Last updated: 2026-01-30

For most people in the US who want clean, presenter‑led screen recordings without wrestling with settings, start with StreamYard’s free browser‑based studio and export your recordings into a simple editor. When you need heavy desktop capture or quick async clips for work, OBS and Loom can play specific supporting roles.

Summary

• StreamYard’s free plan gives you an in‑browser studio for screen + camera recording, with layouts, branding, and local multi‑track files you can edit later. (StreamYard pricing)
• OBS is a powerful, fully free desktop app for detailed screen capture and streaming, but it requires more setup and capable hardware. (OBS Studio)
• Loom’s free plan is geared toward short, shareable clips (5‑minute, 720p recordings) rather than long tutorials or shows. (Loom pricing)
• A simple workflow for most creators: capture in StreamYard for clarity and quality, then trim and repurpose in a free editor like iMovie, Clipchamp, or DaVinci Resolve.

What should you look for in free screen capture software?

Before picking tools, get clear on what “good enough” actually means for you.

Most people searching for free screen capture and editing want:

• Fast setup: No drivers, no codec research, no 40‑minute YouTube tutorials just to hit record.
• Clear, presenter‑led video: Your face plus your screen, with legible text and good audio.
• Instant reuse: Easy to export, upload, or repurpose the recording across platforms.
• High‑quality output on normal laptops: No need for gaming‑grade GPUs.

That’s why workflow matters more than any single app. A lightweight browser studio like StreamYard handles capture, framing, and audio cleanly; a simple editor handles trimming and polishing.

How does StreamYard’s free plan handle screen capture?

At StreamYard, we built the studio to feel like a live show, even when you’re just recording your screen.

On the free plan in the US, you can:

• Join from your browser and share your screen while staying on camera, arranging both in a layout that fits your story. (StreamYard pricing)
• Control screen audio and microphone audio independently, so you can mute game or system sounds while still narrating.
• Capture local multi‑track recordings, giving you separate files per participant that are ready for post‑production. (Local recording)
• Record in both landscape and portrait from the same session, which is ideal if you want YouTube tutorials and vertical clips for Shorts or Reels.
• Add live overlays, logos, and other visual elements so your recording comes out closer to a finished product.
• Keep presenter notes visible only to you, so you can follow talking points without cluttering the recording.
• Invite guests and even use multi‑participant screen sharing for collaborative demos or walkthroughs.

The free plan includes local recording with a modest cap, which is enough to test your workflow and produce shorter tutorials or walkthroughs before you ever consider paying. (StreamYard pricing)

Which free recorder should you use: OBS, Loom, or StreamYard?

Let’s map each tool to the job it’s actually good at.

StreamYard (browser studio)

• Ideal when you want clear presenter‑led recordings, usually with guests or multiple layouts.
• Runs in the browser, so you can record even on managed or modest laptops.
• Free plan includes core studio features; there are limits on hours and storage, but you can do real‑world work without configuring encoders. (Feature limits)

OBS Studio (desktop app)

• OBS is free and open source, with no paid tiers and no vendor‑imposed recording caps; your hardware and disk are the only real limits. (OBS Studio)
• It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux and lets you build complex scenes with multiple sources, overlays, and fine‑grained encoder settings. (OBS Studio)
• Great when you need deep control for gameplay or multi‑monitor capture and are comfortable tuning bitrates, formats, and GPUs.

Loom (async communication tool)

• Loom is built for quick, shareable screen + camera clips; recordings become links you can drop into tools like Slack or Jira.
• The free Starter plan in the US includes 25 videos per person and 5‑minute screen recording limits, so it’s inherently short‑form. (Starter plan FAQ)
• Free recordings are typically capped at 720p, with higher resolutions on paid tiers. (Loom pricing)

For most creators, educators, and small teams who care about both recording and live events, StreamYard is a more natural default: you get a show‑like studio, local multi‑track files for editing, and a workflow that feels the same whether you’re live or pre‑recording.

How does StreamYard compare on pricing when you grow?

Even though you’re searching for free software, it helps to know what happens if you outgrow a free tier.

• StreamYard’s free plan is truly free; when you move to paid, pricing is per workspace, not per individual seat, which is cost‑efficient for teams as they add collaborators. (StreamYard pricing)
• Loom’s model is per user per month (for Business and above), so adding teammates increases total cost linearly. (Loom pricing)
• OBS stays free regardless of how big your team is, but each person needs a suitable machine, local storage, and their own setup knowledge. (OBS Studio)

At StreamYard, paid plans also include a 7‑day free trial and often promotional pricing for new users, so you can test longer recordings, more storage, and advanced options before committing. (StreamYard pricing)

Which free screen capture tools include built‑in editing with 4K export?

This is where expectations often outpace reality.

Most “all‑in‑one, free forever” promises have fine print: time limits, watermarks, or capped resolutions.

• Loom’s free tier focuses on simple trimming and basic edits around short, 720p clips; true 4K export and richer editing live on its paid plans. (Loom pricing)
• OBS records at whatever resolution and bitrate your hardware supports, but editing is not built in; you need a separate editor for cuts, effects, and titles. (OBS Studio)
• StreamYard’s focus is high‑quality capture with layouts and branding baked in, plus local multi‑track files that drop cleanly into any free editor for more advanced work.

For most workflows, the smoothest path is: use StreamYard to record a polished “live‑style” version, then bring those files into a free editor like iMovie (macOS), Clipchamp (Windows), or DaVinci Resolve when you need heavier edits. That combination usually beats pushing a single free app to be both your studio and your full‑blown editor.

What free workflow pairs a screen recorder with a free editor?

Here’s a practical, no‑nonsense setup you can implement this afternoon:

1. Capture in StreamYard (Free)

   • Open the studio in your browser.
   • Share your screen, add your camera, pick a layout, and hit record.
   • Keep presenter notes in the private notes area so you stay on track.

2. Download local recordings

   • Grab the local multi‑track files so you have clean audio and video per participant. (Local recording)

3. Edit in a free NLE

   • Use any free editor on your machine to trim dead air, add titles, and export multiple formats.

4. Repurpose across platforms

   • Use StreamYard again to create vertical cuts or to host a live Q&A based on the edited tutorial.

This keeps capture simple, makes editing flexible, and avoids locking your content into any one platform’s editor.

How should you decide which free tool to start with?

Think about your primary use case first:

• “I want to record tutorials, interviews, or live‑style walkthroughs.”
  Start with StreamYard’s free plan for studio‑quality layouts, branding, and local multi‑track files; combine it with a free editor when needed.

• “I’m technical and want deep control over formats and encoders.”
  Add OBS for pure desktop capture and niche workflows while still using StreamYard when you need an easier, browser‑based studio.

• “I just need quick async updates for my team.”
  Use Loom’s free tier for short, link‑based clips; reach for StreamYard when you need more polish, guests, or live sessions.

Over time, many creators end up with a “tool stack,” but StreamYard often sits at the center because the same studio works for live shows, evergreen recordings, and collaborative demos.

What we recommend

• Use StreamYard Free as your default screen‑recording studio for presenter‑led videos, interviews, and tutorials.
• Pair StreamYard recordings with a free desktop editor for trimming, titles, and exports in whatever format you need.
• Layer in OBS only if you need heavy, hardware‑tuned capture, and Loom when you want quick, short async clips with link‑based sharing.
• Revisit paid plans only once you’re consistently hitting the free limits and know exactly which pieces of your workflow need more scale.