Best screen recording and video messaging tools 2026
Top picks for screen recording and video messaging tools 2026: Loom (teams wanting the most widely adopted async video-messaging tool with the largest install base, free Starter plan for up to 25 videos per creator with a 5-minute limit per recording; paid Business from about $15 per creator per month billed annually ($18 billed monthly), Business + AI from about $20 per creator per month billed annually ($24 monthly)), Vidyard (sales and marketing teams needing video hosting, viewer analytics and CRM integrations, not just quick screen capture, free plan limited to 5 uploaded and 5 recorded videos per month with a 30-minute cap and a single user; paid Pro from about $59 per seat per month billed annually ($89 billed monthly), Business custom-priced), Zight (individuals and small teams wanting instant screenshot, GIF and short-video links rather than long-form recordings, free Share plan with limited captures and basic annotation; paid Create at about $9.95 per month for individuals, Collaborate at about $12 per user per month billed annually for teams). All 4 tools here are compared on pricing, free plans, features and platforms, verified against vendor sources.
Pricing and features verified against each vendor's published information on 2026-09-20. Sources linked below.
At a glance
| Tool | Free plan | Pricing from | Best for | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loom | Yes | Free Starter plan for up to 25 videos per creator with a 5-minute limit per recording; paid Business from about $15 per creator per month billed annually ($18 billed monthly), Business + AI from about $20 per creator per month billed annually ($24 monthly) | teams wanting the most widely adopted async video-messaging tool with the largest install base | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android |
| Vidyard | Yes | Free plan limited to 5 uploaded and 5 recorded videos per month with a 30-minute cap and a single user; paid Pro from about $59 per seat per month billed annually ($89 billed monthly), Business custom-priced | sales and marketing teams needing video hosting, viewer analytics and CRM integrations, not just quick screen capture | Web, Chrome extension, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Zight | Yes | Free Share plan with limited captures and basic annotation; paid Create at about $9.95 per month for individuals, Collaborate at about $12 per user per month billed annually for teams | individuals and small teams wanting instant screenshot, GIF and short-video links rather than long-form recordings | Web, macOS, Windows, Chrome extension, iOS |
| ScreenPal | Yes | Free plan for 15-minute recordings with a watermark on exports; paid Deluxe from about $4 per month, Max from about $10 per month billed annually, team plans from about $8 per user per month | budget-conscious individuals, educators and small teams wanting a low-cost recorder and editor with a real free tier | Web, macOS, Windows, Chromebook |
The shortlist
1. Loom
Free planFounded 2015
Free Starter plan for up to 25 videos per creator with a 5-minute limit per recording; paid Business from about $15 per creator per month billed annually ($18 billed monthly), Business + AI from about $20 per creator per month billed annually ($24 monthly). Best for teams wanting the most widely adopted async video-messaging tool with the largest install base.
- The most widely adopted async video-messaging tool, acquired by Atlassian in 2023 for $975 million
- Automatic transcripts and captions on every recording, even on the free Starter plan
- AI features (auto-titles, video-to-text summaries, meeting recaps) locked behind the Business + AI tier
- Free workspace supports up to 50 members, though only paid seats can record past 25 videos
2. Vidyard
Free planFounded 2010
Free plan limited to 5 uploaded and 5 recorded videos per month with a 30-minute cap and a single user; paid Pro from about $59 per seat per month billed annually ($89 billed monthly), Business custom-priced. Best for sales and marketing teams needing video hosting, viewer analytics and CRM integrations, not just quick screen capture.
- Built for sales and marketing video, not just quick screen capture
- Per-viewer analytics and engagement tracking on every video sent
- Calls-to-action and forms can be embedded directly inside a video
- Deep CRM and sales-engagement platform integrations (Salesforce, HubSpot, Outreach)
3. Zight
Free planFounded 2010
Free Share plan with limited captures and basic annotation; paid Create at about $9.95 per month for individuals, Collaborate at about $12 per user per month billed annually for teams. Best for individuals and small teams wanting instant screenshot, GIF and short-video links rather than long-form recordings.
- Started in 2010 as CloudApp, rebranded to Zight on 30 March 2023
- Plan names themselves changed again in 2026, from Free/Pro/Teams to Share/Create/Collaborate/Scale
- Built around instant shareable links for screenshots, GIFs and short videos rather than long-form recordings
- Built-in annotation and markup tools on every capture, including the free Share plan
4. ScreenPal
Free planFounded 2006
Free plan for 15-minute recordings with a watermark on exports; paid Deluxe from about $4 per month, Max from about $10 per month billed annually, team plans from about $8 per user per month. Best for budget-conscious individuals, educators and small teams wanting a low-cost recorder and editor with a real free tier.
- Founded in 2006 as Screencast-O-Matic, one of the oldest tools in this comparison, rebranded to ScreenPal on 14 March 2023
- Includes a built-in video editor, not just a recorder, on the same platform
- Lowest paid entry price of the four tools compared here
- Widely used in education and training, alongside business use
Head-to-head comparisons
FAQ
- What are the best free screen recording and video messaging tools?
- Tools with a free plan here include Loom, Vidyard, Zight, ScreenPal. Compare limits before committing.
- How many screen recording and video messaging tools did this list compare?
- This page compares 4 tools, each linked to its own site.