OBS alternative
An OBS alternative for screen recordings that need no editing
OBS Studio is free, open source and the standard tool for live streaming. It records exactly what you composite, and stops there: the zooming, the cursor, the cuts and the captions are a second job in a second program. SmoothCut is built for the recording you are going to publish, and does that second job for you.
SmoothCut and OBS Studio, side by side
| Feature | SmoothCut | OBS Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | One-time: $79 or $169 | Free and open source |
| Built for | Recorded demos, tutorials and walkthroughs | Live streaming and multi-source production |
| Automatic zooms and cursor smoothing | Yes | No |
| Editing | Built in: cuts, speed, layouts, captions, sound | None; you edit the file in another program |
| Captions | Generated on your computer | Not built in |
| Sharing | A share link when you want one, or the file itself | None built in; it streams to services such as Twitch and YouTube |
| Platforms | macOS and Windows | Windows, macOS and Linux |
About OBS Studio, as checked in September 2026. Their pricing and features can change; check their site for the current picture.
Why people switch
What is different about SmoothCut
Buy it once
One payment. No monthly fee that keeps running whether you recorded anything this month or not. Personal is $79 for one computer with a year of updates; Pro is $169 for five computers with updates for life.
Everything happens on your computer
Recording, editing, captions, the automatic zooms and cuts, and the final export all run on your Mac or PC. Nothing is uploaded to make it work, so it works on a plane and your recordings stay yours.
The polish is automatic
Zooms follow your cursor. The cursor is smoothed after the fact. Captions are written from your voice. You record, and the demo is most of the way there before you touch the editor.
The other side
When OBS Studio is still the right choice
No tool is right for everyone. If any of these is you, stay where you are.
- You stream live. That is what OBS is for, and SmoothCut does not do it.
- You need scenes, several sources, an audio mixer with filters, or full control over the encoder.
- You need a free tool, you record on Linux, or you want a long unattended capture.
OBS Studio and SmoothCut: questions
OBS is free. What am I paying for?
The edit. OBS gives you a raw file; making it look produced -- zooms, a calm cursor, cuts, captions, clean sound -- is hours in a video editor. SmoothCut does that part when you stop recording.
Can SmoothCut stream live?
No. SmoothCut records and edits. For live streaming, use OBS.
More comparisons
- SmoothCut vs Screen Studio SmoothCut does the automatic zooms and smooth cursor Screen Studio is known for, on macOS and Windows, for a one-time price. Everything runs on your computer.
- SmoothCut vs Loom Loom is built around uploading and sharing links. SmoothCut is built around a polished file you own: recorded, edited and exported on your computer, bought once.
- SmoothCut vs Tella Tella records and edits in the browser with a subscription. SmoothCut is a desktop app you buy once: automatic zooms, smoothed cursor and captions, all done locally.
- SmoothCut vs Cap Cap and SmoothCut both zoom and smooth the cursor automatically and caption on your computer. Cap is open source with cloud plans; SmoothCut is one payment with nothing held back for a higher tier.
- SmoothCut vs CleanShot X CleanShot X is a Mac screenshot and annotation toolkit that also records. SmoothCut is a screen recorder and editor for macOS and Windows that produces the finished video for you.
- SmoothCut vs QuickTime The Mac's built-in recorder gives you a raw .mov for free. SmoothCut adds what it lacks: automatic zooms, a smoothed cursor, system audio, camera layouts, captions and an editor.
- SmoothCut vs Descript Descript edits video and podcasts by editing the transcript, in the cloud, on a subscription. SmoothCut is a desktop screen recorder that zooms and smooths the cursor for you, bought once.
- Pricing One payment, no subscription.
Record better videos, faster.
Free to record, edit and preview. Pay once when you are ready to export.
macOS and Windows · No account needed