Wondering how to record your own streaming video? There are several options that allow you to record streaming video for free: desktop screen recorders, online tools, browser extensions, iOS apps, and Android apps.
Check out the table below for more information on the different live streaming recorders: their main purpose and the operating systems they run on. Whether you want to record streaming from your PC, smartphone or online, you'll find the right software here.
List of the best screen recording software
1. Screen recording assistant
Operating system: Windows 7/8/10/11, Mac OS Х 10.13 or later
Screen Recording Assistant (geekersof.cn) provides functions to easily set recording parameters, capture audio and video, edit recording and save files. By setting the recording parameters you can choose specific capture errors, which means you will only capture the areas you actually want to keep from the screen.
Screen Recorder (geekersof.cn)'s live streaming recorder requires no bulky hardware or cumbersome add-ons. Instead, it easily captures screen activity and saves it in popular video formats.
main feature:
Audio-only recording
Capture video and audio streams separately or simultaneously
The program can take screenshots and edit them
Shows keystrokes and mouse usage
Easily share to cloud drive
advantage:
Audio-only recording
Capture video and audio streams separately or simultaneously
The program can take screenshots and edit them
Show keystrokes and mouse usage
Timed recording
shortcoming:
The free version will have a watermark
2. Geekersoft free screen recording
Geekersoft Free Screen Recorder is a free online screen recorder for all browsers. Its advantage is that it can easily record directly to the Internet, and you can easily copy the file or share it with others. Geekersoft Free Screen Recorder makes it easy to capture your browser activity or your computer desktop, record sound, or include your face in the recording via webcam. This new free tool does add a small watermark to recordings, which some users don't like.
https://zh.geekersoft.com/free-screen-recorder-online.htmlOperating system: web-based, supports all browsers such as Google Chrome, 360, QQ, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Opera
Best for: Quick audio recordings online
main feature:
No download required
Provides high privacy and security
Saves videos quickly in HD
advantage:
Simple interface
Versatility
No lengthy or complicated pre-recording setups
shortcoming:
Recording needs to be started in the browser
3、ScreenRec
Operating System: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10, Linux
ScreenRec is a free application to capture any screen activity on Windows 10 or lower and Linux. While it's primarily designed as a productivity app, it's perfectly fine to use it for video as well. With its small size and simple interface, it's a good choice even for those with less powerful PCs or less familiar with streaming software. For more demanding users, ScreenRec offers recording 4K video and analytics to see how your videos are viewed. It also promises complete privacy, which is important for a cloud-based service. The app has over 90,000 active users.
main feature:
Take informative screenshots by adding arrows, shapes and speech bubbles
Use system sound, microphone and webcam to record your screen activity
Share your screenshots and recordings through cloud services
Host your material in an online gallery
Advantages:
No watermark or time limit
Lightweight screen recorder
Totally free
Cons:
If you do not create an account, cloud sharing and recording over 5 minutes will not be available
4、CloudApp
Operating system: Windows, macOS, Linux
CloudApp makes it easy to instantly capture and share material directly from your screen. Recording live streams on your PC is easy with this software. CloudApp is a screen recording software for Mac, Windows, Chrome and iOS. It's focused on making meetings easier and more fluid: instead of sitting through the entire video, you can use CloudApp's streaming video capture software to record the meeting for you, then come back later to see the context and find out more.
main feature:
Capture or record your webcast
Share pictures, GIFs, and videos with convenient links
Create GIFs from what you capture
advantage:
Handy hotkeys
Some features are specifically designed to solve business problems
The app enables users to create call-to-action buttons
shortcoming:
Free plan does not include some premium features
5. OBS studio
Operating system: Windows 8.1/10/11, macOS 10.13 and above, Linux
If you're looking for a platform that allows you to rip your own streaming videos, OBS Studio has an easy solution for you. The platform provides high-performance, real-time video and audio capture and mixing, making it easy to produce scenes composed of information from multiple sources. You can seamlessly switch between an unlimited number of scenes.
OBS supports multiple streaming platforms, which makes it ideal for users who may want to integrate these platforms when creating professional-quality productions. This open-source program is free, handy, and makes screen recording a snap.
main feature:
Ability to use window capture, images, text, browser windows, webcams and capture cards
Intuitive mixer with multiple options
Multiple easy-to-use configuration options
Easy layout rearrangement
advantage:
OBS supports multi-source recording
The program supports HD streaming and recording
Includes video editing tools
Highly customizable
shortcoming:
Can be a bit confusing for beginners
5、VLC
Operating system: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10, Mac OS X 10.7.5, Linux
VLC provides a free and open-source platform that is billed as simple, fast, and powerful. It's primarily a media player, but you can also use it to record streaming video. The platform runs on all platforms, from Windows and Linux to Mac OS X and Android: in short, options. It's completely free: it doesn't contain spyware, ads and user tracking. It also plays files, discs, webcams, devices and streams, and can be easily downloaded and used with the platform. Users did notice that VLC media player had a very basic interface that didn't have the visual appeal of newer designed apps.
main feature:
Video player with many additional features
advantage:
Free to use
Supports multiple video formats
shortcoming:
No microphone recording
No screenshot function
No need to customize the size of the capture area
7、Loom
Operating System: Web-based, supported by Google Chrome
Loom offers a wide range of recording options compatible with your device and the platforms you already use. It claims to be great for onboarding new employees, solving customer problems, or managing code reviews. It lets you record your screen, voice and face, then share your video instantly in less time than it normally takes to write an email: it's the ideal way to share content with others directly from your device . Loom is a great solution for the modern worker, many of whom are looking for new ways to communicate while working from home. It's free to use and easy to get started.
According to reviewers, Loom's customer service is somewhat lacking compared to other platforms. However, with a ton of monthly users and downloads, Loom is one of the most popular streaming video recorders on Chrome.
main feature:
A free, easy-to-use platform trusted by millions of users
A free-to-use platform for up to 25 collaborators
Integrate with various business services
advantage:
Helps organize and simplify workflow
Free to use
shortcoming:
Lack of customer support or guidance
Can be intermittent at times
8、Screencastify
Operating System: Web-based, supported by Google Chrome
Screencastify bills itself as a user-friendly tool. It provides a simple, intuitive platform and is available as a Chrome extension. Millions of users use Screencastify to record, edit, and share video—and it's easy to get started. In fact, the platform is so simple that it doesn't take any time to get started.
Screencastify is an easy way to deliver simple, more effective messages. Instead of typing long emails, you can capture your screen and easily share that information with other users. However, according to some reviewers, it doesn't work with recordings that aren't in a web browser.
main feature:
Basic editing allows trimming of videos
Export as MP4, GIF or MP3
Share recordings via Google Drive link
advantage:
Easy to use
Trim easily
Store or download videos without registration
shortcoming:
Not suitable for high-resolution recording
9. Record it!
Operating system: iOS 12.0 or later
Best for: Recording MP4 on iPhone
Price: Free version, $4.99 for Pro version
record it! Top rated in the App Store, and for good reason. It has a whopping 4.6 stars out of over 1.7 million reviews. record it! Ideal for recording games and applications for tutorials, game walkthroughs, video demos and training presentations. You can add comments at any time, or drop them into your app later to make cohesive, easy-to-understand videos.
main feature:
Face camera reactions
Organize recordings in the app
advantage:
Records the entire screen
Includes a powerful video editor
Shares easily
shortcoming:
The file saving process is slow on some devices
Some users have reported audio quality issues
10, Mobizen
Operating system: Android 4.4 or later
Price: Free version, Pro version costs $2 per month, billed annually
While Mobizen does offer an option that allows you to record videos for free, the app does contain in-app purchases and ads, which can be clunky and distracting for some users.
While Mobizen is a very popular screen capture software, it does have some clunky features. Sometimes, in-app advertisements start along with the recorder, which can ruin the recording experience. Sometimes, this can mean losing something, which can't always be retrieved. Screen recorders also use a lot of resources on your Android device, which means it can cause frustrating lag in videos and games. Still, it's an easy, fun way to quickly record video, especially if you're working on it for personal or leisure purposes.
main feature:
Allows you to put in an intro or outro video with a few short taps
Freely records your reactions, including your face and your voice, thanks to Face Cam
advantage:
Provides efficient screen recording profiles
Allows you to edit, trim and cut images
Records clean screen without watermark
shortcoming:
ads appear from time to time