Compare Screencastify and Recall: Which Extension is the Best?

	Screencastify	Recall
	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	With Recall, you can capture, summarize, and organize articles, PDFs, and videos with AI, spaced repetition, browser extensions, and strong privacy controls. AI 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.	AI Summarization: Instantly summarizes articles, PDFs, YouTube videos, and more. Personal Knowledge Base: Saves and organizes your summaries for easy retrieval. Spaced Repetition & Active Recall: Helps you actually remember what you save, not just store it. Augmented Browsing: Highlights related content as you browse, surfacing connections in your knowledge. Browser Extensions: One-click saving and summarizing directly from Chrome or Firefox. Editable Notebook: Add notes, highlights, and customize your saved content. Tagging & Organization: Automatic and manual tagging, with support for nested tags. Cross-Platform Sync: Works on desktop and mobile, keeping your knowledge base up to date.
Our Rating	7.8	8.9
Total users	6,000,000	73,229
Total ratings	11,733	95
Average rating	4.0 ⭐	4.1 ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Chrome	4.0 11.7K+ ratings 6.0M+Users	4.2 78 ratings 70.0K+Users
Edge	-	-
Firefox	-	3.9 17 ratings 3.2K+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.	9.2 Recall's range of functions is impressive for a relatively new tool. The AI summary works on a wide range of content, from articles to YouTube videos with a running time of several hours. We particularly liked the personal knowledge base and the way Recall automatically links related content. Spaced Repetition and Active Recall are outstanding features for students. However, some features are still in beta or will be available soon. The functions in the free version are severely limited in the number of users per day, and there is an upper limit for free use.
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.	9.0 Retrieval is fast and reliable in most cases. The summary is fast, even with very extreme examples such as a 9-hour news show that we had summarized in our test. Occasionally, we encountered errors or slowdowns, especially when asking further questions about the summarized content via the wizard. The team is actively working on performance improvements and there are regular updates. Overall, the tool feels stable and is suitable for everyday use.
Design	9.0 The design is intuitive and user-friendly. We think that navigation is very intuitive despite the many functions.	9.0 The user interface has a clear and modern design. The focus is on user-friendliness. We found the browser extension intuitive and easy to navigate. The tagging and organization system can be used flexibly, and some users mentioned minor bugs in the user interface, but these were only minimally noticeable in the test.
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.	8.1 The free tariff is suitable for infrequent users who do not need all the functions, as you will quickly reach the map limit. However, if you want to use the extension on a day-to-day basis, you cannot avoid the extension. The paid plan is competitively priced, especially with the student discount. We appreciate that some features will remain free forever, and the team is open to feedback on pricing. Compared to alternatives, Recall offers good value for money for those who need advanced knowledge management features, but casual users may find the limitations too restrictive and stop using the extension.
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 An account is required to use Recall. However, due to the integration with a Google and Apple login, this should be easy for everyone. Saving and summarizing content is a one-click process that is well explained at the beginning. However, mastering all functions (e.g., nested tags, links, and spatial repetitions) requires some time and some searching, which can lead to many users not being able to exploit the full potential.
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.	9.9 Recall is characterized by its privacy-friendly approach. User data is not used by the extension for advertising, profiling, or AI training. All content is stored securely, and users retain full control over their data. Data can be exported for inspection or deleted at any time. The data protection guidelines are transparent, and support is always available to answer questions about data protection. We were unable to identify any uncertainties during our review.
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.	Recall impressed us with its useful intelligent use of AI and its focus on helping users in their everyday lives, especially when learning. The browser extension makes it easy to capture content, and the revision features with auto-generated questions are a real bonus for learners. For occasional users, the free version may be enough, but if you want to use the extension, you can't avoid the paid version. The extension is not yet perfect and has small bugs, but the team reacts quickly to these and feedback, and many new functions are currently being introduced. Overall, Recall is a good choice for anyone looking to do more than just bookmark cards and build a personal knowledge base. If you're tired of forgetting what you've read online and want to save time, it's a must!
	Install Screencastify	Install Recall
Our Recommendation	In our comparison between Screencastify and Recall, Recall came out on top, scoring 8.9. Screencastify is the most widely used, with over 6 million users and 12k+ reviews, but Recall outperformed it in our review. User reviews reflect our findings. Notably, Recall has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.06, 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? Recall stands out with a rating of 9.2. On the other hand, Screencastify lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.8. Need top performance? Recall stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Screencastify lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.5. Both look and feel great: Screencastify and Recall. In the Design category, Screencastify has scored an excellent 9. The design is both attractive and highly functional, making it stand out. Want to get the most for your money? Recall stands out with a rating of 8.1. 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, Recall lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Recall stands out with a rating of 9.9. On the other hand, Screencastify lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. If you want a quick recommendation, Recall is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.