Free screen recording software with no watermark restrictions
An updated, re-verified version of our earlier free-tools coverage — checked against each vendor’s current terms, since free-tier restrictions do shift over time.
1. OBS Studio
Still the clearest answer — completely free, open-source, no watermark, no time limit, no paid tier that unlocks anything. Nothing has changed here; it remains the gold standard for this category.
2. ShareX
Free and open-source, screenshot-focused with solid recording as a secondary feature. No watermark, no restrictions, unchanged from prior coverage.
3. Xbox Game Bar
Built into Windows 10/11, no watermark, no time limit within a session — the caveat remains that it can’t capture the desktop or File Explorer.
4. QuickTime Player
Mac’s built-in option — unrestricted, no watermark, still the simplest zero-install path on Mac.
5. Kazam
Linux’s equivalent to ShareX — free, open-source, unrestricted. Still underrepresented in most “best free recorder” coverage despite being a solid option.
⚠️ The catch:
“No watermark” doesn’t always mean “no restriction at all” — check for time caps specifically, since some tools remove the watermark on their free tier while still capping recording length. Every tool on this specific list has neither restriction, but that’s not universal across the broader free-tools category.
6. Screenity (Chrome extension)
Genuinely free and open-source, added since our earlier coverage of this category — a strong browser-based option with no eventual upsell built into the product.
7. GoFullPage (Chrome extension, screenshots only)
Free, unrestricted, specifically for full-page screenshot capture rather than video — included here since “no watermark” restrictions apply to screenshot tools too, and this one has none.
8. CamStudio
Still free and unrestricted, though — as covered in our full review — showing real signs of age (dated format choices, lingering references to very old Windows versions). Functional, but the least modern option on this list.
What changed since the original list
Screenity’s inclusion reflects genuine growth in free, open-source Chrome extension options since the earlier version of this coverage — this specific category has gotten stronger, not weaker, over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is this list different from earlier “best free screen recorder” coverage on this site?
Yes — re-verified against current vendor terms, with Screenity added as a genuinely new addition to the free, open-source category since the original list.
What’s the single best completely free option with no restrictions at all?
OBS Studio remains the strongest all-around answer — free forever, unrestricted, capable across nearly every use case once configured.
Related reading: Best free screen recorders with no watermark · OBS Studio for complete beginners · Best Chrome screen recorder extensions