12 Best GIF Recorders for Mac in 2023
If you need a macOS GIF recorder, you’ll need either an application or a video converter to make it happen. Below is our list of the top GIF capture tools for a Mac complete with descriptions, pricing details, and pros and cons.
Quick summary
Best for all types of screen recordings: Movavi Screen Recorder
Best for precise capturing: Gifox
Best for only screen recording: LICEcap
Our goal is to provide you with only verified information. To ensure this, Movavi Content Team does the following:
When selecting products to include in our reviews, we research both demand and popularity.
The team tests all the products mentioned in this article.
When testing, we compare the key characteristics of the products, which include selecting capture area, schedule recording, showing keystrokes and mouse, and other significant features.
We study user reviews from popular review platforms and make use of this information when writing our product reviews.
We collect feedback from our users and analyze their opinions of Movavi software as well as products from other companies.
This convenient, easy tool from Movavi works on both Windows and Mac and allows one-click screen capture. You can capture both video and images and export them in a wide variety of popular formats.
File sharing is another convenient feature of the program, as you can upload to YouTube or Google Drive in one click or share GIFs directly to social media and messaging applications. Plus, Movavi Screen Recorder uses Intel hardware acceleration to create clean GIFs that process and play seamlessly.
Key features
Pros:
Easy to set up and capture screen or webcam in high quality
Ready to customize footage and create videos on the go
Smooth performance on macOS
Cons:
No limits to your creativity in the full version of the program
Most users know GIPHY as the go-to search engine for GIFs. It offers a seemingly endless collection of GIFs uploaded by users from all over the world. But the website also offers a GIF creation feature called GIPHY Create that allows users to upload and create their own animated GIFs.
The online platform is easy to use and lets you both create and share your GIFs all from the same platform. You just select a source material – URL or upload – and then choose a point in the video to create GIF. From there, you can also add stickers, captions, and filters and then share the file with ease.
Key features
Pros:
Online platform, so no need to download anything
Easy to share GIFs from the platform
Allows you to add tags and a source URL
Cons:
Only offers basic editing tools
Many URLs won’t upload in the program
Limited formats
Best for: cost efficiency
GIF Brewery
GIF Brewery is owned by Gfycat, which is another popular site to find millions of GIFs. The program is a popular GIF recorder for Mac users that allows users to create GIFs directly from video files, screen recordings, iOS video, and webcam recordings.
The interface allows you to crop and resize your videos and set a frame rate or count before editing. From there, you can apply colorization filters or common photo overall photo filters like Noir. It’s also possible to overlay images and add captions to your GIFs.
Sharing is straightforward with the program but only goes to iMessage, Gfycat, or email.
Key features
Pros:
Offers both image and photo filters
Cropping and resizing features
It’s very easy to use
Cons:
Would work better with a true video timeline
Limited sharing options
If you’re looking for speed and precision in your GIF recorder, then Gifox is a superb option. The program offers some of the most accurate capturing tools of any GIF recorder for Mac. It’s possible to select pixel-perfect custom regions or capture GIFs from a specific window – even when covered by other windows.
For speed, Gifox features a range of hotkeys to help you control everything in the program with ease. But the real highlight is the menu bar icon that allows you to access everything you need from a dropdown menu.
Outside of those features, it includes a lot of standard editing features you’ll see elsewhere on the list – fps settings, cutting, trimming, etc. But it really shines with its compression options that allow you to manipulate file sizes to accommodate your needs.
Key features
Pros:
Absolute control on modifying your file size
Tons of capture controls, including fps
Solid screen selection tools
Cons:
No cropping or overlay features
You have to pay for Pro to get the watermark to go away
Smart Gif Maker offers one of the best interfaces for making GIFs from screen captures on a Mac. The program is simple and efficient and makes it easy for users of any level to create a GIF.
Smart Gif Maker has a wide range of import options with drag-and-drop functionality for editing. Though editing options are minimal – there are just enough tools to get the job done – the editing window shines in its simplicity and ease of use.
The development company that created the app closed, so don’t expect updates. But it’s a cost-efficient option for anyone looking for a simple program to create GIFs from screen capture on a Mac.
Key features
Pros:
Ability to create reverse GIFs
Can set all of your frame durations at once
Simple interface
Cons:
Lots of user complaints about the program crashing
Development company closed; no more updates
If you only want to screen-record a GIF on a Mac, then LICEcap is a viable option. The program allows you to capture your desktop activity quickly and save it as a .gif or .lcf file. Outside of the base features, you can pause recordings, insert text, adjust the framerate, display the elapsed recording time, and record mouse clicks.
LICEcap is a simple, free program that can record your screen as a GIF, and that’s all. It has no frills, so choose another program if you need additional editing and sharing tools.
Key features
Pros:
Quick and accurate Mac GIF recorder
Global hotkey
Framerate adjustment options
Cons:
Doesn’t integrate with other apps
No editing tools
While it’s true that the latest macOS has a superb screenshot tool, some users may want a little more. CleanShot X offers a variety of features that could make up multiple applications. The program does screen capture and recording, text recognition, annotations, floating screenshots, GIF recording, and more.
The tools offer much more than many of the programs on the list dedicated only to saving your screen to GIF on a Mac. But we’ll specifically highlight the ability to integrate audio into your recording with the Mac’s built-in microphone.
Overall, this tool might offer a little more than what you’re looking for from this list. But if you want added value to your GIF recording program, this is a stellar choice.
Key features
Pros:
Comes with a variety of other screen capture tools
Has text recognition capabilities
Developed for macOS
Cons:
Potentially offers more features than you need
Other free options available that do recording and screenshots for GIFs
Best for: users who need a full package video converter that does GIFs too
Movavi Video Converter
4.8 out of 5
Movavi Video Converter can definitely fulfill your GIF recording needs on your Mac. The program is a total package that can convert screen recordings to GIF and take care of a wide range of other video conversion needs.
The program allows you to convert media files to popular formats, compress files, and make basic video edits. Movavi Video Converter is an all-in-one solution that includes essential conversion and editing features and is easy to use.
Key features
Pros:
Fast conversions and high amount of formatting options on the list
Scale your timeline for precision
Powerful but easy to use
Cons:
Has a lot of extra features if you only want to record GIFs
Watermark on the xfree version
Apple Keynote is one of the original applications that Apple created for their iWork suite – their answer to Microsoft Office. The program is a slideshow creator that includes a lot of additional features.
Specific to the list, the program allows you to export slideshows as an animated GIF. And since the program also allows you to play YouTube and Vimeo videos directly in the interface, you can convert anything you want into a GIF with ease.
Key features
Pros:
Free program for Mac users
Excellent editing and import options
Allows you to insert live video feeds
Cons:
Doesn’t convert PowerPoint presentations very well
Works mainly as a presentation creator but can also convert to an animated GIF
If you’re looking for a free file converter to turn an image into a GIF, then Zamzar could be a solid option. The program works completely online – though they offer a desktop download for subscribers – and converts files into GIFs with ease.
The program is a simple three-step drag-and-drop process, so it’s perfect for users of all skill levels. However, just know that the server can be a little slow if they have high traffic. And the free version only supports files up to 50 MB, so you may need to upgrade if you're working with bigger files.
Key features
Pros:
Supports over 1,200 file formats
Unlimited daily conversions
Offers support to convert files not on their list
Cons:
Max file size of 50 MB on a free version
Can be slow if experiencing high traffic
Ezgif is an easy online solution for anyone who needs to create a GIF quickly. The program has basic editing features – cut, crop, resize, reverse – and allows you to convert and cut a video into a GIF or create a GIF from a string of images.
If you want to make your GIF pop, you can also insert from a small selection of effects and filters. Overall, it’s a perfect choice for anyone that’s new to creating GIFs and wants to test out the process.
Key features
Pros:
Straightforward interface
Converts quickly
Perfect for all levels
Cons:
100 MB max file size
No advanced editing tools
Best for: only converting to GIF
CloudConvert GIF Converter
CloudСonvert GIF Converter is a straightforward online program that converts files of all types into GIFs – along with many other formats. This isn’t a free program, so it may not be ideal if you only want to convert files to GIFs.
But if you need a comprehensive solution to convert all types of files, then this is a viable option. Plus, it allows custom app integration and works completely in the cloud on a highly secure server.
Key features
Pros:
Loses no quality in the conversion
No data sold, ever
Guaranteed data security
Cons:
No editing tools
No effects or filters
How to record a GIF on a Mac computer with Movavi Screen Recorder
Step 1. Download and install the program on a Mac for GIF screen capture
Download Movavi Screen Recorder, follow the installation instructions and launch the program.
Step 2. Prepare for recording
Click the camcorder-shaped Screen recording icon and drag the capture frame over the area you want to record.
Step 3. Record GIF
Click the REC button to start recording. When you are finished, hit Stop.
Step 4. Edit and save the recording
In the window that opens after you stop the recording, use the Cut button to cut off the excessive footage. When you are satisfied with the result, click Export, choose GIF as the output format and click Save.
How to choose a GIF recorder for Mac
Listed below are screen capture features that are important for GIF recording.
Price: while a free app seems like the best choice for GIF recording, make sure it has both recording and cropping capabilities and has no restrictions on recording times and the number of allowed recordings. Consider another app or the PRO version if it falls short, especially if it offers a free trial period.
Interface: make sure the interface is intuitive, uncluttered, and has a gentle learning curve. At the same time, check that the GUI has everything you need.
Screen recording options: GIFs rarely are full-screen, so you might want to use a program that can record specific areas.
Save and share: can you save your files in the formats you need? If you plan to share your captures, make sure you can upload them directly to platforms like Google Drive, YouTube, etc.
Summary
If you’re not sure of how to record a GIF on a Mac, no worries! The list of programs above offers an excellent starting point for you to learn. Weigh all the pros, cons, price points, and descriptions before you decide, and you’ll be able to choose a great GIF recorder for Mac that’ll suit your needs.
Movavi Screen Recorder
Disclaimer: Please be aware that Movavi Screen Recorder does not allow capture of copy-protected video and audio streams.
Use Movavi as your GIF screen recorder on a Mac:
Yes, you can. There are two ways to make a GIF. You can either record a piece of your screen and save it as a GIF image or select a video you have on your device and convert it to the GIF format.
Here are top-7 screen recorders best suited for GIF recording:
Movavi Screen Recorder
The perfect way to record anything from your screen
An easy way to record from your screen in HD. Make video footage of any application, record online streaming video, webinars, even Skype calls, and save clips in all popular formats.
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