Best Screen Recorder for Mac in 2026

*Last updated: November 2026.*

The best screen recorder for Mac depends on what you do with the video. If you only need a quick clip, the free tool already on your Mac is enough. If you send recordings as links, you want a cloud app. If you make demos and tutorials, you want zoom and captions. This list covers eight options and says who each one fits.

We make Quibble, and it is on the list. We put it where it fits, not first. Prices and facts for the other apps come from their official pages, checked in November 2026. Plans change, so check the current page before you buy.

Quick picks

• Free and already installed: the macOS Screenshot toolbar.
• Free and open source: Kap (short clips, GIFs) or OBS Studio (full control, no editor).
• Free to start, with share links: Cap or Loom.
• Polished demos with automatic zoom: Screen Studio.
• Screenshots and recordings in one tool: CleanShot X.
• Talk while you record, get captions and notes on your Mac: Quibble.

1. macOS Screenshot toolbar (free, built in)

Press Shift-Command-5. You can record the entire screen, a selected portion, or, on macOS Tahoe 26 or later, a selected window. In Options you pick a microphone, a timer, a save location and whether to show mouse clicks. Files save as .mov, by default to your desktop (Apple support, "Record the screen on your Mac").

Audio: In versions before macOS 27, the Options menu offers a microphone only. On macOS 27 or later, Options has an Include System Audio setting. See how to record your Mac screen with internal audio.

Fits: quick, one-off clips. Limits: no captions, zoom or highlight tools.

2. Kap (free, open source)

Kap is free and open source. It records on macOS 12 or later and exports GIF, MP4, WebM and APNG. Plugins can send a file to services such as Giphy, Vercel and Streamable.

Fits: short clips and GIFs. Limits: we found no mention of automatic captions or system-audio capture on its page; check before you rely on it.

3. OBS Studio (free, open source)

OBS Studio is free and open source. It supports macOS 13 or newer, with separate downloads for Intel and Apple silicon Macs. It records and streams, but it has no video editor.

Fits: people who want full control over scenes, sources and streaming. Limits: it takes setup time, and you edit the video somewhere else.

4. Cap (free plan, paid options)

Cap runs on Mac, Windows and Linux. The Free plan is for personal use and includes Studio Mode with an editor, 4K/60 fps export, and 25 share links a month (up to 5 minutes each). The Desktop License is $58 once or $29 a year, adds commercial use, and works fully offline. Cap Pro is $12 per user per month ($8.16 per month billed annually) and adds unlimited cloud sharing, AI transcriptions and team workspaces.

Fits: people who want share links and a free start, or a cheap one-time desktop license. Limits: automatic transcription is listed under Pro. For a closer look, see Quibble vs Cap.

5. Loom (free plan, cloud)

Loom is a cloud service built around sharing a link. The Starter plan is free: 25 videos, 5-minute screen recordings and 720p. Business is $18 per user per month. Captions are on every plan, in more than 50 languages, according to the pricing page.

Fits: teams that send quick video messages. Limits: recordings live in Loom's cloud service, and the free plan is capped. Our Quibble vs Loom guide goes deeper.

6. Screen Studio (paid, Mac only)

Screen Studio is a Mac recorder known for automatic zoom, backgrounds and polish. It lists $29 per month, or $9 per month shown with annual billing. The page says one-time purchases are no longer available for new buyers. It offers share links, GIF export and MP4 at 720p, 1080p and 4K. Captions are made on your Mac with Whisper or Apple speech recognition, with a cloud option.

Fits: polished product demos where you want the app to do the zooming. Limits: price; we found no free plan on its page.

7. CleanShot X (paid, screenshots and video)

CleanShot X is built around screenshots, with a video editor and smart zoom. Basic is $35 once with one year of updates, then $19 a year if you want to keep updating. Pro is $10 per user per month billed annually and adds unlimited cloud storage. The page lists a 30-day refund.

Fits: people who capture many screenshots and the occasional video. Limits: there is no free trial on the direct purchase.

8. Quibble (Mac with Apple silicon, one-time or subscription)

Quibble records your screen and your voice. When you stop, it adds captions in English or Korean, made on your Mac. It zooms into your clicks, draws a yellow highlight when you hold ⌘ and move the mouse, and exports an MP4. Every recording also keeps notes: when you point and speak, each remark becomes a timestamped note. Recordings are never uploaded.

System audio records when you turn on System audio in Settings (or Record System Audio in the recording options menu) (off by default). The microphone is recorded by default.

Recording, editing and previewing are free. Saving and exporting need a license: $7.99 per month, $79 per year or $129 once, with a 14-day refund.

Fits: demos, tutorials and bug reports where you talk while you record. Limits: Apple silicon Macs only (macOS 15 or later), no share links, no cloud, no team plan, and captions in English and Korean only.

Comparison table (November 2026)

"Not listed" means the official page does not mention it. If audio from the Mac matters, check that app's page first.

How to choose

1. Need audio from the Mac itself? Use macOS 27's built-in option, or an app that lists system audio, such as Loom, Screen Studio or Quibble.
2. Need a link to send? Cap, Loom or Screen Studio.
3. Need it free? The Screenshot toolbar, Kap, OBS, or the free plans of Cap and Loom.
4. Making demos or tutorials? Screen Studio or Quibble. See how to make a SaaS product demo video.

Sources

Prices and features were checked on each official page in November 2026. Plans change, so check the current page before you buy.

• Apple: Record the screen on your Mac
• Kap: getkap.co
• OBS Studio: obsproject.com
• Cap: cap.so/pricing
• Loom: loom.com/pricing
• Screen Studio: screen.studio
• CleanShot X: cleanshot.com/pricing
• Quibble: getquibble.app pricing

Frequently asked questions

What is the best screen recorder for Mac with audio?

It depends on which audio. For your voice, every option here can use a microphone. For sound from the Mac itself, macOS 27 added Include System Audio to the Screenshot toolbar, and Quibble records it when you turn on System audio in Settings. Loom and Screen Studio also list Mac sound on their pages; Kap, OBS, Cap and CleanShot X do not state it on the pages we checked.

What is the best free screen recorder for Mac?

For a quick clip, the built-in Screenshot toolbar. For GIFs, Kap. For streaming or complex setups, OBS Studio. Cap and Loom have free plans with limits. Quibble is free to record and edit, but you need a license to save the video.

Do I need to install anything to record my screen on a Mac?

No. Press Shift-Command-5 to use the built-in tool. Other apps add editing, captions or sharing.

Which screen recorder works offline?

The Screenshot toolbar, Kap, OBS Studio, Quibble and Cap's Desktop License work without sending your recording to a cloud service. Loom is a cloud service.

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