Top 11 Free Camtasia Alternatives in 2024 [Windows/macOS]

Jane Zhou updated on Jun 21, 2024 to Screen Recording Utility

Camtasia is one of the leading screen recorders available today. It has all the key features, but does it have a good alternative? This article will provide 11 of the best alternatives to Camtasia and define what makes them better.

Camtasia is one of the leading software for screen recording. It has a free version with an extensive trial. That's why a lot of people use Camtasia as their primary screen recording tool. But its free version does have a lot of limitations.

This includes watermarks and a very short video length limit. That's why people also look to find a Camtasia free alternative, a screen recorder without watermark, or running out of video time.

How We Tested and Picked

It's important to talk about the testing and picking methods before we begin. There are a few things that every user looks for when needing a screen recording tool, like Camtasia free alternative. Now, Camtasia isn't a free or open-source screen recorder. That means the first thing to look for was something free for an extensive period of time.

That's why some of the things we tested and looked for were:

  • Ⓜ️Pricing and something preferably free and open-source
  • 🆓An extensive free trial with good features if there's a premium option
  • 💪Editing and tweaking capabilities during the stream and after recording
  • 📷Pan and zoom and other effects for webcam or camera
  • 🎤Microphone settings and supporting multiple audio inputs
  • 📺High-quality output and 4K support at the very least

These are the features that we tried to find in each screen recording tool that you're about to see.

Top 11 Free Alternatives to Camtasia

You don't need to go looking for a Camtasia alternative on your own. Particularly now that you know the things to look for in a recording tool like this. Without further ado, here are the eleven best Camtasia alternatives:

1. EaseUS RecExperts

💻Compatibility: Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 & MacOS

EaseUS RecExperts is perhaps the best screen recorder today. It has all the essential qualities that you need in recording software like this. And the plainness and easiness that it offers are the reasons it's on topmost of this list.

Now the things that make it better than Camtasia are the simple methods of recording. That means you need to select the screen or Window to record it. Instead of a lengthy process of setting up, EaseUS RecExperts keeps things simple.

It also offers a fairly easy interface. So, you won't have to go through much to arrange it for recording your screen. All you have to do is hit the microphone and camera buttons to record them together with your screen. Then, you can use the choice to record the whole screen or a specific window/game mode.

    📃Features:

    • AI-video enhancer for 4K and 8K videos
    • In-built media player and video editor
    • AI-noise reduction for audio recording

    ☹️Cons:

    • Limited recording time in the free version
    • A yearly subscription is cheaper than monthly
    👨‍🎓User Review
    EaseUS RecExperts is easy-to-use screen recording software with a lot of features to offer. This recording tool can capture audio and webcam video in addition to what's happening on your screen. We also liked that it offers scheduled recordings and an auto-stop function. - From TechRader

    Take a shot at the free trial of EaseUS RecExperts for the user-friendly screen recorder and get things done easily now.

    🧑‍🤝‍🧑Check what Reddit users are discussing:

    Camtasia Alternative?
    byu/pittdancer inelearning

    2. OBS Studio

    💻Compatibility: Windows 8 and later & MacOS 10.15 and later & Linux

    OBS Studio is one of the best game recorder tools. Every famous YouTuber or Streamer you know might be using it right now. Its free and open-source nature is the two main reasons its popularity has continued to soar over the years.

    It also offers outstanding plugins and additional extensions. That makes streaming and screen recording a very easy matter to handle with this software. That's why it's one of the best screen recorder and video editor software available today.

      📃Features:

      • Multiple source input, including webcams, microphones, etc.
      • Hotkey arrangement for quick streaming and recording
      • Multiview monitor with up to 8 views of recording/streaming

      ☹️Cons:

      • Lackluster customer support
      • Requires extra plugins sometimes
      👨‍🎓User Review
      OBS Studio is a popular open-source solution for recording your gameplay, and more specifically, for blasting it out to the world. OBS Studio can broadcast your game streams to platforms like Twitch and YouTube, and OBS is also used for creating screencasts. It's a powerful program. - From PC World

      3. Snagit

      💻Compatibility: Windows 8, 8.1, 10, 11 & MacOS 13 Ventura

      Snagit is one of the simplest tools for screen recording you can use today. This screen recording and video editing software allows you to capture your screen in an instant. Then you can use the quick styles to add or edit elements that make ideal tutorials or educational videos.

      The tool has enough capabilities to be used by gamers or streamers as well. This means you can record your YouTube live stream or record Instagram live for a later upload or simply edit and upload it. It also offers an extensive free trial that could help you test it out.

        📃Features:

        • All-in-One and panoramic scrolling capture
        • Screen draw and grab text
        • Record camera and audio

        ☹️Cons:

        • Slow cloud storage
        • Quite expensive at $62.99
        👨‍🎓User Review
        Snagit is a beautifully designed, reliable, and efficient app that does just about everything screen-capture software should do. Snagit once again snags our Editors' Choice award for screen-capture utilities due to its flexibility, power, and ease of use. -From PCMag

        4. Movavi Screen Recorder

        💻Compatibility: Windows 10, 11 & MacOS 10.15 or later

        Movavi Screen Recorder is one of the most famous tools for recording or streaming today. This screen recorder is known to provide detailed simplicity. It also has an incredible custom window feature. This allows you to record as much of your screen as you like—or the entirety of it.

        Movavi is known to provide a high-quality screen recorder and video capture option. The software also offers a detailed in-built video editor. That means you can edit your recorded videos. Or you can simply edit the video you have recorded while live streaming.

          📃Features:

          • Customizable size of screencast/recording
          • Capture webcam in high-quality
          • Scheduled recording and capture

          ☹️Cons:

          • The customizable size makes video sizes awkward
          • A tad on the expensive side at $49.95
          👨‍🎓User Review
          Movavi Screen Recorder is a simple program I was able to use without a ton of training. All of the tools and functional items in Movavi Screen Recorder are as simple as possible for me. The quality of the screen recordings is fantastic. - From G2

          5. ScreenFlow

          💻Compatibility: Windows 10, 11 & MacOS 10.15 or later

          ScreenFlow is another famous tool for recording and streaming. The software is primarily used for editing recorded videos by many people. But it also has incredible video and audio recording options. That includes the ability to record a webcam as well as a microphone with your screen capture.

          That means you can easily employ it to record gaming videos as well as academic or professional meetings/tutorials. The editor in this software may not be as detailed as you would hope. But it does get the job done with a few essential options for editing and trimming videos.

            📃Features:

            • Animations and transition effects for recording
            • Outstanding video editor built-in
            • In-built stock library, including images, videos, and audio clips

            ☹️Cons:

            • Not available on Windows
            • Adware and lackluster customer support
            👨‍🎓User Review
            If you need to create impressive professional quality screengrabs and work with a software package that's also a pretty capable video editor (meaning you can do everything from a single app), ScreenFlow 10 is definitely worth the price of admission. - From TechRadar

            6. CamStudio

            💻Compatibility: Windows Vista and 7

            Compatibility mode: Windows 8, 8.1, 10 and 11

            CamStudio is one of the leading software that you can find for video capture. This might be a little old in terms of release and interface. But this tool has all the essentials you need to record and edit your screen.  

            Now, the options to record video with a webcam aren't as simple as you would hope. The option within CamStudio is known to bug out or crash during recording. That means you may need to use the Windows camera tool or any other webcam recorder for Windows 10 to record your camera with your screen.

              📃Features:

              • Equipped to create tutorial and demonstration videos
              • Simple design with moderate customization
              • Configure framerate and quality

              ☹️Cons:

              • Unwanted programs built into the installer
              • Quite outdated no exciting editing features
              👨‍🎓User Review
              CamStudio is a deceptively simple open-source screen recorder. Capturing what's happening on your monitor is as simple as clicking a button, but if you delve into the settings you'll find that this little program is capable of so much more. - From TechRadar

              7. Bandicam

              💻Compatibility: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, 11

              Bandicam is one of the most famous screen recorders. It may not be as renowned as it was just a few years ago. But it still has all the important qualities that one needs for recording games or all kinds of videos. That's why it lets you capture games or any other type of video in a few clicks.

              The major drawback of Bandicam is that it leaves a huge watermark on free videos. That means you cannot easily get rid of that without getting the premium version. But it's a great screen recorder and video editor if you are looking to try something for free.

                📃Features:

                • High-quality game and general screen recording
                • HDMI/Webcam recording in AVI/MP4 formats
                • Supports audio-only recording in MP3/Wav

                ☹️Cons:

                • Only 10-minutes per recording in the free version
                • Huge watermark in the free version
                👨‍🎓User Review
                Bandicam is an easy-to-use and powerful screen recording software that offers a wide range of features and tools for capturing high-quality video footage from your computer screen. - From G2

                8. Fraps

                💻Compatibility: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 10, 11

                A lot of you may know Fraps as one of the benchmarking and monitoring software. But it also has an option for screen capture and recording. All you need to do is head into the Movies option in the top bar to unlock screen recording options.

                Then you can select the output options according to your liking. You can also select audio or video options before you start recording. And Fraps is generally known to be a very light software for benchmarking. That means you don't have to worry about losing any system resources to it.

                  📃Features:

                  • Real-time capture supporting up to 7680x4800 at 120FPS
                  • One-key screenshotting option
                  • In-built benchmarking for FPS or system monitoring

                  ☹️Cons:

                  • Quite bulky on system resources
                  • Quite expensive for a meager software
                  👨‍🎓User Review
                  Fraps is great for benchmarking and seeing your current framerate, and it's also very easy to use with a minimal interface. As a video capture utility, it leaves a lot to be desired. - From PCWorld

                  9. Loom

                  💻Compatibility: Windows 10 or above & Mac OSX 10.15 or above

                  Loom is a screen recorder that can easily record and share videos with your friends and customers. It records the screen and webcam with simple clicks. Chrome extensions, desktop programs, or mobile apps can all be captured.

                  Better yet, you can choose to rewind while you're still recording to get the perfect take. After recording, you can edit the recording and its transcript. It supports transcripts and captions in 50+ languages, enabling remote teams to connect independently.

                    📃Features:

                    • Support sharing Looms with a link
                    • Add external links to share outside resources
                    • Add annotations and emphasis

                    ☹️Cons:

                    • The videos recorded do not work sometimes
                    • More advanced editing features are required
                    👨‍🎓User Review
                    Loom is the fastest and easiest way to record your screen and turn that into a public video, though you might already be paying for tools that do essentially the same thing. - From PCMag

                    10. ActivePresenter

                    💻Compatibility: Windows 11/10/8.1 & macOS 14/13/12/11/10.15

                    ActivePresenter offers a recording feature that lets you select multiple recording sources simultaneously. You can record a screen, webcam, or record system audio and microphone at the same time. After recording, you can enhance the recording with video editing tools, effects, shapes, animation transitions, etc. Moreover, it enables you to add quizzes and make branched scenarios through HTML5 output.

                      📃Features:

                      • Record the screen as a full-motion video
                      • Add voice-over, closed captions, and animation effects
                      • Support H.264 lossy codec

                      ☹️Cons:

                      • There's a learning curve if you haven't used it before
                      • It may crash sometimes
                      👨‍🎓User Review
                      ActivePresenter is an all-in-one eLearning authoring tool, screen recorder, and video editor designed to help educational institutions, training agencies, and online video marketers create videos, handouts, manuals, documentation, and interactive training presentations. - From Capterra

                      11. EZVid

                      💻Compatibility: Windows XP SP3/Vista/7/8/8.1/10

                      Ezvid is a screen recorder and audio recorder for free download. It offers voice recording, face cam, voice synthesis, screen drawing, and speed control features, making it one of the best solutions for making videos.

                      You can capture whatever appears on your computer screen, whether it is web pages, games, applications, paint programs, or maps. After recording, you can make speed changes, add text, image slides, and much more.

                        📃Features:

                        • Offer a fast screen recording workflow
                        • Offer screen drawing features in your recording
                        • It is suitable for YouTube video recording

                        ☹️Cons:

                        • Recording time is limited to 45 minutes
                        • It can't hide the recording widget
                        👨‍🎓User Review
                        A great little screen recorder for work projects and software tutorials, with an excellent text-to-speech tool and built-in editor, but the inability to save recordings to your PC is a serious drawback. - From Techradar

                        The Bottom Line

                        These are the best Camtasia alternatives that you can find today. You need to try each one or just download the one that you think suits you the most. A lot of people and articles would claim OBS to be the best. But OBS also has some complications and it's not exactly ideal for beginners.

                        That's when a tool like EaseUS RecExperts stands out. It has a very simple design and is easy to use compared to other tools on this list. Moreover, it has an extensive trial period that doesn't leave any watermarks on your videos. Making it the best Camtasia alternative today. Try the free trial to record your screen without any watermark.

                        Free Camtasia Alternative FAQs

                        Here are some frequently asked questions regarding Camtasia's free alternative:

                        1. Is there a free version of Camtasia?

                        Camtasia does have a free trial and it only lasts for around 30 days. Camtasia also leaves a huge watermark on recorded videos through the free trial version. The only way to extend that is by buying the software at a crazy price of $299 for a lifetime.

                        2. Is Camtasia better than Bandicam?

                        Camtasia has a lot more intriguing features and better overall recording quality compared to Bandicam. But Bandicam wins because of its lower price and much more affordable nature. At the end of the way, both programs are equal as Camtasia is crazy expensive. Whereas Bandicam offers an extensive free trial.

                        3. Is Camtasia the same as Filmora?

                        Camtasia is an American software, whereas Filmora is Chinese. Filmora comes from a lesser-known developer, and that's why it's not as good as Camtasia. But Camtasia is very expensive and is usually the go-to program for professionals or people who can afford it.