Loom vs Screencastify: which one?
Loom is built for async updates between colleagues. Screencastify is built for classrooms on Google. They cap free recordings differently, price differently, and win with different people. Here is the split, plus what to use when neither free plan is enough.
- Free plans compared
- Updated 2026
- No sign-up to read
Two tools, two different jobs
Loom: the async team standard
A desktop app and Chrome extension built for work updates. Viewer analytics, emoji reactions, threaded comments and deep Slack, Notion and Jira embeds. The free plan caps recordings at 5 minutes per video and 25 videos per person.
Screencastify: the classroom standard
A browser extension for Chrome and Edge, built around Google Classroom and Drive. Strong district admin controls. The free plan caps recordings at 30 minutes per video and 10 videos, and the editor is a paid feature.
The honest split
If you are sending work updates to colleagues, Loom. If you are a teacher or a school running on Google Classroom, Screencastify. They are not really competing for the same person, which is why "which is better" has no single answer.
Where both frustrate people
Both cap free recording length, both put real editing behind a paid plan, and both want something installed. That is the specific complaint that sends people looking for a third option.
Loom and Screencastify, head to head
The two products compared directly, on their published plans. Neither column is REQO: this is the comparison the question is actually asking for.
Built for
Runs as
Free recording cap
Free video count
Editing on free
Captions
Where video lives
Viewer analytics
Integrations
Admin controls
Paid from
| Feature | Loom | Screencastify |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Async updates between colleagues | Teachers, students and school districts |
| Runs as | Desktop app + Chrome extension | Browser extension (Chrome, Edge) |
| Free recording cap | 5 minutes per video | 30 minutes per video |
| Free video count | 25 videos per person | 10 videos |
| Editing on free | None, trim and stitch are on Business | None, the editor starts on Starter |
| Captions | Included on free | On the Pro plan |
| Where video lives | Loom cloud, shareable link | Its library, with Google Drive upload |
| Viewer analytics | Yes, a core feature | Yes |
| Integrations | Slack, Notion, Jira, Gmail | Google Classroom, Drive |
| Admin controls | Team workspaces | District-level deployment |
| Paid from | $15/user/mo (annual) | From $7/user/mo (annual) |
Which one should you pick?
Pick Loom if you are sending video updates to colleagues and you want viewer analytics, comments and Slack or Notion embeds; the free cap of 5 minutes per video is the constraint to plan around. Pick Screencastify if you teach, your school runs on Google Classroom, and district admin controls and Drive storage matter more than the editor. If the free caps are the whole reason you are comparing them, neither free plan solves that, and a browser-based recorder without caps is the third option.
Free recording length
Free video count
Install required
Editor on free plan
Auto captions on free
Max export quality (free)
Viewer analytics
Branding on free
Paid from
| Feature | Loom | Screencastify | BestREQO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free recording length | 5 min per video | 30 min per video | Unlimited |
| Free video count | 25 videos per person | 10 videos | Unlimited |
| Install required | App or extension | Browser extension | None, runs in a tab |
| Editor on free plan | None | None | Full timeline + transcript editing |
| Auto captions on free | Yes | No | Yes, 90+ languages |
| Max export quality (free) | 720p | 1080p | Up to 1080p, 30fps |
| Viewer analytics | Yes | Yes | View counts and comments |
| Branding on free | Loom branding on the video page | Castify watermark | Small REQO badge |
| Paid from | $15/user/mo (annual) | From $7/user/mo (annual) | $19/mo, unlimited seats |
| Start free |
Short version: Loom for work, Screencastify for school, and REQO if the free recording caps are what sent you looking in the first place. REQO records unlimited length free in a browser tab, with a full editor, transcript editing and auto subtitles included; free exports carry a small badge, removed on Pro at $19/mo for unlimited seats. Loom and Screencastify figures above are their published plans as of September 2026 and are worth re-checking before you buy.
Loom vs Screencastify vs REQO, answered
Is Loom or Screencastify better?
They are built for different people. Loom is better for async work updates between colleagues: it has viewer analytics, comments and deep Slack, Notion and Jira integrations. Screencastify is better for classrooms, because it is built around Google Classroom and Drive and has district-level admin controls. If you are choosing for a workplace, pick Loom; if you are choosing for a school on Google, pick Screencastify.
What are the free plan limits for Loom and Screencastify?
Loom free caps recordings at 5 minutes per video and 25 videos per person, at up to 720p. Screencastify free caps recording at 30 minutes per video and 10 videos, at up to 1080p. Neither free plan includes the editor. Loom includes captions on free; Screencastify keeps them on its Pro plan.
Is there a free alternative to Loom and Screencastify without recording limits?
REQO records unlimited length and unlimited videos on its free plan, runs in a browser tab with nothing to install, and includes a full editor with transcript editing and auto subtitles in 90+ languages. Free exports go up to 1080p (4K on Pro) and carry a small REQO badge, which Pro removes.
Does Screencastify work outside Chrome?
Yes, in Edge as well: Screencastify publishes extensions for Chrome and Edge. Loom offers a desktop app for macOS and Windows as well as a Chrome extension. A browser-based recorder like REQO runs in any Chromium browser tab without an extension.
Or skip the caps entirely.
Unlimited free recording, a full editor and auto subtitles, in a browser tab with nothing to install.