Screencastify is a popular Chrome extension for screen recording. It offers a range of features but has shifted many basic functionalities behind a paywall, affecting its overall value. | ||
Key Features A summary of the most important features offered by each extension. |
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Our Rating Tooltivity's expert review score for each extension, based on hands-on testing and research. | 8.8 Winner in this category | 7.8 |
Total users Total active users across all major browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. | 3,173,195 | 6,000,000 Winner in this category |
Total ratings Total number of user ratings received across all supported browsers. | 16,550 Winner in this category | 11,733 |
Average rating Average user rating across all browsers, calculated from available store ratings. | 4.8 ⭐ Winner in this category | 4.0 ⭐ |
Entry Level Price The minimum price required to start using the extension. "Free" means a free tier is available. | Free | Free |
Chrome User rating and stats for the extension on Chrome browser. | ![]() 4.8 4.75 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 2.0M+Users Winner in this category | ![]() 4.0 3.63 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 6.0M+Users |
Edge User rating and stats for the extension on Edge browser. | ![]() 4.8 4.62 Average Microsoft Edge Store rating from the last 100 reviews 801.3K+Users Winner in this category | - |
Firefox User rating and stats for the extension on Firefox browser. | ![]() 4.7 4.58 Average Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store rating from the last 100 reviews 371.9K+Users Winner in this category | - |
Safari User rating and stats for the extension on Safari browser. | - | - |
Features Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Features' aspect of each extension. | 9.0 LanguageTool offers a comprehensive set of features that go beyond basic grammar and spelling checks. It supports over 20 languages, making it a versatile tool for multilingual users. The advanced grammar checks are particularly impressive, catching complex issues that many other tools miss. Compared to competitors like Grammarly, LanguageTool holds its own with unique features like custom dictionaries and plagiarism detection. Winner in this category | 8.8 Screencastify offers a robust set of features, including screen and webcam recording, video editing and interactive questions. Leaving aside the fact that many features are only available for a fee, it's fair to say that it offers a lot of features. While recording, you can easily add spotlights and draw on the screen. The drawing tools offer a nice range of options, so you should have everything you need: ![]() The subsequent editor also offers many functions where you can cut the video to your needs. Here is what the basic editor looks like: ![]() It recently also added an AI feature that automatically adds captions, transcripts, titles, and descriptions. Furthermore, Screencastify offers another video editor when clicking "Edit Video" in the top right corner. This will open up another editor where you can do some more video editing. Here is how it looks like: ![]() In our opinion, this editor isn’t necessary if you already have your own video editing software, but it could be useful for some people. We’re not entirely sure if this is just an older version of the original editor. However, we did discover that you can export videos to MP4 for free, thanks to an "Export" button that lets you do so without any limitations. We’re not certain if this is intentional, but at least it works for us. |
Performance Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Performance' aspect of each extension. | 8.0 LanguageTool does a good job of spotting grammar and style issues. However, it can take a while to process longer texts, and sometimes, clicking on suggestions causes the page to jump to the top, which can be a bit frustrating. Winner in this category | 7.5 The speed has deteriorated considerably with the latest updates. This is probably because more and more functions, such as the AI function, are being added. The tool has become slower, and creating links or accessing older videos takes longer than before. Many users have also complained about the performance in the reviews. |
Design Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Design' aspect of each extension. | 8.0 The design is clean and intuitive, making it easy for users to navigate and utilize the tool effectively. The browser integration is seamless, and the user interface is straightforward. | 9.0 The design is intuitive and user-friendly. We think that navigation is very intuitive despite the many functions. Winner in this category |
Value for Money Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Value for Money' aspect of each extension. | 9.5 The free version gives you the basics, but the premium version really shines with its advanced features. While Grammarly can be expensive, LanguageTool offers great value at a more affordable price. So, if you’re seeking a budget-friendly alternative to Grammarly, LanguageTool is a solid choice. Winner in this category | 5.0 As already mentioned, we are somewhat shocked by the limitations of the free version. Especially if you have used the app in the past and can export videos for free. In addition, even with the starter package for $7, you are limited to 10 exports. We find that many other providers offer much more for the money. |
Ease of Use Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Ease of Use' aspect of each extension. | 9.0 LanguageTool is very user-friendly, with a minimal learning curve. Most users will find it easy to get started and make the most of its features right out of the box. Winner in this category | 8.5 Screencastify is easy to use, with a minimal learning curve. Even beginners can quickly get the hang of it. However, we find that recent updates have introduced some complexities that are not absolutely necessary for a screen recorder. |
Security & Privacy Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Security & Privacy' aspect of each extension. | 9.5 LanguageTool takes privacy seriously. No account is required for basic features, and the tool ensures that user data is not sold or made public. This focus on privacy is a significant plus. LanguageTool states that it is GDPR compliant which makes it especially interesting for users in Europe. Winner in this category | 8.0 Unfortunately, an account is required, which in our opinion is not necessary for Screen recorder. However, Screencastify's privacy policy is very comprehensive and complies with standard data protection practices, including compliance with the GDPR and PCI-DSS certification for payment data. Screencastify takes reasonable security measures but, like all online services, cannot guarantee absolute protection. |
Conclusion A summary of our findings and final thoughts for each extension. | LanguageTool is a reliable and efficient writing assistant that supports multiple languages. Its advanced grammar and style checks make it a valuable tool for writers and professionals. While the premium version offers excellent features, the free version is somewhat limited. Overall, LanguageTool is a solid choice for anyone looking to improve their writing. Compared to Grammarly, LanguageTool holds its own, especially if you need to write in multiple languages. When it comes to writing in different languages, LanguageTool is the way to go. But if you’re only writing in English, Grammarly still delivers better results. | Screencastify was a fantastic tool in the past, and we used to use it daily. Unfortunately, recent updates have made it less user-friendly by hiding key features behind a paywall. For people who need a wide range of features, the tool is still an option. For others who just want to make a recording every now and then to export a video, Screencastify is unfortunately no longer an option. |
Our Recommendation | In our comparison between LanguageTool and Screencastify, LanguageTool came out on top, scoring 8.8. Screencastify is the most widely used, with over 6 million users and 12k+ reviews, but LanguageTool outperformed it in our review. User reviews reflect our findings. Notably, LanguageTool has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.76, which supports its strong performance in our review. There are some noticeable differences between these extensions, so it's worth considering your priorities and the details below.
If you want a quick recommendation, LanguageTool is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you. |