Free
Free
Personal use only
- Studio Mode with full editor
- 4K 60fps export to any format
- Shareable links up to 5 minutes
- Team workspaces
- Community support
Editing a recording in Studio Mode
Open source screen recorder for Mac, Windows and Linux with instant share links, a built-in editor and self-hosting
from$2.42a month per user, billed yearly
Cap has a free plan. Prices in US dollars as Cap's pricing page showed them on 11 October 2026.
Plans
Try Cap free
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- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- Chrome extension
- Web
What Cap does
This is Cap, an open source screen recorder for Mac, Windows and Linux, started in 2023 as an alternative to Loom. You record, edit with zooms and backgrounds, and share a link.
Instant Mode
Cap uploads while you record, so a share link is on your clipboard the moment you stop. Viewers watch in the browser with no account, and get a transcript, summary and chapters.
Studio Mode
Records locally in up to 4K at 60fps with screen, camera and microphone on separate tracks, with no compression or upload.
Built-in editor
Backgrounds, padding and frames, automatic zoom from your clicks, cursor smoothing, blur or pixelate masks, camera scenes, animated text and colour grades.
Local captions
Captions are transcribed on your own machine in 19 languages, then can be edited, styled and burned in.
Screenshot Mode
Grab a window or area with a hotkey and add a background, padding and shadow in one click before copying it.
Bring your own storage
Cap Pro can store recordings in your own S3-compatible bucket in any region or in Google Drive, alongside custom domains and password-protected links.
Open source and self-hosting
The code is on GitHub under AGPLv3, and the whole platform can be self-hosted with Docker Compose, with the desktop app pointed at your own server.
Loom importer
Cap Pro imports an existing Loom library, so teams can move their videos across when they switch.
Works with
- Loom importer
- Amazon S3 and S3-compatible storage
- Google Drive
- Chrome
- Docker Compose
- Coolify
- SAML SSO
- Cap CLI
How much Cap costs
Desktop License
$2.42a month per user, billed yearly
$29 a year, or $58 once for a licence that never renews
- Commercial usage rights
- Unlimited local recording and editing
- Studio Mode with full editor
- 20 cloud share links a month, up to 5 minutes each
- Works fully offline
- Community support
Cap Pro
$12a month per user
Save 32% on annual billing
- Everything in Desktop License
- Unlimited cloud storage and bandwidth
- AI titles, summaries, chapters and transcripts
- Custom domain for share links
- Password-protected shares
- Viewer analytics
- Loom video importer
- Custom S3 bucket and Google Drive storage
Enterprise
$12a month per user
Cap Pro price plus optional add-ons
- Everything in Cap Pro
- SAML SSO add-on, $199 a month flat for unlimited users
- Signed BAA add-on, $99 a month per organisation
- Self-serve, no minimum seats
- Volume discounts available
Prices in US dollars; VAT not mentioned. Students get 30% off any paid plan with a code on Cap's student discount page. Volume discounts for teams over 10 users. Prices in US dollars, from Cap's pricing page on 11 October 2026. Cap may charge VAT on top, and prices can change.
Cap pros and cons
Pros
- Cap Pro is $8.16 a month per user billed annually, against Loom's $18 Business plan
- A one-off $58 licence covers commercial local recording with no subscription
- Free for personal use with 4K export and no stated time limit on local recordings
- Open source under AGPLv3 and fully self-hostable
- Runs on Linux as well as Mac and Windows
- Students get 30% off paid plans
Cons
- Free plan is for personal use only, and its share links stop at five minutes
- Product Hunt reviewers report crashes and unreliable multi-screen recording
- Windows version is labelled beta on the download page
- Prices only in US dollars, with no VAT information
- AI features are narrower than Loom's, with no meeting notes or filler-word removal
Good for
- Teams replacing Loom who want AI summaries and unlimited sharing for less per user
- Freelancers who only record locally and want a cheap commercial licence
- Organisations that need to self-host or keep recordings in their own UK or EU storage
- Linux users, who most screen recorders leave out
Look elsewhere if
- Anyone who needs rock-solid multi-monitor recording today, given reviewer reports of bugs
- Teams wanting meeting notes and AI workflows like Loom's Business + AI plan
- Commercial users hoping to stay on the free plan
What reviewers say about Cap
“Cap kept crashing when I first installed it but hopped onto the Discord and it got fixed within hours.”
“The multi-screen recording is unreliable, and I've lost a fair amount of time to bugs”
“A lot of updates and open source”
What reviewers like
- Open source code and the option to self-host
- Polished editor with auto zoom and backgrounds
- Frequent updates and fast fixes from the developers
- Much lower price than Loom or Screen Studio
What reviewers complain about
- Crashes, especially after first installing
- Unreliable multi-screen recording
- Bugs that cost time on paid licences
- Some features still missing compared with older rivals
Cap: what to know before you pay
The product
Cap records your screen, camera and microphone. Instant Mode uploads as you record so a share link is ready the moment you stop. Studio Mode records locally with separate tracks, then opens an editor with backgrounds, automatic zoom and captions. It runs as a desktop app, with a Chrome extension too, and Windows is labelled beta on its download page.
The story
Cap says it began in 2023 because screen recording had become heavy, closed and tied to someone else's servers. Its answer was to build in public, with the source open to inspect. Most of the code is under the AGPLv3 licence, and some parts are MIT.
Your data
Cap says it does not track you or sell your data. You can connect your own S3-compatible storage or Google Drive, or self-host the whole platform, so recordings stay on infrastructure you control. It also states that it holds SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certification and supports HIPAA, with reports available through its trust portal.
Pricing
Cap is priced in US dollars. Personal use is free, with no time limit on local recordings. Commercial use needs a paid plan: a desktop licence, billed yearly or bought once, covers the desktop app, and Cap Pro adds unlimited cloud sharing, AI features, password-protected links, analytics, custom domains and team features. Pro is billed per user, monthly or annually. Current prices are on its pricing page.
Who it suits
Cap suits people who explain bugs, walk through designs or record demos and want shareable video without the usual lock-in. Teams moving away from Loom can use the built-in importer in Cap Pro. Anyone happy to run their own servers can self-host.
Saving
Annual billing costs less per month than paying monthly. Any live code is listed on this page: copy it and enter it at checkout.
Alternatives to Cap
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Guides that cover Cap
Which screen recorder for Mac suits your job
macOS 27 can record your Mac's sound for free. I'd start there, then pay only if you need scrolling screenshots, a share link or a proper editor.
Questions about Cap
Are there any Cap discount codes?
We don't currently list a confirmed discount code. That doesn't mean the store has no promotions; check its website for current prices.
Is Cap free?
Yes for personal use, with no time limit on local recordings. Commercial use needs a desktop licence or Cap Pro.
Is Cap a good alternative to Loom?
Cap was built as an open source alternative to Loom, with instant share links, studio editing and self-hosting. Cap Pro includes a tool that imports your Loom recordings.
Can you self-host Cap?
Yes. Cap says you can self-host the whole platform, or connect your own S3-compatible storage or Google Drive.
Does Cap work on Windows and Linux?
Yes. It runs on macOS, Windows and Linux, though its download page labels Windows as beta.
Can I use Cap for work?
Free use is for personal projects. Client or business use needs the desktop licence or Cap Pro.
Got a question about Cap?