On this page
- 01Does a Mac have a built-in recorder?
- 02Can it record the computer's sound?
- 03Best free screen recorder
- 04How the main recorders compare
- 05Which recorder for which job?
- 06Which recorders have auto zoom?
- 07Do you need an editor too?
- 08Test the audio first
- 09What we did not test
- 10FAQ
- 11Sources
- 12Cite this page
Does a Mac have a built-in screen recorder?
Short answer
Start with the built-in Screenshot app (Shift-Command-5). It records the screen, a window or an area with a microphone for free, and Apple's guide adds system audio on macOS 27 or later. Then pick by job: CleanShot X for screenshots plus short demos, Screen Studio for polished subscription demos, Loom for shared links, Camtasia for long edited tutorials, or Rushilo, which we make, to record on Mac and edit afterwards from $19. Checked October 22, 2026.
Yes. Press Shift-Command-5 and the Screenshot toolbar opens with three recording tools: record the entire screen, record a selected window, or record a selected portion. You can also choose File > New Screen Recording in QuickTime Player, which opens the same toolbar on current macOS. Both routes come from Apple's guide to recording the screen on Mac, published September 14, 2026. This page is about choosing a recorder when you do not have one yet. If you already picked one and need to stop it, see how to stop a screen recording on Mac.
Two disclosures before the comparison. Rushilo is our product, so it appears in the table and in the verdict, and we say where it loses. And we read every vendor page below on October 22, 2026 but ran none of these recorders on a Mac for this article.
27
- Screen and area
- Yes
- Window
- Yes
- Microphone
- Yes
- System audio
- Include System Audio
26 Tahoe
- Screen and area
- Yes
- Window
- Yes, Record Selected Window
- Microphone
- Yes
- System audio
- Not documented
15 and earlier
- Screen and area
- Yes
- Window
- Apple's note ties window recording to Tahoe 26
- Microphone
- Yes
- System audio
- Not documented
| macOS | Screen and area | Window | Microphone | System audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Include System Audio |
| 26 Tahoe | Yes | Yes, Record Selected Window | Yes | Not documented |
| 15 and earlier | Yes | Apple's note ties window recording to Tahoe 26 | Yes | Not documented |
The other options Apple lists are Show Mouse Clicks, a timer, a save location (the desktop by default), and on supported Macs running Tahoe 26 or later a capture format of SDR (H.264) or HDR (HEVC). Files save as .mov and Command-Control-Esc stops the recording. Apple's recording guide lists no camera option, and we could not confirm whether the built-in recorder can add your camera to the same recording, so we do not claim it can. Apple documents no time limit; we read that as undocumented, not as unlimited.
Can the built-in recorder capture the computer's sound?
On macOS 27 or later, yes. Apple's guide says to choose Include System Audio in the toolbar options. On macOS 26 and earlier, Apple's pages document a microphone choice only, so recording the sound that plays from your Mac needs another tool. Some roundups still say the built-in recorder cannot capture system audio at all. That was true until macOS 27.
What is the best free screen recorder for Mac?
The built-in recorder. It costs nothing, ships with macOS, adds no watermark that Apple documents, and covers the screen, a window or an area with your microphone. For a quick capture, a bug report or a short walkthrough it is often enough. You can trim the result from the floating thumbnail; the steps are on how to trim a screen recording on Mac.
A free open-source recording and streaming app is the other tool that is free outright. Its own documentation describes a native desktop audio source on macOS 13 or later, but it is built around scenes and sources, has no editor, and takes more setup than a quick capture needs. We did not test it. Other free options have limits: Loom's Starter plan caps screen recordings at 5 minutes and 25 videos, and Camtasia's free download watermarks exports.
How do the main Mac screen recorders compare?
Every cell comes from the vendor's own page, read on October 22, 2026. Links to each page are under the tables. Prices are US dollars before tax and change often: Screen Studio no longer sells new one-time licences, and Camtasia sells by subscription.
Built-in Screenshot and QuickTime
- Price
- Free, part of macOS
- Computer sound
- macOS 27 or later (Include System Audio)
- Camera
- None listed in the recording guide
Loom
- Price
- Starter $0 (25 videos, 5-minute recordings); Business $18 per user per month
- Computer sound
- Included on all plans
- Camera
- Camera frames; bubble shapes in the desktop app
CleanShot X
- Price
- Basic $35 once with 1 year of updates, then $19 per year if you renew; Pro $10 per user per month billed annually
- Computer sound
- Yes, microphone and system audio
- Camera
- Yes, camera bubble
Screen Studio
- Price
- $9 per month billed yearly, or $29 per month; no new one-time licences
- Computer sound
- Yes, your Mac's sound
- Camera
- Yes, fullscreen, split, overlay and cutout layouts
Camtasia
- Price
- Starter $39, Essentials $179.88, Create $249, Pro $599, each per year; Starter exports are watermarked
- Computer sound
- Yes, computer audio listed
- Camera
- Yes, built-in or external webcams
ScreenFlow
- Price
- From $199
- Computer sound
- Yes, after installing the Telestream Audio driver
- Camera
- Cameras supported on the tech specs page
Rushilo (ours)
- Price
- $19 for 1 computer, $29 for 3 computers, $49 for 5 computers, one payment
- Computer sound
- Yes (release 1.1.0)
- Camera
- Yes: bubble anywhere, pinned to an edge or a vertical split (1.1.0)
| Recorder | Price | Computer sound | Camera |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in Screenshot and QuickTime | Free, part of macOS | macOS 27 or later (Include System Audio) | None listed in the recording guide |
| Loom | Starter $0 (25 videos, 5-minute recordings); Business $18 per user per month | Included on all plans | Camera frames; bubble shapes in the desktop app |
| CleanShot X | Basic $35 once with 1 year of updates, then $19 per year if you renew; Pro $10 per user per month billed annually | Yes, microphone and system audio | Yes, camera bubble |
| Screen Studio | $9 per month billed yearly, or $29 per month; no new one-time licences | Yes, your Mac's sound | Yes, fullscreen, split, overlay and cutout layouts |
| Camtasia | Starter $39, Essentials $179.88, Create $249, Pro $599, each per year; Starter exports are watermarked | Yes, computer audio listed | Yes, built-in or external webcams |
| ScreenFlow | From $199 | Yes, after installing the Telestream Audio driver | Cameras supported on the tech specs page |
| Rushilo (ours) | $19 for 1 computer, $29 for 3 computers, $49 for 5 computers, one payment | Yes (release 1.1.0) | Yes: bubble anywhere, pinned to an edge or a vertical split (1.1.0) |
Built-in Screenshot and QuickTime
- Auto zoom
- No
- Editing
- Trim and markup; open in QuickTime Player or iMovie
- Export
- .mov; H.264 SDR or HEVC HDR on Tahoe 26 or later
Loom
- Auto zoom
- None found on its pricing or download pages
- Editing
- Trim and stitch on Business and above
- Export
- Share by link; downloads listed as a Business item
CleanShot X
- Auto zoom
- Yes, smart zooms in Studio Mode
- Editing
- Built-in editor: trim, zooms, cursor, backgrounds
- Export
- MP4 or GIF
Screen Studio
- Auto zoom
- Yes, automatic plus manual
- Editing
- Trim, speed, edit by transcript, captions
- Export
- MP4 at 720p, 1080p or 4K up to 60 fps; GIF up to 1080p; share links
Camtasia
- Auto zoom
- Zoom and pan listed as a manual animation; automatic zoom not listed
- Editing
- Full multitrack timeline editor
- Export
- We did not capture its export formats
ScreenFlow
- Auto zoom
- Not listed on the pages we read
- Editing
- Timeline editor
- Export
- We did not capture its export formats
Rushilo (ours)
- Auto zoom
- Yes, zooms on clicks and follows the cursor (1.1.0)
- Editing
- Recordings tab and recording editor (1.2.0), plus a full timeline, captions, speed and transitions
- Export
- MP4 (H.264, AAC) to 2160p; HEVC and transparent WebM where your computer can encode (1.3.0); no GIF
| Recorder | Auto zoom | Editing | Export |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in Screenshot and QuickTime | No | Trim and markup; open in QuickTime Player or iMovie | .mov; H.264 SDR or HEVC HDR on Tahoe 26 or later |
| Loom | None found on its pricing or download pages | Trim and stitch on Business and above | Share by link; downloads listed as a Business item |
| CleanShot X | Yes, smart zooms in Studio Mode | Built-in editor: trim, zooms, cursor, backgrounds | MP4 or GIF |
| Screen Studio | Yes, automatic plus manual | Trim, speed, edit by transcript, captions | MP4 at 720p, 1080p or 4K up to 60 fps; GIF up to 1080p; share links |
| Camtasia | Zoom and pan listed as a manual animation; automatic zoom not listed | Full multitrack timeline editor | We did not capture its export formats |
| ScreenFlow | Not listed on the pages we read | Timeline editor | We did not capture its export formats |
| Rushilo (ours) | Yes, zooms on clicks and follows the cursor (1.1.0) | Recordings tab and recording editor (1.2.0), plus a full timeline, captions, speed and transitions | MP4 (H.264, AAC) to 2160p; HEVC and transparent WebM where your computer can encode (1.3.0); no GIF |
Sources, one per vendor: Apple, Loom pricing, CleanShot pricing and CleanShot recording, Screen Studio, Camtasia store, ScreenFlow and its audio driver note, Rushilo release notes.
Which Mac screen recorder should you pick for your job?
There is no single winner, because the tools solve different problems. Our reading of the tables:
A quick capture or bug report
- Start with
- Built-in recorder
- Why
- Free, already installed, trims from the thumbnail
Screenshots plus short demos
- Start with
- CleanShot X
- Why
- One purchase covers both, with smart zooms in its editor
Polished product demos
- Start with
- Screen Studio
- Why
- Automatic zoom and layouts are the product; it is a subscription
A link to send, not a file
- Start with
- Loom
- Why
- Share by link is built in; check the Starter limits first
Long tutorials with heavy editing
- Start with
- Camtasia or ScreenFlow
- Why
- Full timeline editors; Camtasia is yearly, ScreenFlow starts at $199
Record, then edit with your own AI
- Start with
- Rushilo
- Why
- One payment from $19; records on Mac, edits on the same timeline
| Your job | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A quick capture or bug report | Built-in recorder | Free, already installed, trims from the thumbnail |
| Screenshots plus short demos | CleanShot X | One purchase covers both, with smart zooms in its editor |
| Polished product demos | Screen Studio | Automatic zoom and layouts are the product; it is a subscription |
| A link to send, not a file | Loom | Share by link is built in; check the Starter limits first |
| Long tutorials with heavy editing | Camtasia or ScreenFlow | Full timeline editors; Camtasia is yearly, ScreenFlow starts at $199 |
| Record, then edit with your own AI | Rushilo | One payment from $19; records on Mac, edits on the same timeline |
If CleanShot and Screen Studio are your two finalists, the head to head is on Screen Studio vs CleanShot X. If you are leaving Screen Studio, see Screen Studio alternatives. For planning a product demo itself, use how to record a product demo video.
We make Rushilo, so weigh this section accordingly. It is the narrowest recommendation here. The recorder runs on Mac only; Windows has the editor but no recorder. We list no free tier or trial on our pricing page, and it is a newer product than every other row: the recorder shipped in release 1.1.0 on October 12, 2026. It also has no share link and no GIF export. If any of those is a dealbreaker, pick another row. The case for it is recording and editing in one place, paid for once ($19 for 1 computer, $29 for 3 computers, $49 for 5 computers). The AI-directed editing needs your own Claude Code or Codex account; recording and manual editing do not. Download it or Buy Rushilo.
Which screen recorders have automatic zoom?
By their own pages, Screen Studio, CleanShot X (smart zooms in Studio Mode) and Rushilo do. The built-in recorder does not, and we found none on Loom's pricing or download pages. Camtasia lists zoom and pan as a manual animation, and we did not find automatic zoom on the ScreenFlow pages we read. That is what vendors list, not a ranking of how well each one aims. The mechanics are explained in how auto zoom works in screen recordings.
Do you need an editor as well as a recorder?
Only if trimming the ends is not enough. The built-in tools trim and mark up, which suits a short capture. You need an editor to cut a mistake from the middle, add captions, record a voiceover over the top or export for several platforms. Camtasia, ScreenFlow and Screen Studio include editing, CleanShot X has an editor for its recordings, and Loom edits on paid plans. In Rushilo, finished recordings land in the Recordings tab (1.2.0) and open in a focused recording editor or the full timeline. If export size matters for your platform, read 4K vs 1080p screen recording.
How do you test the audio before a recording you cannot redo?
This takes about a minute and works with any recorder above.
- 1Turn on the source you need: microphone, computer sound, or both.
- 2Record five seconds while you speak and play something from the Mac.
- 3Stop, open the saved file and listen to it from the start. Do not trust the on-screen meter.
If one source is missing, the usual cause is a permission or the wrong input. The no audio fix page covers it.
What did we not test?
We did not run any recorder on a Mac for this page, and we did not use a macOS 27 or Tahoe 26 machine. We make no claim about recording quality, performance, file size or battery use. Every feature above is what the vendor lists. We could not read export formats for Camtasia or ScreenFlow, and we did not name every recorder on the market. Prices were checked on October 22, 2026 and will drift.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free screen recording app for Mac?
Start with the one already on your Mac. The Screenshot app (Shift-Command-5) records the screen, a window or an area with your microphone, free, and Apple documents no watermark or time limit. For scenes, several sources or streaming, a free open-source recording app also exists, but it takes more setup and has no editor.
Do Macs have a built-in screen recorder?
Yes. Press Shift-Command-5 to open the Screenshot toolbar, or choose File > New Screen Recording in QuickTime Player. Apple Support says it records the entire screen or a selected portion, plus a selected window on macOS Tahoe 26 or later, with a microphone you choose. Recordings save as .mov files, to the desktop by default.
Is there a free screen recorder with audio?
Yes, but check which audio. The built-in recorder captures your microphone free. Apple's recording guide, published September 14, 2026, adds an Include System Audio option only on macOS 27 or later. On macOS 26 and earlier, free computer-sound recording needs a third-party driver or a free app that captures it itself.
Which screen recorder is totally free?
Two are free outright: the built-in Screenshot and QuickTime recorder, and a free open-source recording app. Others have free tiers with limits, such as Loom's Starter plan with 5-minute recordings and 25 videos, or Camtasia's trial that watermarks exports. Check the export limit before you record anything you cannot redo.
What is the best screen recorder for Mac that records internal audio?
On macOS 27 or later, the built-in Screenshot toolbar can do it, per Apple. On older macOS, CleanShot X, Screen Studio, Loom, Camtasia and Rushilo list computer or system sound capture on their own pages, and ScreenFlow needs its own audio driver installed first. Record five seconds and play the file back before the real take.
What is the best screen recorder for Mac?
It depends on the job. For a quick capture, the built-in recorder. For screenshots plus short demos, CleanShot X at $35 once. For polished subscription demos, Screen Studio. For editing after you record, Rushilo, which we make: it records screen, camera, mic and computer sound on Mac with auto zoom, then edits on one timeline from $19 once.
Which Mac screen recorder has automatic zoom?
Screen Studio, CleanShot X's Studio Mode and Rushilo each list automatic zoom on their own pages, checked October 22, 2026. Screen Studio is $9 per month billed yearly. CleanShot lists smart zooms with its $35 Basic plan. Rushilo zooms on clicks and follows the cursor, from $19 once. The built-in recorder has none.
Do I need a video editor as well as a screen recorder?
Not always. Apple's tools can trim a recording, which is enough for a quick bug report or a short walkthrough. You need an editor when you want to cut mistakes from the middle, add captions, mix in a voiceover or export for several platforms. Some recorders include one. Others hand the file to a separate editor.
Sources
- Apple Support: How to record the screen on MacShift-Command-5 toolbar, window recording on Tahoe 26 or later, microphone choice, Include System Audio on macOS 27 or later, SDR (H.264) or HDR (HEVC) capture format, Command-Control-Esc to stop, .mov files. Published September 14, 2026; checked October 22, 2026.
- Apple Support: Take a screenshot or screen recording on MacMicrophone selection, .mov file naming, trim from the thumbnail. The text we read lists no Include System Audio line. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Apple Support: Record your screen in QuickTime PlayerFile > New Screen Recording route. Checked October 22, 2026.
- CleanShot X pricingBasic $35 once with one year of updates, renewal $19 per year, Pro $10 per user per month billed annually, macOS 13 or newer. Checked October 22, 2026.
- CleanShot X screen recordingMicrophone and system audio, camera, smart zooms, MP4 or GIF export. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Screen Studio$9 per month billed yearly or $29 per month, no new one-time licences, system sound, camera layouts, automatic zoom, MP4 and GIF export. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Loom pricingStarter $0 with 25 videos and 5-minute recordings, Business $18 per user per month, system audio on all plans, Starter up to 720p and Business up to 4K. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Loom desktop appSays the desktop app records in HD (up to 4K), which conflicts with the Starter figure on the pricing page. Checked October 22, 2026.
- TechSmith: Camtasia storeStarter $39, Essentials $179.88, Create $249 and Pro $599, billed yearly; Starter exports are watermarked; computer audio recording listed. Checked October 22, 2026.
- TechSmith: CamtasiaFree download exports with a watermark. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Telestream: ScreenFlowBuy starting at $199. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Telestream: ScreenFlow tech specsSupported macOS versions and camera support. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Telestream: Installing Telestream AudioComputer audio in ScreenFlow needs the Telestream Audio driver. Checked October 22, 2026.
- Rushilo release notesRecorder, auto zoom and smooth cursor in 1.1.0 (October 12, 2026), Recordings tab in 1.2.0, HEVC and transparent WebM export in 1.3.0. Checked October 22, 2026.
Cite this page
Last verified: Oct 22, 2026
Patel, O. (2026, October 22). Best screen recorder for Mac (2026): free and paid compared. Rushilo. https://rushilo.com/blog/best-screen-recorder-for-mac
About the author
Founder, Rushilo
Om Patel is the founder of Rushilo, a desktop video editor driven by the user's own AI, and of BigIdeasDB, a research platform that reads real complaints and reviews to help founders validate products. He writes Rushilo's research articles with the same method: primary sources, dated numbers and the words real users write.
