Can I self-host an alternative to Loom?

Yes — Cap, Screenity, OBS Studio all support self-hosting. Most ship as Docker containers and run on any VPS.

Cap is open-source under AGPL-3.0. You can self-host for free. Many also offer a hosted cloud option with a free tier and paid plans.

All alternatives

Screen Recording

Best Open-Source Alternatives to Loom

Q: What is the best open-source alternative to Loom?

The top open-source alternative to Loom is Cap: Cap is the 2026 open-source Loom. Native Mac + Windows app, records screen + camera + audio, uploads to your own S3 / R2 / self-hosted instance, gives you a clean share link. Generous free tier on cap

Loom's free tier shrunk to 5-min limit and 25 videos after Atlassian acquired them. The open-source alternatives give you unlimited recordings, self-hosted sharing, and your data stays yours.

TL;DR — top pick

Cap

Cap is the 2026 open-source Loom. Native Mac + Windows app, records screen + camera + audio, uploads to your own S3 / R2 / self-hosted instance, gives you a clean share link.

github.com/CapSoftware/Cap

All 3 alternatives ranked

Cap

AGPL-3.0Self-hostable★ ~11k

github.com/CapSoftware/Cap

Cap is the 2026 open-source Loom. Native Mac + Windows app, records screen + camera + audio, uploads to your own S3 / R2 / self-hosted instance, gives you a clean share link. Generous free tier on cap.so, or self-host for unlimited recordings. The Loom-killer that's actually delivering.

Pick Cap if

You record async videos daily and Loom's 5-min limit is killing you. Or you want your demo videos out of a SaaS that could change pricing again.

Skip if

Your team already lives in Loom's shared workspaces — Cap's team features are newer and rougher.

Screenity

GPL-3.0Self-hostable★ ~14k

github.com/alyssaxuu/screenity

Screenity is a Chrome extension that records screen + camera + mic with unlimited length, plus a tab annotation editor (draw, blur, zoom) that no other free tool offers. Records save locally; you choose where to upload. Best zero-friction recorder.

Pick Screenity if

You need to record a quick demo with annotations + zooms and don't want to install a desktop app.

Skip if

You need pro-grade editing (cuts, transitions, b-roll) — use OBS + DaVinci instead.

OBS Studio

GPL-2.0Self-hostable★ ~64k

github.com/obsproject/obs-studio

OBS is the streaming-grade recorder used by every Twitch streamer. Scenes, sources, transitions, multi-input audio. Steep learning curve, infinite ceiling. Free, no limits, no cloud.

Pick OBS Studio if

You're doing tutorials, livestreams, or anything multi-source — and you're willing to invest a weekend learning the UI.

Skip if

You just want a 30-second walk-through link to send a teammate — Cap is 10× faster for that.

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