Screencast software is necessary to use in building any type of online business.
Screencasting software has been around for a very long time but it has really risen in popularity over the last few years.
From an online course, agency, or eCommerce business; all of them require having the best screencast software that works flawlessly with your business.
This guide goes over the best screencasting software (that I have personally tried over the years.)
What is screencast software?
Screencast software records your computer screen. Record video and audio in real time. Save your screen recording or send them via links. Some screen recorder tools include editing features.
Tools like Loom and Camtasia have made communicating with video and making screen share videos easier than ever before.
Screencast software falls into two main categories from my digging.
Desktop Screencasting vs. Online Screencasting
Desktop screencast software are best for online course or training videos. These aren’t always the best ones for making quick videos for your team or coworkers.
Online screencast software typically works as a browser extension within Google Chrome, Brave, etc.
I am a huge fan of browser extension because they are simple to use and you can get up and running with recording screencasts within a matter of seconds.
However, I would never record the modules for my online course videos using a free browser extension on Chrome. The ideal option is a screen share tool with a video hosting platform.
What is the Best Screencasting Software?
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the best screencasting software depends on what your needs are.
It is impossible to have a blanket screencasting tool that’s perfect for every single business.
For example, if your number one priority is internal team communication, your go-to tool will be drastically different than someone recording marketing videos or modules for an online course.
The key to choosing the right software tools for your business is always having the right tool for the job at hand.
So without further ado let’s dive into what the best screencast software is.
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links where I may receive a small commission at no cost to you if you decide to purchase a paid plan.
Best Screencasting Software Overall
#1 Camtasia.
Overview
Camtasia has been in the screencast software business the longest. It is a product made by TechSmith which has a top notch track record for making quality software.
Camtasia truly is a one-stop-shop for all of your screencasting and screen recording needs no matter what type of screen recording you are looking to do.
Note: All of the use cases above are pulled directly from Camtasia’s site.
It is one of the only tools that have full-stack editing capabilities along with screencasting features.
It works flawlessly for both Mac and PC as a desktop application.
And to boot, it Camtasia integrates perfectly with the other TechSmith tools such as Snagit.
Top Features
With all of these features listed above, it’s pretty apparent as to why Camtasia is my number one go-to pick for screencast software. It literally does everything you could ever imagine when it comes to recording, editing, and getting the perfect screen recordings for your business. A bonus feature that Camtasia can be used for is editing webinars that were recorded live. This way you can turn your webinars into evergreen content.
Pricing
Camtasia’s pricing is dead simple.
$249.99 gets you a copy for life. No subscriptions or hidden fees.
If you have a business plan it will be $249.99 per user from users 1-4 and from user 5 onwards you get slight discounts as you add more.
If you are in education Camtasia is available for $169.99 per user and if you are in government or non-profit a slight discount of $223.99 per user.
The bottom line is that Camtasia is the top screencasting software. It is the best screencasting software I have ever used and it works perfectly for Mac and PC.
Camtasia offers a free trial so you truly have nothing to lose.
Best Screencasting Software for Mac
#2 Screenflow.
Overview
Screenflow is hands down the best screencasting software for Mac. They have been around for many years and focus exclusively on being a screencasting tool for Mac.
Screenflow does quite a bit more than just your standard screencasting and recording. It can act as a one-stop-shop for all of your online course video creation. From screen share video recordings to actual video editing of recorded videos, it can handle it.
This makes it one of my top picks for creating online courses because it gives you the option to take the DIY approach to build and create your online course.
Top Features
Note: All of the use cases above are pulled directly from Screenflow’s site.
Screenflow offers all the essential features you need to record, create, and edit screencast videos. It doesn’t have all the extra features that Camtasia offers, but it is a great tool for you if you are looking to create screencast videos, course videos, marketing videos, and internal team videos.
Pricing
Screenflow has 3 paid plans.
Only $129 one time and you get access to Screenflow for life.
This gives you access to the Screenflow tool for life with all the updates.
If you wanted to purchase the premium support and access to their stock media library you can get those for a really low rate for less than $50 per year which is totally worth it.
With any video editing software it is important to have technical support just incase you run into any hiccups along the way.
If you are brand new to screencasting tools I would recommend going for the premium support and super pak option for only $209.
Screenflow offers a free download of the product so you can take it for spin before you make a final decision.
Best Screencasting Software for Tutorials
#3 Screencast-O-Matic.
Overview
Screencast-O-Matic is a simple to use tool that is perfect for screencast tutorial videos.
This tool is perfect for someone who is looking for a low cost tool that has a lot of features.
I wouldn’t say that it functions as a full video editing software like Camtasia or Screenflow does but it can do basic edits.
This is the best screencasting software for someone who is really looking to have a premium screencasting tool that can do minor edits. This could be great for recording online course videos, basic screen share videos for work, teachers who are recording classroom lessons, or even personal videos you want to make for yourself.
Top Features
Note: All of the use cases above are pulled directly from Screencast-O-Matic’s site.
Screencast-O-Matic is packed full of features for screencasting. You can pretty much do everything you would ever need for a DIY screencast style video.
This tool is not intended to be an all in one video editing solution like Camtasia, which is why it sits at number 3 on my list of best screencasting software.
Pricing
Screencast-O-Matic’s pricing is simple and incredibly affordable.
You can choose either the Deluxe plan for only $1.65 per month billed annually or get the Premier Plan for $3-$4 per month billed annually depending on what promotions they are offering.
The Deluxe plan will literally give you all of their features for just a few dollars per month which is hard to beat.
This is the perfect screen recording software for Mac or PC if you are looking for something on the cheap. It isn’t as robust as Camtasia but it can handle pretty much all of your screencasting video needs.
Try Screencast-O-Matic by clicking the link below.
Best Screencasting Software for Beginners
#4 Wondershare DemoCreator.
Overview
Wondershare DemoCreator is brand new as of the end of 2020.
It is a rebrand from Filmorama to the DemoCreator.
The product is fairly similar from my research, but the main difference is their messaging and what the product is focused on.
They are now focusing more on screen recording and screencasting for creatives.
Think of gamers, artists, online teachers, course creators, etc.
Personally I think this is a solid step in the right direction because oftentimes people that consider themselves “creative types” want an easy to use tool that just get’s the job done.
Chances are if you are reading this post about the best screencast software on my blog you are not trying to become a pro video producer; you just want the video to get done and look professional.
That is why DemoCreator by Wondershare gets my vote for the best screencast software for beginners.
Top Features
Note: All of the use cases above are pulled directly from DemoCreator’s site.
To be honest the features list on the DemoCreator website is not that extensive. They could do a much better job of demonstrating all of their features.
The plus side to this is that they offer a free trial of their product that you can download with one click so you can test out all of the features for yourself.
Pricing
DemoCreator has pretty clear cut pricing options.
They offer different pricing options for individuals, businesses, and educators.
For now, I am only going to focus on the individual because that is what will apply to almost everyone here.
The best deal is obviously the Perpetual plan for $47.99 once. If you want to do the yearly, go for it, but for only $23.99 more you can get the tool for life.
If you want to see DemoCreator’s full pricing and feature breakdown click the button down below.
If you want an affordable screencast software, pick this up and get recording.
Best Free Screencasting Software
#5 Loom.
Overview
Loom is hands down the best premium screencast software for videos that do not need to be edited.
Use the Loom screen recorder and send your video immediately with a link.
I have been using Loom since 2015 when it was called Useloom.com.
Since then I have made 100’s of loom videos and I realistically make at least one per day.
It is the perfect free screencast software for:
- Internal Team communication
- Quick Tutorial Videos
- Communicating with video via email, Slack, Microsoft Teams, etc.
- Creating draft videos for online courses.
- And a lot more.
But one thing that I did not mention is anything that you want to be polished.
Loom has a chrome extension and desktop app which works great for Mac and Windows but I put it as my fifth choice because it just isn’t as robust as Camtasia or Screenflow.
Top Features
Loom has a ton of useful features for internal communication for remote teams, client work, personal projects, and literally anything else you can think of.
Pricing
Loom’s pricing is also simple.
You can try the free plan, but you’re limited to only 5 minutes of screen capture at a time and up to 100 videos and screenshots. For anything more, you’ll need to upgrade to the Business plan (which I HIGHLY recommend.)
The Business plan is only $8 per month billed annually for unlimited screen capture time. It is feature rich with CTAs (call-to-actions) and custom branding.
Loom is the one tool I can’t live without in my business. I literally use it every day and for as little as $8 a month, it is tough to beat.
CHeck out Loom with their 14-day free trial.
Wrap Up.
I have tried multiple screencasting tools with all sorts of features over the years. It has become a staple piece in my daily online business work.
Whether you are doing client work, online courses, or simply working remotely, you need to have a proper screencasting tool.
Hopefully, this list of the best screencasting software helps you narrow down your search and save you time in the process.