Screen recorder programmes have been around for some time now but it’s only in recent years that the technology has become a widely used phenomena, largely thanks to the growth of sites such as YouTube and Vimeo.
YouTube hosts an astronomical amount of content including how to’s, let’s plays, and tutorials from music, to video games, to computer tricks. To accurately show other people how these things are done, or simply to provide some entertainment you’ll need a screen recorder to get it online.
There’s a pretty wide range of recording options on the market but some of them can leave you wanting – or cost more than you’re willing to part with. Take a look at CBR’s list of the best free screen recorders to see which is the right one for you.
1. iSpring Freecam
iSpring Freecam is one of the few screen recorder programmes that does not have a paid version and is completely free for all to use. The software comes with a number of tools to help edit your final video and create the best piece of content you can.
This screen recorder is completely free and as such there is no watermark to worry about, no time limit on videos, and best of all, no advertisements. Unfortunately, there is no webcam feature, so you’ll need a separate piece of software if you want to record that, and the files are exported in WMV formats only.
One of the more interesting features of iSpring is the way it can intelligently remove background noise, so even if you don’t have a studio quality microphone you should be able to create a professional sounding project.
iSpring Freecam is available for free download.
2. Open Broadcaster Software
Open Broadcaster Software (OBS) is one of the best screen recorders available today. This completely free and open source solution has no watermark or restrictions on time and quality.
OBS was designed from the ground up for recording gameplay and can do so at over 60fps (frames per second). As well as being capable of streaming directly to YouTube and Twitch, OBS also records footage directly from your computers graphics card. This may put some extra strain on the card but ensures that your video will be of the highest quality.
Naturally with so many different options to choose from it may take some time to figure out all of the ins and outs of the software, but this will come with experimentation.
Open Broadcaster Software is available for free download.
3. Screencast-O-Matic
Screencast-O-Matic is a subscription based software but the free version is available for an unlimited amount of time. The free version allows recordings of up to 15 minutes and still offers a range of different publication options. On top of this, it also offers users the ability to record with their webcams, eliminating the need for additional software.
Unfortunately, the free version does come with a watermark, and to remove it you will be required to upgrade to the premium version. If you think that this might be the option for you but aren’t sure about the price, then don’t hesitate to try out the free trial.
Screencast-O-Matic premium is a available from $15 a year, or $30 for three years.
Looking for a more versatile screen recorder? Check out these next options
4. XSplit Broadcaster
XSplit Broadcaster is another screen recorder programme that has been widely used by the gaming community, both pre-recorders and streamers alike. With that said, XSplit is available in both Broadcaster and Gamecaster. Gamecaster is predominantly used for Games whilst Broadcaster is for general purpose screen recording.
Xsplit is available in free, personal, and premium versions. Free is self-explanatory, personal is for those who wish to become more involved in streaming, and Pro is designed for those who intend to stream commercially.
The free tool is still a strong choice and only places a watermark on those streams over 60fps or 720p. All videos can also be streamed directly to a number of leading platforms including YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook.
Xsplit Broadcaster/Gamecaster is available for free download, $89 for 36 months of Personal, or $149 for 36 months of Pro.
5. Ezvid
Ezvid is one of the more straightforward screen recorder programmes available today, simply install the programme and get ready to record. The programme even uses editing software similar to Windows Movie Maker so if you’ve ever experimented with that then you should have no problem getting to grips with Ezvid.
If you’re looking to do something a bit beyond simple video capture then Ezvid also has a few fun little toys to play with. Most notably face detection and voice synthesis, these features will allow you to place some augmented reality voices and filters over your face using a webcam and microphone. In that regard its actually not dissimilar from Snapchat.
Ezvid has no watermark to speak of and best of all it’s completely free. The developers do ask that you make a donation, anywhere between $9 to $250, but this is completely optional.
Ezvid is available for free download.
