Free Starter plan with recording and storage limits
Verified from public product or pricing material before this comparison was generated.
Alternative guide
Screen UI is a free Loom alternative when you want local Mac recording, local editing, project files, captions, self-managed exports, and lifetime app updates. Loom is better when cloud hosting, instant share links, team comments, reactions, analytics, and async workplace communication are the main reason to record.
Loom is excellent when the job is quick recording, cloud hosting, instant links, team comments, and async communication. Screen UI is a better fit when you want a free local Mac-first recording editor, multi-recording project files, local caption work, exports you can publish yourself, and lifetime app updates for everyone.
Compared fairly
This page is written as a decision guide, not a takedown. Loom is a strong choice when its workflow matches the job.
Verified from public product or pricing material before this comparison was generated.
Verified from public product or pricing material before this comparison was generated.
Verified from public product or pricing material before this comparison was generated.
Verified from public product or pricing material before this comparison was generated.
Feature matrix
| Decision point | Screen UI | Loom |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Local polished product demos and tutorials | Async video messages and cloud-hosted sharing |
| Cost and updates | Free-forever app with lifetime app updates for everyone | Free Starter plan plus paid team-oriented plans; verify current plan details before purchasing |
| Free option | Unlimited video, GIF, and animated WebP exports | Starter plan with 5 minute recording limit and 25 video storage limit |
| Multiple recordings | Add recordings to one project and keep them editable | Cloud video workflow with recording, sharing, and editing tools |
| Privacy/local workflow | Record, edit, save, and export locally; transcription can use local Apple Speech | Built around hosted videos, libraries, links, and team collaboration |
| Export formats | Video, GIF, and animated WebP | Designed primarily for hosted video sharing and downloads |
| Collaboration | Local project files first | Comments, emoji reactions, team storage, and admin plans |
Decision guide
Choose Screen UI if your screen recording should stay as a free local editable project and the final output is a polished demo, tutorial, GIF, or animated WebP.
Choose Loom if you need fast cloud sharing, browser or desktop recording, team comments, reactions, AI-assisted summaries, and hosted links.
FAQ
Yes, if you want local Mac screen recording and editing instead of a cloud-first async video messaging workflow. Loom is stronger for instant links, team comments, and hosted sharing.
No. Screen UI is focused on local recording, editing, saving, and exporting. That is useful when you want to publish the finished file yourself rather than use a hosted Loom link.
Screen UI is the better fit when the project should remain local during editing. Loom is better when sharing, analytics, comments, and cloud access are the main workflow.
Screen UI is positioned as a free alternative, with unlimited free exports and no paid tier or export limits. Always verify current pricing for both apps before purchasing.
Yes. Screen UI includes lifetime app updates for everyone using the app, with no paid tier.
Sources
Last reviewed 2026-06-03. Product plans and features can change, so verify current details before purchasing.