Compare Screencastify and AI Blaze: Which Extension is the Best?

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.
AI Blaze is a Chrome extension that enhances productivity with AI-powered templates, snippets, and dynamic commands, ensuring consistent messaging across platforms.
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.
  • AI Assistant: Instantly access AI help on any webpage with the sidebar feature for writing, editing, and more
  • Custom Templates: Create and save personalized templates with dynamic fields for quick access
  • Text Expansion: Type shortcuts to instantly expand into full messages, saving countless keystrokes
  • Brand Voice Customization: Train the AI to write in your unique style and tone
  • Dynamic Commands: Include variables like dates, form fields, and conditional logic in your snippets
  • Team Collaboration: Share and edit snippets with teammates for consistent messaging
  • Multiple AI Models: Choose between GPT-4o mini, GPT-4o, and Claude Sonnet depending on your needs
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility: Works across Chrome, Windows, and macOS
Our Rating
7.8
9.0
Total users
6,000,000
50,000
Total ratings
11,733
142
Average rating
4.0 ⭐
5.0 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.0
3.63
11.7K+ ratings
6.0M+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
5.0
4.98
142 ratings
50.0K+Users
Edge
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Firefox
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Safari
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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:

Drawing Tools

The subsequent editor also offers many functions where you can cut the video to your needs.

Here is what the basic editor looks like:

Simple editor of Screencastify

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:

Second editor of Screencastiy

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.

8.8

The AI writing aid worked very well in the test with emails, customer responses, and short formats. We particularly liked the dynamic templates, which adapt according to user input. The extension can therefore be adapted for both commercial use, such as quickly replying to emails, and for everyday private use. From summaries to social media texts, this helped enormously in the test. In particular, learners such as students should have a special added value here, for example, through summaries that can be created quickly.

Summarize


Overall, AI Blaze already offers the possibility for almost endless possibilities; at most, there could be even more templates, as users may otherwise not exploit the full potential due to ignorance.

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.

8.9

In our test, AI Blaze worked reliably on most websites and in various applications. The only thing that was immediately noticeable at the beginning was that the functions do not work in the Chrome Store, so websites may prevent access for the extension, but this did not otherwise occur in the test.

error

The text expansion works immediately, and the AI-controlled functions generally respond quickly, depending on the model selected. When using the most advanced AI models for complex tasks, there were occasional short delays, but these were minimal.

Design
9.0

The design is intuitive and user-friendly. We think that navigation is very intuitive despite the many functions.

8.8

The clear, intuitive user interface should also make AI Blaze possible for private users who are not so tech-savvy. The integration into the sidebar is very well done and offers a seamless integration into the design of the browser.
There is little that can be customized visually, but this should hardly be necessary. Overall, the design focuses on functionality while maintaining an appealing appearance.

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.

9.0

In this area, a clear distinction must be made between private and commercial users. For the private user, AI Blaze already offers enough functionality for most people in the free plan. Here we also appreciate the Academic Edition, which offers students and teachers extended, free access. The Pro plan could be too high for private users at $20/month with annual billing.

For businesses, however, AI Blaze's Pro plan offers exceptional value compared to similar productivity tools. The time savings alone can justify the investment for most users.

For those who want to work in teams, AI Blaze offers the Business plan for $24/user/month. This includes additional comprehensive functions for collaboration and improved communication processes.

Compared to alternatives, AI Blaze offers a competitive feature set at a reasonable price for businesses. The ROI is clear after just a few days of regular use, especially for those who frequently write similar messages.

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.

9.0

For basic functions such as using templates and simple shortcuts, AI Blaze is extremely straightforward. New users can start using the ready-made templates within minutes, and they are well-explained. If you don't want to use the predefined shortcuts, you can create your own commands immediately, which makes it easier to remember the shortcuts in everyday life.

We found the shortcuts intuitive and time-saving once you have memorized them. The search function makes it easy to find the right snippet quickly, even as the library grows. The advanced functions do require a certain amount of learning, but the basic functions are easily accessible straight away.

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.

9.7

AI Blaze takes security very seriously and holds a SOC 2 certification, which confirms that a company has implemented appropriate controls and procedures for IT systems, data protection, and data security. The company's privacy policies are transparent from the user's perspective in terms of how data is handled, and no user data is sold to third parties.

The Business and Enterprise plans offer additional security features such as SAML SSO integration and audit logs.

Choosing between different AI models gives users more control over their data. The company is transparent about its use of cookies and analytics and provides clear options for managing settings. There is also the option to allow the extension only to use marked areas for answers, normally, the AI uses the entire website content to have a better data basis.

privacy
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.

AI Blaze shows that it is an impressive productivity tool that delivers on its promise of saving time and optimizing communication. The user interface is intuitive and well-designed, making it accessible even for those without experience with AI tools.

You can tell that companies in particular are also a target group. The ability to customize templates and train the AI to match your brand's voice is particularly valuable here.

While the free version is somewhat limited, the affordable pricing of the paid plans makes it accessible to businesses of all sizes. The time savings alone justify the investment for teams that frequently send similar messages or create repetitive content. Individuals, however, may find it too expensive.

Our Recommendation

In our comparison between Screencastify and AI Blaze, AI Blaze came out on top, scoring 9.

Screencastify is the most widely used, with over 6 million users and 12k+ reviews, but AI Blaze outperformed it in our review. User reviews reflect our findings.

Notably, AI Blaze has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.99, 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.


  • Can't decide on features? It's a close call: Screencastify and AI Blaze. In the Features category, Screencastify has scored a very good 8.8. It offers a solid array of features, though there may be room for a few additional capabilities.
  • Need top performance? AI Blaze stands out with a rating of 8.9. 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, AI Blaze lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.8.
  • Want to get the most for your money? AI Blaze stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Screencastify lags behind in this area with a rating of 5.
  • If you hate complicated tools, AI Blaze stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Screencastify lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.5.
  • With privacy and security becoming ever more important, AI Blaze stands out with a rating of 9.7. On the other hand, Screencastify lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.

If you want a quick recommendation, AI Blaze is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.