Screenshots, recording & annotation
iShowU Studio 2 vs ScreenFlow
| Fact |  iShowU Studio 2Record and edit in one app, on a genuine perpetual licence |  ScreenFlowScreen recorder with a real multi-track editor attached, bought outright |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79 | $199 |
| Licence | PerpetualUpdates included, forever | Paid upgradesMajor versions cost again |
| The catch | $79 covers Studio 2 only — the quicker iShowU V6 recorder is a separate $89 app | Major versions are paid upgrades, and Telestream does not publish the upgrade price |
| Against a subscription | 3 monthsAgainst Descript at $288 a year | 8 monthsAgainst Descript at $288 a year |
| Seats | 1 Mac | 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 | No | No |
| Minimum macOS | not established | macOS 14 (Sonoma) |
| Buy direct | 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
iShowU Studio 2
Records the screen with audio and then gives you an editor for trimming, zooming, cursor highlighting and callouts in the same app. Sold as a perpetual licence with no annual option at all.
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.