You may record the screen of your desktop computer or the screen of an online game using one of the numerous free screen capture and video recording applications that can be found online with a little bit of research. Because there are so many possibilities, choosing the one that is the most appropriate for your requirements may be challenging.

We have compiled the following list of the finest open-source screen recorders for 2022. These recorders range from desktop software (which may operate on Windows, Mac, or Linux) to browser add-ons.

We have analyzed the capabilities of these Open Source Screen Recorders in terms of their recording capabilities, such as whether or not they enable audio recording and OpenGL acceleration, as well as their video editing capabilities and export possibilities.

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What is an Open Source Screen Recorder?

An open source screen recorder is a software program that allows you to record your computer screen and audio. It is open source, which means that the source code is freely available for anyone to view, modify, and distribute.

Benefits of Using an Open Source Screen Recorder

The main benefit of using an open source screen recorder is that it is free and open. This means that you can use it without paying any licensing fees, and you can modify the source code to suit your needs. Additionally, open source screen recorders are often more customizable and flexible than proprietary software.

A Quick Review of Top 16 Open Source Screen Recorders

To begin, it’s helpful to get a general understanding of the basic features of each top open source screen recorders before diving into the specifics.

Top 16 Open Source Screen Recorder for Windows/Mac/Linux

The following are the 16 best open source screen recorders for Windows, Mac and Linux computers. Let’s review them in detail.

Gemoo Recorder

Price: Free

User Ratings: N/A

If you are looking for a feature-rich screen recording tool, Gemoo Recorder is the right choice for you. As a professional screen recorder, it can help you record everything you need, whether it is the screen, sound, or your camera, and you can also mix and combine the three as you want. It is also equipped with a wealth of editing tools and elements in order to make your video more attractive.

Get It Free

Key Features:

• You can choose to record “Screen & Camera”, “Camera Only”, “Screen Only” and “Audio Only”.
• When recording with your webcam, you choose some of your favorite images as your avatar, use the camera with different filters, and add various virtual backgrounds to hide your real location.
• Insert shapes, text, memes or other notes during recording. Express your thoughts more clearly.
• Catch your audience’s attention and keep them entertained with all the popular GIFs in Gemoo Recorder.

Also Read: Make a Memorable Intro Outro Video >

OBS Studio

Price: $199.99 per user

User Ratings:

• G2: 4.6/5 (104 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.7/5 (784 reviews)

Novices are not recommended to use OBS Studio, the open-source software. However, it is mainly designed for individuals who want to broadcast their gaming sessions on video-sharing websites such as YouTube or Twitch. As a bonus feature, you can also use it to record videos of what’s happening in Windows.

Using the built-in audio mixer, you may make high-quality films with the help of the program’s programmable hotkeys. In addition to screencasting, OBS has live streaming features that aren’t available in the operating system’s native apps.

To save time, click + in the Sources box and then pick Display capture when using OBS Studio for the first time. You may choose which one appears on your desktop if you have more than one monitor. Full-screen game capture is supported, which is something that many other programs will not perform.

Key Features

• Custom transitions and high-performance video quality are achieved.
• Advanced filters, color correction, and picture masking are available to users.
• Options that are more powerful and easier to set.
• This platform allows users to choose from a variety of color schemes.

ShareX

Price: Free

User Ratings:

• G2: 4.9/5 (70 reviews)
• Capterra: 5/5 (6 reviews)

For Windows users, the open-source video recorder ShareX may be used to capture video. There is no time restriction or watermark so that you may capture the full screen, a window, or a specific region for free.

A fantastic option for those who aren’t interested in using OBS but want the same quality level as OBS. Code development and sharing platform GitHub continues to host the source code for the project. Microsoft Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 or low-end PC are supported platforms. It’s free of ads, and it’s low in weight.

Key Features

• It lets you record the whole screen.
• Screen recordings may be made automatically if you have this functionality.
• Has so many complex tools for capturing regions.
• Direct file uploads are available in a variety of ways at this site.

Adobe Captivate

Price: Free to $33.99 per month

User Ratings:

• G2: 3.8/5 (170 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.5/5 (174 reviews)

When developing anything eLearning-related with just one application, Adobe Captivate makes the process simple for novices while increasing productivity for pros. Create stunning eLearning courses optimized for mobile devices in minutes by just plugging and playing your material on already prepared slides.

Utilize features already installed on your systems, such as configurable interfaces, automatic branching, and video overlays, to increase your level of productivity. Your learners will benefit greatly from the immersive learning experiences you create for them using virtual reality.

Your educational and instructional movies may be more engaging and interactive by incorporating slides with information and questions to test the viewer’s knowledge as overlays.

Key Features

• Support for a variety of themes.
• Users have access to a variety of themed typefaces.
• Effects like chroma-keying may be added automatically to your recording.
• Automatic preview of the gadget for the comprehensive examination.

CamStudio

Price: Free

User Ratings:

• G2: N/A
• Capterra: N/A
• Sourceforge.net: 3/5 (242 reviews)

Camstudio is a screen recorder that does not cost anything. It’s a lightweight program with a wide range of useful features. CamStudio can record your screen and save the resulting file in either the Flash (SWF), MP4, or AVI format.

When it comes to encoding your videos, you have a limited number of codecs from which to choose. You have complete control over the frame rate that your recording will use. The exact framerate, however, will be determined by the hardware you use.

You can also access facilities for highlighting text with the mouse, recording audio, and annotating documents. The performance is lightning quick and doesn’t use up much of the system’s resources.

Key Features

• It is possible to personalize the cursor.
• You can generate recordings of the screen inside the screen.
• The quality of the movies that are generated may be modified.
• There is also an option to make a video file that is of a smaller size.

ScreenCam

Price: $0.99 per month

User Ratings:

• G2: N/A
• Capterra: N/A
• Google Play: 2.9/5 (3.75k reviews)

ScreenCam Screen Recorder is a free, open-source screen recorder for Android that works with version 5 and above. Expect that there will be no advertisements shown before, during, or after the recording, even if the software is free to use. In addition, it allows you to stop and restart the recording whenever you choose.

ScreenCam runs on the Windows operating system and is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8. Even an Android version is available to download. It provides a virtual camera that you can use to record anything on a Windows desktop. You can use this to capture screenshots as well. It enhances the whole experience with high-caliber interactive content.

Key Features

• You can choose your favorite pixel density, frame rate, and bandwidth. Recording quality will be ensured as a result of this.
• It accesses your front camera and inserts the overlay to incorporate the camera overlay on the video.
• The video output may be trimmed using ScreenCam Screen Recorder.

Captura

Price: Free of cost

User Ratings:

• G2: N/A
• Capterra: N/A
• Alternativeto.net: 4.8/5 (21 reviews)

The screen capture software known as Captura is quite intuitive and straightforward in its use. It is a free and open-source recording program, and the MIT license governs the use of its source code, which can be found on GitHub. You do not have to pay anything to use Captura since it is free.

It can be readily translated into over 30 other languages and is accessible. The program does not show advertisements, in addition to being completely free. It features a user interface that is extremely easy to understand and doesn’t call on very powerful hardware. This makes it an excellent piece of software for novice computer users.

Key Features

• Features screen and webcam capture as well as audio recording and keystroke logging.
• Using the Region Selector tool, you may take screenshots of specified areas of your screen.
• Mixing of audio signals at the input and output
• Records full-screen programs, including games.

Freeseer

Price: Free

User Ratings:

• G2: N/A
• Capterra: N/A
• Open Hub: 5/5 (0 reviews)

Freeseer is another free, open-source screen recorder. This one may be installed on all your machines, whether they run Windows, Mac OS X, or even Linux. In addition, it allows you to record from other sources, such as a camera, another computer, or others. While you are recording, you can adjust the level, silence the audio, and manage it in any way you see fit.

This multiplatform, open-source screen capturer works well for capturing seminars and presentations on desktop devices. Demonstrations, instructional movies, and training films may also be recorded with its help. Users like Freeseer because of its user-friendly and highly configurable UI. Because the app is compatible with plug-ins, its functionality may be expanded at any moment.

Key Features

• Open-source screen recorder for desktop.
• Captures demonstrations, lessons, training videos, etc.
• Advanced users may download additional plug-ins for new functionality.
• Record complete screens or portions

XVidCap

Price: Free

User Ratings:

• G2: N/A
• Capterra: N/A
• Sourceforge.net: 5/5 (9 reviews)

XVidCap is a lightweight program that can record everything that happens on X Windows. It makes films accessible in MPEG.

Because it is open-source, any software developer may contribute to the program to help improve it, even though it has many errors. The program enables you to capture both voice and the complete screen and provides a recording option.

The application offers straightforward screen recording options, nothing too complicated or sophisticated. This will be the ideal solution if you occasionally need to record what’s happening on your screen for personal use but don’t want to cope with cumbersome, complicated software.

Key Features

• Simple Linux screen capture software
• Encoding online
• Creates MPEG videos and stills
• Additional plug-ins may be downloaded

VirtualDub

Price: Free

User Ratings:

• G2: N/A
• Capterra: N/A
• Sourceforge.net: 4.7/5 (110 reviews)

The open-source video capture program VirtualDub is compatible with 32-bit and 64-bit versions of the Windows operating system. Additionally, it has a robust video editor, allowing you to edit your screen recordings inside the same application they were created in. It is a screen recorder that is both lightweight and lag-free. It provides sophisticated features, such as the suppression of background noise.

In addition to processing files, the application also includes filters developed by third parties. These filters include Blur, Sharpen, Reflection, Resize, and Rotate. Altering a video’s brightness and contrast are two more ways to improve its quality.

Key Features

• Reduces noise
• Compressing and decompressing options
• OpenDML files creation
• Develop filters

SimpleScreenRecorder

Price: Free

User Ratings:

• G2: N/A
• Capterra: N/A
• Google Play: 3/5 (38 reviews)

SimpleScreenRecorder claims it is the most effective open-source screen recorder available for Linux PCs. You may infer from its name that the user interface will be uncluttered and straightforward. In contrast to other recorders available for Linux, such as VLC and FFmpeg, this capability allows you to record your screen activity. With the program, you may record in excellent resolution at up to 30 frames per second. Additionally, you can record the audio or silence it completely.

The frame rate of the recorded video will be slowed down automatically by Simple Screen Recorder for your convenience. You may save a significant amount of time by using the preview option while recording.

Key Features

• It can record headphones, webcams, and other external devices.
• It optimizes video frame rates to decrease latency on slow computers.
• While recording, you may check the time, file size, and frame rate.
• Real-time downsizing

RecordMyDesktop

Price: Free

User Ratings:

• G2: N/A
• Capterra: N/A
• Sourceforge.net: 5/5 (8 reviews)

RecordMyDesktop is an important utility for capturing Linux screen activity. By inputting codes into the command prompt, you can carry out fundamental recording activities such as beginning the recording and storing the video. In addition to that, it provides a window for interacting with the software, which is quite user-friendly for novices.

Users may pick a window to record from and begin screen recording from any of the two graphical user interface (GUI) versions based on GTK or QT4. The open-source recording program is a screen recording tool that is very lightweight and does not use a significant amount of disk space. You can record using either the user interface or the command line. Additionally, it enables you to preserve video recordings with their accompanying audio in OGG Theora and OGG Vorbis formats.

Key Features

• Ability to record audio
• Capturing and encoding
• Basic command-line tool
• Live stream your recording

UltraVNC

Price: Free

User Ratings:

• G2: 4.7/5 (408 reviews)
• Capterra: 4.1/5 (22 reviews)

Using UltraVNC Screen Recorder, you may record your computer’s screen or take a video using a camera. It is possible to export recordings with a quality of up to 4K. In addition to its standard configuration choices, UltraVNC has additional editing tools that let users apply filters or effects to their connections.

The screen recorder’s built-in mirror driver makes the processing much more efficient. The videos that you captured are stored on your hard disk after recording. You are free to share them across any platform.

Key Features

• Export and social sharing
• Recording timer
• Subtitle editing
• Built-in mirror driver

Kazam Screencaster

Price: Free

User Ratings:

• G2: N/A
• Capterra: N/A
• Alternativeto.net: 4.5/5 (4 reviews)

Kazam is a powerful screen recorder that’s a breeze to use once you get the hang of it. Kazam is a true beast regarding elements and ease of use. For any Linux distribution, this is the best way to record audio. In addition, Kazam supports a variety of video distribution models. Another unique feature of Kazam is the ability to record sound directly from a physical object. Screen grabs and screen projects may be captured using this application’s well-planned and easy-to-use interface.

With this, you may record video and audio from a suitable input device and screen content. Universal Ubuntu’s repositories have it accessible for download. Kazam lets you record in various formats (WEBM, AVI, MP4, and others).

Key Features

• Recording selected areas of the screen
• Recording in MP4, AVI, and other formats
• Ability to capture mouse clicks and key presses
• Broadcasting via YouTube

Krut Computer Recorder

Price: Free

User Ratings:

• G2: N/A
• Capterra: N/A
• Sourceforge.net: 4.6/5 (26 reviews)

The Krut Computer Recorder is a free screen recorder that works with Windows 10, 7, and other operating systems. Because it is a portable program, it does not need to be installed on a computer to be used. To use the program, you need to execute Java.

The program allows you to capture video and audio and control the frame rate and quality of the video encoding. You also have the option to preview the output while you are recording.

Key Features

• Capturing footage of real-time webcasts
• Recording with a timer
• Moveable recording areas
• Developed in Java

Capture Fox

Price: Free

User Ratings:

• G2: N/A
• Capterra: N/A
• Google Play: 4.7/5 (‎567,684 reviews)

Many industry experts favor this software for capturing screen motions in conjunction with external voice commands, which enables the production of instructional films in addition to tutorials and electronic courses. You must install a few add-ons before this program can become compatible with your device; after that, it will be able to record high-quality movies for you.

Key Features

• A few simple settings install add-ons quickly.
• Advanced features improve application performance.
• Record any part or complete screen
• Quality adjustability

Faqs About Open Source Screen Recorders

By the end of the post, we also collect several frequently-asked questions about open source recorders.

Can I use an open source screen recorder for commercial purposes?

Yes, you can use an open source screen recorder for commercial purposes. However, you should check the specific license of the software to make sure that it allows for commercial use.

Are open source screen recorders as good as proprietary software?

Open source screen recorders can be just as good as proprietary software, and in some cases, they may even be better. However, it’s important to remember that open source software is often developed by a community of volunteers, so there may be some limitations in terms of features and support.

Final Words

Screen recording software may be used for several reasons, and the finest ones don’t always have to cost money. You may be able to accomplish your goals using a free screen recorder, depending on your unique demands and the operating system you’re running.

You may always upgrade to a premium version if you need more features or want access to more sophisticated editing tools.

A screen recording tool from this list will hopefully meet your needs, regardless of whether you’re filming an instructional lesson for YouTube or just sharing an impressive video game accomplishment with your friends.