16 Best Free Video Recording Software in 2024

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best free video recording software for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Apart from that, we’ll check out an online screen recorder and browser extensions.

Best for: webinars, online calls, e-learning, and video streaming

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 49 reviews

OS: Windows, macOS

This is one of the best recording software for PC Windows that records any type of screen activity – online tutorials, video chats, screencasts, and even animation – in just one click. It produces high-quality video images and sound quickly, and you can save them in any of the popular video formats. Easily share your videos online or upload them to your Google drive.

Features:

• Basic editing functions included
• Adjustable capture window
• Option to record microphone and system sound on demand

Pros:

• Easy-to-use, high-quality
• Slick interface
• Minimal effort and time required to set up

Cons:

• File sizes sometimes are large

Best for: gamers to capture video, take screenshots, and then share them online

OS: Windows

This is a default free video capture software in Windows 10. It works with most PC games and allows you to capture video or screenshots and share them. Other features include chat and finding new teammates across different platforms – Xbox, mobiles, PC. It makes Game Bar one of the best video recording software that’s free.

Features:

• System performance monitoring
• Game overlay
• Spotify integration

Pros:

• Built-in Windows 10 feature
• Customizable
• Simple interface

Cons:

• Inconsistent performance
• Not compatible with Switch or YouTube
• Sometimes hard to see if it is recording

Download Windows 10 Game Bar

Best for: video recording and live streaming

Capterra rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars, 672 reviews

OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

This is a free video recording app for real-time video capturing and streaming available for Windows 10, Mac, and Linux. Customizable and feature-rich, this video recorder is free and offers high-performance video and audio production.

Features:

• Rich configuration
• Audio mixer
• Multiple options for streaming

Pros:

• Fast, easy, and free
• Amazing visual effects
• High-level production

Cons:

• No dedicated customer service team
• Big learning curve when getting started
• High computer memory usage

Download OBS Studio

If you have ever wished that you could somehow record a virtual meeting, a training session, or a video call, this is the perfect solution. With these free video recording software options, you can capture the audio and visual of your computer desktop, browser, or even webcam. Once you have your video ready, you can edit and annotate it. The image and sound quality are high-level and HD. Create your own training programs or produce personalized videos for YouTube!

Best for: online screen recordings

Trustpilot rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars, 418 reviews

OS: online

This is a free video screen recorder that captures your browser activity, computer screen, or face via webcam, offering full security for all your recordings. There is an online version available that requires no download or installation, or you can use the desktop version, which has added functionality. Known for its fast saving and good HD image and sound quality, it is a simple yet professional video capture tool.

Features:

• High privacy of your recording process
• High-quality output files
• Customizable recording options

Pros:

• Easy-to-use
• Good quality sound
• Limited background noise

Cons:

• Lower quality when recording music online

Best for: online audio recordings

TechRadar rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

OS: online

This is a free online audio recorder. In one click, you can record any sound, such as music streaming sites, radio stations, in-game sound, voice chat, etc. You can easily store your audio file in a built-in library or share it with other platforms. The sound quality is excellent, and the interface is easy to navigate.

Features:

• Easy video sharing
• Popular output formats supported

Pros:

• User-friendly
• Simple to implement

Cons:

• Slow customer support

Go to the Apowersoft website

Best for: training, teaching, and presenting via video

G2 rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars, 83 reviews

OS: online

This video capture software is a free and easy way to record and share videos and is particularly popular with businesses and universities for meetings, online learning, and knowledge sharing. Functionalities include recording, streaming, editing, hosting, and sharing – it is all right here. Compatible with Windows and Mac, you can use the link below for a free download.

Features:

• Can record multiple instances at once
• Integration with YouTube and Google Classroom

Pros:

• Easy-to-use, multi-purpose, reliable
• Great customer support
• Regular new features

Cons:

• UI is a bit basic
• The editing tool is not always intuitive
• Automatic captioning not ideal

Go to Panopto.com

If you are working on a Mac, you will find that not all software is compatible. But here, we explore different paid and free video recording software options available to you if you want to watch, stream, record, and capture your screen/online activity on a Mac.

Best for: webinars, online calls, e-learning, and video streaming

G2 rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 49 reviews

OS: Windows, macOS

This is a Mac screen recorder that records any type of screen activity – online tutorials, video chats, screencasts, and even animation – in a couple of clicks. It produces high-quality video images and sound quickly, and allows you to save them in any of the popular video formats. Easily share your videos online or upload them to your Google drive.

Features:

• Basic editing functions included
• Adjustable capture window
• Option to record microphone and system sound on demand

Pros:

• Easy-to-use, high-quality
• Slick interface
• Minimal effort and time required to set up

Cons:

• File sizes sometimes are large

Best for: video streaming and recording on a Mac

OS: macOS

This is a multimedia Apple application that allows you to play and stream videos and record your Mac screen. Customize your videos with editing and trimming tools and then share your creations to platforms such as YouTube and Facebook.

Features:

• Basic editing options
• Customizable video compression

Pros:

• Easy-to-use
• Streaming and plug-in support

Cons:

• Only works on Mac

Read more about QuickTime Player

Best for: creating e-learning programs

Capterra rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars, 29 reviews

OS: macOS, Windows

This versatile recording app for computers allows filming your screen, as well as editing and annotating your video to create e-learning programs. With an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, its many features let you add enhanced interaction effects and animation to your videos and then export them to a video.

Features:

• Webcam capture
• Lossless recording quality
• Can add closed captions

Pros:

• User-friendly
• Lots of editing features
• High-quality videos

Cons:

• Lacks video effects
• Some lagging when editing

Download ActivePresenter

Best for: recording, annotating, sharing quick videos and screenshots

G2 rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars, more than 1000 reviews

OS: macOS, Windows, iOS, Chrome browser

This free software to record a screen is designed to save you time by allowing you to capture your screen and share it, thus accelerating your workflow. Take a video, a screenshot of your screen and then annotate to provide further information and context. It is quick and intuitive, facilitates business communication with clear messaging, and frees up time in your agenda.

Features:

• Annotations for images and videos
• Closed captions
• Embed tool

Pros:

• Fast and intuitive
• User-friendly

Cons:

• Load time sometimes long
• Occasional glitches
• Have to download screenshots individually

Download CloudApp

As an alternative to Windows, Linux is an operating system that is popular with big companies, gamers, and the more technically minded. If you are looking for free video recording software to capture your screen activity that is compatible with Linux, read on.

Best for: screen recordings (YouTube videos, tutorials, gaming)

AlternativeTo rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars, 15 reviews

OS: Linux

This is an open-source, feature-rich, Linux-compatible freeware for screen recording. One of the best video capture software options available, it is lightweight yet produces HD quality images for free video screen captures. Video/audio recordings can be paused and resumed at any time, and you have the option of different file formats for your productions.

Features:

• Streamlined interface
• Preview feature
• Can record a part of the screen

Pros:

• Easy-to-use
• Feature-packed
• Lightweight
• Main video formats supported

Cons:

• No live-streaming feature

Download Simple Screen Recorder (SSR)

Best for: recording desktop games or videos

SourceForge rating: 5 out of 5 stars, 8 reviews

OS: Linux

This free video capture software is compatible only with Linux. It is popular with gamers for the recording of desktop games and videos in open formats.

Features:

• Available for most Linux distributions
• Simple user interface

Pros:

• Easy-to-use
• Video recording in open formats

Cons:

• Can’t record games in full screen
• Can’t synchronize audio and video

Download recordMyDesktop

Best for: screen capture/recording, video and audio streaming, and playback

OS: Linux, Windows, macOS, Android, iOS

This is a free, cross-platform audio and video playback program that also features screen capture and recording functionalities.

Features:

• Video and audio filters
• Basic editing options

Pros:

• Lots of formats supported
• Simple to record your screen

Cons:

• You can’t record your voice in the screencast
• Can only record the entire desktop and not just a section

Download VLC

A browser extension is another option that you can try for recording the video and audio activity on your screen. Some can be used offline as well as online, adding an extra level of adaptability. Recording, editing, and annotating are made easy with the numerous features available. You can then upload or share them across different platforms – web and mobile. Here, we cover the most popular Chrome extensions, which save automatically to your Google Drive, so you can easily store your creations and access them when you need them.

Best for: capturing, editing, and sharing videos fast with Chrome

Chrome Web Store rating: 4 out of 5 stars

OS: Chrome browser

The Screencastify Chrome extension can be used for capturing, editing, and sharing your videos. This free video recording software is available online and offline. Its options include narrating your video, embedding your webcam in your recording, and annotating the video directly. When you are done, your video will be saved automatically to your Google Drive.

Features:

• Add captions
• Trim your videos
• Capture both webcam and desktop

Pros:

• Easy-to-use
• Clear video and sound
• An intuitive interface

Cons:

• Lags and glitches
• Only 10 mins recording time in the free version
• Editing tools only in the Premium version

Add Screencastify to Chrome

Best for: secure video and audio recording with no additional downloads

Chrome Web Store rating: 3.9 out of 5 stars

OS: Chrome browser

This Chrome extension by Movavi ensures privacy when capturing your screen, sound, and webcam. It’s suited for casual recordings and professional work alike. Record your online meetings and Skype conversations, capture your screen for vlogs or video content.

Features:

• Can record webcam, screen, and system sound
• No registration required

Pros:

• Easy-to-use
• Unlimited number of recordings
• Unrestricted recording time

Cons:

• Need the full version to remove watermarks

Add Movavi Screen Recorder for Chrome

Best for: video messaging for work

Chrome Web Store rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars

OS: Chrome browser

This is another Chrome extension for screen capture video that is popular with businesses and companies for onboarding employees and streamlining professional communications. Instead of sending an email, you can record your face, screen, and voice to create a clear and personalized message.

Features:

• Control access to your videos
• Share your recordings easily

Pros:

• Easy-to-use
• Feature-packed
• Reliable
• Slick UX

Cons:

• Trimming time sometimes too long
• Image quality sometimes poor on large screens

Add Loom to Chrome

Best for: screenshots and recording screen videos

Chrome Web Store rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars

OS: Chrome and Firefox browsers

This Chrome extension offers a cross-platform service. It allows you to record or take screenshots of your browser/desktop screen, then edit, annotate, and then share them across the web and mobile platforms.

Features:

• Changeable output quality
• Basic editing features
• Video conversion to MP4 or GIF

Pros:

• Simple to use
• A very useful tool
• Good for capturing long web data
• Lots of options

Cons:

• Bugs when editing or cropping

Add Nimbus

We hope this article has been helpful in your choice of free video recording software for Windows 10 and Mac. Sometimes, however, it may be difficult to pick just one service among many. So, here’s a list of points you should pay attention to when choosing a video recorder:

OS: make sure to check if the software works on the system you’re using (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, etc.)

Features: it’s important to pick software suitable to your needs. Most of the video recorders include basic editing options. However, if you’re a professional, you might want to pay attention to the recorders with a greater assortment of features.

Support: try to find software with accessible customer support that will help you out in case of trouble.

Reviews: check out user reviews before you download any program. Other people may share their experience or problems with the software.