Recordly: A free open-source screen recorder for demo-first builders
We love discovering apps that do one thing well and make the result look polished. For product demos and tutorials, the gold standard has long been Screen Studio. But recently, a new contender appeared on our radar that feels like a breath of fresh air for the open-source community: Recordly.
What Recordly actually is
Recordly is a new, free, open-source screen recorder + lightweight editor designed specifically for:
- product demos
- tutorials
- onboarding videos
- coding agent showcases
It runs locally (Mac, Windows, Linux), records using native system APIs, and bundles editing + export into a single workflow.
No subscriptions. No watermarks. No export limits.
Why we started using it
If you’ve ever tried to record a product demo, you know the pain:
- Cursor movements look shaky and amateur
- Clicks aren’t emphasized
- Zooming into UI requires post-editing
- Raw recordings feel… lifeless
We used to rely on tools like Screen Studio or CapCut for polish—but that adds cost and friction.
Recordly removes that entire second step.
Our hands-on take
From our perspective, Recordly feels like the kind of tool we’d reach for when we want to ship a demo fast without making it look rushed. The auto-zoom alone is a huge win, especially when we’re recording apps, AI workflows, or product tutorials where the interesting part moves around the screen.
We also appreciate that it is open source and cross-platform, which makes it far more flexible than many polished but locked-down competitors. The project has drawn strong community attention quickly, with its GitHub repository showing rapid early adoption and discussion around the app’s feature set.
What stands out
- Automatic cursor-following zoom for cleaner demos.
- Smooth cursor motion with click effects and motion polish.
- Customizable framing, overlays, and backgrounds.
- Built-in editing tools, including trimming and speed adjustments.
- Export support for both MP4 and GIF.
- Native recording support across Mac, Windows, and Linux.
Who it’s best for
- Indie makers shipping demos weekly
- Developers building with AI / coding agents
- SaaS founders needing quick walkthroughs
- Anyone tired of over-editing simple recordings
Where it still needs work
Let’s keep it real:
- Advanced editing is limited
- Effects customization could go deeper
- Still early-stage (expect rapid changes, occasional rough edges)
But none of these block its core use case.
The open source edge
Recordly is a fork of OpenScreen, but it has been heavily modified with a full cursor rendering pipeline and zoom animations that are remarkably faithful to premium paid alternatives. Since its launch in March 2026, it has already amassed over 13,000 stars on GitHub—a testament to how much the community craved a tool like this.
The best part? There are no watermarks, no “Pro” tiers, and no limits on export quality. Whether you need a 60fps MP4 for YouTube or a perfectly looped GIF for an X (Twitter) post, it’s all there for free.
FAQs
Is Recordly free to use?
Yes. Recordly is free and open source, and can be used for commercial purposes.
Which platforms does Recordly support?
Recordly runs locally on Mac, Windows, and Linux, and uses native recording APIs for each platform.
Can I edit recordings after saving them?
Yes. Recordly saves projects as .recordly files, so you can reopen, tweak, and re-export them later.
What are some alternatives to Recordly?
If you prefer a more polished paid option, Focusee, CleanShot X and Screen Studio are strong alternatives for Mac users. For a free, open-source route, Recordly is the one to try first.
Final verdict
We didn’t expect to replace part of our demo workflow with an open-source tool this quickly—but Recordly made a strong case.
If your bottleneck is:
“I know I should make demo videos, but it’s too time-consuming.”
Then Recordly is worth installing today.
Try it yourself:
Official site: https://recordly.dev
GitHub: https://github.com/webadderallorg/Recordly
Published on May 6, 2026, by TheSweetBits Team