2026-04-01 · Vyds Team
7 Best Loom Alternatives in 2026 (Tested & Priced)
Looking for a Loom alternative in 2026? We tested 7 screen recorders, compared real pricing, and found which ones actually replace Loom.

TL;DR: The best Loom alternatives in 2026
If you're in a hurry, here's the short version. We tested 7 Loom alternatives and compared them on price, free tier, editing, team features, and data portability:
- Vyds: Best overall Loom alternative. Free tier saves to your own Google Drive. Plus at $7/mo, Pro at $12/seat. The only tool where your recordings live in storage you control.
- Tella: Best for polished async video. Beautiful interface, but $26/month (monthly) or $13/month (annual).
- Cap: Best open-source Loom alternative. Free and self-hostable. Early stage.
- ScreenPal: Best budget Loom alternative. $4/month on annual billing. Watermark on free tier.
- Vidyard: Best for sales teams. Viewer analytics and CRM integration. $59/seat/month annual ($89 monthly).
- Descript: Best for editing-heavy workflows. Full video editor with AI. $24/month.
- OBS Studio: Best completely free option. No sharing, no team features, steep learning curve.
Contents:
- Why teams are switching from Loom
- Quick comparison table
- 1. Vyds
- 2. Tella
- 3. Cap
- 4. ScreenPal
- 5. Vidyard
- 6. Descript
- 7. OBS Studio
- How to choose the right Loom alternative
- What we looked for
- FAQ
Why teams are switching from Loom in 2026
Loom built the async video category. The "record, share link, done" workflow changed how remote teams communicate. But since Atlassian acquired Loom in late 2023, the product has changed. And not in ways that benefit most users.
Here's what happened:
Pricing went up. Loom Business now costs $18/user/month ($15/user on annual billing, $180/yr). The Business + AI tier is $24/user/month. For a 20-person team paying monthly, that's $360-480/month - $4,320-5,760/year on a screen recorder.
The free tier got gutted. Loom's free plan used to allow 50 videos with no time limit. Now it's 25 videos total, 5 minutes each, with Loom branding on the viewing page. That's barely enough to evaluate the product, let alone use it.
Reliability declined. Loom's Trustpilot page shows a 1.4 out of 5 star rating across 200+ reviews. The top complaint (cited in roughly 60% of negative reviews) is bugs, crashes, and recordings lost in processing. As one reviewer put it:
"I pay £20 per month and EVERYDAY it crashes or doesn't save my videos." - Emily Day, Trustpilot, March 2026
Billing practices frustrated users. About 40% of negative Trustpilot reviews cite billing issues - charges continuing after cancellation, no renewal reminder emails, and hidden per-seat charges when adding team members.
"I cancelled my subscription before the end of the first billing period, yet the company has continued to charge us every single month." - Weddt displays people, Trustpilot, December 2025
The Atlassian login migration broke access. Multiple users lost access to their entire Loom library when the login system switched to Atlassian accounts:
"Everything was great until Loom switched to Atlassian's login system. I can't log in anymore because Atlassian blocked my account years ago when I used Trello. I've completely lost access to all my existing Loom videos." - Dmitrii, Trustpilot, December 2025
Not everyone experiences these problems. Capterra and GetApp reviews average 4.7/5. But those platforms incentivize reviews. The Trustpilot data represents people who sought out a review site because their experience was bad enough to warrant it. When the complaints are this specific and this consistent, they're worth taking seriously.
If you're searching for Loom alternatives in 2026, you're probably in one of these situations: the price increase hit your budget, the reliability issues cost you lost recordings, or the Atlassian acquisition changed a tool you used to love. Here are 7 alternatives that handle things differently.
Quick comparison: all 7 Loom alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Free tier | Paid price | Team price | Desktop app | Chrome ext | Editing | Storage | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vyds | Unlimited, 5 min, 720p, no watermark | $7/mo (Plus) | $12/seat/mo (Pro) | macOS + Windows | Yes | Trim + stitch | Your Google Drive (BYOS) | Teams switching from Loom |
| Tella | Limited | $26/mo ($13 annual) | Contact sales | macOS | Yes | Advanced | Tella servers | Polished async video |
| Cap | Unlimited, open source | - | - | macOS + Windows | No | Basic | Local or S3 | Open-source fans |
| ScreenPal | Watermarked | $4/mo (annual) | $8/user/mo | macOS + Windows | Yes | Built-in editor | ScreenPal servers | Budget-conscious individuals |
| Vidyard | 15 AI videos | $59/seat annual | Custom | No | Yes | Trim | Vidyard servers | Sales teams with CRM needs |
| Descript | 1 hr transcription | $24/mo | $33/user/mo | macOS + Windows | No | Full editor | Descript servers | Editing-heavy workflows |
| OBS Studio | Unlimited, no limits | Free | Free | macOS + Win + Linux | No | None | Local only | Power users who don't need sharing |
| Loom | 25 videos, 5 min, branded | $18/user/mo | $18/user/mo | macOS + Windows | Yes | Trim | Loom servers | Atlassian-shop teams |
A few things jump out from this table. Most Loom alternatives store your recordings on their own servers, just like Loom does. The exception is Vyds (saves to your Google Drive), Cap (local or S3), and OBS (local only). If data portability matters to you, that's a meaningful difference between these Loom alternatives.
Also note the screen capture and video messaging capabilities. Every tool can record your screen, but the sharing and communication features vary widely. Some are pure screen capture tools (OBS, ShareX). Others are full video messaging platforms with comments and reactions (Vyds Pro, Loom).
1. Vyds: Best free Loom alternative (your storage, no lock-in)
Price: Free ($0) / Plus ($7/mo, $5 annual) / Pro ($12/seat/mo, $9 annual) Platforms: macOS, Windows, Chrome extension Why we picked it: The only Loom alternative that stores free-tier recordings in your own Google Drive or OneDrive.
Full disclosure: Vyds is our product. I'm the founder. I built it because I experienced the exact problems described above - unreliable recordings, pricing surprises, and no way to get my team's video library out of Loom's servers.
That bias acknowledged, here's what Vyds does differently from Loom and every other alternative on this list:
What makes Vyds different from other Loom alternatives
BYOS (Bring Your Own Storage). On the free tier, your recordings save directly to your Google Drive or OneDrive. Not to Vyds servers - to storage you already own and control. If you cancel Vyds tomorrow, every recording is still in your Drive. No export needed because the recordings were never on someone else's server.
This isn't a minor feature. It's the core architecture. Most screen recorders, including Loom - store your recordings on their infrastructure. Your continued access to your own content depends on your continued payment. With Vyds, the tool is the recorder. The storage is yours.
Unlimited free recordings. The free tier allows unlimited recordings up to 5 minutes at 720p with no watermark and no video cap. Compare that to Loom's free plan: 25 videos total, 5 minutes, Loom branding. Vyds's free tier is functional enough for real use, not just evaluation.
Editing included at the $7/mo tier. Trim and stitch editing comes with Plus ($7/month). On Loom, even basic trim requires the $18/user Business plan. As one Loom reviewer put it:
"WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY JUST TO TRIM THE VIDEO???" - Tanky Blitz, Trustpilot, August 2025
Vyds pricing breakdown
| Tier | Monthly | Annual | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Unlimited recordings, 5 min, 720p, no watermark, BYOS |
| Plus | $7/mo | $5/mo | Unlimited length, 1080p, trim + stitch editing |
| Pro | $12/seat/mo | $9/seat/mo | 4K, AI features, team workspace, comments, viewer identity |
For a 20-person team on Pro: $240/month or $180/month annual. Compare to Loom Business at $360/month ($300 annual). That's 33-40% savings with comparable features. And your recordings don't vanish if you leave.
Where Vyds falls short
- No native Atlassian integration (Jira/Confluence embeds). If your team lives in Confluence and Jira, this matters.
- No deep viewer analytics beyond basic viewer identity. Sales teams that rely on "who watched what for how long" need Vidyard or Loom.
- Newer product. Integrations with Slack, Notion, and Linear are growing but not as mature as Loom's.
Best for: Teams of 5-50 switching from Loom who want the same workflow at a lower price, with the security of owning their recordings. See Vyds pricing →
2. Tella: Best for polished async video
Price: $26/month (monthly) / $13/month (annual) Platforms: macOS, Chrome extension Why we picked it: The most visually polished Loom alternative, with built-in layouts and backgrounds that make recordings look professional without post-production.
Tella sits in a different niche than most Loom alternatives. Where Loom and Vyds optimize for speed (record, share, done), Tella optimizes for aesthetics. You get customizable layouts, branded backgrounds, smooth transitions, and a recording experience that produces videos that look like they were edited. Even though you recorded them live.
Tella strengths as a Loom alternative
- Beautiful output. Recordings look polished out of the box. Multiple camera/screen layouts, custom backgrounds, branded themes.
- Marketing use case. Product demos, customer onboarding videos, and sales decks look more professional than a standard screen recording.
- Good editing. More than just trim. You can adjust layouts after recording, add transitions, and combine clips.
Tella weaknesses
- Price. $26/month on monthly billing is higher than Loom Business ($18/user) for individual users. The annual price ($13/month) is more competitive but requires upfront commitment.
- macOS only. No Windows desktop app. Windows users are limited to the Chrome extension.
- No free tier for real use. The free plan is too restricted for evaluation beyond a quick test.
- No team plan with per-seat pricing. "Contact sales" for teams, which usually means enterprise pricing.
- Recordings live on Tella's servers. Same vendor lock-in concern as Loom. No BYOS option.
Is Tella worth it as a Loom alternative?
Tella is worth it if your primary use case is creating polished, professional-looking async video content - product demos, marketing clips, customer-facing recordings where aesthetics matter. It's not the best Loom alternative for quick team communication because the polish adds complexity to the workflow.
For teams, the lack of transparent per-seat pricing is a red flag. If you're managing 10+ seats, get a quote before committing.
Best for: Product and marketing teams who prioritize visual quality over recording speed. Solo creators making client-facing content.
3. Cap: Best open-source Loom alternative
Price: Free (open source) Platforms: macOS, Windows (desktop app), web Why we picked it: The only fully open-source Loom alternative with a modern interface.
Cap is what you'd get if someone rebuilt Loom from scratch with an open-source-first philosophy. The desktop app records your screen and camera, generates a shareable link, and provides basic editing. The entire codebase is on GitHub. You can self-host it on your own infrastructure.
Cap strengths as a Loom alternative
- Truly free. No limits, no watermarks, no paywalls on core features. Open source means it stays free.
- Self-hostable. Run it on your own servers if data sovereignty matters to your organization.
- Local recording. Videos save locally first, with optional cloud upload. No "stuck in processing" failure mode.
- Active development. The project is actively maintained with regular updates.
- No vendor lock-in. Your recordings are local files. Export is trivial because there's nothing to export from. You already have the files.
Cap weaknesses
- Early stage. The product is still maturing. Some features you'd expect from a Loom alternative (team workspace, comments on videos, CRM integrations) aren't available yet.
- Self-hosting requires technical knowledge. Setting up your own Cap instance isn't a click-and-deploy experience. You need infrastructure skills.
- Smaller community. Fewer integrations, plugins, and third-party tools compared to established alternatives.
- No enterprise features. SSO, SCIM, audit logs, admin controls - none of that exists yet.
- Sharing UX is basic. The link-sharing experience isn't as polished as Loom's viewer page with comments and reactions.
Is Cap a viable Loom alternative?
Cap is a viable Loom alternative for technically inclined individuals and small teams who value open source and data control above all else. It's not ready to replace Loom for a 50-person team that needs admin controls and a polished viewer experience.
Think of Cap as the "OBS of async video" - powerful and free, but with a higher bar for setup and fewer conveniences. The project is worth watching as it matures.
Best for: Developers, open-source advocates, and privacy-conscious users who want full control over their recording infrastructure.
4. ScreenPal: Best budget Loom alternative
Price: Free (watermarked) / Solo Deluxe $4/month (annual) or $8/month (monthly) / Team $8/user/month Platforms: macOS, Windows, Chrome extension, iOS, Android Why we picked it: The cheapest paid Loom alternative with a decent feature set, including a built-in video editor.
ScreenPal (formerly Screencast-O-Matic. The name change was overdue) has been in the screen recording space longer than Loom. It's not as polished, but it costs a fraction of the price and includes editing features that Loom charges extra for.
ScreenPal strengths as a Loom alternative
- Price. $4/month on annual billing is the lowest paid tier of any Loom alternative on this list. For teams, $8/user/month is less than half of Loom's $18/user.
- Built-in editor. ScreenPal includes a video editor with overlays, annotations, effects, and multi-track editing. Loom's editor is trim-only unless you pay for the $24/user AI tier.
- Cross-platform. Desktop apps for macOS and Windows, Chrome extension, plus mobile apps for iOS and Android. Wider platform coverage than most Loom alternatives.
- Hosting included. Paid plans include hosting on ScreenPal's platform with shareable links, similar to Loom's share workflow.
ScreenPal weaknesses
- Watermark on free tier. The free plan adds a ScreenPal watermark to all recordings. Not usable for professional or client-facing content. Compare to Vyds's free tier (no watermark) or Cap (no watermark).
- Dated UX. The interface feels a generation behind Loom, Tella, and Vyds. Functional but not inspiring.
- Limited async/team features. No comments on videos (on lower tiers), no CRM integration, no viewer analytics. The team features are primarily shared hosting and centralized billing, not the async communication workflow Loom is known for.
- Recordings on ScreenPal servers. Same lock-in issue as Loom. No BYOS option. If you cancel, you need to download everything manually.
- Confusing plan names. Solo Deluxe, Solo Premier, Solo Max, Team Business. The tier naming doesn't clearly communicate what you get at each level.
Is ScreenPal worth it as a Loom alternative?
ScreenPal is worth it if budget is your primary constraint and you need basic screen recording with editing for $4-8/month. It's not a great Loom alternative for teams that rely on the async communication workflow (comments, reactions, thread-style conversations on recordings) because those features are limited.
For individuals on a tight budget, ScreenPal is the most cost-effective option on this list. For teams, the savings vs Loom are significant ($8 vs $18/user), but you lose the team communication layer that makes Loom sticky.
Best for: Budget-conscious individuals and small teams who need a basic screen recorder with editing. See our full ScreenPal comparison for a deeper breakdown.
5. Vidyard: Best Loom alternative for sales teams
Price: Free (25 videos, 30 min) / Pro $19/month / Plus $59/month / Business custom pricing Platforms: Chrome extension (no desktop app) Why we picked it: The only Loom alternative with deep CRM integration (HubSpot, Salesforce) and actionable viewer analytics built for sales workflows.
Vidyard occupies a specific niche: screen recording as a sales tool. Where Loom positions itself as a general async communication platform, Vidyard is explicitly built for sales teams that use video in their outreach, follow-ups, and demo workflows.
Vidyard strengths as a Loom alternative
- Sales-specific viewer analytics. See who watched, for how long, which sections they replayed, and when they dropped off. This data feeds directly into your CRM for lead scoring.
- CRM integration. Native HubSpot, Salesforce, and Outreach integrations. Video engagement data flows into your pipeline automatically.
- Video in email. Embed video thumbnails in emails with click tracking. Higher open and response rates for sales outreach.
- Video playlists. Create shareable playlists of multiple recordings - useful for multi-step sales demos or onboarding sequences.
Vidyard weaknesses
- No desktop app. Chrome extension only. If you need to record system audio or non-browser content, you'll need workarounds.
- Price. $19/month (Pro) is comparable to Loom, but the Plus tier ($59/month) and Business tier (custom) get expensive fast. For non-sales use cases, you're overpaying for analytics you don't need.
- Not a general-purpose Loom alternative. The product is optimized for sales. If your team uses screen recording for engineering updates, design reviews, or product documentation, Vidyard's sales-centric features add complexity without value.
- Recordings on Vidyard servers. Same vendor lock-in concern. No BYOS option. No bulk export to external storage.
- Free tier is limited. 25 videos and 30 minutes per recording. Better than Loom's free tier (25 videos, 5 minutes), but still restrictive.
Is Vidyard worth it as a Loom alternative?
Vidyard is worth the price if. And only if - your primary use case is sales outreach with video. The CRM integration and viewer analytics create genuine ROI for sales teams that can attribute closed deals to video engagement.
For everyone else, Vidyard is the wrong Loom alternative. You'd be paying for sales analytics you don't use while missing general team features (async comments, team workspace) that other alternatives handle better.
Best for: Sales teams that use video in outreach and need CRM integration. SDRs and AEs who want to know exactly when a prospect watches their demo. See our full Vidyard comparison.
6. Descript: Best for editing-heavy workflows
Price: Free (1 hr transcription) / Hobbyist $24/month / Business $33/user/month Platforms: macOS, Windows (desktop app) Why we picked it: Descript is a full video/audio editor with AI-powered features like filler word removal and text-based editing, and it includes screen recording.
Descript is an outlier on this list of Loom alternatives. It's primarily a video and podcast editor that happens to include screen recording. If your workflow involves significant post-production - cutting segments, adding b-roll, removing filler words, adjusting pacing - Descript does things no other Loom alternative can.
Descript strengths as a Loom alternative
- Text-based video editing. Edit your video by editing the transcript. Delete a sentence from the text, and Descript removes it from the video. This is genuinely faster than timeline-based editing for certain workflows.
- AI filler word removal. Automatically removes "um," "uh," and awkward pauses. Makes rough recordings sound polished without manual editing.
- Multi-track editing. Import multiple recordings, add music, insert images, and create polished final cuts. Far beyond what Loom, Vyds, or any other screen recorder offers.
- Transcription built in. Accurate AI transcription included, with speaker identification and searchable text.
Descript weaknesses
- Not designed for quick async video. The recording-to-share workflow has more friction than Loom or Vyds. Descript wants you to edit before sharing. If your use case is "record a 3-minute update and send the link," Descript adds unnecessary steps.
- Price. $24/month (Hobbyist) or $33/user/month (Business). More expensive than Loom for what's ultimately a different category of tool.
- No Chrome extension. Desktop app only. Can't do quick browser-based recordings.
- Learning curve. The editor is powerful but complex. Team members who just want to record and share will find it over-engineered for their needs.
- Recordings on Descript servers. No BYOS. Same lock-in concern as other alternatives.
- No team async features. No timestamped comments, no emoji reactions, no thread-style conversations on recordings. It's an editor, not a communication tool.
Is Descript worth it as a Loom alternative?
Descript is worth it if you regularly edit your screen recordings before sharing them - removing filler words, cutting segments, adding context. It's not worth it as a general Loom alternative because the core async workflow (record → share link → discuss) is slower and more complex than purpose-built tools.
Think of Descript as a video editor that competes with Premiere Pro and Final Cut, not as a Loom alternative that competes with Vyds and Tella.
Best for: Content creators, podcasters, and teams that produce edited video content. Not for quick async communication.
7. OBS Studio: Best completely free (power users)
Price: Free (open source) Platforms: macOS, Windows, Linux Why we picked it: Unlimited features, zero cost, total control. The most capable screen recorder on this list. If you're willing to configure it.
OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is the gold standard for free screen recording. Streamers, content creators, and power users have relied on it for years. It records anything on your screen in any resolution, with full control over encoding, frame rate, audio sources, and output format.
OBS strengths as a Loom alternative
- Completely free. No tiers, no watermarks, no limits, no subscription. Ever.
- Maximum flexibility. Multiple video and audio sources, scene composition, custom overlays, plugin system. You can configure OBS to do anything.
- Local recording. Videos save to your local filesystem. No server dependency, no processing failures, no vendor lock-in. Your files are your files.
- Cross-platform. macOS, Windows, and Linux. The only Loom alternative on this list with Linux support.
- Large community. Extensive documentation, plugins, themes, and community support.
OBS weaknesses as a Loom alternative
- No sharing workflow. OBS records locally. There's no "stop recording, get link, paste it" workflow. You have to manually upload your recording to a hosting service, generate a link, and share it. This is the #1 reason OBS isn't a real Loom alternative for team use.
- No team features. No shared workspace, no comments, no viewer analytics, no centralized billing. OBS is a solo tool.
- Steep learning curve. The configuration UI is intimidating for non-technical users. Setting up scenes, sources, encoding settings, and audio routing takes time. As one OBS user noted, the power comes with complexity.
- No webcam bubble overlay. OBS can show your webcam, but the "floating bubble" camera layout that Loom popularized requires custom scene configuration. It's possible but not a one-click feature.
- No editing. OBS records raw video. Trimming, stitching, or any post-processing requires a separate editor.
Is OBS a viable Loom alternative?
OBS is a viable Loom alternative for individuals who prioritize recording quality and cost (free) over sharing convenience. It's not viable for teams because there's no sharing workflow, no communication features, and no way to build a shared video library without bolting on additional tools.
If you pair OBS with a video hosting service (YouTube unlisted, Google Drive, or a Vyds-style sharing tool), you can approximate the Loom workflow. But the friction of "record → save → upload → generate link → share" vs "record → share" is real, and most teams won't accept it.
Best for: Power users, streamers, and individuals who want maximum control and don't mind the lack of sharing features. See how to record screen with audio for OBS setup guides.
How to choose the right Loom alternative
The right Loom alternative depends on what drove you to look for one. Here's a decision framework based on the most common reasons teams leave Loom:
If price is the issue: ScreenPal ($4/mo) or Vyds Plus ($7/mo) are the most cost-effective Loom alternatives. For teams, Vyds Pro ($12/seat) is 33% cheaper than Loom Business ($18/user). OBS is free but lacks sharing.
If reliability is the issue: Look for tools that save recordings locally or to your own storage before uploading. Vyds (saves to Google Drive), Cap (saves locally), and OBS (saves locally) eliminate the "stuck in processing" failure mode that plagues cloud-first Loom alternatives.
If data portability is the issue: Vyds is the only Loom alternative on this list with BYOS (bring your own storage) as its default architecture. Cap lets you self-host. OBS saves locally. Everything else stores your recordings on the vendor's servers - creating the same lock-in concern as Loom.
If you need sales analytics: Vidyard is the only Loom alternative with deep CRM integration and per-viewer engagement analytics. Loom has viewer analytics too, but Vidyard's sales-specific features (email tracking, pipeline integration) are more actionable.
If you need heavy editing: Descript is a video editor first and a screen recorder second. If you edit every recording before sharing, Descript's text-based editing saves real time.
If you want open source: Cap (modern async video) or OBS (raw recording power) are your options. Both are free. Both give you full control.
If you're switching a team from Loom: You need the same core workflow (record → link → share → discuss) with team features (workspace, comments, centralized billing). Vyds Pro, Loom itself, and partially ScreenPal cover this. Vidyard covers it for sales-specific teams.
How to switch from Loom to an alternative
If you've decided to move to a Loom alternative, here's the practical migration process:
Step 1: Audit your Loom library
Before switching, figure out what you have. How many recordings does your team have in Loom? Which ones are still referenced regularly (onboarding videos, process documentation, important product demos)? Which ones are one-off messages nobody will watch again?
Most teams find that 80% of their Loom library is one-off async messages with a shelf life of a week. The 20% that matters - training videos, product documentation, reusable walkthroughs - is what you need to migrate.
Step 2: Download critical recordings
Loom lets you download individual recordings one at a time. There's no bulk export or API migration tool (which is part of the vendor lock-in problem). For the recordings that matter:
- Open each recording in Loom
- Click the download button
- Save the .mp4 file to your local disk or Google Drive
- Organize by category (training, documentation, product demos)
For large libraries, assign team members to download their own recordings. This is tedious but necessary. It's also a good argument for choosing a Loom alternative with BYOS or export functionality.
Step 3: Set up the new tool
Install the Loom alternative you've chosen. If you're moving to Vyds, the setup is:
- Download the desktop app (macOS or Windows) and/or Chrome extension
- Sign in with Google
- Record a test video. It saves to your Google Drive automatically on the free tier
- Share the link with your team
The transition is fast because the core screen capture workflow is nearly identical across tools: click record, capture your screen and webcam, stop, get a link.
Step 4: Parallel run for one week
Don't force a cold switch. Run both tools for a week. New recordings go in the alternative; existing Loom links still work. After a week, assess: did anyone miss a Loom-specific feature? If not, stop the Loom subscription at the end of the billing cycle.
Step 5: Update shared links
The one thing you can't migrate: links to Loom recordings embedded in Slack messages, Notion pages, and documentation. These will break when you cancel Loom. For critical documentation, replace the Loom embed with a link to the re-recorded version on your new tool. For one-off messages, let them expire - they've served their purpose.
This migration friction is real, and it's one reason teams stay on Loom longer than they should. But it's also one reason to choose a Loom alternative with better data portability upfront. So you never face this same lock-in with the next tool. A video messaging platform that stores recordings in your own Google Drive (like Vyds's BYOS architecture) means you'll never need to run a migration again.
What we looked for: our evaluation criteria
To compare these Loom alternatives fairly, we evaluated each tool across 8 criteria:
- Recording quality and reliability. Can it record screen + camera with audio consistently, without crashes or processing failures?
- Sharing workflow. How quickly can you go from "stop recording" to "link in someone's Slack"?
- Editing. At minimum, trim. Bonus: stitch clips, remove filler words, add overlays.
- Free tier generosity. Is the free plan functional for real use, or is it a 3-day trial in disguise?
- Team features. Shared workspace, comments, centralized billing, admin controls.
- Pricing transparency. Can you see exactly what you'll pay before signing up? No "contact sales" for basic plans.
- Data portability. What happens to your recordings if you cancel? Can you export or bring your own storage?
- Platform support. Desktop apps (macOS, Windows), Chrome extension, mobile.
We weighted data portability and pricing transparency more heavily than most Loom alternative roundups do - because those are the reasons teams switch from Loom in the first place. There's no point recommending a Loom alternative that has the same lock-in and billing opacity problems.
FAQ
What is the best free Loom alternative? For sharing workflow (record → link → share), Vyds free tier is the best free Loom alternative - unlimited recordings at 720p with no watermark, stored on your Google Drive. For raw recording power without sharing, OBS Studio is completely free with no limits. For open source, Cap is free and self-hostable.
What is the cheapest Loom alternative for teams? ScreenPal at $8/user/month for teams is the cheapest paid option. Vyds Pro at $12/seat/month offers more team features (workspace, comments, 4K, AI) for a moderate step up. Both cost less than Loom Business at $18/user/month - $60/seat/year saved with Vyds Pro, $120/seat/year with ScreenPal.
Is there a Loom alternative that saves to Google Drive? Yes. Vyds saves free-tier recordings directly to your Google Drive or OneDrive. This is called BYOS (bring your own storage) - your recordings live in storage you control, not on the tool vendor's servers. No other major Loom alternative offers this.
Can I switch from Loom without losing my videos? You can download individual Loom recordings one at a time, but there's no bulk export or API migration tool. You'll need to download each video manually and re-upload to your new tool. This is one reason data portability matters when choosing a Loom alternative - avoid rebuilding the same lock-in with a different vendor.
Is Loom worth the price in 2026? For most teams under 50 people, Loom is not worth it at $18-24/seat/month when alternatives give you the same core workflow for 50-65% less. Loom is still worth it for teams that need Atlassian integration (Confluence/Jira embeds) or detailed viewer analytics for sales.
What Loom alternative works on Windows? Vyds, ScreenPal, Cap, Descript, and OBS all have Windows desktop apps. Tella is macOS-only for the desktop app (Chrome extension works on Windows). Vidyard is Chrome extension only, no desktop app on any platform.
Do any Loom alternatives have AI features? Yes. Vyds Pro ($12/seat) includes AI features. Descript has AI filler word removal and text-based editing. Loom's AI features (summaries, chapters, titles) require the Business + AI tier at $24/user/month. Most other Loom alternatives don't include AI.
What is the most reliable Loom alternative? Tools that save locally or to your own storage are inherently more reliable because they eliminate the "stuck in processing" failure mode. Vyds (saves to Google Drive), OBS (saves to local disk), and Cap (saves locally) don't depend on a cloud processing step to complete your recording. If the app works, you have your video.
How does Vyds compare to Loom? Vyds offers the same core workflow (record screen + camera, share link, team workspace) at a lower price ($12/seat vs $18/user for teams). The key difference: Vyds's free tier saves to your Google Drive (no lock-in), while Loom's free tier stores on Loom servers (25-video limit, Loom branding). See our detailed Loom pricing breakdown for the full comparison.
Why did Loom get so expensive? Atlassian acquired Loom in late 2023. After the acquisition, pricing increased, the free tier was reduced from 50 videos to 25, Creator Lite seats were eliminated, and AI features were put behind a separate $24/user tier. The pricing reflects Atlassian's enterprise positioning, which may work for large organizations but overprices the tool for small and mid-size teams.
Your videos should live in storage you control, not on someone else's servers. Vyds saves recordings to your Google Drive on the free plan. No watermark, no video cap, no vendor lock-in. Try Vyds free →
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Free screen recording with no watermarks. Launching soon for macOS, Windows, and Chrome.
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