Cap vs Loom: The Open Source Screen Recorder That Costs 55% Less
Loom owns video messaging. Cap does the same—half price, data ownership, open source.
What Cap Is
Open-source screen recorder. Record screen, camera, or both. Share via link. You control where videos live.
Built by Richie McIlroy and contributors. Gaining traction among privacy-conscious teams, developers, people avoiding SaaS lock-in.
Key Features
4K at 60fps
Native 4K recording. Quality is crisp. Compression keeps files reasonable.
Your Storage Choice
- Cap cloud (easiest)
- Your own S3 bucket (enterprise)
- Local only (privacy)
No infrastructure lock-in. For compliance requirements or data sovereignty, this matters.
Native Apps
macOS and Windows native apps. No Electron bloat. Faster startup, smoother recording, native feel.
AI Features
- Auto titles and summaries
- Clickable chapter markers
- Full transcripts
- Editing suggestions
Useful for turning recordings into shareable content.
Async Collaboration
Comments, reactions, transcripts. See who watched. Get feedback notifications. Turn recordings into tasks.
Pricing
| Plan | Cap | Loom |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Generous limits | 25 videos, 5 min max |
| Paid (per user/month) | $8.16 | $18 |
Cap costs 55% less than Loom Business. 10-person team = $1,180/year savings.
Self-Hosting
Cap is open source (AGPL). You can:
- Audit code
- Self-host on your infrastructure
- Deploy via Docker, Railway, Coolify
- Customize features
Setup:
git clone https://github.com/CapSoftware/Cap.git
cd Cap
docker compose up -d
Runs at localhost:3000. Production: add domain, S3, email, SSL.
Who Should Use What
Cap if:
- Privacy matters
- Compliance requirements
- You want to self-host
- Budget-conscious
- You value open source
Loom if:
- You need enterprise SSO today
- Workflow built around Loom
- You prioritize convenience
- You need mobile recording (Cap is desktop-only)
The Verdict
Cap isn’t just cheaper. Different approach: open source, self-hosting, savings.
Free tier works. Price difference adds up. Self-hosting removes lock-in.
Loom leads on polish, enterprise features. Cap catches up.
Verdict: Cap delivers most Loom functionality at 45% price, with data ownership. Consider if starting fresh or cutting SaaS costs.
Pricing verified April 2026.