The Loom alternative that's yours for $19
Loom is the go-to app for quick video messages with instant share links. Smooth Recorder is a native Mac app that records demos with automatic zooms and a smooth cursor, and also takes screenshots, scrolling captures and text. Here's how they compare, feature by feature and dollar by dollar.
Why people look for a Loom alternative
- Recordings look raw: no automatic zoom or cursor smoothing.
- It's per person: Business is $18 a month or $180 a year per user, beyond a limited free plan.
- Your videos live in Loom's cloud rather than on your Mac.
Where Loom is the better pick
- A share link the moment you stop recording, with comments and viewer insights.
- A free Starter plan for light use.
We make Smooth Recorder, so weigh this page accordingly. We've tried to be fair.
At a glance
Smooth Recorder
- Price
- $19 once during early access, $69 regular. No subscription.
- Platform
- A native macOS app built in SwiftUI and AppKit, for macOS 15 and later.
- Best for
- Polished demos and everyday screenshots, from one native Mac app.
Loom
- Price
- A free Starter plan with limits. Business is $18 a month or $180 a year per user.
- Platform
- An Electron desktop app, a Chrome extension and a web app.
- Best for
- Teams who live on share links, comments and viewer insights.
From loom.com, September 2026.
What you'd pay
List prices as of September 2026, before tax, for one person. Over three years that's $521 kept, next to Loom's business, per user.
| Plan | After 1 year | After 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth Recorder, one time | $19 | $19 |
| Loom, business, per user | $180 | $540 |
Feature by feature
| Feature | Smooth Recorder | Loom |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-zoom on your clicks | ||
| Smooth cursor | ||
| Captions made on your Mac | Cloud | |
| Cut by editing the transcript | $24/mo plan | |
| Screenshots with an editor | ||
| Scrolling capture | ||
| Copy text from the screen | ||
| GIF export | ||
| Native Mac app | Electron | |
| Pay once, no subscription |
Where they differ
Auto-zoom on your clicks
Smooth Recorder: Your clicks become zooms on the timeline, with nearby clicks sharing one. Loom: no.
Smooth cursor
Smooth Recorder: Shaky mouse movement is redrawn as one smooth glide, with a ripple on each click. Loom: no.
Captions made on your Mac
Smooth Recorder: Captions are transcribed on your Mac, in one click. Loom: partly (cloud).
Scrolling capture
Smooth Recorder: Scroll a page and get one tall screenshot, with sticky headers kept once. Loom: no.
Copy text from the screen
Smooth Recorder: Copy the text inside any area of the screen, recognised on your Mac. Loom: no.
GIF export
Smooth Recorder: Record a looping GIF directly, or export one from Studio. Loom: no.
Native Mac app
Smooth Recorder: Built in SwiftUI and AppKit, with no browser or web wrapper. Loom: partly (electron).
Pay once, no subscription
Smooth Recorder: One payment. No subscription and no account. Loom: no.
What both do
- Cut by editing the transcript. Loom: $24/mo plan.
- Screenshots with an editor.
Switching from Loom takes a minute
- 1Keep Loom for anything you've already made. Smooth Recorder doesn't need your old projects.
- 2Install Smooth Recorder, press ⌥1, pick an area or a window and press R to record.
- 3Stop, and Studio has already added the zooms, the smooth cursor and the background. Captions are one click.
Questions about Loom and Smooth Recorder
What's the best Loom alternative for Mac?
If you want polished recordings plus screenshots in one native Mac app without a subscription, Smooth Recorder is a strong pick: auto-zoom, a smooth cursor, on-device captions, screenshots, scrolling capture and text, for $19 once during early access. Loom is still the better fit for teams who live on share links, comments and viewer insights.
How much cheaper is Smooth Recorder than Loom?
Over three years, Loom (business, per user) comes to about $540, from its prices as of September 2026. Smooth Recorder is one payment of $19 during early access ($69 regular), with no subscription.
Does Smooth Recorder give me a share link like Loom?
No. Smooth Recorder saves a file on your Mac that you share anywhere: Slack, email, YouTube or your docs. If an instant link with comments is what you need, Loom is built for that.
Why do Smooth Recorder videos look more polished than Loom's?
Smooth Recorder turns your clicks into zooms, smooths the cursor, and adds captions and a background automatically. Loom records the screen as it is.
Do my recordings leave my Mac?
No. Smooth Recorder saves recordings on your Mac, and captions, text recognition and redaction all run on your Mac too.
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Comparisons
Compare with other apps
- Screen Studio alternative
- CleanShot X alternative
- Cap alternative
- Screen Charm alternative
- FocuSee alternative
- Tella alternative
- Camtasia alternative
Loom details are from its own website, September 2026; check there for the latest. Smooth Recorder details are from the app itself. Names are trademarks of their owners; we're not affiliated.
Your next demo, without the editing.
Record it once. The zooms, cursor and polish are done when you stop.
$19 onceNo subscriptionDownload for Mac