Top 5 Best Free Screencast Software Teachers Can Try in 2025

Screencasting is a fantastic way for teachers to create video lessons, tutorials, and provide feedback. Here are five great free screencasting options that are popular and offer valuable features for educators:

ActivePresenter: I highly recommend ActivePresenter as a free and powerful solution. It’s not just a screen recorder; it’s also a comprehensive video editor and eLearning authoring tool. For teachers, this means you can record your screen with clear video and audio, easily cut out mistakes, add annotations like text and shapes to highlight important points, and even create interactive elements if you want to go further into eLearning. The free version is very generous and provides excellent functionality for creating high-quality video content.
OBS Studio: OBS Studio is a free and open-source software that is very popular, especially for live streaming, but it’s also a capable screen recorder. While it might have a steeper learning curve than some other options due to its wide range of features, it offers a lot of flexibility and high-quality recording. Teachers who need advanced control over their recordings or want to do live sessions might find OBS Studio very useful.
Screencastify: This is a Chrome extension that is known for its simplicity and ease of use, making it a great choice for teachers who want to quickly record their browser tab, desktop, or webcam. The free version usually has limitations on recording length, but it’s excellent for creating short explanations or quick video messages for students. It’s integrated with Google Drive, which can be convenient for sharing.
Loom: Loom is another very user-friendly tool that is great for creating quick videos and sharing them easily. It’s often used for video messaging, which can be very helpful for teachers providing feedback or quick instructions. The free plan offers a good set of features for recording your screen and webcam, and its focus on quick sharing makes it efficient for daily teaching tasks.
ShareX: This is a free and open-source program for Windows that offers a wide variety of capture methods and is very versatile. While it can be used for screen recording, it’s also excellent for taking screenshots and has many annotation and sharing features. It might be a bit more technical than some other options, but for teachers who need a flexible tool for both video and image capture, it’s a strong contender.

When choosing the best tool, consider what features are most important for your teaching needs, such as ease of use, editing capabilities, recording length limits, and sharing options. Each of these free tools offers something valuable for educators looking to create screencasts.

Okay! Let’s see them in detail overview, pros and cons and how to use each software in real life.

Top 5 Best Free Screencast Software Teachers Can Try in 2025

1. ActivePresenter – Best Free Screen Capture Software withou Watermark or Time Limit

ActivePresenter is a powerful all-in-one screencast software developed by Atomi Systems. While it offers extensive features for professional eLearning authoring in its paid versions, its free version is remarkably capable as a screen recorder and video editor. It runs as a desktop application on both Windows and macOS, providing a stable and feature-rich environment for creating video content. For teachers, this means you get a robust tool without worrying about browser limitations or internet connectivity issues during recording.

Key Features (Free Version):

High-Quality Screen Recording: Record your full screen, a specific window, or a custom area with excellent video quality.
Webcam and Microphone Recording: Simultaneously record your webcam and microphone to add a personal touch and narration to your videos. You can choose to record system audio as well.
Basic to Intermediate Video Editing: This is where ActivePresenter stands out among many free options. It offers a multi-track editor where you can cut, copy, delete, and split video and audio segments. You can adjust volume, change playback speed, and insert freeze frames.
Annotations and Callouts: Easily add shapes, text annotations, highlights, and images to your video to draw attention to key information or explain concepts visually.
Zoom and Pan Effects: Apply zoom and pan effects to focus on specific areas of the screen during playback.
Cursor Effects: Highlight mouse clicks and display keystrokes, which is very useful for software tutorials or demonstrations.
Export Options: Export your recordings as high-quality MP4 videos, which are widely compatible and easy to share with students.

Pros for Teachers:

Comprehensive Feature Set (even in free version): Offers more than just recording, including valuable editing and annotation tools that are often paid features in other software.
No Watermark: The free version does not add a watermark to your exported videos, giving them a professional look.
No Time Limit on Recordings: You can record for as long as you need, which is great for longer lessons or demonstrations.
Desktop Application: Provides a stable recording experience and is not dependent on browser performance.
Suitable for Detailed Tutorials: Features like cursor effects and annotations are perfect for creating clear and easy-to-follow tutorials.

Cons for Teachers:

Steeper Learning Curve than Simpler Tools: While the interface is user-friendly, the breadth of features might feel a bit overwhelming initially compared to very basic recorders.
Advanced eLearning Features are Paid: Interactive quizzes, SCORM/xAPI export for LMS integration, and automated closed captioning are only available in the paid versions.
Installation Required: As a desktop application, it requires downloading and installing the software.

How to Use It (General Overview):

2. OBS Studio – Best Free and Open source Screencast Software for Everyone

OBS Studio (Open Broadcaster Software) is a free and open-source software widely used for live streaming and video recording. It’s a very powerful tool that provides a high degree of control over your recording setup. While it’s popular among gamers and broadcasters, its flexibility makes it a viable option for teachers who need more advanced recording capabilities and are comfortable with a more technical interface. It’s available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Key Features (Free Version):

High-Performance Real-Time Video/Audio Capturing and Mixing: Create scenes with multiple sources, including window captures, images, text, webcams, browser windows, and more.
Unlimited Scenes: Set up different layouts or scenes in advance and switch between them seamlessly during recording.
Audio Mixer with Filters: Full control over audio sources with filters like noise gate, noise suppression, and gain.
Numerous Configuration Options: Fine-tune every aspect of your recording, from resolution and frame rate to encoding settings.
Hotkeys: Set up custom hotkeys for quick actions like starting/stopping recording or switching scenes.
No Watermark: Recordings do not have a watermark.
No Time Limit: Record for any duration.

Pros for Teachers:

Extremely Flexible and Powerful: Allows for complex setups with multiple sources, great for creating dynamic presentations.
High-Quality Output: Capable of producing professional-looking recordings.
Completely Free and Open Source: No hidden costs or limitations on core functionality.
Strong Community Support: As a popular open-source tool, there are many tutorials and forums available for help.

Cons for Teachers:

Steep Learning Curve: The interface and concepts (like sources and scenes) can be intimidating for beginners.
No Built-in Video Editor: OBS Studio is primarily a recording tool. You will need separate video editing software to edit your recordings.
Can Be Resource-Intensive: Depending on your settings and computer, it can sometimes use significant system resources.

How to Use It (General Overview):

Take a look at below video tutorial for OBS Studio:

3. Screencastify – Perfect Quick Free Screen Capture Tool for Quick Recording

Screencastify is a popular screen recording tool that operates as a Google Chrome extension. This makes it incredibly convenient for teachers who primarily work within the Chrome browser and use Google Workspace tools like Google Drive and Google Classroom. Its focus is on simplicity and speed, allowing for quick creation and sharing of videos. The free version has some limitations, but it’s an excellent entry point for basic screen recording needs.

Key Features (Free Version):

Record Browser Tab, Desktop, or Webcam: Choose to record just the content of a specific Chrome tab, your entire desktop, or solely your webcam.
Record Microphone and System Audio: Capture your voice narration and sounds playing on your computer.
Basic Annotation Tools: Use a pen tool to draw on the screen, highlight your cursor, and include click animations.
Automatic Save to Google Drive: Recordings are automatically saved to your Google Drive account.
Easy Sharing: Get a shareable link for your video with a single click.
Limited Recording Length: Videos are typically limited to a certain length per recording (check current free plan details, often around 30 minutes).
Limited Number of Videos: There might be a limit on the total number of videos you can create in the free plan.
Watermark: Free recordings usually include a small watermark.

Pros for Teachers:

Extremely Easy to Use: Very intuitive interface, making it simple to start recording quickly.
Chrome Extension Convenience: No software installation required (beyond installing the extension).
Seamless Google Integration: Works well with Google Drive and Google Classroom for saving and sharing.
Quick Sharing: Generating a shareable link is very fast.
Good for Short Videos/Explanations: Ideal for creating brief tutorials, announcements, or quick feedback videos.

Cons for Teachers:

Recording Limitations in Free Version: The limits on recording length and the total number of videos can be restrictive for longer lessons.
Watermark: The presence of a watermark might be undesirable for some.
Basic Editing: The editing capabilities are quite limited compared to desktop software like ActivePresenter or using a separate video editor.
Browser-Dependent: Relies on the Chrome browser, which might not be ideal if you need to record activity outside of Chrome frequently.

How to Use It (General Overview):

5. ShareX – Best Free Screen Record Tool for Windows

ShareX is a free and open-source program for Windows that is highly versatile and customizable, primarily known for its comprehensive screenshot and file-sharing capabilities. While it’s often used for capturing still images, it also includes screen recording functionality. ShareX is designed for users who need a powerful and flexible tool and are comfortable with exploring various settings and workflows. It might be more than what some teachers need, but its robust feature set makes it worth considering for those who want a highly configurable free option.

Key Features (Free Version):

Numerous Capture Methods: Record your entire screen, a specific window, a region, or even capture scrolling windows.
Screen Recording (including GIF): Record video in standard formats and also create animated GIFs from screen activity.
Audio Recording: Record audio from your microphone or system audio.
Annotation Tools: While primarily for screenshots, its image editor includes various annotation tools that can be used on frames of a video or for preparing visuals before recording.
Workflow Customization: Set up automated tasks to happen after a capture or recording (e.g., automatically save the file, copy the link, upload to a service).
Many Upload Destinations: Integrate with numerous online services for uploading and sharing files (though this might be more than needed for simple video sharing).
No Watermark: Recordings do not have a watermark.
No Time Limit: Record for any duration.

Pros for Teachers:

Highly Customizable: Offers a great deal of flexibility in how you capture and process recordings.
Completely Free and Open Source: No cost and actively developed.
Versatile: Useful for both screen recording and advanced screenshot needs.
No Watermark or Time Limit: Excellent for creating videos of any length without branding.

Cons for Teachers:

Interface Can Be Complex: Designed for power users, the interface might be overwhelming for beginners.
Limited Built-in Video Editing: ShareX is not a dedicated video editor. You’ll need external software for significant edits.
Windows Only: Not available for macOS or Linux.
Setup for Recording Can Be Less Intuitive: Configuring screen recording and audio inputs might require a bit more digging in the settings compared to simpler tools.

How to Use It (General Overview):

Comparison Table of The Best Screencast Software For Teachers

Here is a table summarizing key aspects of these five free screencast software options for teachers:

Feature	ActivePresenter Free	OBS Studio Free	Screencastify Free	Loom Free (Individual)	ShareX Free
Platform	Windows, macOS	Windows, macOS, Linux	Chrome Extension	Windows, macOS, Chrome Ext., Mobile	Windows
Primary Function	Screen Recording, Video Editing, eLearning	Screen Recording, Live Streaming	Quick Screen Recording	Video Messaging, Screen Recording	Screenshot, File Sharing, Recording
Video Editing	Yes (Basic to Intermediate)	No (Requires external editor)	Yes (Basic trimming)	Yes (Basic trimming)	No (Requires external editor)
Watermark	No	No	Yes (Small watermark)	No	No
Recording Time Limit	No	No	Limited (e.g., 30 min per video)	Limited (e.g., 5 min per video)	No
Total Video Limit	No	Limited by storage	Limited (e.g., 10 videos)	Limited (e.g., 25 videos)	Limited by storage
Webcam Recording	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (Can be configured)
System Audio	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes (Can be configured)
Ease of Use (Beginner)	Moderate	Lower	High	High	Lower
Annotation Tools	Yes (Shapes, Text, Highlights)	Limited (More for streaming overlays)	Yes (Pen, Cursor effects)	Limited (Drawing tool in desktop app)	Yes (Image editor annotations)
Ideal For Teachers	Detailed tutorials, lessons with editing	Advanced users, live sessions	Quick explanations, feedback	Quick video messages, feedback	Technical users, versatile capture
Google Integration	No direct integration	No direct integration	Yes (Google Drive, Classroom)	Yes (Sharing links)	No direct integration

The Bottom Line

Each of these free screencast software options offers unique benefits for teachers. For a powerful all-around tool that includes robust editing capabilities without watermarks or time limits, I continue to highly recommend ActivePresenter. If you need advanced control and possibly live streaming, OBS Studio is a strong choice (though you’ll need separate editing software). For quick, browser-based recordings with Google integration, Screencastify is excellent for shorter content. Loom is fantastic for video messaging and quick feedback, especially if you qualify for their education plan. Finally, ShareX is a versatile and highly customizable option for Windows users comfortable with a more technical tool.

Consider your specific needs and try out the ones that seem like the best fit for your teaching style!