Screencast software is a tool to record your desktop with voiceover to narrate what's going on. It makes plain how-to instructions more intuitive for viewers, thus plays an important role in e-learning, gaming, and more industries. With the help of screencast software, modern teachers, bloggers, gamers, developers, customer support, and designers make tutorial videos, demonstrate presentations, and share software hacks more efficiently.

To find the most suitable one for you to make screencasts, we reviewed 8 of the best screencast software on Mac and Windows for users at different skill levels. And to help you better understand how each software is, we will cover more than these criteria about them,

Cost: Make it clear first that whether you'd like to pay for the screencast software, and how much you can afford.
Ease of use: The most vital factor in a screencast is the content you deliver to your audiences. Do not waste much time in learning the screencasting software. We have already filtered these tools and you can finish screencasting in several steps.
Available features: Recording both the screen and the audio, customizing recording areas, providing annotation tools, and outputting high-quality screencasts. Then more advanced features earn more scores.
Security: No one expects to download malware. Safe downloading and privacy security are primary filters for the screencasting software selection.
Tech support: In any case that you get trouble with recording, exporting, formats, video qualities, you have a place to ask for help.

1. VideoProc

To start using Screencast-O-Matic Pro, you just have to download and mount the DMG disk image and copy the app to a location of your choice, preferably the Applications directory. From Screencast-O-Matic Pro’s main window you can instantly initiate the recording process and make the desired changes and adjustments. Screencast-O-Matic is an application for Mac and Windows computers that records screen activity and/or your webcam. You can record a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation, or demonstrate a tool directly from your computer. Download Screencast-O-Matic (Mac 10.6 or later) Download Screencast-O-Matic (Mac 10.6 or later) Published: January 24, 2013. Tutorial showing the Mac install for OSX. Screen O Matic free download - The Matrix Screen Saver, Bandicam Screen Recorder, BSR Screen Recorder, and many more programs.

VideoProc is a feature-rich video editor with a built-in screen recorder available on both Mac and Windows. It stands out as the best screencast software on our list because it is easy but powerful to meet all your recording needs for software tutorials, gaming commentary, bug reports, product demonstrations, business presentations, etc.

You can record the full screen or select a certain area before recording. Furthermore, you are enabled to illustrate your screencast by recording voiceover and add texts, as well as shapes and lines while recording your desktop. The best thing is that it is activated and ended via customizable hotkeys, so you won't be annoyed by a recording bar on the screen.

VideoProc - Best Screencast Software for Mac/Windows

Multiple recording modes: screen, webcam, screen & webcam, voice-over, and system audio.
Export high-quality screencasts in MP4, MOV, MKV, FLV, etc.
Fast screencasts processing when full GPU acceleration enabled.
Editing tools for recorded videos: cut, merge, crop, denoise, green screen effects, etc.

As is known to all, making a screencast is not simply recording your screen. Even though you are well-prepared, it is inevitable to make mistakes, forget your words, or wait too long for a program to load. Luckily, VideoProc provides easy solutions for recording and post-editing in one-stop.
Read more: How to Make a Screencast with VideoProc>>

2. OBS Studio

OS: Windows (8, 8.1, 10), macOS 10.13+, Linux

Price: free

OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is a broadcasting program hence the name. But it also functions as a piece of free screencast software. Packaged with a set of professional recording and streaming tools, OBS gets popular among game streamers and YouTube tutors. But we do not recommend it if you're brand new because there are some professional presets you have to learn.

Key Features:

Capture numerous scenes and switch seamlessly.
Professional and high-performance audio/video mixing.
Record high fps games in the best quality.
Multiple audio tracks.

What we dislike:

No video editing tools.
A little complicated for newbies.

3. ScreenRec

OS: Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP

Price: free

ScreenRec works more than a simple screen recorder. It integrates recording, sharing, and video analyzing in one-stop. After publishing your screenshots online, ScreenRec tracks and reports viewing statistics to you in real-time including who watched your screencast, when and how long. We'd recommend it to marketers and professional online tutors due to its analyzing feature and private security. But note that it has no option to edit your video in post-recording.

Key Features:

No recording limits and no watermarks.
Captures both screencasts and screenshots.
Auto uploads the screencast to your cloud and copy the link to your clipboard.
Instant, private, and secure cloud sharing.

What we dislike:

Not available on Mac yet.
Only save videos in MP4.
Capture screen without microphone and webcam.
No editing for post-capture products.

Screen O'matic Free

4. Apowersoft

OS: Windows, Mac

Price: free

Apowersoft Free Online Screen Recorder is a web-based tool that captures anything on your screen with audio simultaneously, then gives you options to save the screencast to local storage, Clouds, or share directly to your YouTube channel. It is simple but developed with most customizable settings: video bitrate, format, frame rate, audio quality, and mouse styles.

Key Features:

Unlimited recording time.
Flexible screen recording with a web camera.
Save to YouTube and Vimeo in a flash.
Android and iOS apps are available now.

What we dislike:

It is an online tool but requires you to install a launcher if it's the first time using it.
The recording bar pops up when you start recording.
No editing tools for your screencast in this tool.

5. Camtasia

OS: Windows Mac

Price: $249 for a lifetime license

Undoubtedly, Camtasia is the best screencast software for school teachers. On top of basic desktop screen capturing, you can add quizzes, interactivities, title slides, etc. In the timeline, you can level up your screencast like using a professional video editor: blur, zoom & pan, marks, templates, etc. But I have to say, it is not the best value software if you just want basic recording features.

Key Features:

Records screen, audio, PowerPoint presentation, and voice narration.
Powerful post-capture editing for screencasts and voice narrations.
Share the final products instantly to YouTube and Vimeo.
Nice customer support.

What we dislike:

Sluggish startup and load time
It is not a good value for users only in need of basic recording.

6. ActivePresenter

OS: Windows, Mac

Price: free; $199 for a standard license, $399 for a pro license

ActivePresenter is an easy screencast software with an intuitive and streamlined interface. It looks like PowerPoint in the first glance. But features a powerful recorder that lets you capture either a full screen or a selected area with an external microphone and HDMI devices. To s

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