Comparison

TechSmith Capture vs ScreenPal Screen Recorder

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

TechSmith Capture

Record and share your iPhone or iPad screen for training and app demos. Easily transfer recordings to desktop editing software for enhancements. Organize all your screen captures in one place.

Highlights
  • Record screen videos
  • Import existing screen recordings
  • Organize recordings in a library
  • Transfer videos to Camtasia/Snagit
  • iOS screen recording API support
Read full description

TechSmith Capture™ allows you to quickly record your training and app demo videos on your iPhone or iPad. Share directly from your mobile device to TechSmith Camtasia for editing and enhancements. Start a new screen recording from right inside of TechSmith Capture. Simply tap the red record button located in the navigation bar to get started! TechSmith Capture is a mobile app and set of app extensions capable of recording the screen of an iPhone or iPad running iOS 11. TechSmith Capture allows users to: - Record one or more full screen video clips using the iOS system’s global recording APIs. - Import screen videos recorded by the iOS screen recorder or other recording enabled apps. - Keep all of your screen recordings organized in the library. - Quickly transfer videos to Camtasia and Snagit over a WiFi connection. TechSmith Capture’s enhanced onboarding will ensure that you are getting the most out of your iOS screen recordings. ----- TechSmith Capture is currently offered as a free preview, so take advantage of it while you can!

About

ScreenPal Screen Recorder

Record your screen, camera, and audio with unlimited time and no watermarks. Edit videos with text, filters, effects, and music. Seamlessly work across devices with the desktop editor.

Highlights
  • Screen, camera, and audio recording
  • Unlimited recording time
  • Video editing tools
  • Text, filters, and effects
  • Facecam and audio narration
  • Cross-device editing integration
Read full description

Recommended by PC Magazine: “ScreenPal is an excellent, free screen-capture utility that boasts a subscription option that offers even more powerful features.” ScreenPal for iOS Free screen recorder with face cam and audio + video editor – unlimited recording time, ad-free and no watermarks! Have a paid plan? One plan unlocks editing and sharing on all of your devices! ScreenPal (formerly Screencast-O-Matic), the original and #1 ranked desktop screen recorder, facecam recorder and video editor, is also available on your iPhone and iPad. Our free, easy-to-use mobile app allows you to capture your screen and create high-quality videos quickly. The powerful, intuitive video editor gives you all the tools you need to personalize your videos. Key features: • Record your screen, camera, microphone, and internal audio. • Crop, trim or adjust the speed of your video. • Enhance your videos with rich text, filters, effects, and music. • Add image, shape and sticker overlays. • Use the blur tool to hide sensitive information. • Import existing clips to edit, combine and more. • Explore a stock library with over 15 million pieces of content. • Insert video reactions with audio narrations and facecam. • Videos saved on your camera roll – share when and where you want! • Upload to ScreenPal to get a share link, add comments, and more. • Easily connect with our intuitive desktop video editor to work across devices. Perfect for recording: • App demos • Lessons • Tutorials • Reviews • Training • Video react and more. Trusted: ScreenPal has been trusted by millions of users in our global community. Used by Fortune 100 companies school districts, and 98 of the top 100 universities in the US. 100,000,000+ videos captured (and counting) since 2006. Easily share or connect with our intuitive desktop video editor to work across devices. Start making amazing videos today! Terms of Service: https://screenpal.com/tos

Screenshots

TechSmith Capture4 screens
ScreenPal Screen Recorder4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TechSmith Capture at none against ScreenPal Screen Recorder's 7. TechSmith Capture also leads on review sentiment (69% vs 60%). ScreenPal Screen Recorder's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.5). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ScreenPal Screen Recorder sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per year. TechSmith Capture asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for TechSmith Capture against 4.6 for ScreenPal Screen Recorder. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9.9K and 5.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of TechSmith Capture's written reviews are positive against 60% of ScreenPal Screen Recorder's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
TechSmith Capture versus ScreenPal Screen Recorder: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTechSmith CaptureScreenPal Screen Recorder
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (9.9K ratings) — better4.6 (5.3K ratings)
Positive reviews69.1% of reviews — better60.1% of reviews
Number of ratings9.9K — better5.3K
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 6 weeks
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.512.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size53 MB71 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperTechSmith CorporationBig Nerd Software, LLC

Customer experience

TechSmith Capture

All ratings9,941 ratings
Positive89.3%
Neutral3.9%
Negative6.8%
Written reviews424 reviews
Positive69.1%
Neutral9.0%
Negative21.9%

ScreenPal Screen Recorder

All ratings5,213 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral2.7%
Negative7.3%
Written reviews218 reviews
Positive60.1%
Neutral3.7%
Negative36.2%

User reviews

TechSmith Capture

From 9.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 📽️ Great screen recording quality
  • 🔓 No ads or in-app purchases
  • 💾 Saves recordings to camera roll
  • 🎥 Captures audio and screen

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Recording stops unexpectedly
  • 🔇 Audio issues (cuts out, low quality)
  • 🤔 Orientation/aspect ratio problems
  • 🔍 Difficulty stopping/exiting recording
  • 📤 Trouble exporting/sharing recordings

ScreenPal Screen Recorder

From 5.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Excellent screen recording quality
  • 💡 Useful editing features
  • 🤖 Reliable and stable app
  • 🎨 Versatile for various use cases

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional recording issues (freezing, audio problems)
  • 🔒 Concerns about privacy/access to personal data
  • 💰 Paid subscription required for full functionality
  • 🤔 Lack of advanced features compared to desktop version

Bugs and requests

TechSmith Capture

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Recordings disappear after saving
  • App crashes or freezes during use
  • Microphone not working consistently
  • Lag or stuttering during recordings

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add voice/webcam recording
  • Improve audio quality and reliability
  • Provide more video editing options
  • Allow longer recording durations
  • Add support for landscape mode

ScreenPal Screen Recorder

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Videos not saving properly
  • Recordings getting lost or corrupted
  • Inconsistent performance on different devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to record system audio
  • Improve video trimming and editing capabilities
  • Implement live streaming support
  • Provide more customization options

In-app purchases

None

TechSmith Capture

No in-app purchases

7 purchases

ScreenPal Screen Recorder

Subscriptions7
  • Annual Plan - Unlock Premium$5.991 Year
  • Screen Recorder: Deluxe$8.001 Month
  • Screen Recorder: Premier$14.001 Month
Show 4 more
  • Screen Recorder: Max$20.001 Month
  • Screen Recorder: Deluxe Yr$48.001 Year
  • Screen Recorder: Premier Yr$84.001 Year
  • Screen Recorder: Max$119.991 Year

Questions

Is TechSmith Capture free?
TechSmith Capture is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ScreenPal Screen Recorder free?
ScreenPal Screen Recorder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TechSmith Capture or ScreenPal Screen Recorder?
TechSmith Capture is rated higher. TechSmith Capture averages 4.6 out of 5 from 9.9K ratings, while ScreenPal Screen Recorder averages 4.6 from 5.3K ratings.
Do TechSmith Capture or ScreenPal Screen Recorder have ads?
TechSmith Capture shows ads; ScreenPal Screen Recorder does not.
Which is updated more often, TechSmith Capture or ScreenPal Screen Recorder?
TechSmith Capture ships an update every 6 weeks, and ScreenPal Screen Recorder every 6 weeks. Most recently, TechSmith Capture was updated on October 16, 2026 and ScreenPal Screen Recorder on October 14, 2026.

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