Top 10 Free Camtasia Studio Alternatives

In this article, I'll highlight the top 10 free Camtasia Studio alternatives that can help you to develop informative instructional videos and demonstrations for your next eLearning deliverable. I'll also walk you through how to use each one of them, so that you can begin taking advantage of these free screencast tools right away.


Free Camtasia Studio Alternatives

Camtasia Studio is one of my favorite tools. It gives you the ability to create screen recordings, to customize and edit your content, and to integrate it into your eLearning courses. On the other hand, even though it does offer a variety of functions and features, eLearning professionals with tight budgets might find the price tag a bit too steep. The good news is that there are a number of free Camtasia Studio alternatives that can provide any eLearning professional with the opportunity to capture screen images and produce high quality screen recordings.

So, it's time to create top-notch tutorials, walkthroughs, and screencast videos with these free Camtasia Studio alternatives.

1. CamStudio
   This software is great for tutorials. It allows you to record all screen and audio activity on your computer (Windows system) and is ideally suited for demos. CamStudio is free for your personal and commercial projects. You can create industry-standard AVI video files and using its built-in SWF Producer you can turn these AVIs into bandwidth friendly Streaming Flash videos (SWFs). Download the CamStudio and get help creating your first screen capture or video by visiting CamStudio support forum or FAQ.
2. EZVid 
   Gives you the ability to record and edit screen captures, as well as upload your tutorial, demo, or video directly to YouTube. You can record a video up to 45 minutes in length, and features voice synthesis and slideshow creation tools. Note that this program is only available for Windows operating systems and you must have DirectX 9.0 or higher. Visit EZVid to download the program and start recording screen captures or creating high quality how-to videos for your audience.
3. FFsplit 
   Loaded with a variety of useful features, this free screencast tool allows you to capture and record high quality videos for your deliverables. Download the software for free and then stream live video or record demos and tutorials. Note that you will need to use a free FFmpeg program to encode and stream videos created through Ffsplit. There is also a community forum on the FFsplit site where you can get tips and advice from other users.
4. Fraps
   Works with Windows and is ideal for capturing gaming screencasts, as well as any other apps that utilize OpenGL or DirectX graphics. It's also designed for benchmark screen captures and real time video. Simply download Fraps and start creating videos or high quality screen shots. Best of all, the program automatically saves the captures for you, which means that you won't have to waste time pasting them into an editing program every time you want to create a screen image.
5. Jing
   This software is ideal for smaller projects, as the recording time is limited to 5 minutes. The program allows you to capture images or videos from your computer and then publish them on the web or save them at your desktop. Simply download the software for free and record tutorials or demos, and then share the link with your end users. The editing tools included offer text, highlighting, and annotation features. You also have the option to share your videos and images through instant messages, email, and social media sites.
6. Kazam
   Simple and straightforward to use, this open source software captures images on your screen and then saves them to your computer hard drive. The video can then be viewed on any player that supports VP8 or WebM formats. You can also produce audio files from any device supported by PulseAudio. Download Kazam and start recording video/audio, and then export. You can also opt to export the video directly to YouTube.
7. PicPick
   This is a great all-in-one video and screen capture tool that is free and easy to use. It features an editor, color palette and picker, whiteboard, capturing tool, as well as a variety of other functions. Just download the PicPick and choose the tool you'd like to use from the menu. You can also enhance your images and videos with a variety of effects that the software includes.
8. Screencast-O-Matic
   There's no installation needed with this software. Simply visit the site and start recording your screencast. You can create videos up to 15 minutes long and host them for free. The software also allows for easy publishing to YouTube, or you can record using your webcam. There is a paid version that offers the added feature of password protection, as well as no maximum recording times.
9. Screenr
   This is a web-based screencast and capture program that is quick and easy to use. You just push the record button, capture the screen images or audio narration, and then share the link with your users. The videos produced by Screenr can even be viewed on mobile devices. It's important to mention that all recordings you create through Screenr are public, so this probably isn't the ideal tool if you are dealing with sensitive or confidential subject matters.
10. Webinaria
    This program allows you to record demos, tutorials, and then publish them as a Flash file. The videos you create can be viewed on Webinaria’s website or exported to yours. There aren't any limits on the size of the video you produce, and all images are watermark-free. Download the software, create AVI or FLV recordings, record audio narrations and then save or edit.

These Free Camtasia Studio Alternatives may not offer the complete suite of Camtasia Studio features, but they will serve as a great alternative for those who are looking for simple and straightforward video creation software. With this guide on-hand, you'll have the opportunity to create tutorials, and instructional videos to make your eLearning course even more effective and entertaining for your learners.