Best Free Loom Alternatives for Screen Recording (2026)

Loom made screen recording simple and shareable. But Loom’s free tier has gotten increasingly restrictive — 5-minute recording limits on the free plan, video watermarks on the cheapest tier, and aggressive paywalls.

You don’t have to use Loom. There are good alternatives. Here’s an honest comparison for 2026.

How I picked these

Three criteria:

1. Free or freemium — Not “free trial then $50/month.”
2. Actually works for screen recording — Not just video editing or conferencing.
3. Still maintained in 2026 — Not abandoned.

The alternatives

OBS Studio (best for power users)

What it is: Free, open-source screen recording and live streaming software.

Pros:

• Completely free, no limits
• Highly configurable — scenes, sources, audio mixing
• Great for streaming (Twitch, YouTube Live)
• Cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux)
• Active community and lots of tutorials
• Records to local file (no cloud required)

Cons:

• Steep learning curve
• No built-in sharing features (you record to file, then upload somewhere)
• UI is dense and not beginner-friendly
• No webcam bubble, no automatic uploads

Best for: Power users, streamers, anyone who needs unlimited recording with full control.

ScreenPal (formerly Screencast-O-Matic) (best for quick recordings)

What it is: Browser-based screen recorder with built-in sharing.

Pros:

• Very easy to use
• 15-minute free recordings (no watermark if you sign up free)
• Built-in sharing via link
• Browser-based — no install needed
• Decent free video editor
• Records screen, webcam, or both

Cons:

• 15-minute limit on free plan
• Some features require paid plan ($9/month)
• Owned by a company that pivots features regularly
• Privacy concerns (free tier includes some data collection)

Best for: People who need quick recordings without learning OBS.

ShareX (best for Windows power users)

What it is: Free, open-source screenshot and screen recording tool for Windows.

Pros:

• Completely free, no limits
• Tons of capture options (full screen, window, region, scrolling)
• Built-in editor (annotations, blur, etc.)
• Auto-upload to many destinations (Imgur, S3, your own server)
• Hotkey customization
• Workflow automation

Cons:

• Windows only
• Steep learning curve (huge settings menu)
• UI is utilitarian (not pretty)
• No built-in video sharing

Best for: Windows users who want unlimited free recording with full control.

Kap (best for Mac users)

What it is: Beautiful, open-source screen recorder built specifically for Mac.

Pros:

• Native Mac app, feels right at home
• Exports to MP4, GIF, WebM, APNG
• Beautiful UI
• Plugin support for custom workflows
• Free, no limits
• Records screen, window, or region

Cons:

• Mac only
• No built-in sharing (records to file)
• Less active development than it used to be
• No webcam bubble by default (you add it as a separate window)

Best for: Mac users who want a beautiful, simple recorder without Loom’s sharing features.

Microsoft Clipchamp (best for Windows beginners)

What it is: Microsoft’s free video editor with built-in screen recording.

Pros:

• Free for Windows users
• Easy to use
• Built-in video editor
• Decent template library
• Cloud sync with OneDrive

Cons:

• Windows 11 only (no Windows 10 or earlier)
• Some features require Microsoft 365 subscription
• Limited to 1080p on free tier
• Records to file only (no built-in sharing)

Best for: Windows 11 users who need simple recording + basic editing.

Vmaker (best for Loom replacement)

What it is: Screen recorder explicitly positioned as a Loom alternative.

Pros:

• Built-in webcam bubble
• Auto-generated shareable links
• Records to local file AND cloud
• Free tier: 7-minute recordings, watermark-free
• Built-in basic editor
• Custom branding on paid plans

Cons:

• 7-minute limit on free tier
• Most useful features behind paid plans
• Watermark on videos without sign-in
• Some privacy concerns (it’s a cloud-based service)

Best for: Teams specifically looking for a Loom replacement.

Zappy (best for sharing quick recordings)

What it is: Lightweight screen recorder for macOS with instant sharing.

Pros:

• Native Mac app, very fast
• Auto-uploads to cloud, generates share link
• Free for personal use
• Simple UI
• Loom-style workflow (record, share, done)

Cons:

• Mac only
• Cloud-based (privacy concerns)
• Limited features compared to Loom

Best for: Mac users who want Loom’s simplicity without Loom’s price.

Comparison table

How to actually switch from Loom

If you’re moving off Loom:

1. Download your existing Loom videos before you cancel your account. Use our Loom to MP4 tool.
2. Pick a new tool based on the comparison above.
3. Set up a sharing destination — YouTube (unlisted), Google Drive, Dropbox, or your own hosting.
4. Migrate your team — If you’re on Loom as a team, this is the hard part. Pick a tool that supports team workspaces, or accept that you’ll be doing more file management.

My honest recommendation

For most people:

• If you want unlimited, free, and don’t mind a learning curve → OBS Studio
• If you want Loom’s simplicity without Loom’s price → Zappy (Mac) or ScreenPal (any platform)
• If you only record occasionally → Just use your OS’s built-in recorder. Both Mac and Windows have one.

The “best” tool depends on your situation. Pick based on what you actually need, not what has the most features.

Try it now

Pick one tool from the list above:

1. Download/install it
2. Record a 2-minute test video
3. See how the workflow feels
4. Commit to using it for a week

Total time: 15 minutes to evaluate. Worth it before committing.

Related tools: Loom to MP4 · YouTube Transcript · YouTube Video Summary