Compare Screencastify and Obsidian Web Clipper: Which Extension is the Best?

	Screencastify	Obsidian Web Clipper
	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	Obsidian Web Clipper is a browser extension that lets you save, highlight, and organize web content to your Obsidian vault with templates, hotkeys, metadata extraction, and local storage. Web Clipper Highlighter
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.	Privacy-focusedSave anything: Capture entire pages, selected text, or main content Highlight: Mark important passages that remain visible when revisiting pages Templates: Customize how web pages are saved with automatic metadata extraction Rules: Apply specific templates based on website patterns Hotkeys: Quick save pages with keyboard shortcuts Offline access: All content is stored locally in your Obsidian vault Privacy focused: No data collection or third-party sharing
Our Rating	7.8	8.5
Total users	6,000,000	278,335
Total ratings	11,733	526
Average rating	4.0 ⭐	4.7 ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Chrome	4.0 11.7K+ ratings 6.0M+Users	4.8 297 ratings 200.0K+Users
Edge	-	4.4 20 ratings 50.6K+Users
Firefox	-	4.9 209 ratings 27.7K+Users
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.	8.7 The extension offers a comprehensive set of features that cover all essential web clipping needs. The templating system is particularly powerful, allowing for automatic metadata extraction and custom formatting. The highlight feature works well, though we noticed some issues with certain websites. The ability to save different types of content (full page, selection, main content) provides flexibility. The hotkey system is well-implemented and customizable.
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.	6.5 The direct clipping to Obsidian did not work properly in the test. Only the headline was saved; the rest was not. However, with the intermediate step, Clip to Clipboard and then paste, it works. The clipping process can be slow on certain websites. The highlight feature sometimes lags on content-heavy pages. The extension uses minimal system resources.
Design	9.0 The design is intuitive and user-friendly. We think that navigation is very intuitive despite the many functions.	8.9 The interface is clean and intuitive, following Obsidian's design language. The popup menu is well-organized and easy to navigate. The highlight interface is straightforward and user-friendly. The settings page is logically structured, though some advanced options could be better documented. The visual feedback during clipping operations is clear and helpful.
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.	9.7 The extension is completely free with all features included. There are no premium tiers or paid versions. The feature set is comprehensive and well-implemented. The value proposition is excellent compared to paid alternatives.
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.	8.0 Basic usage is straightforward - just click the extension icon and select what to save. The highlight feature is intuitive and works well. However, setting up custom templates requires some technical knowledge. The learning curve for advanced features can be steep. The documentation could be more comprehensive for new users.
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 The extension maintains excellent privacy standards. All data is stored locally in your Obsidian vault. No data is collected or shared with third parties. The extension doesn't require any special permissions. The code is open source, allowing for community review. The developer has a clear privacy policy.
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.	The Obsidian Web Clipper is a powerful, privacy-friendly tool for saving web content. Its integration with Obsidian makes it particularly valuable for users of the note platform. The current focus is still on issues with clipping certain content types and occasional performance issues, which need to be resolved. The robust features and commitment to privacy make it a top choice for storing web content once the issues are resolved. For Obsidian users looking to improve their web research workflow, this extension is a must-have tool that delivers on its promise while maintaining user privacy and data control.
	Install Screencastify	Install Obsidian Web Clipper
Our Recommendation	In our comparison between Screencastify and Obsidian Web Clipper, Obsidian Web Clipper came out on top, scoring 8.5. Screencastify is the most widely used, with over 6 million users and 12k+ reviews, but Obsidian Web Clipper outperformed it in our review. User reviews reflect our findings. Notably, Obsidian Web Clipper has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.69, 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, Obsidian Web Clipper lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.7. Need top performance? Screencastify stands out with a rating of 7.5. On the other hand, Obsidian Web Clipper lags behind in this area with a rating of 6.5. Design lovers, take note: Screencastify stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Obsidian Web Clipper lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.9. Want to get the most for your money? Obsidian Web Clipper stands out with a rating of 9.7. 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, Obsidian Web Clipper lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Obsidian Web Clipper 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, Obsidian Web Clipper is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.