Video Capture Programs That Will Capture Multiple Tracks Simultaneously

If they say a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video must be worth a million.

Most of the media we now consume on a daily basis is through video. Research shows that we retain more information by watching videos than we do by reading, so it's easy to see how important video is in both our personal and professional lives.

Let's take a deeper look at video recording software and some of the best options on the market in 2021.

What is video recording software?

The video recording software we'll be talking about here is NOT the kind you would use to record and edit a Hollywood blockbuster, or even a silly home movie. You won't find Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro on this list.

Instead, video recording software for your computer is as program that allows you to record your screen, your webcam, or both at the same time. You can quickly record videos for your clients, give feedback on projects, and annotate issues clearly using visuals, not text. It maintains all the benefits of an in person connection with voice and visuals, but adds the flexibility of consuming content at a time that fits your schedule.

This kind of software helps customer support specialists close tickets faster, sales teams sell with personalized demos, and is an essential tool for the remote work force.

We've rounded up the top eight software tools that will allow you to record your personal computer screen in 2021. These kinds of programs can be extremely useful to business professionals and boost both productivity and efficiency by giving users the ability to easily share everything they see on their computer screens.

The most common uses of video recording software are to demonstrate tasks, troubleshoot problems, and craft intuitive tutorials.

How do we determine the best video recording software?

Video recording software is any application or tool that allows users to record their personal screens on a PC, laptop, browser, and/or smartphone. Video recording software isn't limited to just recording screens. They can record fullscreen video, app windows, games, webcam, system audio, microphone audio, and combinations of all of the above. We list the pros and cons of every video screen recording software program we could find on the market: premium, free and open source.

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How do we evaluate video recording software?

Each video recording software is different in terms of its design, functionality, price, extra features, and reliability. We evaluate video recording software based primarily on their key features, overall ease-of-use, and value.

To help you out, we've painstakingly sifted through lots of old video recording software reviews from our own site and others to compile what we consider to be a comprehensive list of all viable screen recorders. All told we reviewed 31 screen recording software options.

In this post we'll give you a summary of each software, some of their most popular features, as well as some of their advantages and disadvantages. We hope this makes it easier for you to land on a video recording option that works for you and your team.

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CloudApp

We'll start our reviews with undoubtedly one of the best video recording software available: CloudApp. And yes, we are biased, but we believe the facts bear out our conclusion..

CloudApp is the perfect tool for recording screens, with or without a webcam. You can annotate your video in real time and share those videos with your team for them to watch when they have a chance on their own time. You can also take screenshots, create GIFs, and make audio recordings with CloudApp, and anything you create gets automatically uploaded. It's also super secure and supports enterprise features like SOC2 integration. It's ease of use and wide range of features have proven it to be successful for over 4 million users worldwide.

CloudApp is highly available on several different platforms. It can be used on Windows, Mac, Chrome, and iOS devices.

CloudApp has a free version that can record video in 720p for up to 90 seconds. It provides an opportunity for users to try out its UI and get a general feel for the software so they can decide if and when to upgrade.

Upgrading the software to the individual plan only costs $9.95, which is on par with most other video recording software options, but it really shines when you compare it head-to-head on per seat costs for enterprise accounts.

Users can also utilize CloudApp internally in a team setting to communicate effectively using templates, annotations, call-to-action-buttons, and other features that can help get the point across more quickly and effectively.

As we already mentioned, along with the standard screen recording and screen capturing features, CloudApp also allows users to create GIFs. Creating a GIF of a set of instructions, a funny clip, or anything for that matter is a fun and easy way to communicate with others.

Lastly, CloudApp allows users to upload their files and create easy-to-share links, which can be encrypted with a password and have a set expiry date as well. When it comes to sharing videos, screenshots, and GIFs, CloudApp is simply the best.

Pros:

• Compatible with multiple platforms
• Inexpensive monthly premium plans
• An extensive set of features

Cons:

• Monthly subscription instead of one-time licensing

To sum it up, Cloudapp is simply our favorite screen recording software. When you consider its multi-platform compatibility, extensive and intuitive set of features, and relatively inexpensive monthly premium plans, it's your best bet.

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SnagIt

SnagIt is a powerful video recording software that is best utilized for making tutorials, how-to guides, instruction videos, and conveying information in an organized and easy-to-comprehend manner. If that's something you're looking for, SnagIt is one of the best options available.

SnagIt is available on Windows and Mac devices and it's exponentially better than the native screen capturing options on both operating systems.

SnagIt has a free trial version with limited features. Its premium version comes at a low price of $49.99 with a plethora of features and can be installed on up to two devices. Users can save video recordings as an MP4 file or even an animated GIF, which is a nice plus.

With the option of multiple file formats to save videos, there's a lot of versatility and functionality built into SnagIt. This software enables users to save a ton of time that would otherwise be wasted in writing wordy emails by instead being able to carefully put together how-to guides and instructions. Now, using SnagIt, users can record videos with webcams and audio, as well as edit, trim, and annotate them in several ways.

Users can also grab text off a screen capture, allowing them to quickly copy and paste it into whichever document or file they want.

Along with all of the features mentioned above, there are quite a few smart features that make the process of creating guides and how-to videos intuitive and relatively simple. The step tool quickly documents steps and workflows accordingly with numbers that increase as steps are recorded. The text replace, smart move, simplify tool, and stamps feature are all also incredibly useful in this regard as well.

Pros:

• A plethora of useful features
• Perfect for creating guides and how-to videos
• One-time licensing fee

Cons:

• Cannot record gameplay

Overall, if you're looking for screen recording software to record how-to videos, instructions, and guides, SnagIt is one of the best software you could opt for to provide clarity while saving time and effort.

ShareX

ShareX is an open-source, ad-free, free-to-use screen recording software that provides features that match those of premium, paid screen recording software. It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing screen recording software, but it has almost every feature a power user would need for any day-to-day work-related tasks— which is what this software is primarily geared towards.

ShareX is free-to-use and at the moment is available only for Windows and Linux OS. It's compatible with Windows 10, 8.1, and 7.

Users can save videos in a few file formats or simply upload them to a variety of websites including Google Photos, Imgur, ImageShack, Flickr, and even Twitter. Screen recordings can be saved as an animated GIF as well.

The user interface for ShareX isn't the most intuitive or user-friendly. It has a plethora of features categorized in old-school dropdown-type menus. Many of its functions are best used with keyboard shortcuts, but that isn't exactly feasible for the average user. That is why this software is most useful for power users and developers. One cool thing about this tool is that you can set custom watermarks and color effects for videos.

ShareX can not record full screen gameplay which renders it generally unsuitable for gamers and gaming content creators. However, other users can record their screen in a variety of ways; you can record the whole screen, a portion of the screen, a specific window, and even capture scrolling window screenshots.

ShareX also enables users to schedule recordings and customize hot-keys for specific functions. Although the video editing functionality in this software is a little limited, there are still quite a few features that make it viable for guides and instruction videos, as well as recording screens for creating work-related content. Moreover, the software can recognize text in screen captures, which users can copy and paste later on as they desire.

Pros:

• Completely free to use
• A variety of export and upload options

Cons:

• No webcam recording
• Complicated UI

ShareX is by far one of the best free screen recording software available for professional purposes. If you're looking for free software to record how-to videos and complete other work-related tasks, this is likely the best option for you. It does have a few limiting features such as the lack of webcam recording, no full-screen gameplay recording, and limited video editing features, but it's still one of the best free software for screen recording out there.

Debut Video Capture

Debut Video Capture is another great video recording software option that is free to use for non-commercial purposes. It has an array of highly useful features including support for several file formats, external device video recording, time-lapse recording, and many more.

Debut Video Capture software works on MacMac and Windows. It's currently compatible with macOS X 10.5 and above as well as Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8.1, and 10.

One of the primary features that sets this software apart is that even as free software, it can record webcam footage as well as footage from external cameras, which means that it can be a hub for a home security system. Users can connect IP cameras or any other video input devices and record video. Moreover, Debut allows users to save video files as AVI, WMV, FLV, MPG, MP4, MOV, and more video formats.

Although Debut Video Capture has a slightly dated look and isn't the most aesthetically pleasing software out there, it does have a ton of useful features for users of all types.

In addition to its multi-source video recording and ability to save videos in a variety of file formats, users can also directly upload screen recordings to YouTube, Flickr, and Vimeo.

This software also has options allowing you to color grade your video before recording and set up custom watermarks and logos. In addition, you can replace backgrounds by using the Green Screen tool.

A downside is that this software has almost no post-recording editing tools included in the software, which doesn't make it very suitable for recording how-to guides and similar video tutorials.

Pros:

• Completely free for personal use
• Versatile video output formats

Cons:

• Outdated UI
• No post-recording editing tools

Debut Video Capture is definitely one of the best free video recording software out there. Its set of features are great for personal use, to record videos of tasks, gameplay, meetings, lectures, or even for home security camera recording. However, if you're looking to make how-to-guides with annotations or do some post-recording edits, you'd probably be better off selecting another option.

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GoPlay

GoPlay is basically the Windows version of ScreenFlow. It has similar features, which means that it's a video recording, editing, and publishing software all-in-one. It also allows users to record and edit videos efficiently within the GoPlay software itself. It supports 4K-60fps recording and has a vast range of built-in video editing tools, which makes it useful for all types of users.

GoPlay only runs on Windows OS. It has a free trial version (which has a watermark) and is limited to 5 minutes of 720p video recording in one session, as well as it comes with ads on certain features. The premium version is available for a mere $4.99 a month, which is honestly a steal considering its features and functionality.

Using GoPlay, users can record their screens in regular apps and games as well as their webcams together with PIP (picture-in-picture) recording. You can also record audio to create a cohesive video in one go.

After the video is recorded, it can swiftly be edited in GoPlay using its basic and advanced editing tools; which include trimming, transitions, text animations, and more. Users can also select and apply several filters to enhance videos in only one click.

Another great feature is that users can create closed captions for their videos with relative ease, and the process is relatively simple and intuitive.

And after all editing is completed, users can now export their videos directly from GoPlay onto YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. The entire process; from video recording to editing and sharing, is beginner-friendly. The UI is intuitive to use and can be learned rather quickly.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• All-in-one suite
• Beginner-friendly

Cons:

• Very limited free-to-use version

GoPlay is a solid option for those who want powerful functionality, combined with an easy-to-use interface. It boasts of basic and advanced editing tools that allow users to create high-quality videos efficiently and effectively. It's an all-in-one suite that a wide variety of users would find themselves happy to use.

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Camtasia

Camtasia is one of the most widely-used video recording and editing software currently available. It's filled to the brim with fantastic features that users can utilize to create professional-quality videos with relative ease, within just one software. Camtasia has it all, which, frankly, is why it costs $249.

Camtasia can be used on Mac and Windows devices. It's compatible with Windows 10 and macOS 10.14 and later. It supports a plethora of file formats including MP4, AVI, WMV, WAV, WMA, and more. Users can record videos directly from iOS devices by connecting them to a Mac or PC. They can also add custom effects that simulate taps, swipes, and pinches in the video.

Users can make the most out of Camtasia by following a simple workflow to create high-quality videos with refined editing tools. The process starts with recording a video according to your liking, which can entail recording the whole screen, recording parts of the screen, or even just specific windows.

When the recording is completed, users can utilize the vast features that Camtasia offers. You can perform basic edits which include trimming the video, adding audio, and adding texts among other elements.

Users can also use advanced features that make creating professional-looking videos a breeze— cursor effects, transitions, animations, themes, background noise removal, closed captions, background removal, annotations, and the addition of pre-built assets can raise the quality of your videos immensely.

Camtasia also provides templates and presets to aid the video editing process. Users can also create quizzes using the tools provided in the software to make interactive videos, which can be perfect for online lectures and video courses.

When this is completed, users can export the videos in a variety of file formats, or directly upload the video to YouTube, Vimeo, Screencast, or a custom website.

Pros:

• Adds a professional touch to videos
• Optimized UI
• An extensive set of features

Cons:

• Expensive

Camtasia offers a refined recording and editing experience for users who can pay the premium price. Its advanced features aid users in creating high-quality videos with a professional touch. The ability to create interactive quizzes is unique and highly useful for teachers, especially in current world conditions.

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Screencastify

Screencastify is a simple and easy-to-use video recording Chrome extension that allows Chrome browser users to record videos in a jiffy. It may not be packed with features, but it does its job perfectly. It allows users to record, trim, annotate, and share videos with ease.

Screencastify works on any device that can run Google Chrome since it's a Chrome extension and not a standalone software. It also has a free version that offers all of the same features, but is limited to only recording videos under 5 minutes long. The unlimited version is available for $49 a year.

Screencastify also allows users to embed their webcam into the screen recording video, creating a picture-in-picture display. Users can export videos recorded from Screencastify as MP4, animated GIF, and MP3.

Once the videos are recorded and edited using the cut, crop, zoom, blur, and text tools, they can then be exported directly to YouTube or Google Drive.

Screencastify also supports schools and teachers by allowing teachers to send and assign videos to students directly, and then collecting their submissions using Screencastify as well. This proves to be a highly useful feature, especially in online teaching.

Pros:

• Free version
• Easy-to-use

Cons:

• 5-minute recording limit on the free version
• Limited editing tools

If you're looking for a lightweight, easy-to-use screen recording extension to use exclusively for your browser, Screencastify is likely your best bet. It has enough features to support multiple recording options, as well as basic editing options. Users can export and share their videos swiftly, making the whole process streamlined and efficient.

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Covideo

Covideo is a video recording software geared towards business, marketing, and customer support professionals. It aids professionals in creating a personalized video that can be shared primarily through email. It's one of the best software currently out there for businesses that wish to add a human element to emails and engage with customers on a personal level.

Covideo is available on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. It has a free trial version that is limited to 7 days and its paid version starts at $69 per month per user. Covideo offers an array of unique features that aren't available in most screen recording software mentioned in this article.

Covideo allows users to record their screens and webcams with ease. The iOS and Android applications even allow users to record themselves with their mobile cameras, thus creating videos on the go for customized, personal responses to emails. This is a big upside.

Covideo also allows basic editing of the videos and enables users to create custom brand overlays, as well as a custom video player, and add captions to videos.

There are a plethora of other features which support and enable the business side of the software's functionality. Although it costs extra, users can create customized landing pages for their videos, which means that whoever clicks on the video will be redirected to that page. This can help drive traffic to websites and increase sales. Moreover, users can add a call-to-action button in their emails, which can ask users to visit their website, reply in an email, reply with a video (through Covideo), or even schedule an appointment.

All of this can then be sent through business emails and CRMs, thereby streamlining the process of personalized video emails and responses that ultimately helps drive sales.

Pros:

• Unique marketing-oriented features
• Customizable landing pages and CTA buttons
• Integrated with CRMs

Cons:

• Expensive

Covideo is a fantastic choice for business professionals who want to personalize their emails, create, and maintain a personal relationship with clients. The human element that a custom video embedded in an email brings cannot be matched by any number or variety of words. It has extensive functionality and integration with important CRMs, making it perfect for its primary usage.

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Droplr

Droplr is another business-oriented cloud-based screen recording tool that allows users to capture screenshots and videos swiftly and share them instantly with customers and other users. Droplr immediately uploads your recording to its cloud and creates a link for the video that you can share with anyone.

Droplr can run on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices. It's also available as a Chrome extension, and can thus run on a Chromebook as well. It's free to try for 3 days, after which users can sign up for $10 per month. Droplr can record videos of unlimited length at up to 4K resolution, then upload those videos onto their Droplr cloud, and save videos as WebM, GIF, and MPEG-4 files.

Users get all the standard recording options at 4K resolution, which is fantastic. They can record their screen, a specific window, or a portion of their screen, and also include their webcam to make the videos more personal.

After the video is recorded, it's instantly uploaded to the Droplr cloud and the link is automatically copied to the clipboard. Now, users can paste this link anywhere and they can share their videos and screenshots in a matter of seconds.

All screenshots and videos are saved to the Droplr cloud which reduces clutter on your system storage. Moreover, the URLs can be shortened to make sharing videos less of a hassle.

Droplr also offers analytics for clicks and views of users' videos. This can aid businesses in analyzing the effectiveness of their personalized screen recordings and video messages, which can help them improve their marketing strategy and approach to customers.

To top it all off, Droplr is integrated with a large number of apps, including Gmail, Slack, Trello, Photoshop, Teams, and more.

Pros:

• Videos saved to Droplr cloud account
• Integration with multiple business apps
• Inexpensive

Cons:

• Cannot copy and paste videos from clipboard directly

Overall, Droplr is a fantastic software for customer service representatives and businesses that need simple how-to videos and instructions to be shared instantly and effortlessly. It's also relatively cheap compared to other software with similar features.

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Screencast-o-Matic

Screencast-o-Matic is a software that bridges the gap between free screen recording software and expensive, paid screen recording software. It offers quite a few more features than comparable free software and is less complex than the more premium options. It offers extensive recording features, a few editing tools, a few file export options, and a plethora of sharing settings at a price of just $1.65 per month for the Deluxe version and $4.00 for the Premier version.

Screencast-O-Matic is available for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, and Chromebook. It's perfect to use for online teaching, recording lessons, creating and sharing simple how-to videos, and other HR-related tasks as well. It has a free version that is limited to recording 15-minute videos and has a watermark.

This software allows users to record their screen in several manners, and include webcam footage, and save videos as GIF, AVI, MP4, or FLV files. It can, however, only save screenshots as PNG files, which is slightly limiting.

It can perform edits such as cropping, blurring, adding text, recording audio, adding music, annotating, adding transitions, overlays, and adding a green screen filter along with other features.

The Deluxe and Premier versions also come with a built-in music library that users can utilize to add music tracks to their videos. They also include speech-to-text captioning which is perfect for teachers who want to record their lessons for students.

After videos are recorded and edited, they can be hosted directly on Screencast-o-Matic, or shared to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google Classroom, MS teams, Google Drive, and emails instantaneously.

Pros:

• Capable features
• Affordable
• Swift and extensive sharing options

Cons:

• Limited file options
• No OCR for screenshots

Screencast-o-Matic is unique in the sense that it offers a very cheap alternative to highly expensive, premium video recording software, and is much better than most free video recording software. It is well worth its very low cost of $1.65.

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Loom

Loom is a video recording software that allows teams to communicate through videos. It increases productivity and improves effective communication between teams, especially when people are remotely located and have to collaborate on different projects and tasks. It has an array of features that are mostly geared towards video communication between professional teams and clients.

Loom is available on Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices. It has a free version that has basic features and is limited to 5 minutes per video, and 25 videos per person. The business version costs $8 per user/month and provides access to unlimited video recording and advanced features that are geared towards effective communication and branding.

Loom supports up to 4K video recording with its business version. It automatically uploads recorded videos onto Loom servers and creates a link for users to share the videos. This link is automatically copied onto a user's clipboard for ease of use.

Loom also enables teams to record and send videos with webcam footage and selective video recording, which enhances communication and makes it much more efficient, compared to writing lengthy emails and how-to instructions.

Loom also allows users to edit and trim their videos, add call-to-action buttons, and even add customized branding to videos. Video owners can access and customize the privacy and sharing controls of each video. They can set passwords according to their need and choice.

Since Loom is available on iOS and Android, users can record and share videos with their team and clients on the go, which is a great facility.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use
• Swift recording and sharing options
• Call-to-action and custom branding

Cons:

• Limited integration with CRMs

Loom has grown exponentially over the past few years to become one of the most popular and most utilized screen video recording software available. Its functionality is perfect for professionals, teams, and businesses. Communication between users proves to be much more efficient and effective when done through video instead of emails and text messages.

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OBS Studio

OBS Studio is one of the most widely used video streaming and recording software available. It's often called the most powerful screen capture tool. It has everything a user would need to live-stream themselves playing games, or doing absolutely anything on their device. It's the go-to software for most streamers on YouTube and Twitch.

OBS Studio is open-source and completely free. It's available on Windows, Mac, and Linux devices. It's a full-fledged, feature-filled, professional streaming, recording, and editing solution for gamers and content creators alike. However, it is quite complex and takes some learning to use and master.

OBS Studio packs a ton of features and is an amazing software for streaming and recording gameplay. Users can customize hot-keys to instantly start recording, record the past few minutes of gameplay and make a clip, or switch overlays and transitions on stream.

Users can also add customized watermarks, custom stream frames, webcam frames, and much more.

OBS requires a steep learning curve for users to get the most out of the software. It has extensive features for professional editing from multiple clips and sources. It's best to have a dual-monitor setup to use OBS Studio efficiently while streaming, recording, and editing.

The software provides support for many streaming platforms, including Twitch, YouTube, Facebook Live, and more.

Pros:

• Powerful streaming and recording features
• Highly customizable
• Completely free

Cons:

• Suitable only for advanced users

OBS Studio is easily one of the best video streaming, recording, and editing software available. It serves millions of users but it isn't beginner-friendly. It requires a lot of learning and getting used to for a user to make the most out of the software. However, when you learn how to use it properly, you can really elevate the quality of streaming and recorded video content exponentially.

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Movavi

Movavi is a video recording software that is most suitable for recording tutorials, webinars, lectures, and meetings. Users can record their screens, webcams, and audio. They can record and capture separate streams as well. Movavi features a range of editing tools as well. Its set of features makes it perfect for teachers and business professionals.

Movavi is available on Windows and Mac devices. It has a free trial that lasts for 7 days and is limited to basic editing tools and a watermark on output videos. The premium version can be availed for $49.95 for lifetime use on PC and $39.95 for lifetime use on Mac.

Movavi also comes with extra paid video editing features for which users can pay a premium price. This enables users to not only capture and record videos, but also use advanced editing tools such as animations, animated titles, special effects, clips, and more.

4K video can be recorded, edited, and shared through Movavi. Gameplay cannot be recorded through this software, which is somewhat of a downside. However, since this software is primarily teacher and business-oriented, that isn't necessarily a huge deal.

Movavi allows users to schedule recordings, show keystrokes, cursor movement, and draw on videos to make them more engaging, or highlight information.

Pros:

• Simple UI
• Easy to use

Cons:

• Watermarked trial version
• Paid advanced editing tools

Overall, Movavi is a fantastic screen recording app aimed at teachers and professionals to record, edit, and publish lectures, tutorials, webinars, and meetings. It has an intuitive and simple UI that enables users to create high-quality videos with ease. It does cost a premium to utilize all of its features, which can honestly be a bit expensive for the functionality it offers, compared to other similar software.

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Bandicam

Bandicam is a lightweight screen and webcam recording software that enables users to capture anything on their screen and save it as a high-quality video. Users can record a plethora of sources, including their screen, and other externally connected devices such as a PlayStation, an Xbox, a smartphone, or even an IPTV device. It also has a variety of features that aid content creators and streamers, which makes it perfect for most gamers.

Bandicam exclusively operates on PC only, but it can run on any computer with a Windows operating system. However, the software makes it possible for users to record their smartphone screen by connecting it to their PC and then recording it.

The free version of Bandicam is limited to only 10 minutes of recording at a time, and there's a watermark that users do have to deal with. If users get the registered version, they can record videos for an unlimited time and record videos without a watermark.

Bandicam can't record videos and save them as MP4 and AVI files, but these videos can be uploaded on Vimeo and Youtube with ease.

Bandicam is a highly versatile software for PC that allows users to record videos from an array of sources without any hindrance. Its ease of use is nearly unparalleled. It has a simple user interface that is easy to navigate, all while also incorporating a wide variety of features and functions.

Users can record videos of themselves with a webcam overlay, and they can set up a chroma key video in real-time while also recording the rest of their screen which is a testament to its excellent functionality.

Bandicam also allows users to record both system audio and their voice through microphones.

Users can even add mouse-click effects and draw on their videos or screenshots in real-time.

Pros:

• Can record any source connected to PC
• Easy to use interface

Cons:

• Watermarked free version
• Only available on Windows OS

All in all, Bandicam is an easy-to-use, highly versatile lightweight screen recording software that enables users to record their videos and gameplay with comfort. The free version is extremely limited but the registered version allows an extensive amount of functionality that can be deemed worthy of its price.

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Fluvid

Fluvid is a Google Chrome extension that records screens and captures screenshots effortlessly. It's built to carry out the entire process of capturing, editing, and sharing screen recordings fluidly. It's perfect for recording lectures, webinars, meetings, and how-to tutorials.

Fluvid is available as a Google Chrome extension on a range of supported devices. It has a free version that allows users to record 50 videos of up to 1-hour duration. Users can export videos in MP4 without watermarks and even share links directly on any platform. Fluvid Pro is available for $8 per month with many extra features that are well worth its price.

Fluvid also allows users to record and stream their screens and webcams simultaneously. Users can create live annotations during recording and streaming to create effective how-to videos, guides, and more.

Along with basic editing and annotation tools, Fluid has a feature that allows users to add a customizable call-to-action button that can generate leads from videos quite easily and effectively.

In addition, after videos are streamed, recorded, and edited, they can be shared through direct links or saved as MP4 files.

The videos are uploaded to the Fluid dashboard which is easy to navigate and organize. Uploaded videos shared through links can also be password protected. Users can add metadata such as titles, descriptions, tags, and more using Fluvid. The Fluvid video player also allows users to embed videos on any website. Moreover, Fluvid allows users to stream and publish videos directly on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.

Pros:

• Great free resource
• Useful embedding and sharing features
• Streaming on Facebook, YouTube & Twitch

Cons:

• Limited editing tools

Fluvid is a highly useful Chrome extension that is versatile in its use. It has simple yet convenient features that allow users to create, edit, and share videos effortlessly. It does have basic editing tools but lacks a few advanced features that are available in other software. All in all, it's still a fantastic choice for users who want to create and share simple how-to guides and send video messages with instructions.

Free Cam

Free Cam (by iSpring) is a simple, easy-to-use, free-of-cost screen recording software for Windows. It's aimed at users who want to create professional video lessons, webinars, and e-learning presentations. It has a relatively compact list of features that users would require to make a simple, yet polished video recording.

Free Cam is completely free and is available only for Windows. It can run on Windows 7, 8, and 10. Free Cam does come with a Pro version which has additional features and functionality for creating advanced, higher quality videos.

The free version of Free Cam is limited to recording 760p videos and exporting them as WMV files, or uploading them to YouTube only. Whereas, the Pro version of Free Cam enables users to record 1080p resolution and save videos as MP4 files as well.

Free Cam allows users to select a custom recording area on their screen, record system audio and user's voice, highlight their cursor, and crop and trim videos. Free Cam also has a noise reduction feature. Users can adjust volume, mute sound in certain sections of the video, and even add fade-in and fade-out effects to the audio. Once the video is recorded and edited, it can be exported locally or uploaded directly to YouTube.

Free Cam has limited editing features, but its UI and overall functionality are incredible considering it's completely free software and lets users record videos without a watermark or time limit duration; a rare find in video recorders.

Pros:

• Completely free & without a watermark or limit
• Noise reduction

Cons:

• Limited to 760p resolution
• No webcam recording

Free Cam is undoubtedly one of the best free video recording software available. It has a range of useful features, all sorted into an aesthetically pleasing and intuitive user interface which makes creating high-quality videos a simple and enjoyable task.

DVDVideoSoft's Free Screen Video Recorder

The DVDVideoSoft Free Screen Video Recorder is a slightly outdated-looking software that is free-to-use and has the standard features of a free recorder, without any watermark or recording duration limit.

DVDVideoSoft's Free Screen Video Recorder is available only for Windows. It's compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, and XP SP3. It is completely free to use but does come with ads. Users can save screen recordings as MP4 files only, whereas screenshots can be saved as BMP, JPEG, GIF, TGA, or PNG formats.

Although the Free Screen Video Recorder has all the basic functions a screen recording software requires, it does look incredibly outdated. Its icons and UI are simply too old to be a competitor with modern-looking software that are free and run without ads. It also doesn't record system sounds and can only record sounds from a microphone connected to the device.

It has almost no functionality beyond the basic trimming and cropping of videos.

With that being said, the software does allow users to record full-screen videos and specific portions of their screen.

Pros:

• Free

Cons:

• Excessive ads
• Very limited features

DVDVideoSoft's Free Screen Video Recorder is one of the least favorable options on this list. It has a poor, dated interface with extremely limited functionality. The fact that it is free-to-use is marred by the ads this software runs. There are much better alternatives available for a free Windows screen recorder, a few of which we've already mentioned in this list.

CamStudio

CamStudio is another open-source, completely free video recording software for Windows that has been widely used over the years. However, it is now also quite dated in terms of its features and functionality. It's still a great resource for simple, free video recording and screen capturing.

CamStudio is available for Windows only. It's supported on Windows 10, 7, Vista, and XP. Although the software is free, its installer can try to install unwanted software which can obviously be frustrating.

Installing CamStudio involves downloading the CamStudio installer, as well as the Codec available on its website. This process itself shows how old this software is.

CamStudio has very limited features in terms of editing but has a few recording features. Users can record picture-in-picture videos with ease. It also allows users to set variable output sizes for videos in case you want a smaller file to send through an email. Its video compression is a welcome feature.

Moreover, CamStudio enables users to save video formats only in AVI format, which can later be converted into SWF format as well.

CamStudio also allows you to annotate videos with simple objects and shapes to make them more engaging and easy to comprehend, but that's pretty much where its list of features ends.

Other than that, CamStudio has no editing tools and lacks any animation or text addition.

Pros:

• Free

Cons:

• Extremely limited features
• Very dated UI
• Exports to AVI and SWF files only

CamStudio is now an outdated software that can no longer be considered relevant in today's time and age. It just does not have the capability or the features to compete even with other free video recording software. Thus, it's better to opt for other software in this list, especially if you're looking to create videos with advanced editing options.

Ezvid

Released way back in 2011, Ezvid is one of the first free screen recording software that was made available. It's also a decently powerful, lightweight recording and editing suite, with a simple UI geared towards gamers and content creators who want to publish their recordings on YouTube without spending too much time learning a more complex software.

Ezvid is compatible with Windows, ranging from Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, and 10. It's completely free to use but it is limited to recording videos with a maximum duration of 45 minutes. It does have a few useful features that appeal to gamers and content creators.

Firstly, Ezvid is easy to use. It has an intuitive UI that can be learned within a matter of minutes. It allows users to record their screens and their webcams simultaneously. It also supports live annotations and drawing on the screen.

Moreover, Ezvid also has a few other quite useful features. Its editing suite enables users to edit videos with ease. They can cut, crop, and trim videos efficiently. Users can also add text-to-speech and create a narration for their recorded videos.

Ezvid also comes with a selection of popular music tracks that users can incorporate into their videos free of cost, which is a nice perk.

One issue that pertains to gamers is that they cannot record fullscreen gameplay. This hinders the use of this software for most gamers and content creators but is still a viable option for many users. Another potential issue is that it can only directly upload videos to YouTube, so users cannot save their recordings locally.

Pros:

• Easy & intuitive to use
• Text-to-speech voice synthesis

Cons:

• Cannot save recordings locally
• Records at max 720p

Ezvid is another example of screen recorders that used to be competitive in the past but now seem less-than-stellar when compared to modern screen recording software options. There are simply better alternatives available.

TinyTake

TinyTake is a relatively easy-to-use screen recording software with an aesthetically pleasing and intuitive UI. It can record, edit, and publish videos for Windows and Mac users reliably. It has a few key features that are quite useful for most users. But it has a very limited free version, and it only offers its full set of features for its most expensive plan.

TinyTake runs on Windows and Mac devices. It's free version allows you to record videos for up to 5 minutes. Only its most expensive Jumbo plan (which costs $99.95 per year) can record videos up to 60 minutes long. The Jumbo plan also has several useful features that the Free, Standard, and Plus versions do not.

For the sake of this review, we'll discuss the Jumbo plan and its features. TinyTake allows users to record high-quality videos and save them directly on TinyTake's online cloud-based gallery.

Users can also access the gallery through the software and upload other videos and recordings.

In addition, TinyTake allows users to create custom hotkeys and shortcuts for certain functions.

It comes with all basic editing tools and functions, including annotations, blurring, drawing, and more.

There is a lack of advanced editing tools but most users that utilize TinyTake are using it for its simplicity and ease of use. TinyTake enables users to directly upload videos to YouTube in a single click and also allows users to share URLs to their saved videos.

Pros:

• Cloud-based storage and file viewer
• Intuitive UI

Cons:

• Expensive premium plan
• Limited editing features

TinyTake is perfect for casual users who want a simple yet capable video recording software. It provides decent functionality and features, albeit at a high price. For those who can afford the software and put simplicity above advanced editing features, this might be their best option. Power users and content creators who want high-quality editing tools are advised to check out other software on this list.

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iSpring Cam Pro

iSpring Cam Pro markets itself as the best screen recorder for eLearning, and it very well may be just that. It has fantastic, yet simple features that allow users to create professional-looking lectures, webinars, software tutorials, how-to videos, and online courses. This does, however, mean that it comes at a premium price.

iSpring Cam Pro runs only on Windows. It supports Windows 10, 8.1, 8, and 7. iSpring Cam Pro has a free trial version that provides users access to all of its features for free for a period of 14 days. Users can avail its extensive features and streamlined functionality for $227 per year.

iSpring Cam Pro is optimized for creating tutorials, how-to videos, instructional guides, eLearning videos, lectures, webinars, and software courses. It allows users to record their entire screen, a selected area, and even any running application window.

The software records picture-in-picture footage as well. It can record voice overs and add that to videos with ease.

There are a few simple annotations that users can utilize to highlight areas, add text, and give instructions for the benefit of the viewer. iSpring Cam Pro also enables users to add smooth scene transitions to polish and enhance their videos, especially when there are cuts during recording.

iSpring Cam Pro allows users to polish the audio for each video. Users can adjust the volume, and add fade-in and fade-out effects. Noise reduction can also be applied to get rid of different background noises.

You can also publish the video recordings directly on YouTube or export videos locally as WMV files.

Pros:

• Polished audio and video output

Cons:

• Expensive
• Only exports WMV files
• Limited annotation tools

Overall, iSpring Cam Pro is a reliable software to record videos to create online courses, webinars, how-to guides, software tutorials, and more. It has a few features that make it suitable for this purpose, including its annotations, multi-track timeline for editing, scene transitions, and audio polishing features. However, other than a few annotation tools and transition animations, there's not much flair one can add to their recordings using iSpring Cam Pro. It's also a relatively expensive option compared to many of its competitors.

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My Screen Recorder Pro

My Screen Recorder Pro is a slightly dated but powerful screen recording software that exports video files in several formats and allows basic editing. Its UI and overall look aren't the sexiest given the software was released quite a few years ago. It's older than most software on this list, and it does show.

My Screen Recorder Pro is available only on Windows. It's supported on Windows 10, 8, and 7. It allows users to save videos in MP4, AVI, WMV, and WebM file formats. Users can also create EXE files, which means users can create a self-playing package for recorded videos.

My Screen Recorder Pro enables users to record any region of their screen, and record their webcam footage simultaneously. It also has a few other useful features which include mouse tracking, zooming, panning, creating time-lapses, adjusting resolution and frame rate, adding watermarks, drawing on the screen, and more.

Recordings can be automated to a customizable, preset schedule for most efficient, regular usage.

Pros:

• Export videos to AVI, MP4, WMV, and WebM formats
• Scheduled recording

Cons:

• Limited editing features
• Lacks animations and transitions

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ScreenFlow

ScreenFlow is simply the best video recording, editing, and publishing software available exclusively for macOS and iOS devices. It has an assortment of features that cover video recording, editing, and publishing all in one software and it allows mac users to record and produce professional-looking videos with ease.

ScreenFlow is available only on macOS. It's compatible with macOS Catalina 10.15 and macOS Big Sur only. Users can also connect iOS devices to their mac laptops and record their mobile screens.

Using ScreenFlow, users can record retina quality videos on their mac devices. They can save the videos in ProRes, MP4, and several other file formats. ScreenFlow also enables users to create GIFs and animated PNGs (APNGs) from any video project in the software.

Along with extensive recording and file format options, ScreenFlow has quite a few features that enable users to create professional-quality videos just from one software. This includes recording from retina displays and multiple screens at once.

Once the videos are recorded, they can be edited masterfully using a comprehensive set of editing tools available in ScreenFlow. These tools allow users to incorporate text, transitions, animations, translations, annotations, freehand annotations, multi-channel audio, and much more.

The video project can be edited in a streamlined fashion, similar to professional video editing software such as Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro.

After the videos are recorded and edited, they can be directly published onto a handful of websites, including YouTube, Vimeo, Imgur, and more. Users can also access an extensive library of images, video clips, animations, texts, and other media for their videos through ScreenFlow's built-in stock library.

These features come at a hefty price of $149, which can definitely be worth it for the right users.

Pros:

• Recording, editing, and publishing suite
• Powerful editing tools
• Extensive file format support and publishing options

Cons:

• Expensive

All in all, ScreenFlow is an amazing software that combines professional-quality video recording, video editing, and publishing into one neat package. It's available at a premium price, but for the features it offers, it may very well be worth it for the right individuals who would prefer to record, edit, and publish all through one software.

Flashback

Flashback is a relatively simple but feature-filled screen recorder with a variety of functions that enable users to capture, edit, and share videos. Its intuitive UI is easy to use and easy to learn, which makes it extremely simple to create high-quality tutorials, how-to videos, instructional guides, and more.

Flashback only runs on Windows OS and it supports Windows 10, 8, and 7. It can record high-quality videos and export them as MP4, AVI, GIF, and more. Users can also directly share recorded and edited videos straight to YouTube.

Flashback enables users to capture their desktop screen in several manners. It also allows them to record their webcam and microphone simultaneously. Moreover, users can even record multiple displays at once, which is a unique feature.

A recording schedule can also be set and the software will follow it to record videos automatically. Once the videos are recorded, they're brought into the Flashback editing suite which has a variety of editing tools to offer. Users can trim the footage, zoom in and out, blur objects, add images, highlights, captions, text, apply transitions, add custom watermarks, and much more.

Flashback users can also add audio and music to their videos and the editing timeline of this product makes the editing process a whole lot easier and more efficient.

Once the videos are done, they can be exported in several file formats locally, or directly uploaded to YouTube.

Pros:

• Record multiple monitors
• Scheduled recording
• Capable editing tools

Cons:

• Watermarked free version

Flashback is an easy-to-use software targeted at individuals that are not too tech-savvy. It enables users to create tutorials, guides, and instructional videos with relative ease. Its features support each user in creating high-quality videos without having to learn advanced editing software.

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AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium

AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium provides a comprehensive list of features for everyday screen recording usage and is very easy to use and learn. New users can get accustomed to its features quickly and can record and edit high-quality videos with ease. Its friendly interface appeals to all kinds of users.

AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium is available for Windows and Mac devices and is supported on Windows 10, 8.1, 8, and 7, as well as Mac OS X 10.10 and above. This software supports several formats, including MP4, WMV, MOV, AVI, M4V, F4V, and TS. The software is available for free for recordings up to 3 minutes long, but also has a paid version with unlimited recording, additional editing tools, and features.

AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium is a capable video recording and editing tool and is best suited for creating content. The software allows users to record videos in 4K resolution at up to 50 fps. It also allows custom screen capture options and enables users to record webcams separately.

Moreover, AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium also has scheduled recording.

Many users would be more than happy to use its built-in editing tools to create engaging, professional-quality videos for themselves. The paid version includes several extra features, such as live annotation, mouse effects, and more.

Pros:

• 4K recording at 50 fps
• Live editing and annotation tools
• Support for several output video formats

Cons:

• Very limited free version

All in all, AceThinker Screen Grabber Premium is a safe bet for the average user. It has enough features to create basic videos, how-to guides, and more, as well as record and annotate meetings, webinars, and online lectures. Its price may be a little high for its set of features, but it does just enough to make the cut.

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MadCap Flare

MadCap Flare is primarily a professional authoring and publishing suite. It helps companies design, develop, and deliver training content, assistance in technical learning, online documentation, and more. Screen recording and editing are just one small part of this product.

MadCap Flare is available on Windows. It has a 30-day free trial, after which users will have to pay $149 per month. It has a very high cost but it can be worth it for the right use cases and companies.

This option can record the whole screen or selected regions, however, the software cannot record webcam footage, which may not be suitable for some.

MadCap Flare provides a range of powerful and creative editing tools that include the basic ones, such as cropping, trimming, zooming, as well as more advanced ones such as transitions, arrows, callouts, animated typing boxes, and many more.

Users can export videos directly to YouTube or Vimeo, or even export them locally as movies in HTML5 and PDF format.

The downside of MadCap Flare is that it is challenging to use. Users can spend hours trying to learn this software by themselves, but they might not get that far. It is basically necessary to watch tutorials or have an in-person tutor to learn to use MadCap Flare to its full potential.

Pros:

• Amazing functionality
• Powerful editing tools

Cons:

• Very expensive monthly plan
• Difficult to learn

For those who can utilize the true potential of the software, MadCap Flare is an amazing choice. It incorporates screen recording and capturing into a powerful suite that allows you to create professional, high-quality videos and guides. However, between the price and UX, it tends to appeal to a limited niche of professionals and companies.

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recordMyDesktop

recordMyDesktop is a free, open-source screen recording app for Linux. It has the most basic features with minimal options. It is extremely dated with an unattractive user interface.

recordMyDesktop is available on Linux and GNU only. It is written in Python and offers the ability to record audio as OGA files and video as OGV files.

The software is very lightweight and basic since it provides very limited features. For instance, there are no editing tools available in recordMyDesktop. Users cannot even trim and make changes to the video. There are options to select areas and windows to record, but webcam recording is not possible either. recordMyDesktop enables unlimited recording without watermarks on videos.

Pros:

• Free
• Simple to use

Cons:

• Very unattractive design
• No features beyond basic recording

recordMyDesktop is an app you'll probably opt to use in this day and age, especially considering the number of other much more advanced and aesthetically pleasing screen recording software available. recordMyDesktop is a relic of the past and should be left there. Users can find much better alternatives in this list.

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SimpleScreenRecorder

SimpleScreenRecorder is another free, open-source screen recording software based on Linux. It has more features than a couple of other free Linux recording software, but it's still quite dated and lacks an aesthetically pleasing design.

SimpleScreenRecorder is available on almost any Linux device. It is completely free and comes without ads. It has the basic set of features necessary for any screen recorder; it allows users to record the whole screen or choose portions of it to record themselves.

SimpleScreenRecorder, as its name suggests, is quite intuitive to use. The UI is generally easy to understand and there aren't many complex features included in the software. Users are enabled to record OpenGL apps, which a few other software mentioned in this list cannot.

There are a few customizable options for users and SimpleScreenRecorder allows users to export files in several formats.The software cannot, however, record webcam footage, capture screenshots, and there are no editing tools included in its features whatsoever.

The extent of its features is limited to pausing and resuming video recording and live streaming video.

Pros:

• OpenGL recording for games

Cons:

• No editing tools
• No screenshot feature
• Lacks webcam recording

All in all, the SimpleScreenRecorder is an outdated software even for Linux devices, with very limited features. In 2021 most beginners would be uncomfortable with such poor availability of features in screen recording software. Thus, it may have been appropriate to consider SimpleScreenRecorder a previously decent software that simply hasn't adapted to the times.

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Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder

Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder is an impressive software due to its functionality and features available for free. It's quite easy to use and is most suitable for creating software tutorials and how-to videos.

Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder runs as a web-based tool. Users have to visit its website, click on "start recording" and follow a few simple steps to begin recording within a minute. It's a straightforward process that enables users to create unlimited, free video recordings without downloading expensive and system-resource-heavy software. Users can save videos as MP4, WMV, AVI, FLV, MPEG, VOB, ASF, and GIF files.

Using this software, users can run the launcher and start recording almost instantly. You can choose from a number of recording options that include recording webcam footage.

The software also enables users to edit screencasts in real-time. Users can add text, lines, callouts, and other basic elements to make their videos more engaging.

The videos can be easily exported as several file formats, or be directly uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, and Dropbox. The software can also upload videos and screenshots into its drive.

Pros:

• Live annotations
• Lightweight, web-based software
• Free, unlimited recording without watermark

Cons:

• Fewer options in Mac devices

Overall, the Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder is an interesting blend of other screen recording options available. It strikes a decent balance between being lightweight, aesthetically pleasing, and functionality. The fact that it comes with a few advanced editing features such as live annotations and uploading videos to the cloud is impressive for this software.

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AceThinker Online Screen Recorder

AceThinker Online Screen Recorder is another rendition of a web-based screen recording software. It provides users the functionality to record screens with lightweight software that isn't resource-hungry. This Online Screen Recorder allows users to record their screens in a few methods, record audio, and record webcam footage as well.

Since AceThinker Online Screen Recorder is a web-based tool, it doesn't take up any space in the user's device permanently. It is launched from the browser and within a matter of seconds, users are ready to record their screens with ease. Video recordings can be saved as AVI, MOV, WMV, MP4, GIF, and more.

Once the Online Screen Recorder is launched, users can choose to record their whole screen, or a portion of their screen, or their webcam. System audio and microphone audio can be recorded and added to videos as well.

There are a few real-time editing options that allow users to add notes, texts, images, shapes, lines, and drawings onto their screens while recording high-quality videos.

There are no advanced editing tools in this software, which may not make it suitable for power users and content creators.

Users can choose to save videos in a range of formats, or publish and save videos on YouTube, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Vimeo.

Pros:

• Record full screen and webcam
• Real-time editing
• Ability to export in a variety of formats

Cons:

• No advanced editing tools

AceThinker Online Screen Recorder is a great choice for casual users who just want to record a video or two and then delete the software. This tool allows you to launch the software whenever you want to use it, and then not have to worry about uninstalling the program. Think of it as disposable video screen recording software. It does all its basics right and is intuitively simple to use. What's not to like?

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Wondershare DemoCreator

The successor to Wondershare Filmora Screen, Wondershare DemoCreator is a fantastic software for gamers, content creators, and tutorial creators alike. It offers professional recording and editing tools with extensive effects that can elevate videos to a whole new level. It's one of the best screen recorders available with a full set of features.

Wondershare DemoCreator is available for Windows and MacOS. It has a free trial version that has all the features available, but the videos created are watermarked. DemoCreator's paid plans aren't exactly expensive either. The annual plan costs $39.99 and the perpetual plan costs just $59.99. Quite the deal.

Wondershare DemoCreator offers an amazing set of features. To begin with, users can record videos at up to 120 fps in 4K resolution, which is absolutely fantastic for gamers. Users can record anything on their screen, as well as webcam and audio.

The editing suite of DemoCreator is also extremely powerful. It allows users to edit video and audio separately to get the best results. Users can enhance their videos with a wide range of visual effects, including green-screen effects, transitions, zooming, and panning, along with other animation and text options.

Wondershare DemoCreator also offers AI facial recognition which enables users to enhance faces. Dynamic stickers, cursor effects, motion effects, and several other effects can also be fun additions to make videos pop.

Pros:

• 120 fps 4K recording
• Powerful editing suite
• AI facial recognition

Cons:

• Can impact performance in games

The Wondershare DreamCreator is one of the best recording and editing software suites available on this list. It has extensive features with an aesthetically pleasing UI. It's perfect for recording gameplay, tutorials, how-to guides, and basically anything. It's also quite affordable considering the features and functionality it offers.

Video Capture Programs That Will Capture Multiple Tracks Simultaneously

Source: https://www.getcloudapp.com/blog/best-video-recording-software/

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