Top 10 Screen Recording Software for Windows

Videos are excellent tools for visual and auditory learners. They can be used to:

demonstrate processes step-by-step in a tutorial
demonstrate software to other people or record tips and tricks for later reference
share pointers for playing a game
record product reviews
record recurring problems with your computer to show tech support

The ability to make a screencast video can also be used to showcase your creativity when playing games like Minecraft and recreating scenes from movies and/or filming music videos in simulation games like The Sims.

Most video screen capture software utilities have a number of attributes in common, such as the ability to:

film picture-in-picture to capture video from screen and webcam
edit and annotate a video after it has been filmed
create videos in a variety of commonly used file types

Completed videos may be uploaded to YouTube, posted on web pages or social media, and/or uploaded to e-Learning courses.

Here is a list of the top 10 video screen capture software.

10. DVD VideoSoft’s Free Screen Video Recorder

Free Screen Video Recorder allows you to capture anything on your monitor, including multiple windows, objects, menus and other screen activities. There is a comprehensive, step-by-step instruction page with graphics to help you create your videos. DVD VideoSoft markets their Free Screen Video Recorder as being full-featured, and safe to install and run.

Pros

saves in a variety of formats including AVI, JPG, GIF, and PNG
spyware and adware free
100% freeware software

Cons

must accept or opt-out of bundled, third-party products on installation
does not appear to have picture-in-picture recording option

Though there is no specific paid version of Free Screen Video Recorder, you can purchase a license that covers all of DVD VideoSoft’s software, which includes the Free Screen Video Recorder. Premium memberships range from $9.95 USD for 6 months, $14.95 for 12 months, and $29.95 for an Unlimited Premium membership. When you purchase a Premium membership, you get

ad-free products
priority tech support
easy update management
the use of the software on up to 3 computers per license
9. CamStudio
CamStudio is open source, free software, to create AVI videos of all audio and video activity on your screen. It can also convert your AVIs to SWFs. CamStudio’s website claims its software is so easy to use, you can learn it in a matter of minutes, thanks to their built-in help files. CamStudio’s website claims the file size of the videos you create with their software will be smaller in size than other leading video screen recorders, and have great quality.
Pros
- can add screen captions to your video
- records picture-in-picture web cam simultaneously with screen recording
- built-in help file
- 100% free to use
Cons
- the website admits to there being a bug and offers a “workaround” until the next version
- users complain about having to decline “offers” they receive after installing software
There is no paid version of CamStudio.

8. Ezvid

Ezvid is freeware video and screen capture software. Ezvid’s web page claims to use your computer’s processing power to increase the speed of its screen recording and video editing capabilities. Though Ezvid files may be uploaded to sites like YouTube, it is most compatible with their Wiki site, wiki.ezvid.com, which touts itself as the world’s first exclusively video Wiki.

Pros

has facecam and voice synthesis
includes a video editor
the site claims you can create a professional-looking video in minutes (rather than hours)

Cons

needs 10GB free hard drive space, which might be a lot for older machines
online forums complain it’s laggy and glitchy

There is no paid version of Ezvid, though the developers encourage you to make a donation of anywhere from $9.00 USD to $250.00.

7. TinyTake

TinyTake claims to be the best free screen capture and video recording software out there. The software allows you to capture a video of your screen activity, annotate it, and share it on social media. TinyTake advertises itself as simple, free, and feature-rich, though many features are only available with the paid options.

Pros

can use for free but with limited features
can add graphics from your local drive for annotating files
built-in viewer is optimized for mobile devices

Cons

free version is extremely limited
no free version for commercial use

Here’s what you get with the paid version

TinyTake’s prices range from $9.95 USD for a one week pass, $29.95 annually for the Standard plan, up to $199.95 a year for the Business plan. With the paid plans you get

increased storage up to 2TB with the Business plan
length of video stretches from 5 minutes with free plan up to 120 minutes for the one week pass and Business plan
video annotation
elimination of ads and promotions
6. SmartPixel
Though it seems to be designed for use with games, SmartPixel records anything on you can display on your screen. Because it is designed with gaming in mind, recording is smooth and seamless and hardly noticeable as you play. SmartPixel claims to use advanced video compression technology to create high quality videos that improve on disk space utilization.

Pros
- records HD videos and optimizes disk space
- picture-in-picture mode simultaneously records what’s on your monitor and on your webcam
- post-editing functions include clipping, merging, dubbing, and adding subtitles
Cons
- no multilingual version available, but the web site says it’s on the way
Here’s what you get with the paid version
SmartPixel licenses are available for $15.90 USD for one year, $40.90 for 5 years, and $63.90 for a lifetime license. With the paid version, you can
- record with no watermark
- personalize your definition settings
- record with higher frame rates
- 5. Screenflow by Telestream
  Screenflow allows you to capture everything on your computer, including your entire monitor area, webcam, and microphone and computer audio simultaneously. With Screenflow you can record and edit your video and share it to a number of social media platforms. Screenflow boasts that they have the best quality screen capture available, even when viewed on Retina Displays.
- Pros
  - allows you to record and edit after recording is done
  - support for closedcaptioning your video
  - the ability to export in a wide variety of file types for publishing
  - no time limit to free version
  Cons
  - videos created with free version are watermarked
  - you must pay to upgrade from previous versions
  Here’s what you get with the paid version:
  Screenflow costs $99.00 USD. You can purchase a backup disk for $20.00. Upgrades from previous versions cost $34.00. Though the free version is totally functional and without time limit, with the paid version, you can
  - export videos without a watermark
  4. Icecream Screen Recorder
  With Icecream Screen Recorder you can capture any area of your screen as either a screenshot graphic or a video recording. Icecream Screen Recorder boasts an intuitive and easy-to-use interface with a suite of tools and options to use when making screen captures. You can use Icecream Screen Recorder to make professional-looking videos of webinars, games, and Skype conversations.