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Side-by-side comparison ยท Video & Audio

Microsoft Clipchamp vs Screen Studio

Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.

Microsoft Clipchamp

4.0

From $0

Best overall

Screen Studio

4.4

From $9/mo

Comparing 2 tools. Add one more if you like.

At a glance

Best value

Pick it if: Beginners and small businesses on Windows who want a free, simple editor without a watermark.

Best overallEasiest to use

Pick it if: Founders, course creators and marketers on a Mac who record product demos, tutorials and walkthroughs.

Screen Studio scores highest overall, but Microsoft Clipchamp gives you more for your money. Which one is right comes down to what you value most.

Overview

AttributeMicrosoft ClipchampScreen Studio
In one lineMicrosoft's free video editor, with AI subtitles and voiceovers and no watermark.Mac screen recorder that adds smooth zooms and cursor moves to make polished demos.
Pricing modelFreemiumPaid
Starting price$0$9/mo
Free plan Yes No
Works with Claude Code No No

Rating breakdown

Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.

AttributeMicrosoft ClipchampScreen Studio
Overall rating4.04.4Winner
Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.
4.5
5.0
FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together.
3.5
4.0
Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them.
3.5
5.0
Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan.
5.0
3.5
Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over.
3.5
4.5

Feature comparison

A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.

AttributeMicrosoft ClipchampScreen Studio
Access & platform
Free plan Yes No
Mobile app Yes No
Desktop app Yes Yes
Browser extension No No
API access No No
Teams & business
Team workspace Yes No
Enterprise plan or SSO Yes No
Connects to other apps Yes No
Open source or self-hosted No No
AI abilities
Works with your files Yes No
Understands imagesโ€“โ€“
Makes images No No
Makes video No No
Writes code No No
Runs agents or automations No No
Learns your brand or style Yesโ€“
Works in many languages Yes No
Capabilities score9/ 171/ 17

Pricing

Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.

AttributeMicrosoft ClipchampScreen Studio
Plans

FreeOur pick

$0

Most people making simple videos.

YearlyOur pick

$9/mo, billed $108 a year

Anyone making demos regularly.

Premium with Microsoft 365 Personal

$9.99/mo or $99.99/yr

People who also want Word, Excel and OneDrive.

Monthly

$29/mo

A one-off launch or project.

Premium with Microsoft 365 Family

$12.99/mo or $129.99/yr

Households of up to 6 people.

Clipchamp for work

Included in some Microsoft 365 business plans

Office teams already on Microsoft 365.

Which plan to pickStay on Free unless you need 4K or premium stock. If you already pay for Microsoft 365 Personal or Family, you have Premium already.Pay yearly if you'll record more than a couple of months, since it works out about a third of the monthly price. For a single launch video, one month is enough. Students and teachers get 40% off.

Key features

AttributeMicrosoft ClipchampScreen Studio
Standout features
  • Free with no watermark
  • AI subtitles
  • Text-to-speech
  • Recorders
  • Stock library and templates
  • Automatic zoom
  • Smooth cursor
  • Backgrounds and layouts
  • 4K exports and GIFs
  • Shareable links and transcripts
  • Private by design

Pros and cons

AttributeMicrosoft ClipchampScreen Studio
Pros
  • Genuinely free, with 1080p exports and no watermark
  • Built into Windows 11 and runs in the browser
  • Easy enough for a complete beginner
  • Premium comes free with Microsoft 365 Personal and Family
  • Polished results with almost no editing
  • Very easy to use
  • Recordings stay on your Mac
  • Every feature in every plan
Cons
  • Basic next to CapCut, with fewer effects and AI tools
  • Can lag on long or heavy projects
  • Premium stock can't be exported on the free plan
  • The business version and its AI features depend on your Microsoft 365 licence
  • Mac only, with no Windows version planned
  • Now a subscription; one-off licences are no longer sold
  • Monthly price is steep for occasional use
  • Not built for team messaging like Loom

Who each one is for

AttributeMicrosoft ClipchampScreen Studio
Best for
  • Free editing with no watermark
  • Simple social videos and slideshows
  • Screen and webcam recordings
  • AI voiceovers and subtitles
  • Product demo videos for a website or launch
  • Tutorials and course lessons
  • Social clips showing an app in action
  • Website walkthroughs for clients
You'll find it used by
  • Beginners
  • Small businesses
  • Teachers
  • Office teams
  • Founders
  • Course creators
  • Marketers
  • Designers

Questions people ask

Which is better, Microsoft Clipchamp or Screen Studio?

Screen Studio scores highest overall in our ratings (Microsoft Clipchamp 4.0/5 and Screen Studio 4.4/5). Microsoft Clipchamp is best for free editing with no watermark and simple social videos and slideshows. Screen Studio is best for product demo videos for a website or launch and tutorials and course lessons.

Which is cheaper, Microsoft Clipchamp or Screen Studio?

Microsoft Clipchamp: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $0. Screen Studio: There's no free plan. Paid plans start at $9/mo.

Which is easier to use, Microsoft Clipchamp or Screen Studio?

Screen Studio rates highest for ease of use in our scores. Founders, course creators and marketers on a Mac who record product demos, tutorials and walkthroughs.

How we compare

Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.

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