Productivity · Web app
Cap
Open-source screen recorder and video messaging tool for desktop and web
Cap is an open-source alternative to Loom and Screen Studio for capturing, editing, and sharing screen recordings. It includes instant link sharing with automatic AI transcripts, a studio editor with automated zoom and cursor smoothing, and developer-friendly control via CLI or MCP.
What it's for
- Record quick video bug reports and async updates with instant share links
- Produce polished 4K product demos using auto-zoom, cursor smoothing, and styled backgrounds
- Self-host video recordings or connect custom storage like AWS S3 or Google Drive
- Trigger screen recordings and extract transcripts programmatically using AI agent workflows
Features
- Instant mode with background uploading and immediate clipboard share link
- Studio mode for local 4K 60fps recording with separate audio, camera, and screen tracks
- Built-in video editor featuring auto-zoom, cursor effects, backgrounds, and privacy masks
- AI-generated summaries, clickable chapters, and local caption transcription
- Self-hosting capabilities alongside custom S3 or Google Drive storage integrations
- Loom library importer for migrating existing recordings
- Developer tools including a CLI, REST API, and local MCP server for AI agents
Pricing
Freemium. Free tier available; Desktop license $58 one-time (or $29/year); Pro cloud plan $12/month (or $8.16/month billed annually)
Details
- Type
- Web app
- Category
- Productivity
- Topic
- Screen Recording
- Open source
- Yes
- Platforms
- macOS, Windows, Linux, Browser extension, Command line, Self-hosted, Web
- For
- Developers, remote teams, and content creators looking for an open-source or self-hosted screen recording tool
- Alternative to
- Loom, Screen Studio, OBS Studio
- Tags
- screen recorder, open source, video messaging, loom alternative, mcp, video editor
Why it was saved
- @tom_doerr: Free, open-source way to make beautiful shareable screen recordings; available for macOS and Web, with Windows and Linux builds in development; public beta, actively developed, with open bounties.
- @dudufolio: The tweet is a recommendation: instead of paying for a screen recorder, use Cap (open source) or OBS. Worth keeping as a tool to look up and try.
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