Review ScreenPal 2025: Features, Pros & Cons, and Pricing
In our previous post, we reviewed Camtasia, a powerful video creation tool. However, its pricing may be a barrier for some users. Today, we’re exploring a more affordable alternative—ScreenPal. Ideal for everyday use, ScreenPal excels at quick screen recording, basic video editing, and effortless sharing. Let’s dive into review of ScreenPal to explore its features, pros & cons, and pricing to see if it’s the right fit for you.
Screen recording is essential for demonstrating processes, creating tutorials, and documenting workflows efficiently, making it invaluable for businesses, educators, and remote teams. Online recording tools like ScreenPal offer flexibility since they don’t require downloads or installations, allowing you to work anytime, anywhere. However, they rely on an internet connection and servers, which can lead to lags and crashes during long recordings, making them less stable than desktop-based applications.
For a more powerful and stable alternative, ActivePresenter, a desktop screen recorder, provides advanced video editing and eLearning features. If you’re interested, download and try ActivePresenter today. But if you prefer a web-based tool for quick recording and editing, keep reading as we dive into our in-depth ScreenPal review.
To evaluate ScreenPal, we spent hours testing it across different scenarios and use cases—from recording short tutorials and presentations to capturing long-form content and editing videos. We assessed its performance, ease of use, editing capabilities, export options, and overall stability to give you a well-rounded review.
In this review:
What is ScreenPal?
ScreenPal (formerly known as Screencast-O-Matic) is a versatile screen recording, video editing, and content management platform. It is widely known as an online app to help you capture your computer screen, audio and camera simultaneously.
ScreenPal offers both web-based and desktop applications to suit different user needs. The web-based version (free version of the app) allows users to start recording directly from their browser. Users need to sign up an account with Screenpal as well as install a chrome extension to start their recording. You may need to read Screenpal’s privacy terms and conditions carefully before trial the app.
Once you logged into your account, you can launch its free online screen recorder. Screenpal lets you capture your screen in full screen mode or a specific size of the screen. You can also capture your webcam or both screen and webcam too. Overall, the app is quite easy to use. However, you can only record videos under 15 minutes with the free version. Besides, if you want to record system audio, you will have to upgrade to Screenpal’s paid plan.
With paid plans, you get access to all the features of the app. Screenpal has different subscription plans. Basically, there are monthly and yearly plans, which are charged per user. With these subscription plans, you are guaranteed regular feature upgrades, but you will have to pay for them again and again. It is not like pay-once-and-use software like ActivePresenter.
Who is ScreenPal for?
ScreenPal is ideal for casual users who need a simple way to record their screen, make quick edits, and share videos effortlessly. However, if you’re creating training materials, instructional videos with quizzes and assessments, or interactive eLearning courses, ActivePresenter is the superior choice.
As a powerful eLearning authoring tool, ActivePresenter is designed for eLearning content creation, instructional design, and professional screen recording. Whether you’re developing high-quality software tutorials with annotations, step-by-step guides, or interactive learning experiences, ActivePresenter provides the advanced features you need.
Try ActivePresenter for free today—no credit card required!
Pros
- Free and online app.
- Enable quick recording and sharing.
- Capture screen and narration.
- Capture webcam and screen simultaneously.
Cons
- Limit free plan (e.g. Users can only record the screen for 15 minutes at a time.)
- No editing features.
- Difficult to use as many features need paid plan.
- Performance issues: May experience lags and crashes, especially during long recordings.
Pricing
ScreenPal offers both free and paid versions. The free version allows users to create videos quickly. However, most advanced features such as cursor effects, video editing tools require paid plan as following:
- Free: limited features
- Deluxe: $4/month
- Max: $10/month
- Team Business: $8/month
Conclusion
ScreenPal is a good choice for users looking for a simple and accessible screen recording tool. However, for those who require advanced editing capabilities, interactive eLearning features, or SCORM/xAPI support for LMS integration, ScreenPal may fall short. If you’re an educator, trainer, or content creator looking for more professional-grade tools, alternatives like our Winning Star, ActivePresenter, might be a better fit.
Best Alternative to ScreenPal – ActivePresenter, the best free screen recorder, video editor and eLearning Authoring Software for Educators and Trainers
For educators and trainers, the ability to create engaging and effective learning materials is crucial. While ScreenPal (formerly Screencast-O-Matic) has been a contender in the screen recording and video editing space, there’s a powerful and completely free alternative that truly shines: ActivePresenter.
If you’re seeking a robust solution that goes beyond basic screen capture, offering comprehensive video editing and even advanced eLearning authoring capabilities without costing you a dime, then ActivePresenter is the answer. Let’s explore why it stands head and shoulders above ScreenPal as the best free choice for your educational and training needs.
Why ActivePresenter Reigns Supreme as the ScreenPal Alternative
ActivePresenter isn’t just another screen recorder; it’s a complete content creation powerhouse specifically designed to empower educators and trainers. Here’s why it’s the superior alternative to ScreenPal:
1. Truly Free and Feature-Rich – Unlike ScreenPal’s Limitations:
While ScreenPal offers a free version, it comes with significant limitations like watermarks and time restrictions. ActivePresenter, on the other hand, provides a remarkably feature-rich free version without these frustrating constraints. You get unrestricted screen recording, allowing you to capture everything you need without worrying about branding or time limits. This alone makes it a far more viable free alternative for serious educators and trainers. With ActivePresenter, you can capture anything on your computer screen with narration, system sound and your webcam at the same time without any limitation.
2. Powerful Video Editing Without the Price Tag (ScreenPal Often Charges Extra):
ScreenPal’s free version offers no editing capabilities, often pushing users towards paid plans for even basic tasks. ActivePresenter, however, boasts a comprehensive suite of non-linear video editing tools completely free of charge. Trim, cut, merge, split, adjust speed, add annotations, highlights, transitions, and visual effects – all within the free version. This level of editing power allows you to create polished and professional-looking tutorials and training videos that ScreenPal’s free offering simply can’t match.
3. Unlock Interactive eLearning Potential – Something ScreenPal Primarily Offers in Paid Tiers:
ActivePresenter goes beyond simple screen recording and video editing by offering powerful eLearning authoring tools in its free version. Create interactive quizzes with various question types, develop engaging simulations, and build branching scenarios to enhance learner engagement and knowledge retention. These features are often either absent or locked behind expensive paid plans in tools like ScreenPal, making ActivePresenter an exceptional value for educators looking to create truly interactive learning experiences.
4. Enhanced Visual Communication That Surpasses Basic Options:
Both tools offer annotations, but ActivePresenter provides a more extensive and customizable range of free options. From diverse shapes and callouts to spotlight effects and the ability to animate objects, ActivePresenter empowers you to clearly communicate complex information visually. While ScreenPal offers some annotation tools in paid versions, ActivePresenter’s free offering provides a richer and more flexible toolkit.
5. Versatile Output for Every Educational Need (More Than Just Basic Video):
ActivePresenter supports a wide array of free output formats, including popular video formats like MP4, WMV, AVI, and WebM. Crucially for educators and trainers, it also allows you to export your interactive content in HTML5 format for web delivery and as SCORM and xAPI packages for seamless integration with Learning Management Systems (LMS). While ScreenPal also offers various output options, ActivePresenter’s free support for eLearning standards like SCORM and xAPI makes it a more robust choice for professional training environments.
6. Designed with Educators and Trainers in Mind – Features ScreenPal May Lack in Free Versions:
ActivePresenter includes features specifically beneficial for educators and trainers, such as the ability to create software simulations with different interaction types, record mouse clicks and keystrokes with visual cues, and easily create interactive lessons. While ScreenPal focuses heavily on simple screen recording and sharing, ActivePresenter offers a more tailored approach to the needs of instructional designers and educators.
7. A User-Friendly Yet Professional Interface – Often More Intuitive Than ScreenPal:
Many users find ActivePresenter’s interface to be intuitive and well-organized, making it easy to learn and use even for those new to screen recording and video editing. While ScreenPal is also known for its ease of use, ActivePresenter manages to offer a more comprehensive feature set without feeling overwhelming, providing a professional yet accessible experience.
Real-World Applications: ActivePresenter in Action
Imagine using ActivePresenter to:
- Create engaging video tutorials for your students demonstrating complex software applications.
- Develop interactive online quizzes to assess understanding and provide immediate feedback.
- Record and edit lectures with annotations and highlights to emphasize key concepts.
- Build interactive training modules for new employees with simulations of real-world tasks.
- Create branching scenarios to test critical thinking and decision-making skills.
These are just a few examples of how ActivePresenter empowers educators and trainers to create impactful learning experiences that go beyond simple screen recordings.
Make the Smart Choice: Upgrade Your Content Creation with ActivePresenter
If you’re looking for the best free alternative to ScreenPal, ActivePresenter is the clear winner. Its robust feature set, lack of restrictive limitations in the free version, and focus on the needs of educators and trainers make it an indispensable tool for creating engaging and effective learning materials.