Clipping software is the best way to take short clips of your gaming experiences and share them with others, whether you want to show off something amazing you just achieved, or you want to make a tutorial about a game. We share the best clipping software for gaming in this guide.
Quick summary
Editor’s choice for making simple yet high-quality recordings: Gecata by Movavi
For instant replay style recording: NVIDIA Shadowplay
For simple editing functions after making recordings: EaseUS RecExperts
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Best clip software
What is the best clipping software? Below, we discuss the best clipping software for gaming you can try on your PC, Mac, or Linux.
Gecata by Movavi is one of the easiest clip apps for a PC, allowing you to easily grab HD footage in up to 120 FPS. You can record video and audio from multiple source and overlay your webcam video as well. Besides screen recording, you can also stream your gameplay.
Key features:
Record audio from multiple sources
Include camera overlays
Use simple controls, including shortcuts
Pros:
Simple to download and start using
Hardware acceleration to boost the encoding time
Great for short clips and easy sharing
Cons:
No Mac version
OBS Studio is one of the best clip software options for those who want something that is free, and that can also handle streaming. OBS is totally open-source, which comes with its own pros and cons, but the game clip software works on most operating systems and has some professional features, though it can be a little tough to get to grips with.
Key features:
Has audio mixer for recording multiple sources
Switch between “scenes” when streaming and capturing
Capture video in real time using shortcuts
Pros:
Totally free to download and use
Allows streaming as well as clip capture
Powerful filters and audio editing
Cons:
Can be difficult to get to grips with the software
Not as much support as paid software
This clip recording software is made by Microsoft and works with the official Xbox app for a PC, making it quick and easy to grab clips while playing video games like Valorant and Fortnite online with friends. It’s some of the best game clipping software for PC users, who do most of their gaming through Xbox game pass.
Key features:
Easy shortcut control
Audio mixer to adjust levels
Integrates with Xbox layout including chats and other plugins
Pros:
Easy plugin for those using Xbox on Windows 10
Simple controls and audio levels
Linked to your Xbox account
Cons:
No real editing options
Medal.tv is somewhere between gaming capture software and social media. With this clipping software, you can share clips online for people to see. Both Mac and Windows users can use Medal.tv, and this is good clipping software for gaming, but it is also great for discovering more content and seeing what your friends have been up to. Medal.tv also links with other accounts such as Discord, which all helps to add to the gaming experience and sharing with your friends.
Key features:
HD capture
Cloud storage for your files to download in the future
Social sharing platform
Pros:
Up to 1440p downloads
Simple interface for downloading
Has a mobile app as well as a desktop clipping program
Cons:
Clips are all limited in length, even on premium
Premium required to access all of the features and desktop recording
Action! has a lot of the same features as the other best clipping software for a PC, but it has a smart feature that sets it apart, allowing control via an Android app. This means that even if you aren’t at your computer but you want to make a quick recording, or you want to tweak things like audio, the Action! app will help. You don’t have to record via an Android app, and the desktop clipping app works just as well without, allowing you to support multiple audio inputs and even linking directly to sites like YouTube for upload purposes.
Key features:
Record gameplay up to 120 FPS
Directly export to YouTube
Support for multiple audio inputs
Pros:
Makes smaller audio files than a lot of other software
Easy to control and make recordings
Has livestreaming options
Cons:
Expensive to unlock the full version
Watermarks videos in the free version
EaseUS RecExperts is the best way to edit videos that you have captured without having to use any additional software. The game clipping software comes with a few different options, so that when you have made your recording you can trim it to size as well as use AI-powered features like noise removal and audio extraction.
Key features:
Region selection
Scheduled recordings
Unlimited recording length
Pros:
Flexible options for gaming clips and screenshots
Schedule automatic recordings for a specific time
Simple to make basic edits and extract audio
No watermarks
Cons:
One of the more expensive options
Bandicam is some of the best clipping software for capturing a high FPS game. It can capture at up to 480 FPS, which is more than double what some of the competing options can manage. This also has features like hardware acceleration for quicker processing, and it also gives the option for a webcam overlay for making gaming reaction videos.
Some people find the Bandicam layout a little clunky, and it does watermark if you use the free version, plus there is not much in the way of support for users.
Key features:
High FPS recording
Multiple audio sources capture
Scheduled recordings in the premium version
Pros:
Simple to control and set up recordings
Capture from multiple sources
Cons:
Watermark in the free version
No Mac version
Not the best customer support options
Fraps is an older game clipping software that does not boast some of the more modern features out there. It can be useful for those using older systems who want an option to screen-record, such as retro gaming on XP or even Vista. The software doesn’t get regularly updated so it is extremely limited, we only recommend it in specific situations.
If you want modern recordings of AAA games, then Fraps probably isn’t going to be the option for you, but retro gamers may find that it is the perfect way to grab footage from older games.
Key features:
Screenshots and video recordings
Up to 120 FPS recording
Pros:
Works on systems that some other software no longer supports
Relatively affordable
Cons:
No real support or updates
No option to use it on modern operating systems, making it very limited
ShadowPlay is game clipping software created by NVIDIA, a huge name in the world of PC gaming. With this clipping software, you can record using an “Instant Replay” mode. That means it constantly stores the last 30 seconds of gameplay, and you can capture it with the click of a button. So, when something unexpectedly amazing happens in your game, ShadowPlay is a great way to show off, even if you weren’t recording. The game clipping software is a little limited as it only works with other NVIDIA setups, including graphics cards by the brand.
Key features:
Record, stream, and broadcast straight to Twitch
Choose bitrate and stream in HD
Pros:
Can record “back in time” with the Instant Replay function
Very simple layout, easy to make changes and tweak settings
Great for those who have NVIDIA setups
Cons:
Only works with NVIDIA hardware
Constantly running so can be demanding on your system
Icecream Screen Recorder is not made specifically for gaming, but it is still some of the best game clipping software out there, allowing you to easily grab short gameplay videos or even make simple tutorials. This has an auto record function that allows you to schedule your recordings, and it also has excellent options to annotate and even show hotkeys, making it a popular choice for making screen recordings.
Key features:
Multiple audio inputs
Simple annotations and edits possible
Options to add a custom logo to the video
Pros:
Easy to use for a variety of different purposes, including game clipping
Some of the pro plans include free cloud storage
Simple interface
Works with a variety of OS
Cons:
Watermarks videos in the free mode
XSplit Broadcaster is a great game clipping software option for those who want to livestream and broadcast their gaming but don’t have the skills and expertise to use some of the other, more professional software. Of course, we’re talking about the best clipping software for gaming, so it also has the option to allow people to take clips of what they are playing and record full gaming sessions, too.
Key features:
Switch between a number of scenes while streaming
Broadcast to multiple streaming services
Capture from multiple audio and video sources
Pros:
Great for adding some details to livestreaming
Simple layout, even when using multiple scenes
High FPS and unlimited resolution
Cons:
No Mac version
Watermarks in the free version
ScreenPal is the game clipping software available for a variety of different devices, it’s simple to use, and relatively affordable, too. ScreenPal can capture from your mobile device as well as your desktop, so you can capture a variety of different games, and it also has editing and even stock footage available.
Key features:
Editing tools
Online storage for videos
Unlimited video length on premium plans
Pros:
Wide compatibility so you can record from desktop as well as iOS and Android devices
A variety of plans to suit each user’s needs
Store your videos on the cloud
Cons:
Monthly payment is required to use the service
Free version won’t allow you to record game audio
Tips on choosing the best game clipping software
So, what is a good clipper? Choosing the best clipping software for gaming isn’t always that straightforward. There are many different types of game clipping software and everyone needs to consider a few different aspects before they decide which to buy:
Compatibility. This is the number one consideration before buying game clipping software (or using free versions). Is it actually compatible with the device and game that you want to use it for? Some game clipping software is Windows-specific, and it is harder to find a reliable option for a Mac sometimes, but there are options out there as our guide to clipping software shows.
Price. There are numerous ways to pay for the software. Some of them are free, which is great but can mean limited features and watermarks. Some options require a monthly subscription and some others allow you to pay a one-off fee for unlimited access to all the features as well as updates.
Ease of use. Using the game clipping software shouldn’t feel like a huge challenge. A lot of these options come with simple and straightforward ways to start the recording. For instance, many of them use hotkeys so that with the simple press of a button or two on your keyboard you can start the process and save your clip.
Audio options. The audio that you are getting from the game may be crucial to the video, and you’ll want to find an option that supports the audio options you need. For instance, if you need to include sound from multiple sources such as a microphone to allow you to commentate on the game you are playing. A lot of clipping software options let you use multiple audio sources, but not all of them. Always check how the software deals with audio.
FPS and definition. If you are playing a game that is visually impressive with a high FPS, then you may want software to handle this. Some of the clipping software on the market can record at up to 480 FPS, which is a way to get smooth clips of many different games. HD should come as standard, or at least be available on any software that you pay for.
Streaming options. Not all of us want to stream, but a lot of people capturing their game would love the ability to share on Twitch or other gaming platforms. A lot of game clipping software has a built-in ability to stream to other platforms.
Editing options. Some of the software on the market also includes editing features, which can make it easy to make simple changes, such as editing the length of the video, and can also allow users to add effects and transitions. Again, it depends on whether you are looking for this sort of feature, some editing options are superfluous if you just want to take a few seconds of footage from your game.
Summary
Whether you’re looking for the best free clipping software for gaming, or you don’t mind paying for a more effective option, there are numerous different software options out there. Game clipping software can make it easy to take clips of playing your favorite games, make tutorials, and even send the clips to your friends on social media. Some of the platforms for game clipping even have cloud storage and ways to tag and share the video clips online.
Gecata by Movavi
Simple and solid game recorder and streaming program
Clipping software is a way to take short clips from the games that you are playing. Finding the best clip software makes it easy to quickly press a button and capture clips of a game, ready for sharing online.
Some clipping software uses more CPU due to being more intensive on PC resources and power. Software such as Gecata by Movavi is nimble and effective when it comes to recording at high FPS and helps users avoid dropped frames.
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