, it won't leave a watermark on your recordings. For this screen recorder without watermark, you can miss it!

Now click the below button to try EaseUS RecExperts for free!

#2. QuickTime Player

You must be familiar with QuickTime Player. It can play, edit, and share videos on your Mac computer. But did you know it is also a screen recording app for Mac?

It lets you capture a full screen or a selected area with a few clicks. With Mac screencast software, you can easily record online meetings, streaming videos, or other activities on your Mac screen. Most importantly, it is straightforward to use even for beginners of its intuitive interface.

Key features:

• Simple and intuitive user interface
• Offer recording and editing options
• Allow you to share the recorded videos with your friends

#3. macOS Catalina

One recommended Mac's built-in screen recorder is macOS Catalina, which is also known as macOS 10.15. It is a cross-platform tool with numerous features. Using this program, you can record your entire screen or selected portion on your Mac with just a few clicks.

Key features:

• Free and easy to use
• Record full screen or a specific region

#4. OBS Studio

OBS Studio is a free and open source screen recorder for Mac users. It has powerful and easy-to-use configuration options, which lets you add new sources or adjust the properties effortlessly.

Besides, this free Mac screen recorder offers an unlimited number of scenes to switch seamlessly via custom transitions. Also, it can be used for live streaming, which means you can download and start streaming quickly on your Mac.

Key features:

• Completely free for all users
• Allow you to capture real-time activities and create great live streaming videos
• Offer intuitive audio mixer with per-source filters
• Compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux

#5. Screenflow

Screenflow is another free Mac screen recorder with audio. This video capture is very polished and can record anything and give you many editing options once the recording is done.

Using Screenflow, you can record computer audio or microphone as well. In addition, this Mac screen capture even can monitors keystrokes and mouse movements, which can make the recording more interesting.

Key features:

• A lightweight screen recorder and video editor
• Export almost all the major formats and directly upload recorded videos to YouTube
• Provide a lot of effects
• Enable you to record video and audio simultaneously

#6. Screencast-O-Matic

Screencast-O-Matic is a versatile Mac screen recorder and editor. It is free and fast to create screencast videos with this screen recording program. When the recording is done, you can personalize your video with the built-in video editor. Here it allows you to add overlays, text, animations, visual effects, and many more to your recorded video quickly.

Key features:

• Available for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Chromebook users
• Offer some basic yet useful video editing tools
• Add and size your webcam for a picture in picture effect
• Share the recorded videos to YouTube with one click

#7. Snagit

Snagit is a screen recording tool, which enables you to record video and capture images. This screen recorder can capture your entire Mac screen, a region, a window, or a scrolling screen. It lets you quickly grab individual frames from the recorded videos or save your video file as an mp4 or animated GIF with ease.

In addition, this Mac screen capture enables you to remove any unwanted sections from your screen recordings by trimming after recording.

Key features:

• Allow you to record iOS screen with Snagit
• Record screen, webcam, audio, and other things on your screen
• Turn video into an animated GIF and add it to your website

#8. VLC Media Player

VLC Media Player is another completely free and open-source screen recording software for Mac. Like QuickTime Player, it can help you play media files, convert file formats, and capture your computer screen. It is straightforward to use. When you want to do some quick screen recording on your Mac, you cannot miss VLC Media Player.

Key features:

• A screen recorder, video converter, and media player at the same time
• Help you stream media on the internet
• 100% free and easy to use

#9. Camtasia

Camtasia can help you record and create professional-looking videos on Windows and Mac computers. This free Mac screen recorder is easy and quick to learn, and you do not need a big budget or fancy video editing skills.

With it, you can easily record anything on your computer, including an application, website, video call, or PowerPoint presentation. Apart from that, it supports iOS capturing. You can connect your iOS device directly to your Mac to record from the screen, then add some effects to your video.

Free Screen Recording Programs For Mac Free

Key features:

• Provide options for recording screen, webcam, and audio
• Allow you to use callouts, arrows, shapes to highlight important points in your video
• Built with many templates to reduce your editing time
• Flexibly apply device frames to your videos to make them play well on a different device screen

Free Screen Recording Programs For Mac Laptop

#10. Screenflick

As another best free screen recorder for Mac, Screenflick is popular all over the world. A simple user interface helps you be more efficient to start recording tasks. Built with a smart recording engine, it lets you capture screen and audio with the highest quality and resolution. What's more, the video, audio, keystrokes, and mouse clicks are recorded in separate tracks so that you can modify them conveniently after recording.

Key features:

• Record system audio, microphone, or external mic on your Mac
• Use a timer to stop or start recording automatically
• Create time-lapse screen recordings of long projects
• Export to multiple sizes, formats, and frame rates

#11. Monosnap

Monosnap is a free screen capture program for Mac users. It comes with the option of recording your webcam, microphone, and system audio at the same time before starting recording. You can capture full screen, area, window, videos, or HIGs using hotkeys.

Free Mac Screen Recording Software

Once recorded, you can edit the video by adding annotations. Then it allows you to upload and share the link with your friends if you have connected to your Monosnap account.

Key features:

• Create pixel-perfect screenshots
• Allow you to record screen to GIF with one click
• Offer editing options to highlight details, hide sensitive data with the Blur tool
• Upload and share the recorded video directly

The Bottom Line

On this page, we have discussed the top 10 best screen recorders for Mac. Which one will one choose?

Taken together, we highly recommend EaseUS RecExperts. It allows you to capture screens in high resolution, including 4K. Besides, using it, you can easily capture the system sound without downloading any other third-party software. Don't hesitate. Just download it!