| Fact |  CaptoScreen capture, recording and light video editing for one payment |  ScreenFlowScreen recorder with a real multi-track editor attached, bought outright |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29.99 | $199 |
| Licence | PerpetualUpdates included, forever | Paid upgradesMajor versions cost again |
| The catch | The $29.99 tier is the discounted pack; the two full unlocks are $49.99 | Major versions are paid upgrades, and Telestream does not publish the upgrade price |
| Against a subscription | 2 monthsAgainst Loom Business at $216 a year | 8 monthsAgainst Descript at $288 a year |
| Seats | not established | 1 MacActive on one computer at a time — deactivate it before activating on another. |
| Developer account | None needed | None needed |
| Works offline | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Silicon | Native | Native |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| On Setapp | Yes | No |
| Minimum macOS | not established | macOS 14 (Sonoma) |
| Buy on the App Store | Buy direct |
Both prices read 22 Sep 2026, on the pages these buttons open. App Store rating is not established for either app, so that row is left out.
In their own right
Capto
Capto pairs screenshots and screen, webcam or iOS-device recording with an annotation editor, a simple timeline and a library that files every capture. It sits between a screenshot tool and a full screencast editor, and it is sold as a one-time unlock rather than a subscription.
ScreenFlow
Records screen, camera, microphone and system audio, then puts all of it on a multi-track timeline with callouts, cursor zoom and text animation for tutorial work. The licence is a purchase, not a plan.