Wondering how to record a streaming video of your own? There are several options that will allow you to record a streaming video for free: desktop screen recorders, online tools, browser extensions, iOS apps, and Android apps.
Software | Best for | OS | Download | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Movavi Screen Recorder | Making screencasts | Windows 7/ | ||
| Screencapture.com | Making fast recordings online | Any (web-based) | ||
| Loom | Creating video messages | Google Chrome |
| ScreenRec | Boosting productivity | Windows XP/ | ||
| CloudApp | Creating GIFs and demo videos | Windows, macOS, Linux | ||
| OBS Studio | Video recording and live streaming | Windows 8.1/10/11, macOS 10.13 and above, Linux | ||
| VLC | Recording the entire screen without audio | Windows XP/ | ||
| Screenapp.io | Easy and quick recordings | Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera | ||
| Screencastify | Educational purposes | Google Chrome | ||
| Record it! | MP4 recording on iPhone | iOS 12.0 or later | ||
| Go Record | Recording videos for YouTube | iOS 11.0 or later | ||
| Mobizen | Making recordings with intros and outros | Android 4.4 or later | ||
| AZ Screen Recorder | Creating GIF animations on Android | Android 5.0 or later |
View all programs |
How to record streaming videos with desktop software
Desktop software offers you some of the best streaming video recorders. If you're looking for ways to save a streaming video of your own, desktop software can offer the features needed to take your content from the Internet directly to PC. Recording with desktop software offers a number of benefits. Often, you get better quality, better functionality, and more features through desktop recording.
Movavi Screen Recorder
OS: Windows 7/8/10/11, Mac OS Х 10.13 or higher
Best for: Making screencasts
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 47 reviews
Price: free trial version, $52.95 for a lifetime license, $37.95 for a 1-year subscription
Movavi Screen Recorder offers the ability to easily set up recording parameters, grab audio and video, and edit the recording and save the file. By setting up recording parameters, you can choose the specific capture error, which means you'll capture only the area you actually want to keep from your screen.
Movavi Screen Recorder does not require clunky hardware or cumbersome add-ons. Instead, it makes it simple to capture screen activity and save it to popular video formats.
Main features:
- Audio-only recordings
- Captures video and audio streams separately or simultaneously
- The program can take screenshots and edit them
- Shows keystrokes and mouse use
- Easy sharing to YouTube or Google Drive
Pros:
- Create screencasts
- Schedule recording
- Capture webcam output
Cons:
- It takes up a lot of space
ScreenRec
OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10, Linux
Best for: Boosting productivity
Rating: 4.1 out of 5 stars, 40 reviews
Price: Free
ScreenRec is a free app for capturing any screen activity. Although it was mainly designed as a productivity app, capturing a video with it is also entirely possible. With its small size and simple interface, it’s a great choice even for those who have weak PCs or are not that savvy in screen-recording software. For a more demanding user, ScreenRec provides recording videos in 4K and analytics to see how your videos are watched. It also promises complete privacy, which is important for a cloud-based service. The app has over 90,000 active users.
Main features:
- Taking informative screenshots by adding arrows, shapes, and bubbles
- Recording your screen activity with system sound, microphone, and webcam
- Sharing your screenshots and recordings via a cloud service
- Hosting your materials in an online gallery
Pros:
- No watermarks or time limits
- Lightweight screen recorder
- Absolutely free
Cons:
- If you don’t create an account, cloud sharing and recording for more than 5 minutes are unavailable
Follow the link below to download ScreenRec:
CloudApp
OS: Windows, macOS, Linux
Best for: Creating GIFs and demo videos
Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars, 1,097 reviews
Price: Free plan, Pro plan starting at $9.95 per month, and Team plan starting at $8 monthly per user
CloudApp makes it easy to instantly capture and share material directly from your screen. This software makes it easy to record a live stream on your PC. CloudApp is screen recording software for Mac, Windows, Chrome, and iOS. It focuses on making meetings easier and more streamlined: instead of sitting through the whole video, you can use CloudApp's streaming video capture software to record the meeting for you, then go back later to check context and look for more information.
Main features:
- Capture or record your stream
- Share pictures, GIFs, and videos through a convenient link
- Create GIFs based on your captured content
Pros:
- Convenient hotkeys
- Some features are specifically designed to solve business issues
- The app enables users to create call-to-action buttons
Cons:
- The free plan doesn’t include some of the advanced features
Follow the link below to download CloudApp:
OBS Studio
OS: Windows 8.1/10/11, macOS 10.13 and above, Linux
Best for: Video recording and live streaming
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Price: Free
If you're looking for a platform that will allow you to rip a streaming video of your own, OBS Studio provides you with an easy solution. The platform provides high-performance, real-time video and audio capturing and mixing, which makes it easy to make scenes made up of information from multiple sources. You can seamlessly switch between an unlimited number of scenes.
OBS supports multiple streaming platforms, which makes it ideal for users who may want to integrate those platforms as they create professional-quality productions. This open-source program is free, convenient, and makes it easy to record your screen.
Main features:
- The ability to use window captures, images, text, browser windows, webcams, and capture cards
- An intuitive audio mixer with multiple options
- Multiple, easy-to-use configuration options
- Easy layout rearranging
Pros:
- OBS supports recording from multiple sources
- The program supports streaming and recording in HD
- Video-editing tools are included
- Highly customizable
Cons:
- Can be a bit confusing for beginners
Follow the link below to download OBS Studio:
VLC
OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10, Mac OS X 10.7.5, Linux
Best for: Recording the entire screen without audio
Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars, 496 reviews
Price: Free
VLC offers a free, open-source platform that is billed as being simple, fast, and powerful. This platform runs on all platforms, from Windows and Linux to Mac OS X and Android: in short, a variety of options. It's completely free: it contains no spyware, no ads, and no user tracking. It also plays files, discs, webcams, devices, and streams and makes it easy to download and use the platform. Users do note that the VLC media player has a very basic interface and does not have the visual appeal of newer design apps.
Main features:
- A video player with a lot of additional functions
Pros:
- Free-to-use
- Supports many video formats
Cons:
- No microphone recording
- No screenshotting function
- No customization of the capture area size
Follow the link below to download VLC:
How to capture streaming videos online
In many cases, you may find yourself wondering how to capture streaming video online. You may not want to record the meeting on your PC, or you might simply want to store it on the web. If you want to grab screen videos using an online tool, try some of these programs. Online live stream recorders recorders are ideal for people who want to quickly capture a screen, especially if you don't have time to download and install a program. They may, however, slow down your device, especially if you do not have sufficient system resources for the program you're trying to run.
Screencapture.com
OS: web-based, supported by Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera
Best for: Making fast recordings online
Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars, 353 reviews
Price: free version, premium from $9.95/month or $39.95/year
Screencapture.com is a free online screen recorder that works on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Opera. It offers the advantage of easy recording direct to the Internet, where you can easily copy your files or share them with others. Screencapture.com makes it easy to capture your browser activity or your computer desktop, record sound, or include your face in a recording via webcam. This new, free tool does add a small watermark to the recording, which some users do not like.
Main features:
- Doesn't require a download
- Offers a high degree of privacy and security
- Saves video fast, in HD
Pros:
- Simple interface
- Multifunctionality
- No lengthy or complex prerecording settings
Cons:
- A single output format – MP4
- No video-editing tools
- The free version watermarks the recordings
Follow the link below to access this online recorder:
Screenapp.io
OS: web-based, supported by Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera
Best for: Easy and quick recordings
Rating: N/A
Price: free Basic plan, Standard plan for $1.99 per month, Premium plan for $4.99 per month
Screenapp.io is an online screen recorder with a large number of five-star reviews and an average of 60,000 successful recordings every month. It's 100% free, with no registration or payment required, and allows for instant recording: no software downloads, no extensions, and nothing to clutter up your PC or make your usual tasks more difficult than usual. This platform also makes it easy to quickly download your recordings to your computer. While this ripper does make it easy to record your stream online, it might not be the best way to handle longer recordings: its recording time is limited to about 15 minutes.
Main features:
- Free and quick recordings
- Allows its users to record multiple windows
Pros:
- Easy screen record
- Simple trimming features
Cons:
- Overpriced compared to the features offered
Follow the link below to access this online recorder:
Best streaming video recorders for a web browser
Do you use Google Chrome as your web browser? If so, you might find that the best video recorder for your needs is a Chrome extension. Chrome extensions are highly secure and less likely to use up unnecessary system resources. They're also ideal for Chromebook users, who may prefer that streamlined experience.
Loom
OS: web-based, supported by Google Chrome
Best for: Creating video messages
Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars, 10,049 reviews
Price: free version, premium from $8/month
Loom provides extensive recording options that are compatible with your device and the platform you already use. It bills itself as being perfect for onboarding new employees, troubleshooting customer issues, or managing code reviews. It lets you record your screen, voice, and face, then instantly share your video in less time than it typically takes to put together an email: the ideal way to share content straight from your device to someone else's. Loom is a great solution for modern workers, many of whom are looking for new ways to communicate while working from home. It's free to use and easy to get started with.
Customer service for Loom is, according to reviewers, somewhat lacking compared to other platforms. However, Loom has a huge number of monthly users and downloads being one of the most popular streaming video recorders on Chrome.
Main features:
- A free, easy-to-use platform trusted by millions of users
- A free-to-use platform that includes up to 25 collaborators
- Integration with various business services
Pros:
- Helps to organize and simplify work processes
- Free-to-use
Cons:
- Lacks customer support or guidance
- It might be choppy at times
Follow the link below to install this extension:
Screencastify
OS: web-based, supported by Google Chrome
Best for: Educational purposes
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars, 11,693 reviews
Price: Limited free version; unlimited recording length and unlimited export cost $49 per year each
Screencastify bills itself as a user-friendly tool. It offers a simple, intuitive platform that functions as a Chrome extension. Millions of users engage with Screencastify to record, edit, and share videos – and it's easy to get started. In fact, the platform is so simple that it takes no time at all to get started using it.
Screencastify is a simple way to deliver a simple, more effective message. Rather than having to type up long emails, you can capture your screen and easily share that information with other users. It does not, however, work as well on recordings that aren't in web browsers, according to some reviewers.
Main features:
- Basic editing allows trimming of videos
- Export as MP4, GIF, or MP3
- Share recordings via the Google Drive link
Pros:
- Simple and easy to use
- Easy trimming
- No registration for storing or downloading videos
Cons:
- Not great for high-resolution recording
Follow the link below to install this extension:
Best streaming video capture software for iOS devices
Are you using iOS to record your screen, whether from a phone, desktop, or tablet? Using a phone or tablet is a little different from using a desktop device. You may not want as many features, or you might want to streamline use when you're tapping rather than clicking or using your keyboard. Fortunately, there are screen recorders that you can easily use directly from your iOS device. Keep in mind, however, that recording directly from an iOS device using an app may offer a clunkier experience that may use more system resources than you initially thought.
Record it!
OS: iOS 12.0 or later
Best for: MP4 recording on iPhone
Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars, 264,4K reviews
Price: free version, Pro version costs $4.99
Record it! has the best rating in the App Store, and with good reason. Out of more than 1.7 million reviews, it holds a whopping 4.6 stars. Record it! is ideal for recording games and apps for tutorials, game walkthroughs, video demos, and training demonstrations. You can add commentary as you go or put it in later in your app to make a cohesive, easy-to-follow video.
Main features:
- Face Cam reactions
- Keep recordings organized in the app
Pros:
- Records entire screen
- Includes a powerful video editor
- Easy sharing
Cons:
- The file-saving process is slow on some devices
- Some users report issues with audio quality
Follow the link below to install this app:
Go Record
OS: iOS 11.0 or later
Best for: Recording videos for YouTube
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars, 56,6K reviews
Price: free version, Pro version costs $4.99
While not as high as Record it!, Go Record does offer a high average rating, with 4.5 stars out of 39.6 K reviews.
This simple platform makes it easy to put together screen recordings and capture reactions all at the same time. As a result, you can streamline your digital video recordings and easily figure out how to capture a video. This program is simple, intuitive, and easy to put together on your iOS device.
Main features:
- One tap screen recording, making it easy to start the process
- Face Cam addition so you can put in your reactions
Pros:
- Easy-to-add audio commentary
- Easy uploading to YouTube
Cons:
- Features of the free version are limited
Follow the link below to install this app:
How to record a live stream on Android devices
Don't worry, Android users: there are streaming video capture software options available for you, too. If you want to save your stream to an Android device, these platforms are simple, highly rated, and offer the high-quality recording you need. These apps are specifically designed for an Android device, so you will find that they offer a better experience on those devices than online downloaders. You may find, however, that Android apps still slow down your system, so make sure you choose the right apps for recording.
Mobizen
OS: Android 4.4 or later
Best for: Making recordings with intros and outros
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars, 3,235,446 reviews
Price: free version, pro version costs $2 per month billed annually
While Mobizen does offer an option that will allow you to record videos for free, the app does contain in-app purchases and ads, which can prove clunky and distracting for some users.
While Mobizen is a highly popular screen capture software, it does come with some clunky features. Sometimes, the in-app ads start along with the video recorder, which can disrupt the recording experience. Sometimes, that may mean losing some of the content, which can't always be retrieved. The screen recorder also takes up a number of assets on your Android device, which means that it may cause frustrating lags in videos and games. Nevertheless, it does remain an easy, fun way to quickly record videos, especially if you're looking into it for personal or leisure purposes.
Main features:
- Allows you to put in intro or outro videos with a few short taps
- Records your reactions freely, including both your face and the sound of your voice, thanks to Face Cam
Pros:
- Offers a highly effective screen recording profile
- Allows you to edit, trim, and cut your images
- Records a clean screen without a watermark
Cons:
- Ads appear from time to time
Follow the link below to install this app:
AZ Screen Recorder
OS: Android 5.0 or later
Best for: Creating GIF animations on Android
Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars, 1,558,604 reviews
Price: free version, pro version costs $2.99
AZ Screen Recorder offers all the features that many users are looking for in their screen recording software. It makes it simple to start recording: just one tap makes it easy to get started. The app delivers high-quality videos with clear sound, so they're easy to follow, highly professional, and ideal for your needs.
AZ Screen Recorder also includes a powerful image editing tool, which makes it easy for you to customize the appearance of your videos and screenshots and ensure that you're capturing exactly what you need. Share your reactions, put together stunning tutorials, or offer more information about your daily tasks.
Users note that AZ Screen Recorder is an incredibly useful app, filled with great features. It offers high-quality video recording that's highly reliable. Users do, however, note that it doesn't offer the same high-quality audio recording that it does when it comes to video: it tends to record whatever sound is happening around the phone or device, and sounds tend to make it indiscriminately into the video. While that's an excellent testament to the power of your device's microphone, it might not fit your video recording needs. It's also important to note that AZ Screen Recorder does include ads and in-app purchases.
Main features:
- Full HD game recording
- Screen recording with Facecam
- Internal sound recording
- Gameplay recording with external sound
Pros:
- Advanced video-, audio-, and image-editing options
- Video compression option
Cons:
- The free version has annoying ads
Follow the link below to install this app:
Conclusion
We hope this article has been useful in helping you choose the right screen recorder. The following list has the most important aspects to consider when choosing a recording tool:
Features: Choose a screen recorder according to the result you want to achieve with your screen recordings. If you simply want to record what happens on your screen, any screen capture software will probably meet your needs. If you’re going to do advanced editing or stream live on YouTube, take those features into account as you choose your program.
Ease of use: Some programs are user-friendly and simple. Others are more complicated and have a steeper learning curve. Consider the amount of experience you possess and choose a screen recorder accordingly.
OS: Make sure to choose a screen recorder that works on the system you will be using (Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, etc.)
Support: Try to find a program that offers easily accessible user support if you run into problems during the screen recording process.
Reviews: Check out user reviews and articles of professional blogs or magazines to determine how well the program performs before buying it.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best streaming video recorder?
The best streaming video recorder for your use will depend on your specific needs. What type of platform are you trying to use for your video recorder? Do you want to record a streaming video online, or do you prefer to use a desktop app? Are you looking for an easy-to-use solution for iOS or Android? The best streaming video recorders depend on those specific needs.
If it's an Android app you need for your streaming video, AZ Screen Recorder comes in at the top of the list, with Mobizen coming in at a close second. For iOS, Record it! has the highest popular rating and the widest number of users. Go Record, however, does offer a number of features and incredible convenience when it comes to screen recording. If you're looking for a Google Chrome extension, both Loom and Screencastify have excellent reviews.
Do you prefer recording your streaming video online? Try out Screencapture.com or Screenapp.io to learn more about available online options. Take a look at their features to make sure that they fit your needs, including storage and usability.
Often, the best streaming video recorders are those that record directly to your device. Using desktop software often means a cleaner overall video capture and better-quality options. Consider Movavi Screen Recorder, one of the top-performing streaming video recorders available, or take a look at ScreenRec, CloudApp, OBS, or VLC, depending on your specific needs and the features you need most in order to record your streaming videos and share them with others.
Can I record streaming video on my computer?
Yes, you can record a streaming video with special screen-capture software. You can use a desktop app, for example, Movavi Screen Recorder. Alternatively, you can use an online tool – you can search for a screen recording extension in the Chrome Web Store.
Can I record streaming TV?
You can record live TV with the help of a digital video recorder (DVR). Today you can find DVR devices that work without a cable – they’re called over-the-air (OVT) DVRs.
How do I download a streaming video in Chrome?
There are special tools that let you save your own stream in Chrome. For example, you can use the Free Online Video Downloader from Acethinker. This is an online tool that lets you download your videos – you just need to copy the URL of the video you want to save, paste it into the address bar, and click Download.
Can I record a live stream on my laptop?
You can record a live stream using screen capture software. Try Movavi Screen Recorder – it’s a useful app that lets you record your laptop screen and save the video in any popular format.
Can I record a streaming video to watch it offline?
If you want to save your own video to watch it later, you can do it in a few ways. One way to record a streaming video is to use a desktop screen recorder. If you don’t want to install software on your computer, you can capture a streaming video with online tools.
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Movavi Screen Recorder
The perfect way to record from your screen
Disclaimer: Please be aware that Movavi Screen Recorder does not allow capture of copy-protected video and audio streams. Learn more
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