However, you can always opt for the $15 premium package should you prefer to have unlimited video recording, additional sharing options for Vimeo and Google, or watermark-less webcam-exclusive recording options at your disposal. Screencast-O-Matic supports MP4, AVI, and FLV files, and though the freemium edition comes bundled with a watermark and a 15-minute recording cap, the cap on video recordings should suffice for most users. You can also publish whatever you record straight to YouTube. Screencast-O-Matic quickly allows for the broadcasting of your entire screen, or whatever your webcam sees. Screencast-O-Matic (Windows/Web-based/Free)Īlthough Screencast-O-Matic boasts a desktop app for Windows, it’s the software’s Web-based offering that caught our eye. However, don’t confuse CamStudio with Camtasia Studio. On top of that, CamStudio is lightweight, offers picture-in-picture support, and even touts its own lossless codec.

The software’s minimalist interface is rather self-explanatory, and a breeze to navigate, requiring users to do nothing more than launch the program and click the Cherry-red record button. With CamStudio, users can choose whether to broadcast the entirety of what’s on their display, a specify what part of their display they want to show off using the software’s Autopan feature. The freemium software offers options for capturing both audio and video, along with a set of features that allow you to add text annotations, choose a custom video cursor, and alter the video’s image quality. If there ever was an award for sheer simplicity in a screencasting utility, CamStudio would win by a landslide. If you just want to capture images, check out our picks of the best screen-capturing apps for either Windows or OS X. This also includes web-based tools that users of either OS can take advantage of.Īlternatively, feel free to check out our guides on how to take a screenshot on PC and how to take a screenshot on a Mac. Here’s our selection of the best screencasting and recording tools available for Windows, Mac OS X. Plus, they also offer additional functions that allow you to edit, transcribe, and export the video you broadcast as FLV, AVI, MOV, and other file types. Most run relatively quickly, flawlessly recording whatever audio and video plays through your speakers and shows up on your monitor’s screen, respectively.

Using screencasting tools can be a great way to create comprehensive video tutorials, demonstrate how to use software and/or specific features, as well as live stream and share content. However, there are a multitude of feature-filled programs out there that do a much better job in this area. When it comes to showing others what you’re up to on your Windows or Mac computer, taking and sending screenshots is one route you can go.

Screencastify app