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Loom vs Screen Studio

Updated November 13, 2026 ยท By KIM YOOGEON, maker of Quibble

Choose Loom if you record quick videos to send to teammates as a link, or you work on Windows, iOS or Android. Choose Screen Studio if you make polished Mac demos and want automatic zooms and cursor effects. They solve different problems, so the real question is whether you are sending a message or making a finished video.

This guide compares the two fairly. Facts come from loom.com/pricing and screen.studio, checked in November 2026 ("As of November 2026"). Plans change, so check the current page before you buy. We make a third app, Quibble, which is linked in a few places and gets one short section at the end.

What each is built for

  • Loom is built for async communication: record, get a link, send it. Its pricing page lists Mac, Windows, iOS and Android, and plans organized around teams and shared spaces.
  • Screen Studio is built for polished screen recordings on a Mac. Its site lists automatic zoom, cursor effects, captions, and export up to 4K at 60 fps.

Quick comparison (as of November 2026)

LoomScreen Studio
Free planStarter: $0, 25 videos, 5 minutes per screen recording, up to 720pNot mentioned on the official page
PaidBusiness $18/user/month; Business + AI $24/user/month$9/month billed annually; $29 monthly
One-time licenseNoNot available for new purchases
PlatformsMac, Windows, iOS, AndroidmacOS only
Share linksYes, core featureYes: 1080p, 60 fps, videos up to 30 minutes
CaptionsTranscripts and closed captions, 50+ languages listed on StarterGenerated from speech, processed on your Mac
Auto zoom and cursor effectsNo auto zoom listed; drawing tool and mouse emphasis on Business and upYes
ExportVideo quality up to 4K on paid plansMP4 720p, 1080p or 4K at up to 60 fps; GIF up to 1080p
TeamsMembers, spaces, SSO and SCIM on EnterpriseNot mentioned on the official page

Where Loom is better

  • Sending and watching. Links are the main product, with team spaces and privacy options such as password-protected videos.
  • A free tier. Starter is $0, with 25 videos and 5-minute screen recordings.
  • More platforms. Mac, Windows, iOS and Android.
  • Team controls. Enterprise lists SSO (SAML), SCIM, a 99.95% uptime SLA and more.
  • AI tools. Business + AI lists the Loom AI suite, including summaries, chapters, and filler word and silence removal.

Where Screen Studio is better

  • Polish. Auto zoom on clicks, smoothed cursor movement, motion blur and click effects, with cursor size and style adjustable after recording.
  • Export quality. MP4 up to 4K at 60 fps, and GIF.
  • Captions on your device. The site says captions are processed on your Mac, with several styles.
  • Recording a phone. You can record a connected iPhone or iPad over USB.
  • Cheaper per user. $9 a month billed annually, versus Loom Business at $18 per user per month. Loom's page does not say which billing cycle its $18 and $24 figures reflect, so the gap may differ.

Price

As of November 2026, Loom's Starter plan is free, Business is $18 per user per month and Business + AI is $24. The page says annual billing saves up to 17% and offers a 14-day trial of Business + AI. Enterprise pricing is custom.

Screen Studio lists $9 a month billed annually, or $29 monthly, with 40% off for students and educators. One-time licenses are no longer sold to new buyers; existing licenses stay valid. We did not find a free trial mentioned on its page.

Sharing and privacy

Loom is cloud-first: videos live on Loom and are shared by link. Screen Studio saves files on your Mac. It can make a shareable link (1080p, 60 fps, up to 30 minutes), and the site says a link is uploaded only when you create one.

How to choose

  • You send quick updates to a team: Loom.
  • You work on Windows or a phone: Loom.
  • You make product demos or launch videos on a Mac: Screen Studio.
  • You want 4K, 60 fps and cursor effects: Screen Studio.
  • You want both: many people record polished clips in one app and send quick messages in another.

For more detail on each, see Quibble vs Loom and Quibble vs Screen Studio.

A third option

If you want a Mac recorder that makes captions on your device, zooms into your clicks and keeps notes from what you say, there is Quibble. It costs $7.99 per month, $79 per year or $129 once, runs on Apple silicon Macs with macOS 15 or later, and has no cloud sharing links, team plan, or Windows version. You can record and edit free; a license is needed to save and export. Try Quibble.

Sources

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

Frequently asked questions

Is Loom free?

Loom has a free Starter plan: up to 25 videos, 5 minutes per screen recording and 720p quality, according to its pricing page. Paid plans remove those limits.

Is Screen Studio better than Loom?

They do different jobs. Screen Studio is for polished Mac recordings; Loom is for sending quick videos by link and for teams. Pick by the job, not by a score.

Does Screen Studio work on Windows?

No. The site says it is macOS only, with no near-future plans to add Windows support.

Can I buy Screen Studio once?

Not as a new buyer, as of November 2026. The page says one-time licenses are no longer available for new purchases; existing licenses remain valid.

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