The Tella alternative that's yours for $19
Tella is a browser-based recorder and editor for polished talking-head and screen videos. 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 Tella alternative
- Pro is $26 a month, or $156 a year billed yearly.
- Editing happens in the browser; the Mac and Windows apps are recorders.
- No screenshots, scrolling capture or text capture.
Where Tella is the better pick
- Hosting and share links are built in.
- Its browser editor, with transcript editing, suits longer, presenter-led videos.
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.
Tella
- Price
- Pro is $26 a month, or $156 a year billed yearly. There is a 7-day free trial.
- Platform
- A browser-based editor with recorder apps for Mac and Windows.
- Best for
- Teams who want recording, editing and hosting in one browser-based workspace.
From tella.tv, September 2026.
What you'd pay
List prices as of September 2026, before tax, for one person. Over three years that's $449 kept, next to Tella's pro, yearly.
| Plan | After 1 year | After 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth Recorder, one time | $19 | $19 |
| Tella, pro, yearly | $156 | $468 |
Feature by feature
| Feature | Smooth Recorder | Tella |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-zoom on your clicks | ||
| Smooth cursor | ||
| Captions made on your Mac | Cloud | |
| Cut by editing the transcript | ||
| Screenshots with an editor | ||
| Scrolling capture | ||
| Copy text from the screen | ||
| GIF export | Short clips | |
| Native Mac app | Web editor | |
| Pay once, no subscription |
Where they differ
Captions made on your Mac
Smooth Recorder: Captions are transcribed on your Mac, in one click. Tella: partly (cloud).
Screenshots with an editor
Smooth Recorder: Screenshots open in an editor with arrows, text, blur, crop and Smart Redact. Tella: no.
Scrolling capture
Smooth Recorder: Scroll a page and get one tall screenshot, with sticky headers kept once. Tella: no.
Copy text from the screen
Smooth Recorder: Copy the text inside any area of the screen, recognised on your Mac. Tella: no.
GIF export
Smooth Recorder: Record a looping GIF directly, or export one from Studio. Tella: partly (short clips).
Native Mac app
Smooth Recorder: Built in SwiftUI and AppKit, with no browser or web wrapper. Tella: partly (web editor).
Pay once, no subscription
Smooth Recorder: One payment. No subscription and no account. Tella: no.
What both do
- Auto-zoom on your clicks.
- Smooth cursor.
- Cut by editing the transcript.
Switching from Tella takes a minute
- 1Keep Tella 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 Tella and Smooth Recorder
What's the best Tella 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. Tella is still the better fit for teams who want recording, editing and hosting in one browser-based workspace.
How much cheaper is Smooth Recorder than Tella?
Over three years, Tella (pro, yearly) comes to about $468, from its prices as of September 2026. Smooth Recorder is one payment of $19 during early access ($69 regular), with no subscription.
Can Smooth Recorder host my videos like Tella?
No. Smooth Recorder exports MP4, MOV or GIF files on your Mac, and you share them wherever you like. If you want hosting and a share page, Tella does that.
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
- Camtasia alternative
- Loom alternative
Tella 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