How to Pick the Best Screen Recording Software
Screen recording software is an important tool for every desktop, laptop, or mobile user, especially businesses and remote workers. With screen recording software, you can create visual how-to’s, product demos, and videos for sales and marketing. Screen recording tools are also perfect for remote collaboration between teams. Regardless of your reason for using a screen recorder, you will want access to the best screen recording software for your device.
So, how do you pick the best screen recording software? In this article, we will go over the features you should look for in a screen recorder. Then, we will list the top 5 screen recording software that include these features.
If you are looking for more simple options, then you can check out articles on the native Mac and Windows screen recorders and the best free screen recording software.
What to look for in screen recording software
What do you need to make the best screen recording possible? Your answer will depend on what you’re using your recording for. However, here are some general features that you should look for in screen recording software:
- Webcam functionality: The ability to screen record with webcam and both your webcam and screen is very useful. This way, you can explain details of your screen recording for your audience and communicate nonverbally through body language.
- Video editing: To make your videos perfect, you can use video editing tools that let you trim videos, add text and drawings, or blur out sensitive information.
- Captions: These make your video accessible to the hard of hearing or those who can’t listen to audio in their current situation. Translatable captions make your video accessible to speakers of other languages.
- HD video and audio: Look for video recording software that lets you make crisp videos so your viewers can see and hear everything clearly.
- Video analytics: These let you see who has watched your video and how many times your video has been watched. This is an especially useful feature for sales and marketing teams who use videos to reach out to prospects.
- Video hosting: Online cloud storage and landing pages make it easier to share your videos with others. With online video hosting, neither you nor your recipient needs to download your video and take up device storage space.
- Integrations: Integrations with other productivity and social sharing apps let you share your videos more easily and view more insights into video performance.
5 best screen recording software
The 5 screen recorders listed below include most or all of the above features. They represent a diverse array of screen recorders that are useful for individuals and businesses alike. For each software, we list its top features.
1. Covideo – the top screen recording software with video email and messaging
Covideo features:
- Video email: Covideo lets you embed your screen recordings directly into your email, text, or CRM messages. Videos will appear as an animated GIF within the email. You can also record videos directly from your email with the Gmail and Outlook extensions.
- Multiple devices: You can download Covideo on both Android and iPhone, use it as a Chrome extension, or access it online on any browser from the Covideo dashboard.
- HD webcam and audio: You can record your webcam only, screen only, or screen and webcam. Both video and audio are high-quality.
- Custom landing page: Your video is displayed on a custom landing page of your choosing. You can also set your video to overlay on your website.
- Clickable CTAs: Add clickable buttons to the bottom of your videos that direct your viewer to next steps.
- Video trimming: Trim the beginning and end of your videos.
- Captions: Automatically generate captions for your videos or add your own.
- Merge video: Merge multiple recordings together into one video.
- Video analytics: Measure your videos’ engagement with Hubspot details; see who viewed your video, how often they viewed it, and which parts they watched.
- Salesforce integration: Integrate Covideo with Salesforce so you can track video analytics within your CRM platform.
2.Droplr – the top cloud-based screenshot and screen recording tool
Droplr Features
- Screen record as GIF: You can record GIFs anywhere on your screen.
- HD audio and video: Droplr comes with optional audio and HD video.
- Webcam: Use webcam recording on the Droplr Mac app and Chrome extension.
- Multiple devices: Droplr offers apps for Mac and Windows and an extension for Google Chrome.
- Cloud storage: All of your screen recordings are saved automatically to the cloud. You can also upload other videos to the Droplr cloud for easy storage and sharing.
- Link sharing: Share all of your recordings by pasting a short link that is automatically generated by Droplr when you finish your screen capture. This link will redirect those who click on it to your video’s landing page, where they can view it without downloading anything.
- Custom landing pages: Customize landing pages with your logo, custom theme, or custom domain.
- Video trimming: Trim the beginning and end of your videos.
- Premium analytics: View how many times your drops have been clicked on and analyze all users’ drops in an enterprise account.
- Integrations: Droplr includes integrations with over a dozen other apps including Slack, Discord, Google Drive, and Jira.
3.Fluvid – the top screen recorder Chrome extension for live streams and custom videos
Fluvid Features
- Webcam: Record your screen, webcam, or both. You can change your webcam’s location and size on your screen.
- Live streaming: Live stream your recordings with HD video and audio. This feature is perfect for webinars and classes.
- Video editing: Fluvid’s video editing tools include a drawing tool, trimming, and cropping.
- Edit during recording: You can draw or highlight on your screen during recording or streaming.
- CTA buttons: Add clickable CTA buttons beneath your video to direct viewers to next steps.
- Video analytics: Get insights into your videos’ performance.
- Video dashboard: Host all videos on your Fluvid dashboard and share them online with others.
4. Screencast-O-Matic – the top online screen recording software for video editing
Screencast-O-MaticFeatures
- HD video and audio: Record in style with HD video and optional audio.
- Webcam: Record your screen, webcam, or both.
- GIF recording: Record your screen as a GIF.
- Multiple apps: Use Screencast-O-Matic on Mac, Windows, Chrome, and Android.
- Advanced video editing: The platform’s wide range of editing tools includes trimming, text, arrows, green screen filter, blurring, sound effects, imported music, and captions. You can also zoom in and out while recording.
- Sharing options: You can share videos directly on Twitter, Facebook, Microsoft Teams, and Google Classroom or upload them on YouTube, Video, Dropbox, or Google Drive.
- Video hosting: Host videos on your own Screencast-O-Matic landing page with optional customization.
5. Screencastify – the top screen recorder Chrome extension for quick recording and sharing
ScreencastifyFeatures
- Webcam: Record your screen, webcam, or both.
- HD video and audio: Record in HD with optional audio.
- Annotation tools: While recording, annotate your videos with mouse highlight, a drawing pen, or click highlighting.
- Video editing: After recording, edit your videos with overlay text, trimming, and cropping.
- Merge videos: Merge multiple videos together. You can also rearrange and delete clips.
- Export options: You can export your video as an MP3, MP4, or GIF.
- Upload options: Your videos are automatically saved to your Google Drive. You can also upload them directly to YouTube or Google Classroom.
Picking the best screen recording software for your needs
Although the above screen recording software are all excellent, the best one for you will depend on why you’re recording videos. If you need to record video messages for sales, marketing, or easy communication, then you should use Covideo as it is the only platform listed that can embed videos into email or text messages. Droplr, in turn, is great for customer service agents, graphic designers, and other professionals who use screen recording to collaborate and need quick and easy sharing options. Screencast-O-Matic is also a good choice for quick sharing, though it includes more robust video editing tools. Fluvid and Screencastify are both great Google Chrome screen recorder extensions, though Fluvid is better for live streaming webinars or product demos while Screencastify is great for simple recordings and school or work assignments.
If Covideo is the best screen recording software for you, start Start a free trial. You can also schedule a free demo with one of our screen recorder experts. Let us show you how video email can upgrade your communication efforts.