The 9 best free Loom alternatives in 2026
By the Ethical Tube teamUpdated 6 min read
The short answer
For free share links like Loom's, ScreenPal allows 15-minute recordings and Vidyard allows 30 minutes, though only 5 videos a month. If you'd rather keep the video file, Ethical Tube records in your browser with no time limit, watermark, or sign-up, and OBS Studio does the same as a desktop app.
Loom's free Starter plan is an easy way to try video messages, but it's tight. Screen recordings stop at 5 minutes, you can keep 25 videos, quality tops out at 720p, and you can't download your recordings. Lifting those limits means Loom Business, at $15 per creator a month billed annually.
Plenty of tools give you more for free. We read each one's free plan on the company's own pricing page and help center, so you can see what you get for $0 and where each one falls short.
We make Ethical Tube, so it's first on this list. We've described every tool, ours included, with its real limits.
The free plans at a glance
| Tool | Free plan | Watermark | Account | Works on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethical Tube | No time limit or video cap | None | Not needed | Chrome or Edge on a computer |
| ScreenPal | 15 minutes per recording | None | Not needed to record | Windows, Mac, Chromebook, and mobile |
| Vidyard | 5 videos a month, up to 30 minutes each | Vidyard branding | Required | Browser extension or desktop app |
| Zight | 5 minutes per recording, up to 720p | None | Required | Mac, Windows, Chrome, and iOS |
| Cap | Personal use only; share links up to 5 minutes | None | Only for share links | Mac, Windows, and Linux |
| Screenity | No time limit; editing and share links are paid | None | Not needed | Chrome extension |
| Clipchamp | 30 minutes per recording; 1080p exports | None | Microsoft account | Chrome, Edge, or the Windows app |
| OBS Studio | No time limit | None | Not needed | Windows, Mac, and Linux |
| Built-in recorders | Included with macOS, Windows 11, and ChromeOS | None | Not needed | Mac, Windows 11, and Chromebooks |
Checked on on each company's own website. See sources.
1. Ethical Tube
Best for: Recording without limits and keeping the file
Ethical Tube is a free screen recorder that runs in your browser. Pick your entire screen or one app, talk over it with your microphone, add your camera if you like, and download the video when you stop. Nothing is uploaded, so the recording never leaves your computer.
- Free plan
- No time limit or video cap
- Watermark
- None
- Account
- Not needed
- Works on
- Chrome or Edge on a computer
- Paid plans
- None, everything is free
What we like
- No time limit, video cap, or watermark
- Nothing to install and no account
- Videos are never uploaded
Watch out for
- No share links, so you send the file yourself
- No editing or transcripts
2. ScreenPal
Best for: Longer free recordings with a share link
ScreenPal, formerly Screencast-O-Matic, records your screen, your webcam, or both for up to 15 minutes at a time, with no watermark. Save each recording to your computer as an MP4, or upload it to ScreenPal's free hosting for a share link. Free accounts can host 10 videos.
- Free plan
- 15 minutes per recording
- Watermark
- None
- Account
- Not needed to record
- Works on
- Windows, Mac, Chromebook, and mobile
- Paid plans
- From $4 a month
What we like
- 15-minute recordings, three times Loom's free limit
- No watermark, and no account needed to record
- Free trimming, drawing, and webcam backgrounds
Watch out for
- Free hosting keeps only your 10 newest uploads
- Recording system audio needs a paid plan
- You have to install the app
3. Vidyard
Best for: Sales videos with view notifications
Vidyard is built for sales teams. The free plan lets you record 5 videos a month, each up to 30 minutes, and share them with a link. You're notified when someone watches, and your videos never expire. Free videos carry Vidyard branding, and you can't download them.
- Free plan
- 5 videos a month, up to 30 minutes each
- Watermark
- Vidyard branding
- Account
- Required
- Works on
- Browser extension or desktop app
- Paid plans
- From $59 a seat per month
What we like
- 30-minute recordings
- Notifications when someone watches
- No limit on how many videos you keep
Watch out for
- Only 5 new videos a month, and deleting one doesn't give it back
- No downloads on the free plan
- Vidyard branding on every free video
4. Zight
Best for: Screenshots, GIFs, and short clips in one app
Zight, formerly CloudApp, mixes screen recording with screenshots and GIFs. The free Share plan records up to 5 minutes at up to 720p, with your camera if you like, and gives you a link that plays in any browser. Zight doesn't add a watermark on any plan.
- Free plan
- 5 minutes per recording, up to 720p
- Watermark
- None
- Account
- Required
- Works on
- Mac, Windows, Chrome, and iOS
- Paid plans
- From $9.95 a user per month, billed annually
What we like
- No watermark
- Screenshots and 15-second GIFs too
- Viewers don't need an account
Watch out for
- Same 5-minute limit as Loom
- Quality tops out at 720p
- Account required
5. Cap
Best for: An open-source Loom look-alike for personal projects
Cap is an open-source desktop app that works a lot like Loom. Studio Mode records to your computer with no time limit and opens an editor with backgrounds and automatic zoom. Instant Mode makes a share link, capped at 5 minutes on the free plan. Free use is personal only.
- Free plan
- Personal use only; share links up to 5 minutes
- Watermark
- None
- Account
- Only for share links
- Works on
- Mac, Windows, and Linux
- Paid plans
- $29 a year for commercial use
What we like
- No time limit or watermark in Studio Mode
- Built-in editor with backgrounds and zoom
- Open source
Watch out for
- Work use needs a license, from $29 a year
- Free share links stop at 5 minutes
- Desktop app to install
6. Screenity
Best for: Drawing and highlighting while you record
Screenity is a free, open-source Chrome extension. It records a tab, a window, or your whole screen with your camera and microphone, and lets you draw, blur, and highlight clicks as you go. Recordings stay on your computer, with no account. Editing and share links are part of the paid Screenity Pro.
- Free plan
- No time limit; editing and share links are paid
- Watermark
- None
- Account
- Not needed
- Works on
- Chrome extension
- Paid plans
- Screenity Pro, with a 7-day free trial
What we like
- No time limit, watermark, or account
- Drawing, blur, and click highlights
- Open source
Watch out for
- Share links and editing need Screenity Pro
- Only works as a Chrome extension
7. Clipchamp
Best for: Recording and editing in one free app
Clipchamp is Microsoft's video editor, and it has a screen and webcam recorder built in. Each recording can run up to 30 minutes, and you can trim it, add subtitles, and export at up to 1080p with no watermark. You'll need a free Microsoft account.
- Free plan
- 30 minutes per recording; 1080p exports
- Watermark
- None
- Account
- Microsoft account
- Works on
- Chrome, Edge, or the Windows app
- Paid plans
- 4K exports with Microsoft 365 Personal or Family
What we like
- A full video editor, free
- No watermark on 1080p exports
- Free AI subtitles
Watch out for
- Recordings stop at 30 minutes
- Needs a Microsoft account
- 4K exports need Microsoft 365
8. OBS Studio
Best for: Long or complex recordings
OBS Studio is free, open-source software for recording and live streaming. You build scenes from your screen, app windows, webcam, images, and text, then record for as long as you need, with no watermark.
- Free plan
- No time limit
- Watermark
- None
- Account
- Not needed
- Works on
- Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Paid plans
- None, it's free and open source
What we like
- No limits and no watermark
- Scenes that mix your screen, webcam, and more
- Windows, Mac, and Linux
Watch out for
- Takes time to set up
- No share links or editor
- More than you need for a quick message
9. Built-in recorders
Best for: Quick recordings with nothing to install
Your computer already has a screen recorder. On a Mac, press Shift-Command-5. On Windows 11, press Windows logo key + Shift + R to record with Snipping Tool. On a Chromebook, press Shift + Ctrl + Show windows and choose Screen record. All three can record your voice, and none add a watermark.
- Free plan
- Included with macOS, Windows 11, and ChromeOS
- Watermark
- None
- Account
- Not needed
- Works on
- Mac, Windows 11, and Chromebooks
- Paid plans
- None, they come with your computer
What we like
- Already on your computer
- No watermark or account
- Saves a file you can share anywhere
Watch out for
- No share links
- Few or no editing tools
Which free Loom alternative should you pick?
- You want a share link like Loom's
- ScreenPal gives you 15 minutes per recording and Vidyard 30, though Vidyard's free plan allows only 5 videos a month. Zight and Cap also make free links, for recordings up to 5 minutes.
- You want to keep the video file
- Ethical Tube records in your browser with no limits. OBS Studio does the same as a desktop app, and your computer's built-in recorder is already there.
- You want to edit before you share
- Clipchamp has a full editor and allows 30-minute recordings. Cap's Studio Mode is a good fit for personal projects.
- You can't install apps
- Ethical Tube runs in Chrome or Edge with nothing to install, and every Mac, Windows 11 PC, and Chromebook has a recorder built in.
How we compared them
- Free for good
- Every tool has a free plan that doesn't expire. Free trials didn't count.
- Screen and voice
- Every tool records your screen with your microphone on a computer.
- Official sources
- Every limit comes from the company's own pricing page or help center. Plans change, so check the source before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free alternative to Loom?
It depends on what you use Loom for. For share links, ScreenPal and Vidyard have the longest free recordings, at 15 and 30 minutes. To record with no limits and keep the file, use Ethical Tube in your browser or OBS Studio on your desktop.
Is there a completely free Loom alternative?
Yes. Ethical Tube and OBS Studio are free with no time limit, video cap, or watermark, and the recorders built into macOS, Windows, and ChromeOS cost nothing either. None of them make share links, so you send the file or upload it yourself.
Does Loom have a free plan?
Yes. Loom's Starter plan is free, but screen recordings stop at 5 minutes, you can keep 25 videos, quality is capped at 720p, and you can't download your videos.
Which free Loom alternatives have no watermark?
Ethical Tube, ScreenPal, Zight, Cap, Screenity, Clipchamp, OBS Studio, and the recorders built into macOS, Windows, and ChromeOS don't add a watermark on their free plans. Vidyard puts its branding on every video from a free account.
Can I record longer than 5 minutes for free?
Yes. Ethical Tube, OBS Studio, Screenity, and Cap's Studio Mode have no time limit. Clipchamp and Vidyard allow 30 minutes per recording, and ScreenPal allows 15.
Sources
We checked every source on . Plans change, so check the company's site before you commit.
- Screenity
- Free extension, Is Screenity free to use?
- Clipchamp
- Pricing, Recording length limit
- OBS Studio
- Official site
Loom is a trademark of Atlassian, and other product names are trademarks of their owners. Ethical Tube isn't affiliated with or endorsed by any company on this page.