Screen recording has become one of the best methods to create a footage of your desktop activity with ease. There might be several occasions when you want to capture your gameplay, record streaming videos, or either make some video tutorials or software reviews on your Mac. In case these circumstances arise, a good screen recorder is necessary. Actually, there are lots of screen recording software that are available online. However, most of these tools only offer paid version or have a poor recording quality. In this article, we will introduce the best free screen recorder for Mac.
Step 1: Choose your recording options. To start a recording after you open Camtasia, click the Record button at the top of the tools panel. This opens the Camtasia recorder, which is automatically set to capture everything that happens on your screen. This is essentially the control center for your screen and audio recordings. The free screen recorder has more outstanding features as below. Customized capture areas, screen resolution, audio input, etc. Resume recording screen when you need have something important. Hot key settings to start and stop the free screen recorder. QuickTime Player. Platform: Windows and Mac. Mac Screen Recorder Studio lets you easily create multi-layered tracks in your editing timeline to manage your video clips and audio clips, images and text with special effects, filters.
Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder
Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder is a free but in the meantime very comprehensive program that you can use to create high-quality videos. With the help of this tool, you will have an easy access to the experience of using a brilliant screen activity recorder that doesn’t leave any watermark at all on your video after a successful registration. Moreover, this program can capture your desktop activity together with the audio coming from your system and microphone. Overall, there is surely no doubt that Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder is one of the best free screen recorders for Mac available on the market. To utilize this program, you can follow the step-by-step guide below.
- Firstly, you need to visit the official website of Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder.
- On the main page of the site you can click the “Start Recording” button to launch the screen recorder.
- Once you launched it, you can set to record screen or webcam, custom recording area, and change audio input, etc. You can also go to settings and make some configurations.
- Once done settings, hit the red recording button to start recording. During the recording process, you can add a webcam to your screen, and you can even add some annotations to it.
- After you have finalized the recording, click the stop button to stop it. At this point, a preview window will pop up. On the preview window, you can save the video by clicking the “Save video” button, or even share the video with your friends by clicking the share button.
Monosnap
Monosnap is another mentionable flexible program specifically developed for Mac OS. You can use this program not only to record your screen but also to take quick screenshots in case you need to use it as a powerful screen recording software. In addition, this tool can be used as a storage software. This program can also offer the option of capturing your webcam, microphone or system sound as you can just set it before you start recording according to your need. Aside from that, the mentioned program can record in 60 fps. This means that you can record smoothly even you are playing high framerate games. If you want to use this free video recording software for Mac, you may follow the steps below.
- Download and install Monosnap.
- After successfully finalizing the installation, click the Monosnap’s drop down menu, then choose “Record Video” to start recording.
- In case you want to stop this program from recording, just click its drop down menu again then click “Finish recording” to end it. Afterwards, your recording will be saved automatically, and you can check it right away at the location of your choice of saving.
OBS Studio
The next free screen recording tool for Mac that you can rely on according to our list is OBS Studio. This is a free and open source screen recorder that is available on both Windows, Mac, and Linux. The suggested program will allow you to capture real-time activities and create excellent live streaming videos. Moreover, this program has the ability to incorporate footage from your previous recordings or add exiting videos. On the other side, this program is to some degree complicated, in the sense that you can take certain time familiarizing its interface and configurations. Here are the steps on how to use this program.
- First of all you need to have OBS Studio installed in your computer.
- Once you have it, launch OBS, then click “Scene” > “Source” > “Add Icon”, and then click “Windows Capture”.
- After the previous step is done, a pop up window will show and allow you to rename your video you are going to record. Once done, click the “OK” button to proceed.
- Next, select the window you want to record.
- Lastly, you only need to hit the “Start Recording” button to initiate recording. Once done recording, just click the top button to end it.
Macbook Screen Recorder
Jing
Another free screen recording software for Mac is Jing by Techsmith that has been very popular on the market for a long time. This program is very simple and easy to use that are the pillars of its popularity. It comes with a movable sun icon that can be placed anywhere on your display, which enables you to easily utilize its function. Aside from screen recording, you can use this tool to take screenshots and edit it right after capturing. However, this program can only record up to 5 minutes. If you are still interested to use this program despite its time limitation, you can follow these steps.
- First and foremost, download and install this program on your pc from the official Techsmith website.
- Hit the “Sun” icon and select “Capture”.
- Once you are inside the options panel, simply adjust the frame according to your preference then select “Capture video”.
- To stop the recording, simply hit the “Stop” button, and then the recorded file will automatically pop up for preview.
Quicktime Player
The last recording program for Mac is the Quicktime Player. This is an extensible multimedia framework that can be used not only to record videos but also to play, edit and share videos on Mac. This tool can be characterized with that it has a very intuitive interface which makes it very easy to use even for beginners. This program can create footage of your Mac screen with a web camera or iPhone screen. You can follow the instructions below to capture your screen using this best free screen recorder for Mac.
- To begin with, you have to launch Quicktime Player at the first hand.
- Once you see the interface, click “File” and select “New Screen Recording”, then a screen recording window will pop up. On this window, you can configure your recording settings. After configuring, hit the red round recording button to start recording your screen.
- Once done with the complete recording process, click the “Stop” button in the menu bar, then your recorded file will automatically pop up.
Conclusion
As you can see, the aforementioned programs are the currently best free Mac screen recording software you can find on the market. You can decide which program you will use for your recording. I highly recommend Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder. Compared to the other programs above, this program can be used to quickly record your screen, audio, as well as a webcam as it is a web-based application. Aside from that, it has an easy interface and even beginners can use it.
Related posts:
- Contents
- Top Picks of Screen Recorder on Mac
- Best 7 Mac Screen Recorder Review
- Comparison of Top Screen Recorders on Mac
There are many reasons why you need a screen recorder app on Mac. Video lessons, for example, are a good way to deliver knowledge and information while keeping attracting the attention of students. Small business and developers are able to present their products and apps with screen recorder software. Vloggers can make video tutorials and monetize on social media.
However, what is the best screen recorder for Mac? It is impossible to research each app and identify the most appropriate tool. The review is based on our lab research and hundreds of users’ reports. Therefore, this article will share the top list below.
Part 1. Top Picks of Screen Recorder on Mac
Top Picks of Screen Recorder on Mac
The flexible design can 100% meet your various need on screen recording on Mac.
Although the free version has some limit, it can meet your basic need of screen recording
It enables you to record up to 5 minutes without paying a penny or installing software.
It integrates both a standard screen recorder and a video editor into a single package.
Part 2. Best 7 Mac Screen Recorder Review
Top 1: Icecream Screen Recorder
System Requirement: macOS 10.9 or later
Price: Free version, $14.99 for Pro version
- Pros
- Include swift and simple recording engine.
- Convert screen recordings to GIF.
- Available to a wide range of apps, websites and contents.
- Cons
- The free version only exports recording in WebM format.
- To remove the time limit, you need to upgrade to Pro version.
As a screen recorder app for Mac, Icecream Screen Recorder has been around for years. It allows you to record any region on your display. It is an easy way to create video tutorial, gameplays, app guide, live stream, and more. You just need to click the record button, select the desired area and the screen recording will begin. Plus, you can decide the output quality, format, and other options. While recording screen, you can add text, shapes, and arrows directly or add watermark logo for sharing on social media. The webcam overlay enables you to capture webcam while recording gameplay or video tutorial. However, you can only get full features and remove the limits in the Pro version.
Top 2: Loom Screen Recorder
System Requirement: All macOS
Price: Free for personal use and $8 per user per month for business use
- Pros
- Include an intuitive interface and easy to use.
- Support both screen and webcam capturing.
- Take screenshots while recording screen.
- Cons
- The video editing feature is only available for business account.
- The free version can only record screen up to 5 minutes.
Loom Screen Recorder is not an independent screen recorder for Mac, but the extension for web browsers, like Google Chrome. It offers two kinds of accounts, free and business. Once you install the screen recorder to your browser on Mac and sign up an account, you can use it immediately. It provides three modes, screen only, camera only, as well as screen and camera. Plus, you can also decide to record full screen, custom region or a specific window. Of course, the free account has several limits, like up to 100 videos and screenshots, and each screen recording is no more than 5 minutes. To create an account, you have to associate with your email and private information.
Top 3: Capto
System Requirement: macOS 10.10.5 and later
Price: $30 for single user and $80 for family pack
- Pros
- Share screen recordings to social network or cloud services.
- Include a new video editor with annotation features.
- Support non-destructive video editing.
- Cons
- The audio editing functionalities are limited.
- It has occasional performance issues when processing large media files.
Capto expands on the abilities with a more robust set of tools for capturing screen or websites and recording on Mac. Unlike other screen recorders for Mac, Capto is a one-stop solution. After screen recording, you can also edit it within the built-in video editor. The screen recordings can be easily shared with other applications and popular cloud services. With the intelligent file manager, this screen recorder app on Mac is perfect for teachers, vloggers and small business. Before purchasing a license, you can get the basic features during 7-day free trial. The advanced features, like video editing, can only be unlocked in the formal app. Moreover, the export functionality requires improvement.
Mac Screen Recorder With Audio Free Download
Top 4: ScreenFlow
System Requirement: macOS 10.14.0 or later
Price: $129.99
- Pros
- Include a full-featured video editor.
- Record screen along with internal or external audio on Mac.
- Export screen recordings to YouTube or Vimeo directly.
- Cons
- This screen recorder for Mac is expensive.
- The updates are frequent and need extra payment.
As a robust screen recorder and video editor, ScreenFlow is popular among creative professionals, small business and studios. It allows users to capture everything taking place on their screen along with computer audio, microphone and camera. When screen recording is done, you will be taken to the video editor window. Then you can add annotations, shapes and do other editing to the recording on the timeline. It enables users to create demos, high-quality tutorials, app review and guide, and presentations. In addition to screen, it is also able to record extra devices, like iPhone, online videos, gameplay and more. Besides MP4, you can also export the recording as animated GIF or other popular video formats. However, the cost is very high and not affordable for average people.
Top 5: Screenflick
System Requirement: macOS Catalina or later
Price: $29
- Pros
- Record screen and clicks on Mac with shortcuts.
- Capture gameplay in up to 60 FPS.
- Remotely control screen recording with your handset.
- Cons
- It lacks some important features, like video editing.
- It cannot record extra devices, like smartphone.
If you just need a screen recorder on Mac, Screenflick is a good choice. It features high performance screen capturing for smooth. You can capture fluid motion up to 30 FPS in screen recording mode. It also provides a game recording mode to produce higher quality with up to 60 FPS . Screenflick supports full screen or custom region recording with audio from internal or external microphone and the system audio. You can decide to highlight mouse clicks and cursor track or hide them during screen recording. Another important functionality is to compress your recordings multiple times by changing resolution, quality and more. It supports the built-in FaceTime camera and external webcam or connected camera too. However, you still need an extra video editor to retouch your recordings.
Top 6: Screenium
System Requirement: macOS 10.10 or later
Price: $26.99
- Pros
- Create perfect screen recordings and screencasts on Mac.
- Embed FaceTime camera footage as picture-in-picture.
- Record key strokes and mouse points as separate tracks.
- Cons
- The video editor is too simple to use.
- The transitions may not be inserted correctly.
As screen recorder apps become better and easier to use, there are more and more live videos produced by Mac users on YouTube, Twitch, and more. Screenium has long been one of the best screen recorders for Mac users who hope to record video and audio from their display. It lets you capture full screen, a single window or prescribed area. According to research, it is available to streaming videos and microphone audio. You can also create the picture-in-picture effect with iSight or other camera. This screen recorder has built in a video and audio editor too, although it is very simple and almost useless. After recording, you can upload the video to YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and Flickr directly. Therefore, it is an easy way to share your screen recordings on Mac.
Top 7: AnyMP4 Screen Recorder
System Requirement: macOS 10.10 and later
Price: $29.25 per license per year, $44.25 for lifetime
- Pros
- Record screen on Mac in 4K videos with one click.
- Support multiple recording sources related to video and audio.
- Take schedules and record screen automatically.
- Cons
- You need to purchase the license after free trial.
AnyMP4 Screen Recorder is one of the best high quality screen recorder for Mac users. It lets you choose the recording sources for different purposes, like screen, online video, app, system audio, microphone audio, webcam. Moreover, you can enable multiple sources at the same time. Another important functionality is to take schedule. You can set the start time, duration and recording based on your event. Then the app will start working automatically. That makes AnyMP4 Screen Recorder a perfect tool to save live stream and gameplay on Mac computers. Unlike other screen recorders, this app enables you to edit the recording while capturing screen, such as add text, annotations, shapes or arrows at specific frames. At important moment, you can take screenshots with the toolbar too. According to our research, it is the most cost-effective screen recorder for Mac users.
Part 3: Comparison of Top Screen Recorders on Mac
- Icecream Screen Recorder
- Loom Screen Recorder
- Capto
- ScreenFlow
- Screenflick
- Screenium
- AnyMP4 Screen Recorder
Record screen and webcam | Record screen with system audio | Record screen with microphone | Highlight mouse | Record multiple screens | Hide cursor | Add annotations | Real time preview | On screen markup | Video resolution | Schedule recording | Output formats |
1080p | WebM and GIF | ||||||||||
1080p | MP4, AVI, or FLV. | ||||||||||
1080p | H.264 | ||||||||||
Up to 4K | MP4, MOV, M4V | ||||||||||
1080p | MP4, MOV, FLV, GIF | ||||||||||
Up to 4K and 5K | MP4, MOV, FLV | ||||||||||
Yes, add annotations while recording | Up to 4K | MOV, M4V, GIF, WMV and MP4, etc. |
Conclusion
This article has reviewed and shared the top 7 best screen recorder apps for MacBook Pro and other Mac computers. It is well-known that QuickTime Player is the built-in screen recorder on Mac. However, it has several downsides, like cannot record screen and webcam at the same time, limited output format, only support audio recording through microphone and more. Obviously, it is not the best way to record screen on Mac. The apps shared above all have unique benefits and advantages, such as built-in video editor, excellent output quality, etc. They help you to convert your idea, presentation and more into visual content in order to attract audiences’ attention.
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