MotionShineShort answer: the cleanest free options on a Mac are the recorder already built in (Shift-Command-5), OBS Studio, and MotionShine. All three record without a watermark. The built-in one is the simplest, OBS is the most flexible, and MotionShine adds zooms, a smooth cursor and an editor, with free exports up to 720p. Cap is free too, but for personal use only. Loom, ScreenPal and ScreenRec are free with caps. Screen Studio and CursorClip are not really free if you need a finished video, as the table below shows.
Every limit below was read from the maker's own page on 23 October 2026. Where a page did not say something, this guide writes "not found" instead of guessing. This guide is by the maker of MotionShine, so it is in the list. Its section says who it is not for.
For a bigger comparison of 20 recorders by price, polish and editor, see the best screen recorders for Mac. This guide does one narrower job: it sorts out what "free" means, app by app.
The five kinds of "free"
Search for free screen recording software and every result says free. Reading the pricing pages shows five different things behind the word.
- Free with no strings. No watermark, no time cap, no commercial ban found on the page. The built-in recorder and OBS Studio are here.
- Free with a quality cap. Everything works, but the export size is limited. MotionShine is here: free exports up to 720p at 30 fps.
- Free for personal use only. The tool is full, but the licence says not for work. Cap and ScreenRec are here.
- Free with a time or count cap. Short videos, few videos. Loom and ScreenPal are here.
- Free to try, not to finish. You can record and edit, but you cannot export, or exports carry a watermark. CursorClip and ScreenKite are here. Screen Studio's pricing page lists two paid plans and, on that page, no free plan or trial.
Knowing which kind you are getting saves you finding out after an hour of work.
The free tiers side by side
| App | What is free | Time limit | Watermark | Export quality | Work use | Mac's own sound |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mac built-in (Shift-Command-5) | Everything | Not mentioned on Apple's page | Not mentioned | Not mentioned, .mov file | Not mentioned | Only on macOS 27 Golden Gate or later |
| QuickTime Player | Recording and basic edits | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | Not mentioned on Apple's page |
| OBS Studio | Everything | None stated | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | Not found on its home page |
| MotionShine | Every feature | None | None | Up to 720p at 30 fps | No restriction stated | Yes |
| Cap | Local recording and editing, 4K and 60 fps export | None for local recording | Not mentioned | 4K and 60 fps | Personal use only | Not found on pricing page |
| Loom Starter | 25 videos | 5 minutes per screen recording | Branding removal starts on Business | Up to 720p | Not found | Not found on pricing page |
| ScreenPal Free | Recording, easy editing | 15 minutes per recording | "No watermark" is not ticked for Free | Not found | Not found | Not on Free |
| ScreenRec Free | Recording, 2 GB cloud | None for registered users | None | Up to 720p | Personal use only | Not found |
| CursorClip | Recording and editing | None | Not applicable | Export needs a paid licence | Not found | Not found |
| ScreenKite Free | All editing | Not found | Yes, exports carry one | Not found | Not found | Not found |
Sources: Apple Support (support.apple.com/en-us/102618 and the QuickTime Player User Guide), obsproject.com, motionshine.com, cap.so/pricing, loom.com/pricing, screenpal.com/plans-screenpal, screenrec.com/pricing, cursorclip.com/pricing, screenkite.com/pricing, all read on 23 October 2026. A cell that says "not found" means the page did not say, not that the answer is no.
The Mac's built-in recorder
Apple's Support page says you open the Screenshot toolbar with Shift-Command-5. You can record the entire screen, a selected window (this needs macOS Tahoe 26 or later) or a selected portion. Under Options you can pick a microphone, set a countdown timer, show a black circle on mouse clicks and change where the file is saved, which defaults to the desktop.
The page says you can record your Mac's own sound with Include System Audio, but that needs macOS 27 Golden Gate or later. The page does not mention a time limit or a watermark. Files save as .mov. On supported Macs running macOS Tahoe 26 or later, Apple's page says you can choose SDR, which uses H.264, or HDR, which uses HEVC.
For the full steps, see how to screen record on Mac. If you also want sound, how to screen record on Mac with audio covers each way.
Keep the built-in recorder if you need one quick clip and do not care how it looks. It is already on every Mac, so there is nothing to install or sign up for.
Move on if you want zooms on clicks, a cleaner cursor, or your Mac's sound on a Mac that is not on macOS 27 yet.
QuickTime Player
Apple's QuickTime Player User Guide says you choose File, then New Screen Recording, which opens the same Screenshot tools, click Record, and stop with the Stop Recording button in the menu bar. Under Options you can choose where the recording is saved and whether to show the pointer or mouse clicks. The page does not mention microphone input, system audio or recording limits.
QuickTime's real use is the edit afterwards. Its guide says it lets you trim, rearrange and rotate. How to edit a screen recording on Mac has the steps, and how to stop a QuickTime screen recording covers the one thing people get stuck on.
Keep QuickTime Player if you want a free trim and split on a clip you already have. It is not a separate recorder from the one above; it opens the same tools.
OBS Studio
OBS describes itself as "free and open source software for video recording and live streaming." Its home page says it runs on Windows, Mac or Linux, supports macOS 13.0 or newer, and has separate downloads for Intel and Apple silicon Macs. It states no usage limits and says you can set up an unlimited number of scenes. The page does not mention watermarks, and it does not name a licence.
OBS records what you arrange in scenes: your screen, a camera, text, images. It has no editor after recording and no automatic zoom on clicks, so the video you get is a plain capture. The setup is the price you pay for the freedom. Our guide to using OBS Studio on Mac for screen recording walks through it, and the best OBS settings for screen recording on Mac covers the options that matter.
Keep OBS if you stream, record long sessions, or like to control every setting.
Move on if you want a finished-looking tutorial without learning scenes and sources first.
MotionShine
MotionShine is the free Mac screen recorder we make. Every click becomes a zoom, the cursor is smoothed, and you can add click effects and motion blur. The editor has text, pictures, music lanes, a voice over and captions made on your Mac.
What is free: every feature, with no watermark and no time limit. Free exports go up to 720p at 30 fps. Pro unlocks 1080p, 1440p, 4K and 60 fps, with one-time prices instead of a subscription. It runs on macOS 13 and later.
Who it is not for: anyone on Windows or Linux, since it is Mac only. It has no cloud share links, so it is not a Loom replacement for sending a link in one click. And if you need 1080p or higher out of the box, the free version will not do it.
Keep MotionShine if you make demos or tutorials and want them to look edited without paying every month.
Cap
Cap's pricing page says the free plan is "free forever" and that the free version is for personal use only. It lists local recording with no time limit and 4K at 60 fps export as part of the free plan. Share links are up to 5 minutes each on Free. A Desktop licence costs $29 per year, or $58 once, and Cap Pro is $12 per user per month, or $8.16 per month billed annually. The page does not mention a watermark.
Keep Cap if the videos are for yourself, school or a hobby, and you want 4K out of a free tool.
Move on if the videos are for a client or your job. The free licence says personal use only.
Loom
Loom's pricing page lists a free Starter plan: screen recordings up to 5 minutes, up to 25 videos per person, up to 720p. It includes transcriptions in 50 or more languages, comments, unlimited screenshots, folders and integrations such as Slack and Gmail. Branding removal is listed only from Business up. Business costs $18 per user per month, adds unlimited videos and recording time, up to 4K, and trim and stitch editing.
Loom is a tool for sending quick messages with a link. It is not an app for polished exported videos. See Loom pricing, is Loom free and Loom alternatives for Mac for more.
Keep Loom Starter if you send short messages to colleagues and a link is the whole point.
Move on if your videos run past five minutes or you need to trim the video without paying.
ScreenPal
ScreenPal's plans page lists a free plan with a 15 minute recording limit. The comparison table marks "Record system audio" and "No watermark" as not included for Free, so a free video likely carries a watermark. The table also shows "Easy video editing" for Free and the "Full video editor" under Deluxe. It lists 10 hosted videos for Free, while its FAQ says free users can host unlimited videos, so the page contradicts itself on that. Deluxe is $4 per month and Max $10 per month, billed yearly.
Keep ScreenPal free if you record short classroom clips and a watermark is fine.
Move on if you need your Mac's sound, since the page does not include it on Free.
ScreenRec
ScreenRec's pricing page lists a Free Forever plan: 2 GB of cloud storage, 50 video recordings per month, recordings up to 720p with no watermark, and unlimited length for registered users. It says business, client work, sales, support, training and marketing need a paid plan. The page lists a desktop app for Windows, Mac and Linux.
Keep ScreenRec if you record for yourself and want a link to share.
Move on if the video is for work in any way, since the free plan excludes it.
The "free" ones you cannot finish
Two of the best-known polished Mac recorders do not give you a free finished video.
- CursorClip: its pricing page says "recording and editing are free" with no account and no time limit, but exporting needs a paid plan: $70 once, $29 per year or $9 per month.
- Screen Studio: its pricing page lists $9 per month billed yearly and $29 per month, and says every feature is in every plan. A free plan or trial: not found on that page.
- ScreenKite: the free plan includes all editing, but its exports carry a watermark. Pro is $79.99 once until 31 October 2026, then $99.99.
If you want to see what a Screen Studio style tool costs against free ones, Screen Studio pricing and the free Screen Studio alternatives go through it.
Which free one should you pick?
| Your job | Pick |
|---|---|
| One quick clip, nothing to install | The built-in recorder |
| Trim or split a clip you already have | QuickTime Player |
| Streaming, or long recordings with full control | OBS Studio |
| A tutorial or demo that looks edited, for work, free | MotionShine |
| 4K, for yourself, not for work | Cap |
| A short message with a link | Loom Starter |
| A short classroom clip | ScreenPal |
What to check before you trust a "free" label
- Where is the watermark? Read the export section, not the home page.
- Is there a time cap? Five minutes (Loom) and fifteen minutes (ScreenPal) are both real limits.
- Is it for work? Cap and ScreenRec say personal use only.
- Does it record your Mac's sound? Apple's page says the built-in recorder needs macOS 27 for that. Read how to record computer audio on Mac without a plugin if you are on an older version.
- What size is the export? 720p is fine for most tutorials viewed in a browser. If you need more, what is 4K video explains what you gain.
If your free clip is too big to send, the video compressor shrinks it in your browser, and the MOV to MP4 converter turns the .mov your Mac saves into an MP4.
FAQ
What is the best free screen recorder for Mac?
For a quick clip, the built-in one (Shift-Command-5). For a polished demo, MotionShine, which is free with no watermark and exports up to 720p. For streaming and long sessions, OBS Studio.
Is there a free Mac screen recorder with no watermark?
Yes. Apple's built-in recorder, OBS Studio and MotionShine are all free, and none of their pages mention a watermark in the free version. ScreenRec's free plan says no watermark too, with a personal use limit.
Does the Mac's free screen recorder record sound?
Apple's page says you can pick a microphone under Options. Recording the Mac's own sound with Include System Audio needs macOS 27 Golden Gate or later, according to the same page.
Can I use a free screen recorder for work?
Check the licence. Cap and ScreenRec say personal use only on their free plans. MotionShine's free version can be used for commercial work. OBS Studio's home page names no such limit, but it also does not name a licence, so read the licence before you rely on it for client work.
Is QuickTime Player a screen recorder?
Yes. File, then New Screen Recording opens the same Screenshot tools, per Apple's QuickTime Player User Guide. Its other use is to trim and rearrange the result.
Is Loom free?
Loom has a free Starter plan with screen recordings up to 5 minutes, 25 videos and 720p, according to its pricing page. See is Loom free for more.
