Best Screen and Video Capture Software 2025

What is Screen and Video Capture Software?

Screen and video capture software allows users to capture images or video files from their own screen or other’s screens and save them as sharable resources. They can be used on various devices, such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop, and desktop computer. Since many people have migrated to a virtual setting for work, school, and life--this software has aided greatly in keeping businesses and individuals informed, trained, and engaged.

This software goes beyond remote work and learning, it is also a personal productivity tool that has many potential use cases. For example, teachers can use this type of software to record a lesson, marketing managers can use it to share resources, and individual employees can use it to help communicate about bugs and issues with IT teams. Organizations operating remotely can benefit greatly from using this software.

Some common use cases for screen and video capture software include:

• Employee training
• Sharing of resources
• Content for marketing materials
• Data for business strategy
• Assisting with identification of bugs and issues

Screen and Video Capture Software Features

This software allows users to take screenshots or record videos of their screens. In business management applications, users can record meetings and presentations. They can also create instructional videos to be shared with teams, employees, trainees, and other appropriate parties. Files are captured or recorded directly from the screen, downloaded/saved, shared with others, or cataloged for reference purposes.

Common features across screen and video capture include:

• Screen capture
• Image editing
• Video recording
• Multimedia creation and editing
• Scroll capture
• File sharing

Screen and video capture technologies help training managers, IT specialists, and technical writers share resources and information among teams. This enables them to help train others, troubleshoot issues, build business literacy, collect content knowledge, and distribute information across the organization.

Advanced screen and video capture tools include features like text extractions for the creation of video transcripts and platform search for users to search the provider's platform for their saved content. Some platforms even offer stock images for media editing purposes.

Screen and Video Capture Software Comparison

The primary function of this software is efficient screen recording software that can work quickly and effectively on Windows and macOS platforms. These basic features can be easily accessed freely through apps and device factory functions with smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktops.

Web and Video Conferencing software like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have screen capture and recording features. Video Editing, Web Scraping, and Livestream software may also have screen and video capture capabilities. Many users prefer software that records/captures the webcam and screen at the same time and offers a later option to edit the video and save it as a project.

Buyers should check their device's factory functions and take an inventory of existing video editing software already in use to see if they already have access to screen and video capturing capabilities.

Pricing Information

The basic functions of screen capture and video recording can be accessed freely through a device factory function, Chrome installations, or through free apps. Greenshot and Lightshot are two free options available for download.

Loom is a screen recorder for Chrome, Mac, Windows, and iOS. It is quick to install, easy to use, and boasts of a functional free edition. Icecream Screen Recorder is a free screen recording software that enables users to record any area of a screen or save it as a screenshot.

Some free and open-source screen and video capture tools include:

• CamStudio
• CloudApp
• Greenshot
• Freeseer
• OBS Studio
• Screencast-O-Matic
• ShareX
• UltraVNC Screen Recorder
• Virtualdub
  

If you are interested in purchasing a screen and video capture product with specialized features, prices generally fall between $8 - $50 per month. Products with only screen and video capture capabilities typically cost less. On the other hand, products that include image or video editing, scrolling capture, file sharing, platform search, and text extractors tend to cost more.

Camtasia is on the higher end of the cost spectrum at $250 per user license, boasting advanced editing techniques, easy to learn interface, and simultaneous recording/capture of screen and webcam, with post-editing capabilities.