BobbinThe short version
- No watermark, no time limit, keep the file: Bobbin, Screenity, and the recorders built into ChromeOS, macOS and Windows.
- Want drawing, blur or trimming for free? Screenity has them; Bobbin doesn't.
- Need instant share links? Loom, Vidyard and Screencastify give you links, but their free plans cap minutes or videos.
Free plans compared
| Watermark | Time limit | Video limit | Download the file | Account | Webcam | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobbin Free | None | None | None | Yes, MP4 (WebM on older Chrome) | Not needed | Bubble |
| Screenity | None | None | None | Yes, saved locally | Not needed to record | Bubble |
| Loom Starter | Loom branding | 5 min | 25 | No | Required | Bubble |
| Screencastify Free | Yes | 30 min | 10 (up to 20) | 5 exports | Google sign-in | Bubble |
| Vidyard Free | Not checked | 30 min | 5 recorded a month | No on Free | Required | Bubble |
| ChromeOS Screen capture | None | None | None | Yes, WebM | No | Front camera |
| macOS / Windows built-in | None | None | None | Yes | No | No bubble |
Competitor facts checked on 22 October 2026 from their own pages: screenity.io/extension · loom.com/pricing · Loom help: How long can I record? · Loom help: Download your Loom video · screencastify.com/pricing · vidyard.com/pricing · Vidyard help: Video usage and length limits in Vidyard Free · Vidyard help: How to download a video · Chromebook Help: Take a screenshot or record your screen. Plans change often; check the linked page before you decide.
Loom, Vidyard, Tella, Tango, Screencastify, Screenity, Zoom and Slack are trademarks of their respective owners. Bobbin is not affiliated with them. Prices and plan limits from their public pages as of 22 Oct 2026.
Which one to pick
Bobbin: no limits, no account, MP4 on your computer
Records your screen, a window or a tab with a webcam bubble, or just your camera. No watermark, no time limit, no video limit, 1080p at 30fps, and the file never leaves your computer. Recordings are written to disk every second, so a crash doesn't lose the take. It asks Chrome only for storage, unlimitedStorage and alarms permissions. What it lacks: editing, trimming, drawing, blur, share links and transcripts.
Screenity: free with annotation tools
Free and open source, records locally with no sign-in, and adds drawing, blur, a cursor spotlight and trimming. Its cloud editor and share links are the paid part. If you want to draw on screen today, Screenity is the better free pick.
Loom, Screencastify and Vidyard: free with links, but capped
All three upload to the cloud and give you a share link, with comments or viewer insights. Their free plans cap recording length (5 or 30 minutes) or the number of videos, and limit downloads. Good for quick messages; frustrating for long or frequent recordings. See Loom, Screencastify and Vidyard alternatives.
Built-in recorders: free and already installed
ChromeOS (Shift+Ctrl+Show windows), macOS (Shift-Command-5) and Windows 11's Snipping Tool record your screen with no watermark. They're fine for quick clips. ChromeOS can add the front camera; the others don't add a webcam bubble.
How to check a recorder before you install it
- Record a 6-minute test. Time limits often start at 5 minutes.
- Look at the exported file, not the preview, for a watermark.
- Check the download. Can you get an MP4 without paying?
- Check permissions on the Chrome Web Store listing or at
chrome://extensions. Some recorders ask to read and change data on all websites.