You're knee-deep in a web design project, trying to explain your creative vision to your team. You're trying so hard to describe every design element from your brief. But words fall flat. You can't seem to get your point across.
You need a visual aid, but who has time to take endless screenshots?
This is where screen recording software enters the picture. It clearly articulates how you want your website to look without looking at glazed, confused eyes from across the room (or screen).
Whether you're sketching out wireframes or spending long hours in bug crashing, screen recording software can level up your team's collaboration game. It can capture every pixel and gradient, every wave and curve, and the exact placement of your CTA buttons — saving you a massive amount of time and headaches.
This article has rounded up the top 6 screen recording software. Discover how screen recording can transform your workflow, foster seamless collaboration, and make feedback loops a walk in the park.
What is Screen Recording Software?
In the office, it's easy to do a huddle or approach someone's desk to show your laptop screen and the work you're doing.
But what do you do if you're working remotely and need to show someone your screen — without jumping on Zoom and starting a (contrived) small talk before you can get to your point?
Three words: screen recording software.
These types of tools are a life-saver for anyone who needs to collaborate on a project task and save time. It's also for those who need to incorporate a short snippet into their presentation, video tutorial, or even broadcast a gaming session.
Screen recording software captures your screen (perhaps just a portion of it, a tab, or a window) so you can provide a visual way to explain your point.
Agencies, business owners, web developers and designers, content creators, and gamers use it for:
- Interviews and onboarding sessions
- Tutorials, webinars, digital courses, and product walkthroughs
- Filming for vlogs and other video content used on social media and YouTube
- Showing issues on the website or changes they want to make
Factors to Consider When Choosing Screen Recording Software
With so many screen recording software in the market, how will you know which fits your needs? Here are some things to consider:
Ease of Use
You'll want a tool to help you fast-track everything, one with a user-friendly interface that doesn't require more time to learn. You wouldn't want a steep learning curve for a tool that serves a very simple purpose — to record a screen.
You should be able to hit that record button and start filming your screen immediately.
Editing Tools
Consider screen recording tools that let you trim, annotate, draw, or add more design elements to your snaps. Ensure it has editing features to polish your recordings without switching to another tool.
Sharing Options
Look for software that lets you edit and share your recording with other platforms. Find out its integrations and whether you can share via direct links.
Compatibility
Double-check that the software is compatible with the operating system you're using. Does it work seamlessly with macOS or Windows?
Cost
Screen recorders come in various prices and range from free to premium subscriptions. Don't just consider your budget and needs, but also the value for money. Some may seem more expensive right now. But if you'll use it constantly for work and it has all the advanced features you need, it'll give you an absolute bang for the buck.
Top Screen Recording Software in 2023
BugHerd
Reviews: 4.8/5.0 (G2)
BugHerd is sticky notes turned into full-featured software. It's an intuitive visual and video feedback tool that gathers and pins user comments to a website. Its annotation tool makes it simple for users to give context to their feedback in a visual manner.
Besides its user-friendly and intuitive interface, BugHerd has all the features most developers, designers, and marketers (including their clients and end-users) typically need. It allows them to collect website feedback from people without a technical background.
BugHerd allows you to bid farewell to endless email exchanges and multiple screenshots to point out the finer details of a problem. BugHerd users can access all vital information via a recorded video from the customer’s website feedback — all by downloading a plugin into their browser.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac, Linux
Pros:
- Quick and easy install with a plugin
- Screen recording with a quick Video button on the sidebar
- Supports issue tracking
- Supports collaboration and sharing
- Robust integration with other project management tools like Trello and Jira
Cons:
- It doesn’t have broadcast and live streaming capabilities
Pricing: Pricing starts at $55 per month, but you can try BugHerd free for 14 days to see if it fits your needs.
Best For: Web developers, designers, project managers, marketers, agencies and their clients
Camtasia
Reviews: 4.6/5.0 (G2)
One of the most popular screen recording software today, Camtasia has a lot of video editing tools. And when we say a lot, we mean A LOT — it's almost like using an independent video editor.
Camtasia has a click-and-drag interface with a wide range of royalty-free stock media and customization options on the left- and right-hand sides, respectively.
Recording your screen is easy; you only need to choose the portion of your screen and have the option of adding in a webcam and mic inputs. Then when you're done editing, you can easily export the video and upload it straight to YouTube.
While all this sounds like an exhaustive tool, it's beginner-friendly — thanks to the video tutorials, templates, and how-to's.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
Pros:
- Comprehensive list of video editing tools available
- Beginner-friendly
- Royalty-free stock media available to polish your video recordings
- Integration with YouTube and other platforms
Cons:
- More expensive than other tools, but it has a 30-day free trial
- Seems to have a lot of bugs
- Tends to go slow as it uses up a significant chunk of your system resources
Pricing: One-time fee per user are available for education ($212.99), government and non-profit ($269), and business ($299.99).
Best For: Teachers and content creators who conduct online training, government, non-profit, and business professionals.
Loom
Review: 4.7/5.0 (G2)
Loom is a cloud-based video-sharing and screencast recording platform. This full-featured and versatile tool is perfect for team communication, thanks to its screen recording support with a webcam overlay.
The free version provides 5GB storage and allows you to record up to 25 videos for up to 5 minutes each. It's very limited, though, so if you run out of allocations, you'll need to download the videos and delete them on the cloud to free up space.
You’ll need a subscription if you want to access additional storage space or record more than the free video limit.
Loom is a go-to tool if you need to record your screen and share it with a teammate. Install is very easy and you can get started right away.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
Pros:
- Supports online video sharing
- No installation required
- Offers a free plan
Cons:
- Free plan is limited
- Lacks issue-tracking features
- Because it’s intended to be a quick-and-easy video tool, Loom has limited options for advanced video editing
Pricing: Get 25 videos, each up to five minutes long, absolutely free. Upgrade to the business plan for just $12.50 per month per user to enjoy unlimited uploads.
Best For: Non-tech savvy users. Great for practically anyone needing to record their screen.
Movavi
Reviews: 4.5/5.0 (G2)
If you need screen recording software with a robust built-in video editor, then Movavi is your go-to. In fact, it's known more as video editing software than a screen recorder, although it's got capabilities for the latter.
One of the best things about Movavi is it's scheduled captures. It's a feature that lets you record live streams and webinars even when you're not in front of your screen. Just set a time limit for the recording or a period for a video to start and end. This is perfect if you need to record a webinar or a sports event from a different timezone, so you don't have to stay awake and do a graveyard shift.
You can also record using your webcam and external mic while you film from your screen. It records audio and video as separate streams.
Compatibility: Windows, Mac
Pros:
- One of the tools with reliable mobile recording
- The scheduler feature
- Multiple file type exports
Cons:
- You need to buy the software to access the video editing tools
- Limited annotation and webcam recording
Pricing: Starts at $54.95 for a year's worth of subscription
Best For: Teachers, students, business professionals
Nvidia ShadowPlay
Reviews: 4.5/5.0 (G2)
This software is made especially for gamers so they can capture their epic moments and highlight reels. Nvidia ShadowPlay lets them record their game in stunning 8K HDR at 30 frames per second, all the way to 4K HDR at 60 frames per second.
Gamers can create GIFs from recorded videos and share them on socials. They can also grab a screenshot with up to 8K clarity to show off their gaming skills. The best thing about this software, though, is it lets gamers broadcast their games on Facebook Live, YouTube Live, or Twitch.
Because it's hardware-accelerated, ShadowPlay won't interrupt the gaming experience.
Compatibility: Mac, Windows
Pros:
- High-quality livestreams, recordings, and screenshots
- You can make a highlight reel with its Highlights feature
- Go-to screen recorder for gamers
Cons:
- Laggy, and uses up a bit of your system resources
- Learning curve required, especially if you're not used to streaming
Pricing: Free
Best For: Gamers
OBS Studio
Reviews: 4.6/5.0 (G2)
Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) Studio is an excellent alternative to ShadowPlay for gamers, with its free and open-source screen recording software.
Content producers frequently use it to capture livestream events, like Twitch gaming and educational tutorials, and record and replay streaming video files offline.
The app is free but requires installation to use.
Compatibility: Mac, Windows
Pros:
- Free
- Supports offline use
- Ideal for live-streaming
Cons:
- No shareability features
- No issue-tracking capabilities
- Steep learning curve: OBS’s vast features and settings can be challenging for beginners
- Limited editing toolbar: OBS is excellent for capturing video but provides very few editing tools
Pricing: Free
Best For: Gamers, content creators with digital products
How to Choose the Best Screen Recording Software for Your Needs
Now that you know your options, the next question is: How do you choose the best one for your team's needs and website development workflow? Let's dive into some tips.
Consider what you'll use it for.
Are you a content creator developing a digital product or preparing for a webinar? Or a web designer collaborating with a remote dev team? Perhaps a gamer who's planning to create some epic highlight reels. The answer to these questions will lead you to your required features. So, find out your primary use case and make it a jump-off point.
Match the features with your needs.
As you have seen in our list, various tools come with many features. Dive deep into your needs and website design practices, then check which features will meet them. Do you need a one-stop shop for recording and editing? A separate audio and video recording? Automated editing? Do you need your audience to interact with you during the screen share? How will you share and publish your videos online?
Take advantage of free trials.
You don't know what you don't know. From our experience with free trials, we often discover features we didn't think we needed but absolutely loved! Determine if they're user-friendly enough for you and your team and whether they carry the features you're looking for.
Also, what a website says about its tool's features sometimes doesn't justify the power it can do. Most of the tools on our list have free trials, so take advantage of them.
Speaking of free trials, we have one!
Try BugHerd for free with the 14-day free trial.
