Compare Screencastify and A Fine Start: Which Extension is the Best?

	Screencastify	A Fine Start
	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. Productivity	A Fine Start is a minimalistic new tab page extension for Chrome, offering a clean list of links, customizable themes, and optional syncing for a streamlined browsing experience. New Tab Productivity
Key Features	Record Desktop, Browser Tab, and Webcam: Capture any part of your screen. Edit Video: Trim, merge, and add text directly from your browser. Share Easily: Export as MP4, GIF, or MP3, and share via Google Drive or Classroom. Interactive Questions: Add questions to videos to engage viewers. Annotations: Draw on your screen in real-time to highlight key points. Captions: Add captions in multiple languages to make videos accessible.	Minimal Text Links: Presents links in a clean, simple list. Groups: Organize links into customizable groups. Drag-and-Drop Sorting: Easily rearrange links and groups. Group Folding: Collapse groups to save space. Dark Mode: Switch to a darker theme for low-light environments. Multiple Themes: Choose from various themes to suit your style. Restore Points: Save and restore your setup. Optional Syncing Account: Sync bookmarks across devices with a premium account.
Our Rating	7.8	8.7
Total users	6,000,000	1,602
Total ratings	11,733	52
Average rating	4.0 ⭐	4.3 ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Chrome	4.0 11.7K+ ratings 6.0M+Users	4.9 19 ratings 1.0K+Users
Edge	-	3.4 5 ratings 368Users
Firefox	-	4.6 28 ratings 234Users
Safari	-	-
Features	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.	8.0 A Fine Start offers features for users looking for a minimalist approach to managing their new tab. Organizing links into groups and sorting them via drag-and-drop allows for a tidy and efficient workspace to stay focused. Some functions must first be activated in the settings. For example, groups can be collapsed to hide sections that are not needed at the moment. In addition, all pages from an entire group can be opened simultaneously with one click. The optional sync account, available with the premium subscription, is a valuable addition for users working with multiple devices and ensures that their bookmarks are always up to date. Overall, the feature set is designed for minimalism. However, we still see potential here for a few more minimalist functions, such as a simple note-taking option.
Performance	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.	9.7 In terms of performance, we did not notice any problems during the test. No slow loading times or anything similar were detected, even when opening groups with a high number of bookmarks, these were always opened immediately. Overall, A Fine Start offered impressive performance here.
Design	9.0 The design is intuitive and user-friendly. We think that navigation is very intuitive despite the many functions.	8.2 The design of A Fine Start is characterized by a clean and minimalist aesthetic that emphasizes focused work. The design is very intuitive and you can choose from basic themes, including dark mode. From our point of view, even though the design is meant to be minimalistic, it could be a little more customizable for the user. For example, it would be handy if you could move the groups around the website flexibly, as they can currently only be moved to certain predefined positions. A very rarely seen and positive aspect is a function in the settings. The extension offers the option of hiding the button for premium advertising and the footer on the New Tab page.
Value for Money	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.	8.7 A Fine Start offers all functions in the free version, only the cross-device synchronization is an added value of the premium subscription. For most users, the price-performance ratio of the free version is therefore perfect. However, users for whom synchronization is important may wonder whether just this one function is worth the cost of the premium model. There is still potential here to include other minimalist functions such as those offered by competitors to offer even more added value.
Ease of Use	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.	8.3 A Fine Start offers a straightforward setup process. The drag-and-drop functionality for organizing links is intuitive, allowing users to quickly rearrange their bookmarks to suit their needs. Setting up the required bookmarks initially takes a little time, and a function for transferring bookmarks already in the browser could simplify the whole process. The additional functions that are initially somewhat hidden in the settings may also not be found directly by all users. Overall, the existing functions and the setup are easy to use, but there is still room for improvement.
Security & Privacy	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.	9.5 A Fine Start attaches great importance to security and data protection. The extension collects only minimal personal data and focuses only on what is necessary for the core functions. The privacy policy is transparent and makes it clear that data is not sold to third parties. The optional premium subscription requires an account, otherwise, not even an account is needed.
Conclusion	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.	A Fine Start is a well-designed tool for anyone who just wants to have their bookmarks sorted on their new tab page. Its focus on privacy and user-friendly features makes it a perfect choice in this area. While the free version offers a wealth of features, the premium subscription adds little value. Overall, A Fine Start is a good choice for users who want to stay focused and have a New Tab page without a lot of distractions.
	Install Screencastify	Install A Fine Start
Our Recommendation	In our comparison between Screencastify and A Fine Start, A Fine Start came out on top, scoring 8.7. Screencastify is the most widely used, with over 6 million users and 12k+ reviews, but A Fine Start outperformed it in our review. User reviews reflect our findings. Notably, A Fine Start has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.32, 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. Looking for the richest feature set? Screencastify stands out with a rating of 8.8. On the other hand, A Fine Start lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. Need top performance? A Fine Start stands out with a rating of 9.7. On the other hand, Screencastify lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.5. Design lovers, take note: Screencastify stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, A Fine Start lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.2. Want to get the most for your money? A Fine Start stands out with a rating of 8.7. On the other hand, Screencastify lags behind in this area with a rating of 5. If you hate complicated tools, Screencastify stands out with a rating of 8.5. On the other hand, A Fine Start lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.3. With privacy and security becoming ever more important, A Fine Start stands out with a rating of 9.5. On the other hand, Screencastify lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. If you want a quick recommendation, A Fine Start is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.