Short answer: Recordly is a free, open-source recorder (AGPL 3.0) for Windows, macOS and Linux that adds auto-zoom, cursor smoothing, backgrounds and a webcam bubble, with no paid tier. If free and open source is the requirement, or you are on Linux, pick Recordly. Girato does the same core job, also runs in a browser tab with no install, writes a transcript on your device that you can edit the video with, and spends its effort on the finish: a 3D tilt on zooms, click and typing sounds from your real input, and four aspect ratios from one recording.
Side by side (checked 29 Oct 2026)
| Recordly | Girato | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, AGPL 3.0, no paid tier | Free; Pro $12/mo or $8/mo billed yearly; $99 lifetime |
| Platforms | Windows 10+, macOS 14+, Linux | Windows 10/11, macOS 12+, and the browser with no install |
| Install | Installers on GitHub (Windows, Apple silicon Mac, Linux AppImage) | Installers for Windows and Mac, or nothing at all in the browser |
| Auto-zoom | Zoom suggestions from cursor activity | A zoom on every click in the desktop apps (by hand in the browser), with an optional 3D tilt |
| Cursor smoothing, backgrounds, webcam | Yes | Yes |
| Transcript and captions | Not listed | On your device, free; delete words to cut the video; .srt and .vtt |
| Chapters | Not listed | From the transcript, free |
| Click and typing sounds | Not listed | Yes, from your real clicks and keys |
| Export | MP4, GIF | MP4, WebM, GIF; 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:5; 4K on Pro |
| Latest release | v1.4.0, 8 Sep 2026 | Updated weekly, see the changelog |
Decided?Start free in your browser or get lifetime, $99 once
Where Recordly wins
It costs nothing, the code is open, and it runs on Linux, which Girato's apps do not. It started as a fork of OpenScreen and has since grown its own editor with speed regions and annotations. For a developer who wants to read or change the code, that matters more than any feature list.
Where Girato wins
You can try it in a browser tab before installing anything. The transcript is the editor: remove a phrase and the video, sound and captions cut with it, then copy YouTube chapters from the same text. Zooms land on each click rather than as suggestions, and the finish (tilt, click and typing sounds, titles, privacy blur) is built in. Free exports keep a small badge after 3 clean ones a month; Pro and Lifetime remove it.
Where Girato falls short
It is not open source, it has no Linux app, and the Windows installer is not code-signed yet, so Windows shows a SmartScreen prompt the first time. If any of those rule it out, Recordly is the better choice.
Frequently asked questions
Is Recordly free?
- Yes. Free and open source under the AGPL 3.0 licence.
- No paid tier.
- Checked on its site and GitHub on 29 Oct 2026.
Do I need to build Recordly from source?
- No. Recordly publishes installers on GitHub.
- For Windows, Apple silicon Macs and Linux.
- Girato needs no install at all in the browser version.
Which is better for product demos?
- Girato, for a polished demo.
- Zooms on every click, sounds, titles, an editable transcript.
- Recordly, for a free, open-source tool or for Linux.
See it on your screen
- Record and edit in your browser, nothing to install
- Desktop apps zoom on every click
- Free to start, no time limit