BetterCapture

Free plan Mac

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What BetterCapture is

BetterCapture is a native screen recorder for macOS. It can record the screen, system audio, microphone audio, and webcam, including system and microphone sound at the same time. Recording formats include ProRes 4444, HEVC, and H.264. Capture controls support alpha-channel transparency and filtering to exclude selected windows. Recordings stay locally on the Mac, and the maker says the app collects no personal data, analytics, telemetry, or crash reports. BetterCapture is completely free, with no subscriptions, trials, or premium tiers, and is open source under the MIT License. It requires macOS 15.2 Sequoia or later. Installation is available through Homebrew or a GitHub release. Sparkle checks GitHub for updates, with an option to disable those checks. Custom URL schemes support automation through Raycast, Shortcuts, and Alfred, including starting or stopping captures and opening recordings.

Who it suits

It suits Mac users who need local screen recording, multiple audio sources, codec choice, and automation without a subscription.

What it does well

Completely free with no premium tiers
Records system and microphone audio together
Supports ProRes 4444, HEVC, and H.264
Stores recordings locally
Open source under the MIT License

What to know first

Requires macOS 15.2 Sequoia or later
Screen Recording permission is required
Microphone and Camera permissions are optional but needed for those features
Available on macOS only

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Free	100% free · no subscriptions, trials, or premium tiers	Free

As bettercapture.app lists them, read 12 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Verdict

BetterCapture offers a free, local macOS recorder with broad audio, codec, transparency, and automation controls. Its main constraint is the recent macOS requirement, alongside permissions for the recording sources you use.

Facts from BetterCapture's own pages

Audio: It can record system audio and microphone audio simultaneously. · bettercapture.app, 12 Oct 2026
Automation: Custom URL schemes support automation with Raycast, Shortcuts, and Alfred, including starting or stopping capture and opening recordings. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
Capture controls: It supports alpha channel transparency and content filtering to exclude specific windows. · bettercapture.app, 12 Oct 2026
Codecs: It supports ProRes 4444, HEVC, and H.264 recording. · bettercapture.app, 12 Oct 2026
Free plan: Yes · bettercapture.app, 22 Sept 2026
Installation: The maker provides installation through Homebrew with `brew install bettercapture` and a direct GitHub release download. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
License: BetterCapture is open source under the MIT License. · bettercapture.app, 12 Oct 2026
Microphone recording: Yes · bettercapture.app, 22 Sept 2026
Network activity: The app uses Sparkle to check GitHub for updates, and update checks can be disabled in preferences. · bettercapture.app, 12 Oct 2026
Permissions: Screen Recording permission is required; Microphone and Camera permissions are optional for their respective recording features. · bettercapture.app, 12 Oct 2026
Supported platforms: macos · bettercapture.app, 22 Sept 2026
Price: The maker describes the app as completely free and says it has no subscriptions, trials, or premium tiers. · bettercapture.app, 12 Oct 2026
Privacy: The maker says the app collects no personal data, analytics, telemetry, or crash reports, and stores recordings locally on the Mac. · bettercapture.app, 12 Oct 2026
Product: BetterCapture is a native screen recorder for macOS. · bettercapture.app, 12 Oct 2026
Support: The privacy policy directs questions to an issue on the GitHub repository, and the maker invites bug reports there. · bettercapture.app, 12 Oct 2026
System audio: Yes · bettercapture.app, 22 Sept 2026
System requirement: BetterCapture requires macOS 15.2 Sequoia or later. · bettercapture.app, 12 Oct 2026
Webcam recording: Yes · bettercapture.app, 22 Sept 2026

Where BetterCapture stands on Freedom251

Screen Recording Software#55 of 131