When you’re trying to record and edit videos, one of your first steps is to find a screen recorder. Since you’re still inexperienced, you probably want to find a free screen recorder so you can learn and experiment. While the best screen recorder isn’t necessarily free, you can learn a lot if you play around with any screen recorder app.

Of course, not all online screen recorders will work for everyone. You could be trying to record your screen on your phone or your iPad. Alternatively, you might want to edit the video to include your voice or the audio coming from your device. That means you need to understand your requirements to make sure your screen recorder is suitable for you.

If you’re inexperienced with screen recording, it can be tough to know which recorder works best. Try a free recording tool and compare it to a paid one with a free trial to see the difference yourself. Above all, don’t try and use platforms like Zoom, the recording will lag far too much.

Top 6 Free Screen Recorders

Whether you’re streaming yourself gaming on YouTube, or you’re creating a How-To video for work, each of these 6 screen recording tools has something to offer you.

1. DVDFab Screen Recorder & Editor – Best all-around screen recorder

free screen recorder:1. DVDFab Screen Recorder & Editor – Best all-around screen recorder

DVDFab Screen Recorder is probably the most complete screen recorder there is. Unlike most screen recorders you’ll find this one gives you the ability to record both audio and video at the same time on iOS. That means you can show other people things like games and other processes on your phone. Not to mention, you can edit any recording you take, both on iOS and PC.

I think one of the most important parts of creating a tutorial is making sure that you can easily shift back and forth between your screen and your webcam. DVDFab makes it ridiculously easy for you to switch between multiple views like this. Furthermore, you can add audio however you like, including using a separate microphone stream. Then, you only need to sync up the audio with the video with our easy-to-use editing tool.

Of course, no screen video recorder would be complete without sophisticated editing tools. Use DVDFab’s screen recorder to add transitions, animations, captions, and call-outs. You can also use this tool to zoom in and out. Test different video versions and save your edits to compare them to one another. This will help you decide which video is the best to publish.

Once you’re done, you can easily export the video using MP4, Blu-ray, or other formats.

You can download DVDFab Screen Recorder for your Windows device for free right now. Once you get the paid version, you even have a 30-day money-back guarantee. So, what are you waiting for? Test the features out today!

Best Features:

  • You receive exceptional editing tools.
  • Record both video and audio and loop them together with this software!
  • Record yourself on your webcam and overlay it onto your video.
  • Easily create the Picture-In-Picture (PIP) effect.
  • You can pan and zoom to make your video dynamic.
  • Export to several different formats, including MP4 and DVD.
  • Add your own custom watermarks to make bespoke videos.
  • Experience all these features without any annoying ads!

Disadvantages:

  • You might find yourself overwhelmed by all these features in a single software.

2. ShareX – Best Online Screen Recorder

free screen recorder:2. ShareX – Best Online Screen Recorder

To capture video of you performing tasks online, ShareX does a great job of providing flexible full-screen recording in your browser. When you use their scrolling feature, you won’t need to worry about things like lag time because this tool scrolls smoothly.

With that said, there are some drawbacks to using this tool. For example, since the interface isn’t very responsive and difficult to use, you’ll likely need to use the keyboard shortcuts to start and stop recordings instead.

Outside of using this tool for recordings of online activities, you’ll encounter some difficulties. For instance, it’s difficult to use this tool for gaming because you can’t use it in full-screen mode.

Best Features:

  • This software allows you to record yourself while scrolling as well as your whole monitor.
  • You are not exposed to ads, despite the fact this software is free.
  • You can freely import videos in several formats.
  • Create screen captures regularly based on a schedule.
  • Save files as GIFs, not just video files.
  • It’s compatible with several URL-sharing services.

Disadvantages:

  • This software lacks acks many recording features such as webcam and gaming recordings
  • Many find ShareX difficult to use.
  • You won’t be allowed to edit your videos with this software.
  • It’s common for export features to fail to work properly.
  • Annoying for gamers, since you can’t record in full-screen mode while you’re gaming.

3. Free Cam – Best Screen Recorder for YouTube videos

free screen recorder:3. Free Cam – Best Screen Recorder for YouTube videos

If you need to film and post your video on YouTube, Free Cam is a good choice. This Microsoft screen recorder allows PC users to record videos seamlessly. Users love their clean easy-to-use interface. Better yet, you can even drill down on specific sections of your screen and only record those.

While Free Cam is one of the best free screen recorders out there, it’s difficult to put it at the top of our list. Unfortunately, you can only export WMV files with this tool, which are compatible with YouTube.

One further drawback is that you can’t record using your webcam or on an iOS device, so it isn’t very flexible compared to other options we’ve listed.

Best Features:

  • You get to use it for free in perpetuity, without watermarks or ads.
  • Upload your videos directly to YouTube.
  • The YouTube exports are of high quality.
  • Add voiceover to your videos.
  • Record audio on your computer and integrate it with the video using their software.
  • This software offers special effects for audio.
  • Their audio editing tools allow you to remove irritating background noises.
  • It is possibly the best screen recorder for PC users only.

Disadvantages:

  • You can only export videos in WMV format.
  • You can’t use your webcam to record videos.
  • Their editing abilities are limited aside from audio.
  • Unfortunately, this is not a screen recorder for Mac, only PC users.

4. OBS Studio – Best Cross-Platform Screen Recorder

free screen recorder:4. OBS Studio – Best Cross-Platform Screen Recorder

As one of the most popular screen recorders for streamers, OBS Studio offers you functionality both for Mac and Windows screen recording. The reason why so many streamers love this screen recorder app is that it allows you to create custom transitions between several different sources. For instance, images, webcam, screen captures, and more. While it has a bit of an outdated interface, it’s still functional for most users.

OBS Studio is suitable for more than just gaming streams, you can also use it to create engaging tutorial videos. But be warned, this software is quite a challenge to use. It will take you a while to set every component up the way you want it. If you’re neither tech-savvy nor experienced with screen recording, you might want to avoid this tool completely.

Best Features:

  • OBS is a screen recorder for both Mac and Windows.
  • They allow you to exclude notifications from popping up when you’re recording meetings.
  • Your streams will flow smoothly with this technology.
  • OBS is open-source software.
  • They offer plenty of editing tools, including an audio mixer.

Disadvantages:

  • Beginners find this software difficult to set up and use.
  • The UI is quite outdated and unattractive.
  • It takes time to use, which means it’s difficult to record videos on the fly.
  • From time to time, this software crashes.

5. Debut Video Capture – Best Screen Recorder for Streaming

free screen recorder:5. Debut Video Capture – Best Screen Recorder for Streaming

Imagine having your very own green screen! Debut Video makes it possible with their high-tech green screen feature. Replace your boring office background with a custom one. You can film yourself using their webcam features. Alternatively, you could even use a completely different camera!

One of the first things you notice when you go to open this software is that the interface looks about 20 years old. Unfortunately, this is one of the most prominent complaints about the software, not to mention it can lag a lot as well, which doesn’t make a good impression. In the near future, they are supposed to update the look and feel of this tool, but only time will tell. At least it’s free!

Best Features:

  • This is an excellent screen recorder; free for Windows users.
  • They give you the ability to add your own backgrounds with a green screen feature.
  • Debut offers several different video export formats.
  • You can record time-lapse videos.
  • Record videos for an unlimited amount of time.

Disadvantages:

  • The UI is fairly outdated.
  • Unfortunately, they don’t offer screen recording for iOS users.
  • You can tell that their video editing tools are unsophisticated.
  • It takes forever to upload videos when you use this software.
  • Animating videos is out of the question, you wonèt be able to do it.
  • Once again, this software sometimes crashes.

6. Flashback Express – Best Screen Recorder for Gaming

free screen recorder:6. Flashback Express – Best Screen Recorder for Gaming

When you’re streaming your games, you must avoid in-game lag. Furthermore, you need to zoom in and pan with confidence when you go to edit. Flashback Express provides all those features on a free plan. However, you’ll need to pay up after 30 days to benefit from the full extent of this tool’s features.

While you can export videos from this tool to your device in several formats such as WMV and MP4, you can’t export directly to websites like YouTube. Therefore, you’ll still have to endure a bit of extra upload time.

Best Features:

  • They offer a 30-day free trial.
  • Several of their tools are limited only to their paid plans.
  • You can record HD videos from screen captures or webcam without any branded watermark.
  • Choose from several different export formats, including direct export to YouTube.
  • Set an endpoint ahead of time instead of stopping the video while you record.

Disadvantages:

  • Once the free trial expires, it costs $49 per month.
  • For the price you pay, you’re still getting limited basic features.
  • You can only import files in FBR format.
  • There aren’t any easy ways for you to modify this tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some of our users have had questions about how to find the best free screen recorder. We’ve done our best to answer them.

How can I record my screen for free?

To record your screen for free, you simply need the right free screen recorder, Windows users will have an easier time finding one. For example, DVDFab offers a free trial to use their screen recorder on Windows. Meanwhile, OBS Studio is a Mac screen recorder that works on both operating systems.

What is the best screen recorder for iOS?

While there are many different screen recorders available on the market, few allow users to record their activity on iOS. Fortunately, DVDFab has the answer. You can use the DVDFab Screen Recorder to both record videos on iOS and edit them on your computer. Prominent features include the webcam to add your face to the video as well as the text watermarks to make your videos exclusive.

What is the best screen recorder for PC?

For PC users, there are several screen recorders available. For instance, DVDFab allows you to edit and record on PC in addition to iOS devices. Debut Video Capture is another well-known option for PC users. Debut is a completely free screen recorder for PC, but the trade-off is that the interface is quite outdated.

How do YouTubers screen record?

YouTubers record their screens with screen recording software. The best screen recorder for this purpose depends on the type of video you’re creating. If you like to make gaming streams, Flashback Express has a lot of helpful paid tools to assist gamers. Meanwhile, Free Cam is a free tool that allows you to export videos directly from your PC onto YouTube. If you need to record a screen on your phone, then DVDFab will help you record on iOS devices.

How can I record my screen with audio for free?

Most free screen recorders we listed give you the ability to mix your audio alongside the recording of your screen. However, DVDFab gives you the most powerful editing features to ensure that your audio overlays perfectly alongside your screen capture or webcam video.

Conclusion

We’ve reviewed a fair number of screen recorders. Overall, DVDFab comes out on top because it offers versatile recording tools alongside sophisticated video editing features. Whether you need to record a tutorial video for your clients, or a gaming video for your subscribers, you shouldn’t settle for second best. At the end of the day, it is more convenient to record and edits your videos all in one place instead of mixing and matching features from other software.