Alternatives / Bandicam
Looking for an open source Bandicam alternative? We compared 6 open source screen recorders and capture tools by license, platforms, game capture, and sharing. OBS Studio is the closest match for recording games and the desktop, and the others focus on quick capture and sharing.
Written by Maxime DERAME
Last updated:
| Alternative | Best for | License |
|---|---|---|
| OBS Studio | Closest replacement for game and desktop recording | GPL-2.0 |
| ShareX | Quick capture and uploads on Windows | GPL-3.0 |
| Cap | Screen recording and sharing on macOS and Windows | AGPL-3.0 (+ MIT crates) |
| Screenity | Recording and annotating in Chrome | GPL-3.0 |
| Kap | Simple macOS recording to GIF (development stalled) | MIT |
| Snapify | Self-hosted recording sharing (inactive) | AGPL-3.0 |
We looked for open-source tools that overlap with Bandicam's core: recording the screen, games, and windows to video files. We verified each project's license, recent activity, stars, and platforms in its repository. Bandicam is a Windows recorder known for low overhead, so we note which alternatives run on Windows and which handle game capture, and flag stalled projects. See our methodology for the full criteria.
OBS Studio is the closest: free recording and live streaming software with scenes, audio mixing, and a plugin API that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is more powerful than Bandicam but also more complex to configure. ShareX is a Windows tool that captures and records screen areas with 80+ upload destinations.
Cap, Screenity, Kap, and Snapify target short recordings that you share, rather than long gameplay sessions. Cap records on macOS and Windows with Instant, Studio, and Screenshot modes. Screenity is a Chrome extension, Kap is macOS only, and Snapify shares recordings through links.
Cap is AGPL-3.0 with some MIT crates. Its free tier covers local recording and a limited number of cloud links, while Cap Pro adds unlimited cloud storage, AI features, and team collaboration. You can also use your own storage or self-host.
Kap is MIT, OBS Studio is GPL-2.0, and ShareX and Screenity are GPL-3.0. Cap and Snapify are AGPL-3.0.
OBS Studio, ShareX, Cap, and Screenity were updated within days or weeks of this update. Kap's last release was in October 2022 and its last commit in November 2024, and Snapify has had no commits since November 2024, so both are effectively inactive.
Bandicam is a proprietary Windows application whose free version limits recording length and adds a watermark, with a paid license needed to remove them. Open-source alternatives are free without watermarks or time limits, run on more platforms, and let you inspect the code, at the cost of a steeper setup for some tools such as OBS Studio.
OBS Studio provides high-quality video recording and live streaming on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It includes real-time capture, scenes and sources, an audio mixer, studio mode, multiview, hotkeys, and a plugin API.
Pricing: Free and open source.
ShareX captures or records any area of the screen and shares it with a keypress. It supports 80+ upload destinations, a color picker, ruler, QR code generator, OCR, and customizable workflows.
Pricing: Free and open source.
Cap is a cross-platform recorder for asynchronous work with instant, studio, and screenshot modes. Studio mode records up to 4K/60fps with a built-in editor, auto-zoom, blur, scene switching, backgrounds, color grades, and captions. Instant mode gives shareable links with transcripts and chapters. It can be self-hosted with S3-compatible storage and offers a CLI and MCP server.
Pricing: Free tier and open-source self-hosting; Cap Pro and cloud plans are paid.
Kap captures the screen on macOS and exports MP4, WebM, or GIF with a built-in editor, customizable shortcuts, and a plugin system. It is built with web technology and has minimal system impact, but its last release dates from 2022.
Pricing: Free and open source.
Screenity records, annotates, and edits screen recordings in the browser with no limits or sign-up. It includes drawing while recording, built-in editing, custom timers, camera effects, multiple export formats, and local saving.
Pricing: Free, no account required.
Snapify is an AGPL-3.0 web app for recording and sharing screen recordings, with one-click recording, instant sharing, and a customizable video player. It can be self-hosted or used through a cloud service. Its repository has had no commits since November 2024.
Pricing: Free to self-host; cloud plans may be offered separately.
| Alternative | Platforms | License | Game and desktop recording | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OBS Studio | Windows, macOS, Linux | GPL-2.0 | Yes | Recording and streaming |
| ShareX | Windows | GPL-3.0 | Screen areas and short clips | Quick capture and uploads |
| Cap | macOS, Windows | AGPL-3.0 (+ MIT crates) | Screen recording | Recording and sharing |
| Screenity | Chrome extension | GPL-3.0 | Browser tabs and screen | Recording in the browser |
| Kap | macOS | MIT | Screen areas | GIF and MP4 clips |
| Snapify | Web | AGPL-3.0 | Short shared clips | Self-hosted sharing |
Want to record games and the desktop for free
OBS Studio offers high-performance real-time capture and mixing on Windows, macOS, and Linux, with no watermark or time limit.
Want quick captures and uploads on Windows
ShareX captures or records screen areas with a single keypress and uploads to 80+ destinations.
Want to record and share links across macOS and Windows
Cap offers Instant, Studio, and Screenshot modes with local editing and share links, with optional self-hosting and paid Pro features.
Want to record and annotate in the browser
Screenity is a Chrome extension for recording, annotating, and editing without sign-up.