# 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.

Website: https://cap.so/

Also at: https://github.com/CapSoftware/Cap

## What it is 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](https://xiry.app/topics/productivity.md)
- 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, 25 January 2025](https://x.com/tom_doerr/status/1883127400671711733): 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, 8 November 2025](https://x.com/dudufolio/status/1987100279649546515): 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.

## Compare

- [Alternatives to Loom](https://xiry.app/alternatives/loom.md)
- [Alternatives to Screen Studio](https://xiry.app/alternatives/screen-studio.md)

## Related

- [Recordly](https://xiry.app/resources/recordly): Open-source screen recorder and editor for demo videos across platforms (GitHub repo, Open source)
- [Clipy](https://xiry.app/resources/clipy): Open-source desktop app to download and edit YouTube videos losslessly. (GitHub repo, Free)
- [Cursorful](https://xiry.app/resources/cursorful): Chrome extension for screen recordings with automatic click-based zooms and pans. (Web app, Freemium)
- [Reactive Resume](https://xiry.app/resources/reactive-resume): Free, open-source resume builder with live preview and no paywalls (Web app, Open source)
- [VERT](https://xiry.app/resources/vert): Open-source file converter running locally in your browser (Web app, Free)
- [Ars Umbris](https://xiry.app/resources/ars-umbris): Local-first IDE and framework for building typed, agentic knowledge graphs (Web app, Open source)

Updated 11 October 2026. Page: https://xiry.app/resources/cap-2213

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