OBS Studio
Free, open source recorder and live streamer for Windows, version 33.0.0
Screen recorder for PC: five Windows picks compared
The five recorders here do different jobs, and that is the first thing to sort out. OBS Studio is built for video recording and live streaming. ShareX captures any area of the screen and sends it to a chosen destination with one key press. ScreenToGif records a selected area, a webcam or a sketchboard and then edits the result.
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Loom and Camtasia lean toward communication and production. Loom records camera, microphone and desktop together for sharing. Camtasia pairs recording with an editor that adds effects and transitions.
All five are free. Three use open licenses: GPL-2.0, GPL-3.0 and MS-PL. Loom and Camtasia are proprietary. Installers range from 71.7 MB for ScreenToGif to 308.5 MB for Camtasia. None of these is ranked above the others here.
Apps in this category
ShareX
Free GPL-3.0 Windows screen capture, GIF and OCR tool with an image editor
ScreenToGif
Free Windows recorder that captures screen, webcam or sketchboard to GIF
Loom
Loom 0.383.1: free Windows recorder that shares video messages instantly
Camtasia
Camtasia 26.2.5: screen recorder and video editor in one Windows app
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Top 5 picks
OBS Studio
OBS Studio, from the OBS Project, covers video recording and live streaming. Version 33.0.0 was updated on October 23, 2026 and is a 178 MB download. It is free under GPL-2.0. Pick it when streaming is part of the plan, not only saving clips.
ShareX
ShareX, from the ShareX Team, records or captures any screen area and shares it with a single key press. It can also upload images, text and other files to many destinations. Version 21.0.0 is 132.7 MB, free and licensed under GPL-3.0. Updated July 3, 2026.
ScreenToGif
ScreenToGif is the smallest here at 71.7 MB. It records a selected screen area, a webcam feed or sketchboard drawings, then edits the result in its own editor. Output formats include GIF, APNG, video, PSD and PNG. Version 2.43.2, free, under the MS-PL license.
Loom
Loom is a video messaging tool from Loom, Inc. It records camera, microphone and desktop at the same time, and the video can be shared right away. Version 0.383.1 was updated November 2, 2026. It is 182.5 MB, listed at price 0, and proprietary.
Camtasia
Camtasia from TechSmith combines a screen recorder with a video editor for effects and transitions. It takes webcam or screen input and suits demos as well as longer projects. Version 26.2.5.21144 is the largest at 308.5 MB, updated November 3, 2026, and proprietary.
Questions and answers
Are these screen recorders free?
All five are free: OBS Studio, ShareX, ScreenToGif, Loom and Camtasia. Check each developer's page for details on any limits on free use before relying on one.
Which of these apps include a video editor?
ScreenToGif has an integrated editor for saving animations as GIF, APNG, video, PSD or PNG. Camtasia is a screen recorder and video editor in one, with effects and transitions.
Which are open source?
OBS Studio is licensed GPL-2.0 and ShareX GPL-3.0, and both are described as free and open source. ScreenToGif uses the MS-PL license. Loom and Camtasia are listed as proprietary.
Related categories
Best-of lists
Before installing, match the tool to the output you need. A short clip for a chat or ticket points to ShareX or ScreenToGif, both under 135 MB. A recorded walkthrough with spoken narration fits Loom, which takes camera, microphone and desktop together. Longer edited videos fit Camtasia, though its 308.5 MB installer is the biggest of the group.
All five are Windows apps, and the comparison rests on functions, licenses and file sizes.