MotionShineShort answer: use Zoom's own recording first. It is free on every account for recordings saved to your computer, and it needs nothing extra. Use a Mac screen recorder when you want your own layout, a camera bubble, zooms or edits, or when you are not allowed to record inside Zoom. Either way, tell everyone before you press record.
Zoom's facts below come from its own help center pages "Getting started with computer and cloud recording", "Starting a computer recording" and "Starting a cloud recording", checked on 24 October 2026. The pages show no date, so menus can change with an update. This is not legal advice.
Three kinds of Zoom recording
- Zoom computer recording: a Record button in the desktop app, saved on your Mac. Free on all accounts, per Zoom.
- Zoom cloud recording: Zoom records on its servers. Paid plans only, per Zoom.
- A Mac screen recorder: a separate app that records your screen. Free to paid.
Zoom computer recording
Zoom's page says computer recording is available with all Zoom accounts, including free ones. It runs in the Zoom desktop app on macOS, Windows or Linux. The file goes to your computer's hard disk.
How it works:
- Start the meeting as the host.
- Click Record in the meeting toolbar.
- If a menu appears, choose Record on this Computer.
- Pause or stop from the controls at the bottom.
By default, only the host can start a computer recording. The host can give someone else permission, or make them an alternative host. A recording indicator shows in the top left of the meeting.
When the meeting ends, Zoom converts the recording, then opens the folder. The video is an MP4 and the audio-only file is an M4A. If the conversion is interrupted, for example by sleep or closing a laptop, the files can be corrupted. Keep your Mac awake until the folder opens.
What it lacks: Zoom's page says computer recordings do not support separate recordings of the active speaker, the gallery view and the shared screen, and do not support audio transcription. Zoom points to cloud recording for those. Computer recording is also not supported on iPhone, iPad or Android.
The full steps are in how to record a Zoom meeting on Mac.
Zoom cloud recording
Cloud recording is the other half. Zoom's pages list these requirements:
- A licensed user on a Pro, Business or Enterprise account (the "Enabling" page also names Education).
- Cloud recording switched on by the account.
- Only hosts and co-hosts can start it.
Zoom says the recording captures video, audio and chat text, with layouts such as active speaker, gallery view and shared screen. Processing takes about twice the recorded time, and sometimes up to 24 hours, so a 30 minute meeting is usually ready in 30 to 60 minutes. You can see the files in Zoom Hub or the Recordings & Transcripts page of the web portal. Zoom says cloud recordings cannot be embedded on websites.
Storage limits: not found. Zoom's "Getting started" page does not state storage limits for either option, so check your own plan.
Cloud recording is the best Zoom recording software when you want the host to do nothing but click one button, and you do not want your Mac to carry the load. It is not an option on a free account.
When a Mac screen recorder is better
A screen recorder records what is on your screen, whether or not Zoom allows it. Pick one when:
- You want a camera bubble, a cursor that follows your clicks, or zooms. Zoom's file is just the meeting.
- The recording is a walkthrough or demo you will send on, not a copy of the call.
- You want to edit it, with a title, music or a trimmed start and end.
- You want your own copy at your own resolution and layout.
Do not use a screen recorder to record people who do not know. Zoom shows an indicator for its own recording. A separate app is invisible to the others, so you must tell them yourself and wait for a yes. Rules about recording conversations differ by place and workplace.
The sound problem
On a Mac, the other people's voices come out of your speakers. They are your Mac's own sound, not your microphone. Apple's Screenshot toolbar records your microphone, and its "Include System Audio" option is only in macOS 27 Golden Gate or later, per Apple Support. So on many Macs, a built-in recording of a call has your voice and silence from everyone else.
Your options are in how to screen record on Mac with audio and how to record computer audio on Mac without a plugin. Or use an app that captures your Mac's sound itself, as the table below shows.
Mac apps to record a Zoom call
Prices are from each maker's own page, checked on 24 October 2026, in US dollars.
| App | Price | Records your Mac's sound | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoom (computer) | Free | The meeting itself | Plain copy of a meeting |
| Mac built-in (Shift-Command-5) | Free | Only macOS 27 or later | Quick test, microphone only on older macOS |
| MotionShine | Free, Pro $49 once (launch price), then $79 | Yes | Walkthroughs with zoom and an editor |
| Screen Studio | $9 a month billed yearly, or $29 monthly | Yes | Polished screen demos |
| Camtasia | From $39 a year (Starter exports are watermarked), $179.88 a year without a watermark | Not checked today | Training videos and long edits |
| Loom | Free: 25 videos, 5 minutes, 720p | Not checked today | Short video messages |
"Not checked today" means we did not read that part of the maker's page, so we make no claim. For Loom and Camtasia, see their own pages.
MotionShine, by the maker of MotionShine
MotionShine is our free Mac screen recorder. It records your microphone and your Mac's own sound together, so the other voices are in the clip, and you set the volume of each in the editor. You can turn the camera on before you start, and choose the display, one window or an area. Zoom on clicks and a smooth cursor are automatic, and the editor has text, pictures, music lanes, voice over and captions made on your Mac.
The free version exports up to 720p at 30 fps with no watermark and no time limit. Pro unlocks 1080p, 1440p and 4K, and 60 fps, with a one-time price.
It is not for you if you need Windows, a share link, a transcript of the meeting, or to record a call without telling people. It makes screen videos, not meeting notes.
Screen Studio is the best-known paid alternative, at $9 a month billed yearly or $29 monthly per its page. See the Screen Studio alternatives guide.
Keep Zoom's recorder if
You are the host, or the host allows it, and you only need the meeting. It is free, it is visible to everyone and nothing can go wrong with sound. A screen recorder adds nothing there except a second file to manage.
FAQ
What is the best Zoom recording software for Mac?
Zoom's own recording for ordinary meetings. A Mac screen recorder for demos and walkthroughs where you want zooms, a camera bubble or edits.
Is Zoom recording free?
Per Zoom's help pages, computer recording is available on all accounts including free ones. Cloud recording needs a paid plan (Pro, Business, Education or Enterprise).
Can I record a Zoom meeting without being the host?
Only if the host gives you permission, or if you use a separate screen recorder. In both cases, tell the others and wait for a yes.
Why is there no sound from other people in my recording?
Your recorder captured only the microphone. The other voices are your Mac's sound, so the recorder must capture system audio.
How long does a Zoom cloud recording take to appear?
Zoom's page says about twice the recorded length, and occasionally up to 24 hours.
Where do Zoom computer recordings go?
On your computer, in Zoom's recording folder. Zoom's page says to keep it on a local drive, not a synced or network folder.
Keep reading
- How to record a Zoom meeting on Mac
- How to record a video on Mac
- Free Mac screen recording software
- How to compress a video on Mac, or the free video compressor for a large recording
