Compare Screencastify and Save to Pocket: 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.
Save to Pocket is a browser extension that lets you save articles, videos, and more. With over 2 M+ users, it promises a cross-device reading experience for perfect organization. But does it deliver?
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.
  • One-Click Saving: Save articles, videos, and more with a single click.
  • Cross-Device Sync: Access your saved content across all your devices.
  • Tagging System: Organize your saved items with tags.
  • Clean Reading Environment: Enjoy a distraction-free space to read your saved content.
  • Pocket Premium: Offers additional features like custom fonts, a permanent library, and unlimited highlights.
Our Rating
7.8
7.4
Total users
6,000,000
2,000,000
Total ratings
11,733
7,810
Average rating
4.0 ⭐
4.2 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.0
3.63
11.7K+ ratings
6.0M+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.2
3.34
7.8K+ ratings
2.0M+Users
Edge
-
-
Firefox
-
-
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:

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.

7.2

Save to Pocket offers a range of useful functions.
The standard is that of saving websites with one click and subsequent cross-device synchronization. This worked almost in real-time in the test and is a strong advantage of the tool.

synchro

The tagging system is particularly helpful for anyone who wants to organize and find their tags. This did not always work perfectly in the test. Sometimes websites were tagged, but these did not appear in the search with a unique search term.

search

Compared to competitors such as Web-Highlights, the highlighting function is only possible after saving a website in the pocket and then searching there. It is not possible to highlight directly on the website.

highlight
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.

6.0

The extension works when saving and synchronizing content on different devices. This happens almost in real-time.
However, there are performance problems with the login process, where the tab is closed on the first attempt without a login. It worked on the second attempt. There are many reports of problems with the login process in the reviews.
Searching for tags also did not work properly, 4 pages were tagged with “Web Clipper”, when searching for it only 2 pages were displayed again.

Design
9.0

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

8.0

The extension has a clear and intuitive design. The distraction-free reading environment is a good feature. However, the login process could be a little clearer.

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.

8.0

The free version offers basic functions that should be sufficient for many users. The premium version offers additional functions such as full-text searches or improved tagging. The price-performance ratio is fine for us but could be too high for many basic users if they only use it occasionally.

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.

7.0

The tool is generally easy to use, but the lack of initial instructions can be a problem for new users. There are also recurring registration problems, which are reported by other users in the reviews.

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.

8.0

Save to Pocket uses industry-standard security measures, including encryption and firewalls. However, there could be stronger assurances regarding data security and liability for third-party services.

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.

Save to Pocket is a tool for anyone who wants to save and organize web content efficiently.

Its cross-device synchronization makes it a valuable addition to your productivity toolkit. However, it does have some drawbacks, such as occasional login issues and a lack of detailed instructions. Beginners in particular may struggle here.

Overall, it's a solid choice for anyone who needs a reliable content storage solution.

Our Recommendation

In our comparison between Screencastify and Save to Pocket, Screencastify came out on top, scoring 7.8.

Screencastify is the most widely used, with over 6 million users and 12k+ reviews—and it also delivered the strongest performance in our tests. User reviews for Screencastify reflect our findings, while we rate Save to Pocket lower than users do.

Notably, Save to Pocket has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.23, which is even higher than our rating of 7.4.

In the end, the differences between these extensions are minimal, so your choice may come down to personal preference or specific features.


  • Looking for the richest feature set? Screencastify stands out with a rating of 8.8. On the other hand, Save to Pocket lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.2.
  • Need top performance? Screencastify stands out with a rating of 7.5. On the other hand, Save to Pocket lags behind in this area with a rating of 6.
  • Design lovers, take note: Screencastify stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Save to Pocket lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.
  • Want to get the most for your money? Save to Pocket stands out with a rating of 8. 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, Save to Pocket lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.
  • For privacy, it's a tie: Screencastify and Save to Pocket. In the Security & Privacy category, Screencastify has scored a solid 8. It offers adequate security and privacy features, though there is room for improvement.

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