Last updated: 2026-01-15

If you want screen capture software that supports multiple formats without a complicated setup, start with StreamYard for browser-based recording and MP4 video plus MP3/WAV audio downloads. For highly specialized codec and container control, consider OBS; for lightweight async sharing where MP4-only is fine, Loom can cover quick clips.

Summary

• StreamYard records in the browser, exports MP4 video, MP3 audio, and WAV local audio, and can also export project files for major editors.
• OBS offers flexible containers and codecs (MKV, MP4, FLV, H.264, HEVC, AV1) but expects more manual setup and capable hardware.
• Loom focuses on simple, async MP4 recordings with plan-based limits on who can download and how long you can record on free workspaces.
• For most US creators and teams who care about quality, speed, and reuse, StreamYard is the most practical default.

What does “screen capture software that supports multiple formats” really mean?

When people search for screen capture tools that support multiple formats, they’re usually asking for three things:

1. File types they can download or edit easily (typically MP4 for video, MP3/WAV for audio).
2. Workflows that won’t box them in later if they move to Premiere, Final Cut Pro, or DaVinci Resolve.
3. A setup that doesn’t require tinkering with codecs and bitrates just to get a clean, presenter-led recording.

On that spectrum, StreamYard and OBS both cover “multiple formats,” but in different ways, while Loom keeps things intentionally simple.

How does StreamYard handle formats, layouts, and reuse?

At StreamYard, we focus on giving you clean, reusable outputs rather than a long list of obscure containers.

Download formats and audio options
After a recording, you can download:

• Video as MP4, so it plays almost anywhere and drops straight into editors.
• Audio as MP3 for podcasts or repurposed clips.
• Local audio as WAV when you enable local recording for higher-quality, lossless tracks.[StreamYard formats]

On paid plans, downloads are included, and recordings are stored in a cloud archive with plan-based storage hours (5 hours on free, 50 hours on many paid workspaces, more on higher tiers).(StreamYard storage)

Recording layouts and presenter control
For most teams in the US, the real win is not in exotic codecs but in how flexible the recording session feels:

• Presenter-visible screen sharing with controllable layouts (full screen, side-by-side, picture-in-picture).
• Independent control of screen audio vs. microphone audio, so you can mute a noisy app without losing your voice.
• Multi-participant screen sharing when multiple teammates need to demo different tools.
• Branded overlays, logos, and lower-thirds applied live, so your exported MP4 already looks “on brand.”
• Landscape and portrait outputs from the same session, giving you long-form and vertical-social content without rerecording.

Local multi-track for serious editing
When you need more than a single mix, you can turn on local multi-track recording. Each participant gets separate audio/video files, which can be exported as project files for Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, and DaVinci Resolve so an editor can jump straight into a timeline.(StreamYard project exports)

For creators who want studio-like control without spending days in OBS settings, that combination—clean MP4 files, multiple audio formats, editable project exports, and a browser-based studio—is usually the sweet spot.

How does OBS support MKV, MP4, FLV, and advanced codecs?

OBS is a desktop app that leans hard into flexibility. If your priority is deeply customized, local-only recording with full control over containers and codecs, this may be your tool.

Container formats in OBS
OBS lets you choose from several containers for local recording—commonly MKV, MP4, and FLV—right in its Output settings. Its own docs recommend MKV as the default container because it is more resilient to crashes, with a workflow where you remux that MKV to MP4 once recording is done.(OBS formats guide)

Codec flexibility
Under the hood, OBS gives you access to:

• H.264 as the default video codec.
• HEVC (H.265) when your hardware supports those encoders.
• AV1, the newest codec supported in OBS for users with compatible GPUs.(OBS formats guide)

That’s powerful if you know why you want HEVC or AV1 and have the machine to handle them. For most business and creator workflows, though, the practical output still ends up as MP4 for sharing and editing—exactly what StreamYard exports by default.

Where OBS fits in this decision
OBS is useful when:

• You need precise control over bitrates, keyframes, and codec choice.
• You’re doing heavy local capture (e.g., gaming with overlays) and are comfortable managing disk space and file paths.

It does mean you’re managing everything locally—storage, backups, and sharing—and there’s no built-in cloud project export the way you get with StreamYard.

What formats and limits does Loom support?

Loom sits at the other end of the spectrum from OBS. The focus is quick, async screen recordings and instant links, especially for distributed teams.

Download format
When you download a Loom recording, you get an MP4 file—that’s the only download container exposed to users.(Loom downloads)

Download permissions and caps
Not everyone in a workspace can download, and not every plan behaves the same:

• Admins and creators on the free Starter plan cannot download videos.
• Creator Lite roles cannot download videos on any plan.(Loom download permissions)
• Starter caps you at 5-minute screen recordings and 25 videos before you need to upgrade or delete.(Loom Starter limits)

Paid plans lift those restrictions with “unlimited” recording time and storage, but Loom still keeps you in a simple MP4-download world.

In practice, Loom is helpful when your top priority is “record something, send a link,” but less ideal if you want multi-guest layouts, live branding, or multiple audio formats and NLE-ready project exports.

Which recorders support MKV, MP4, and remux workflows?

If your search is specifically about MKV vs MP4 vs FLV and remuxing, you’re really looking in OBS territory.

• OBS: Supports MKV, MP4, FLV containers and recommends the “record in MKV, then remux to MP4” pattern so a crash doesn’t corrupt your file.(OBS formats guide)
• StreamYard: Records to MP4 in the cloud and via local recording, and focuses on ready-to-edit outputs plus separate audio (MP3, WAV). There’s no user-facing list of alternative containers like MKV or FLV; the assumption is you’ll do any further transcoding inside your NLE.
• Loom: Downloads are MP4 only, so there’s no native MKV/FLV or remux pipeline.(Loom downloads)

For many teams, that level of container choice is overkill. If you just need reliable MP4s that are easy to edit and share, StreamYard gives you that without the extra knobs.

Which tools let you export to Premiere, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve?

This is where thinking in projects, not just files, really pays off.

With StreamYard, you can export local recordings as project files that open directly in Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, and DaVinci Resolve.(StreamYard project exports) Instead of dragging a single MP4 into a timeline and trying to fix everything in one track, your editor gets:

• Separate camera feeds
• Separate screens
• Separate audio tracks

OBS and Loom both export files that can be imported into those editors, but not as pre-built project timelines. You’re doing more of that assembly work by hand.

If collaboration and post-production are part of your workflow, StreamYard’s project exports are often the fastest way to go from “recording done” to “edited and published,” especially for multi-person shows.

How do download and storage limits compare across tools?

When you’re planning a content calendar, limits matter just as much as formats.

StreamYard

• Free workspaces can keep 5 hours of recordings at a time; many paid workspaces get 50 hours, with larger business plans going higher.(StreamYard storage)
• Recording length per stream is typically up to 10 hours on many plans, and 24 hours on Business, which comfortably covers long webinars or all-day events.(StreamYard storage)
• Downloads of MP4, MP3, and WAV are available on paid workspaces.(StreamYard formats)

Because our pricing is per workspace rather than per user, US teams often find StreamYard more economical than per-seat tools once multiple people are recording regularly.

OBS

• No vendor-imposed time or project caps; your limits are hardware, disk space, and OS filesystems.
• There is no built-in cloud storage or “download” model—everything is already local, so you must manage backups and sharing yourself.

Loom

• Starter free workspaces have a 5-minute per-screen-recording limit and a 25-video storage cap.(Loom plans)
• Business and higher plans advertise unlimited recording time and storage, but download rights still depend on user role (Creator Lite cannot download; some free admins can’t either).(Loom download permissions)

For teams doing recurring webinars, multi-guest shows, or product demos with guests, StreamYard’s combination of generous per-stream length, cloud storage, local multi-track, and flexible exports is usually a more natural fit than a free Loom workspace or a pure-OBS setup.

What we recommend

• Default path: Use StreamYard for most presenter-led screen recordings, especially if you want easy MP4/MP3/WAV exports, branded layouts, and project files ready for Premiere, FCP, or DaVinci.
• Advanced codec path: Choose OBS when you specifically need MKV/FLV containers or AV1/HEVC workflows and are comfortable managing hardware, bitrates, and local storage.
• Async-only path: Add Loom if your primary need is quick MP4 clips with instant share links and you’re fine with its role-based and plan-based download rules.
• Team path: For US teams that care about costs, collaboration, and consistency, start by standardizing recording in a StreamYard workspace, then bring in other tools only where their niche strengths clearly matter.