TechSmith Capture limits you to 5 minutes and basic capture. Zumie gives you unlimited recording with automatic zoom, click highlights, and beautiful backgrounds — for a one-time $39 payment.
No account needed. Free forever with optional paid upgrade.
An honest, side-by-side comparison to help you choose the right tool for your needs.
One-time payment, yours forever
7-day money-back guarantee
Free with 5-minute recording limit
TechSmith Capture is free but limited. Upgrading to Snagit costs $63 or Camtasia costs $313 — and neither has auto-zoom. Zumie at $39 gives you better recording features than the entire TechSmith lineup.
Features that make your recordings stand out — without the complexity.
Pay $39 once and use Zumie forever — no monthly bills, no annual renewals, no per-seat pricing
Automatic zoom intelligently follows your cursor and clicks, zooming into the action automatically so viewers always see what matters
Click highlights add beautiful animations to every click, making your actions crystal clear without any post-editing
Keyboard shortcut display shows exactly what keys you're pressing in real-time — perfect for tutorials and demos
Beautiful gradient backgrounds make even simple screen recordings look polished and professional
No account needed — install the Chrome extension, click record, and you're done in seconds
Recordings are stored locally on your device by default, giving you full control over your data and privacy
No recording time limits — create content of any length
Works on any OS that runs Chrome — Windows, Mac, Linux, or ChromeOS
Built-in editor with smart zoom already applied — just fine-tune and export
TechSmith Capture is a free screen recording tool with a 5-minute limit, designed as an entry point into the TechSmith ecosystem of Snagit and Camtasia. We believe in honest comparisons — here are the areas where TechSmith Capture has the edge.
Zumie is perfect for anyone who has outgrown TechSmith Capture's 5-minute limit and wants professional-looking recordings without buying into the full TechSmith ecosystem. If you create tutorials, demos, or async updates, Zumie's auto-zoom makes your recordings look polished automatically. Choose TechSmith Capture if you just need quick, free 5-minute clips. Choose Zumie if you want unlimited, professional recordings.
Getting started with Zumie takes under a minute.
Head to the Chrome Web Store, click 'Add to Chrome', and you're ready to go. No account creation, no email, no setup wizard.
Click the Zumie icon in your browser toolbar and hit record. Choose to capture your full screen, a window, or a browser tab.
As you navigate, click, and type, Zumie automatically zooms in to follow your actions. No need to manually add zoom keyframes in post-production.
The built-in editor opens with smart zoom already applied. Fine-tune if you want, choose your background and quality, then export. Done.
For recording quality, absolutely. TechSmith Capture is free but limited to 5-minute recordings with no zoom, no click highlights, and no backgrounds. Zumie's free plan includes automatic zoom and click highlights with no time limits — features that make a dramatic difference in how professional your recordings look.
Zumie is a standalone tool that doesn't integrate with TechSmith's ecosystem. However, you can export Zumie recordings and import them into Camtasia or any other editor for further post-processing. Most users find that Zumie's built-in auto-zoom eliminates the need for additional editing.
TechSmith Capture is intentionally limited — 5-minute recordings, basic features, and Screencast.com account required. It's designed to upsell you to Snagit ($63) or Camtasia ($313). Zumie at $39 gives you professional-quality recordings with features neither Snagit nor TechSmith Capture offer, like auto-zoom and click highlights.
Yes — Zumie has no recording time limits. Record 5 minutes or 5 hours. There's no artificial cap like TechSmith Capture's 5-minute limit.
Yes — one payment gives you access to all Zumie features forever, including all future updates. No annual renewals, no price increases. We also offer a 7-day money-back guarantee if you're not satisfied.
Install Zumie for free and see the difference automatic zoom makes. No signup, no credit card, no commitment.