Screen Studio automates polished screen recordings on Mac. See its pricing plans, features, and who the indie-built app is best suited for in 2026.
Category
Video Editing
Pricing
Subscription (monthly or annual), free to record and edit but export requires a paid plan, from 9 USD per month billed annually (108 USD per year)
Verified
Not yet
Last updated
July 19, 2026
Founded
2022
Headquarters
Krakow, Poland
Mac
Overview
Screen Studio is a macOS screen recording app, launched in late 2022 by a small bootstrapped team led by Adam Pietrasiak in Krakow, Poland, built around the idea of automating the polish that used to require manual video editing.
It has become popular for product demos and tutorials thanks to automatic cursor-aware zoom and smooth animations applied during recording rather than in post-production.
Key Features
Screen Studio automatically zooms and pans based on cursor activity, smooths and highlights cursor movement and clicks, and applies customizable backgrounds, shadows, and insets to give recordings a polished, presentation-ready look with minimal editing effort.
It also supports webcam, microphone, and system audio capture, iOS screen recording over USB, background noise removal, voice normalization, and locally generated transcripts, with export up to 4K at 60fps, GIF, and shareable hosted links.
Pricing
The app can be downloaded and used to record and edit for free, but exporting requires a subscription. The annual plan is the best value at roughly 9 USD per month (108 USD per year), while monthly billing has historically run between about 20 and 29 USD per month. A previously offered one-time lifetime license for 229 USD is no longer available to new customers.
Key Features
Automatic cursor-aware zoom and pan — Zooms and pans the recording automatically based on cursor movement and clicks, no manual keyframing needed.
Smooth cursor effects — Highlights and smooths cursor movement and click animations for a polished presentation feel.
Customizable backgrounds and shadows — Adds gradient or image backgrounds, inset spacing, and shadows around the recorded window.
Webcam, mic, and system audio capture — Records screen, webcam, microphone, and system audio simultaneously.
iOS device recording — Captures iOS device screens over a USB connection for mobile app demos.
Local transcript generation — Generates video transcripts processed locally on the user's Mac.
High-quality export options — Exports up to 4K at 60fps, animated GIF, or a shareable hosted link.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Produces polished demo videos with minimal manual editing
Simple, focused workflow purpose-built for product demos
High-quality 4K export and shareable link hosting
Used internally by well-known tech companies
Frequent promotions and a student discount lower the entry cost
Cons
macOS only, no Windows or Linux version
No free export, a subscription is required to save finished videos
Lifetime license is no longer available to new customers
Lacks a full multi-track editing timeline found in ScreenFlow
Subscription cost can add up compared to one-time-purchase competitors
Pricing
Monthly 20 to 29 USD per month monthly
Annual 108 USD per year (about 9 USD per month) annual
Lifetime (legacy, no longer sold) 229 USD one-time one-time
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Screen Studio free?
You can download Screen Studio and record and edit videos for free, but exporting a finished video requires an active paid subscription.
How much does Screen Studio cost?
The annual plan works out to roughly 9 USD per month (108 USD per year), while monthly billing has historically run between about 20 and 29 USD per month.
Can I still buy a lifetime license?
No, the one-time 229 USD lifetime license has been discontinued for new customers, though existing lifetime license holders keep their access.
Does Screen Studio work on Windows?
No, Screen Studio is macOS only, requiring roughly macOS Ventura 13.1 or later.
Who built Screen Studio?
Screen Studio was created by Polish developer Adam Pietrasiak along with co-founders Maciej and David, launching in late 2022 as a bootstrapped, indie-built product.
Does Screen Studio support webcam recording?
Yes, it can record webcam, microphone, and system audio simultaneously alongside the screen capture.
Is there a student discount?
Yes, Screen Studio has offered a discount for students and educators with a verified academic email address.
What is the maximum export quality?
Screen Studio supports exporting video up to 4K resolution at 60 frames per second.