If you want to capture the activities on your Mac screen, you'll need a screen recorder that's compatible with Mac. Screen recording can be helpful for a variety of purposes, such as creating training videos, recording software demos, capturing gameplay, troubleshooting technical issues, and more.

If you're wondering what the best screen recorder for Mac is, this post provides a list of 12 helpful screen recorders available for free or at a cost. By reading further, you can choose the best screen recorder that's most suitable for your needs.

1. Awesome Screenshot & Recorder (Editor’s Pick)

Ideal for: Recording videos and audio on Mac and sharing videos to the cloud

Pricing: Free, $5/month for Basic plan, $6/month for Professional plan

Awesome Screenshot & Recorder is our special pick when talking about the best screen recorder for Mac. It is a famous extension available for multiple web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. It has a large number of users and has been positively reviewed by many users, thanks to its ease of use and capabilities in recording screens and taking screenshots.

Awesome Screenshot & Recorder

One extension for all your screen recordings & screenshots

Record screen and capture screenshots easily
Edit videos/images quickly
Store videos/images to the cloud and share instantly

Awesome Screenshot & Recorder also offers a Mac application that allows users to record the screen activities of their Mac, and capture any parts of a web page or screen. Like the extension, its Mac application also provides image annotation tools, an online video editor, and cloud storage to take your screen recording to the next level. The screenshots and recordings can be easily uploaded to the cloud, shared, or saved to your Mac.

You can easily download it from the Mac App Store. With it, the screen recording on Mac is so intuitive and quick.

awesome screenshot and recorder mac app

Pros

User-friendly interface
Allows you to record your screen with audio and/or webcam up to 4k resolution
Enables you to capture screenshots from an entire webpage, selected area, full screen, etc.
Provides a variety of annotation tools, such as text, shapes, arrows, etc.
Includes a built-in online video editor
Offers cloud storage to store the recordings and screenshots
Lets you share the images/videos or save them to your Mac with ease
No watermark

Cons

The video recording feature may cause performance issues on older devices

2. Vidline (Free & Paid)

Ideal for: Recording video messages for teams

Pricing: Free, $8 per month for Premium

Vidline is a useful screen recorder for Mac and Windows. Although it is newly released, it offers nearly all the screen recording features that other famous screen recorders include. This screen recorder with facecam lets you record your Mac screen with camera and audio, share video notes instantly with links, save videos to your computer, and more!

In addition, it is also a collaboration tool as it allows users to leave comments, collaborate with teams, and more! No ads! No recording time limits!

vidline

Pros

Lets you record video up to 4K resolution
Offers unlimited recording time for each video
Provides complete set of annotation tools
Offers cloud storage
Enables instant sharing of recordings

Cons

The free version is allowed to record up to 30 videos

3. OBS (Free)

Ideal for: Recording and streaming gameplay

Pricing: Free

OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is another best Mac screen recorder for professional content creators. It is a free and open-source software for video recording and live streaming. It is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. OBS allows users to capture video and audio from various sources, including the user's computer screen and webcam, and then broadcast this live feed to platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook Live.

OBS also includes a variety of tools for adjusting the look of the video, such as filters for color correction and compositing, and it is popular among content creators for its flexibility and customization options.

obs studio

Pros

Completely free and open-source
Allows users to capture video and audio from a variety of sources
Provides users with a variety of editing tools to create professional-looking content
Has a large and active community
Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux

Cons

Complex interface
Causes issues like lag or stuttering when running on older hardware or computers
Requires some initial setup

4. QuickTime Player (Free)

Ideal for: Quickly recording video without internal audio

Pricing: Free

The macOS comes equipped with a pre-installed media player called QuickTime Player. It can playback many file formats, including MOV, MP4, AVI, MPEG, and WAV. Additionally, this free screen recorder with no watermark also provides some fundamental video editing features, such as trimming and cutting.

In addition, it has the ability to record the screen of the computer it is running on. This feature can be used to create screencasts, demonstrations, tutorials, and other videos showing what is happening on the computer screen. To use this feature, you'll need to open QuickTime Player and go to "File" and "New Screen Recording."

You can record the entire screen or just a selected portion of it. You can also choose whether or not to show mouse clicks in the recording.

quicktime player interface

Pros

Free and easy-to-use
Requires no downloads
Supports a wide variety of file formats
Has some basic video editing tools

Cons

Has no audio editing feature
Cannot record system audio
Lacks some features like other commercial screen recorders provide

5. Camtasia (Paid with Free Trial)

Ideal for: Recording tutorial videos

Pricing: Starts from $299.99

Developed by TechSmith, Camtasia is a screen recorder for Mac and Windows with powerful screen recording and video editing features. Professional content creators widely use it to create instructional videos, video demonstrations, and other types of video content.

It allows users to record their computer screen and webcam, edit the footage, and export the final video in a variety of formats. It lets users add text, callouts, annotations, and other visual elements to the video to bring it a professional touch. Better still, it enables you to import and edit audio tracks.

camtasia

Pros

Powerful yet easy-to-use
Offers professional screen recording and video editing features
Provides a media library
Lets you record and edit multi-track audio

Cons

Way too pricey
Requires a powerful computer
Only offers 30 days of free trial
Adds a watermark to the output of the free trial version

6. Monosnap (Free & Paid)

Ideal for: Capturing and sharing screenshots/videos on Mac

Pricing: Free, $3/month for non-commercial use, $10/month for commercial use

Monosnap is an easy-to-use software for creating screenshots and screen recordings on macOS and Windows. The software can take screenshots of an entire screen, a specific window, or a selected rectangular region and also includes basic image editing and annotation tools. It also has the feature of recording videos on the screen.

Monosnap also provides cloud storage and sharing options for screenshots and videos. It is a commonly used tool by many people to create and share screenshots, help document their work and troubleshoot problems with others.

monosnap interface

Pros

Allows you to capture the full screen, a specific window, or a custom region
Offers basic image editing and annotation tools
Enables cloud storage and sharing options
Supports multiple cloud services like Google Drive and Dropbox

Cons

Free version has some limitations
Has occasional glitches
Not very easy to use for beginners

7. Loom (Free & Paid)

Ideal for: Capturing and sharing videos across all platforms

Pricing: Free, $8/month for Business plan

Loom is a cloud video recording and screen-sharing tool that allows users to easily create and share videos for work, education, or personal use. As one of the best screen recorders for Mac, it will enable you to record your screen, camera, and microphone simultaneously. You can also add text and drawings to the video to add a personal touch. In addition, you are allowed to share the recording via a link or embed it on a website or in an LMS.

It offers desktop programs for Windows and Mac, Chrome browser, and mobile apps for both iOS and Android. Thus, you can use it anywhere to create tutorials, demonstrations, and presentations.

loom

Pros

Easy to use
Allows you to record your screen, camera, and microphone at the same time
Lets you share a video via a link or embed it on a website or in an LMS
Supports nearly all platforms
Enable you to store the videos in the cloud

Cons

The free version has a time limit of 5 minutes per video
The free version has a cloud storage limit
Offers limited editing options

8. Screencast-O-Matic (Free & Paid)

Ideal for: Recording online courses

Pricing: Free, starts from $4/month

Screencast-o-Matic is a screen recording software that allows users to record their screen, webcam, and microphone. It also lets users annotate the video while recording and edit the recorded video with a built-in video editor. It is an easy-to-use yet powerful tool for creating tutorials, demonstrations, presentations, and other types of videos.

It is available for Windows and Mac and offers a web-based version that can be accessed from any device with a web browser.

screencast o matic

Pros

Has a simple and straightforward interface
Offers a variety of recording and editing options
Provides a cloud-based platform for easy sharing and collaboration
Available for Windows and Mac, as well as a Chrome app

Cons

The free version is limited to recording time and editing capabilities
Cannot record external device
The automatic audio detection may not work well sometimes

9. ActivePresenter (Free & Paid)

Ideal for: Creating interactive e-Learning videos

Pricing: Free, $299 for the Standard version, $399 for the Pro version

ActivePresenter is a screen recording and video editing software developed by Atomi Systems. It allows users to record their screen, webcam, and audio, create animations and interactions and then edit the recording to create interactive e-learning content, video tutorials, and presentations.

It allows you to publish content in various formats, such as HTML5, MP4, WMV, and AVI and also has a built-in quiz and survey creator. It is available for Windows and macOS.

active presenter

Pros

Allows you to record the screen with microphone sound, system audio, and webcam
Lets you create professional-looking eLearning content with a helpful editor
Converts PowerPoint presentations to HTML5 or eLearning packages
Enables you to record an interactive software simulation
Supports multiple output formats, including HTML5, video, and PDF

Cons

May not be compatible with specific operating systems and hardware configurations
Limited customer support

10. VLC (Free)

Ideal for: Recording and playing videos in multiple formats

Pricing: Free

VLC is a free and open-source multimedia player that can play various media formats, including audio and video files, as well as DVDs, CDs, and streaming protocols. It also allows you to record your computer’s screen. You can do this by opening VLC, going to the "Media" menu, and selecting "Open Capture Device."

It was developed by the VideoLAN project and is available for multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile platforms. It also includes a built-in equalizer and supports a wide range of subtitles and playback options.

vlc media player interface

Pros

Can be used, modified, and distributed without any cost
Lets you play a wide variety of media formats
Suitable for older or less powerful computers
Has a large and active community of users
Offers a number of advanced features

Cons

The interface is not so easy-to-use
The recording feature is not as advanced as other screen recorders
Requires manual configuration

11. ScreenFlow (Free & Paid)

Ideal for: Recording and playing videos in multiple formats

Pricing: Free, $169

ScreenFlow is a screen recording and video editing software for Mac computers. It allows users to record their entire screen or a specific portion and capture video from connected cameras and microphones. The software includes tools for editing and enhancing the recorded video, such as adding text, shapes, and annotations, and the ability to trim, crop, and adjust audio levels. It can also be used to export videos in various formats, including MP4, MOV, and GIF.

It is commonly used for creating tutorials, demonstration videos, and software walkthroughs. It is also used for making videos for social media, YouTube, and other platforms.

screenflow

Pros

Allows high-quality screen and audio recording
Provides advanced video editing features
Supports a variety of video output formats

Cons

Too pricey
Only available for Mac users
Has limited integration with third-party software
Requires some time to learn all the advanced features

12. Movavi Screen Recorder (Free & Paid)

Ideal for: Capturing streaming videos and online calls

Pricing: Free, $49.9

Movavi Screen Recorder is an easy-to-use software application allowing you to record your computer screen, webcam, audio, and multimedia. Some of its features include recording in full screen or a specific area of the screen, recording audio from your microphone or system sound, and saving recordings in various formats such as MP4, AVI, and GIF.

It is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems. It can be used to create tutorials, record video calls, capture gameplay, and more.

movavi screen recorder

Pros

Easy to use and navigate
Lets you record your computer screen, webcam, audio, and other multimedia
Supports multiple file formats, such as MP4, AVI, and GIF
Allows you to schedule recordings

Cons

The free version adds a watermark to your recording
The free version limits recording time to 15 minutes
Crashes or freezes sometimes

Conclusion

The above tools are the best Mac screen recorders chosen by us. The list includes browser extensions and Mac applications. Which is your pick? If you still cannot decide yet, consider the compatible operating system, pricing, and recording features of the screen recorder when you are choosing.

FAQs about Best Screen Recorder for Mac

1. Does Mac have a screen recorder?

Yes, Mac computers have a built-in screen recording feature called QuickTime Player. To use it, open QuickTime Player, go to the File menu, and select "New Screen Recording." This will bring up a recording window allowing you to choose the screen area you want to record. It also has a built-in microphone and camera recording feature if you're going to record audio or your face while recording the screen.

2. What is the best screen recorder for a Mac?

Many screen recording options are available for Mac, and the best one for you will depend on your specific needs. Some popular options include:

Awesome Screenshot & Recorder: This is a 2-in-1 screenshot capture and screen recording tool. It offers browser extensions, an online tool, and a Mac app to let you enjoy screen recording anytime, anywhere.
OBS Studio: This is a free and open-source screen recording and streaming software. It is powerful and feature-rich, making it a popular choice for gamers, content creators, and professionals.
Camtasia: This is another paid screen recording and video editing software. It is user-friendly and allows you to create professional-looking videos easily.

3. Is there a better screen recorder than QuickTime?

If you need a free screen recorder better than QuickTime, try OBS studio. It is a free, open-source screen recording and streaming program for Mac, Windows, and Linux. It provides you with way more features than QuickTime does. But it is not so easy to use because of its complicated interface and configuration steps.

If you need a more straightforward and advanced screen recorder, you can look at Awesome Screenshot & Recorder. It can record the screen, take screenshots, edit images/videos, store your files on the cloud, share files via links, etc.

Top 12 Best Screen Recorder for Mac - Free and Paid

Miley Shen

Miley Shen