MotionShineShort answer: if you want to leave Screencastify on a Mac, a desktop app avoids its two common limits: a video count on the free plan and a browser extension that works inside Chrome. MotionShine is a free Mac app with no time limit or video cap, and the built-in recorder (Shift-Command-5) covers a quick clip. If you teach with Google Classroom, or you need Chromebook support, keep Screencastify. It is built for that.
Screencastify's facts come from screencastify.com pages (its home page, product page and pricing page), read on 24 October 2026. Its help center pages would not open for our fetch tool, so the help center details below come from Screencastify's own help pages as shown in a search result the same day, and are marked. Where a page does not say something, this guide says "not found". Prices are in US dollars. MotionShine is our app, so weigh what we say about it the way you would weigh any maker's page about its own product.
What Screencastify is
Screencastify's site lists a Chrome extension and an Edge add-on. No desktop app is mentioned. Its product page says you can record a browser tab, your entire screen, your webcam, or the screen and webcam together. It lists a browser-based video editor, annotation tools including a pen, a teleprompter, voice over, a GIF creator, Google Drive integration, embedding, and integrations with Google Classroom, Schoology and Canvas. The page says videos are saved to Google Drive automatically.
So it is a browser tool for people who work in a browser, and especially for teachers. That explains most of what follows.
What Screencastify costs today
From its pricing page, checked on 24 October 2026:
| Plan | Price | Videos | Length per video | Watermark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0, no credit card | 10 videos | 30 minutes | Yes ("Castify") |
| Starter | $7 per user a month billed annually, or $19 billed monthly | Unlimited | 60 minutes | Removed on new videos |
| Pro | $10 per user a month billed annually, or $25 billed monthly | Unlimited | 180 minutes | Not stated |
| Enterprise and EDU | Custom quote | Unlimited | Custom | Not stated |
Other facts from the same page:
- Free videos are yours to keep, watch and share for as long as you want. Free users get bonus videos: 5 for each invited user, up to 4 invites, which is 20 more.
- The free plan says video quality up to 1080p. The feature table lists Pro as up to 4K.
- Pro adds AI enhancements, captions and transcripts, translations and voice overs, an AI script generator, and unlimited exports.
- Free plan storage limits: not found.
- Enterprise pricing: not found.
Over two years, Starter is $168 (2 x $84) and Pro is $240 (2 x $120) when billed annually. Billed monthly, they are $456 and $600.
Why people look for an alternative on a Mac
These are the reasons that come up for Screencastify specifically. The first two are on its own pages.
- The free plan counts videos. Ten is a small number if you record a lesson a day. You can invite people for more, but you cannot get past 20 that way.
- The watermark. Free videos carry the Castify mark, and the pricing page says Starter removes it on new videos.
- Your Mac's sound. Screencastify's help center, as shown in a search result on 24 October 2026, says that because of limits Apple puts on the browser, it cannot record the sound coming from a Mac during a full-screen recording, and the workaround is a browser tab recording. A desktop app is not bound by the browser's limits. This matters when you record a video, a video call or an app with audio. The help page itself would not open for us, so check it before you rely on it.
- Mac permissions. The same help center says macOS may ask you to re-enable screen recording in settings, or you will see a "Failed to Start Recording" error.
- It needs Chrome. The help center lists a Google account, the most recent Chrome and at least 1 GB of free disk space as requirements. If you work in Safari or another app, it is an extra step each time.
- Editing and polish. Its editor is browser based. If you want zooms that follow your clicks and a smooth cursor, the product page does not mention them (not found).
Mac alternatives
MotionShine (free, by the maker of MotionShine)
MotionShine is a Mac app that records the display, a window or an area. It records your microphone and your Mac's own sound together, and you set the volume of each in the editor. 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, voice over and captions made on your Mac.
The free version has no video cap, no time limit and no watermark. Free exports go up to 720p at 30 fps. Pro unlocks 1080p, 1440p, 4K and 60 fps, with a one-time price: $49 during launch, then $79. It runs on macOS 13 and later, on Apple silicon and Intel.
It is not for you if you work on a Chromebook or Windows, if you need Classroom, Schoology or Canvas integrations, or if you want a link to share the second you stop recording. MotionShine saves recordings on your Mac and has no share links.
The Mac's own recorder (free)
Apple's Support page says Shift-Command-5 shows the Screenshot toolbar. You can record the entire screen, a selected window (macOS Tahoe 26 or later) or a selected portion, with a microphone and optional click highlighting. Stop with the menu bar button or Command-Control-Esc. Files save as .mov, to your desktop by default. "Include System Audio" is only in macOS 27 Golden Gate or later.
It is the right answer for one quick clip. It does not zoom, and the sound limit above applies on older macOS. See how to screen record on Mac and how to screen record on Mac with audio.
Loom
Loom's pricing page lists a free Starter plan: 25 videos, 5 minutes per recording and 720p. Business is $18 per user a month and removes those limits. Loom is the closest match for "record, stop, paste a link". See Loom pricing, is Loom free and Loom alternatives.
Cap
Cap's pricing page lists a free plan for personal use. Local recordings have no time limit, Studio Mode and 4K at 60 fps export are included, and share links are capped at 5 minutes. A Desktop licence for commercial use is $29 a year or $58 once.
OBS Studio
OBS is free and open source, and it has no video count or watermark. It is built for streaming and long recordings and is more work to set up. See how to use OBS Studio on Mac for screen recording.
Side by side
| Screencastify | MotionShine | Mac built-in | Loom | Cap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Chrome extension and Edge add-on | Mac app | Mac, built in | Not checked today | Not checked today |
| Free limit | 10 videos, 30 min, watermark | No video cap, no time limit, no watermark, 720p | None | 25 videos, 5 min, 720p | No time limit locally, personal use, links up to 5 min |
| Paid | $7 to $10 per user a month, billed annually | $49 once for Pro resolutions, then $79 | None | $18 per user a month | $29 a year or $58 once |
| Mac sound | Tab recording, per its help center | Yes | macOS 27 or later | Not checked today | Not checked today |
| Share link | Google Drive | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Loom and Cap share links come from their own pricing pages. "Not checked today" means we make no claim.
How to switch without losing work
- List what you have. The free plan holds 10 videos, plus up to 20 bonus ones. Open your library and note which ones you still use.
- Get the files out first. Screencastify's product page lists exporting as a feature and says videos are saved to Google Drive. Pro lists unlimited exports, so check what your plan allows before you cancel. If your plan is paid, do not cancel until you have every file.
- Keep the old links alive if people use them. A link you shared in a class or a document points to Screencastify. If you move the video, you must send a new link.
- Record one real video in the new app. Pick a normal job, for example a 5 minute lesson with sound from your Mac, and see how long it takes you to finish it.
- Check the sound. If your videos include video clips or app sound, play the result back. This is where a browser tool and a desktop app differ most on a Mac.
- Decide on the link question. If your viewers need a link, upload the file to Google Drive, YouTube or your own site. A desktop app that keeps files on your Mac leaves this step to you.
What a desktop app changes in daily use
- No browser in the middle. You start from the menu bar or a shortcut, not from a Chrome extension. The recorder does not depend on Chrome being open or up to date.
- Files on your Mac. You choose where they go, and they do not count against a video limit. The trade is that you share them yourself.
- A bigger editor. In MotionShine you edit on a timeline with text, pictures, music lanes and a voice over. You can also see the whole project instead of a browser panel.
- Mac-only. If you ever switch to a Chromebook or Windows PC, a Mac app will not follow you. Screencastify will.
Which should you pick?
- You teach or use Google Classroom, Schoology or Canvas: stay with Screencastify.
- You record tutorials or demos on a Mac: MotionShine, because there is no video cap and the editor covers text, music and captions.
- You want a link and nothing else: Loom or Cap.
- You need one clip now: Shift-Command-5.
Once you have a recording, how to compress a video on Mac or the free video compressor shrinks it for email, and convert QuickTime to MP4 covers the .mov file the Mac saves.
Keep Screencastify if
You teach in a browser, your school uses Google Classroom, Schoology or Canvas, your students need to submit videos (its Submit feature), or you use a Chromebook, where a Mac app does not run. Its free plan also lets you keep 10 videos at no cost, which is plenty for occasional use. If a few videos a month is all you make, the free plan may be all you need, and moving would be extra work for nothing.
FAQ
Is Screencastify free?
Yes, with limits. Its pricing page lists 10 videos, 30 minutes per video, up to 1080p and a Castify watermark on the free plan, checked on 24 October 2026.
How much does Screencastify cost?
Starter is $7 per user a month billed annually or $19 monthly. Pro is $10 billed annually or $25 monthly. Enterprise and EDU are custom.
Does Screencastify work on a Mac?
It runs as a Chrome extension, and its help center, as shown in a search result, lists macOS as compatible. It is not a Mac app, and the help center says system audio cannot be recorded in a full-screen recording on a Mac.
Is there a Screencastify desktop app?
Not found. Its site lists a Chrome extension and an Edge add-on, and mentions no desktop app.
What is a free Screencastify alternative?
For Mac: MotionShine (no video cap, 720p exports), the built-in recorder, Cap (personal use) and OBS Studio. Loom has a free plan with 25 videos and 5 minutes each.
Can I move my videos out of Screencastify?
Its product page says videos are saved to Google Drive and lists exporting as a feature. Check your own plan, since unlimited exports are listed under Pro.
