Compare Screencastify and SetupVPN: Which Extension is the Best?

	Screencastify	SetupVPN
	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	SetupVPN offers a free VPN service with limited features. While it provides basic privacy protection, it has significant limitations and frequently ads. VPN
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.	Free Version: Access to five different countries. Ease of Use: Simple interface suitable for beginners. Basic Privacy: Provides basic privacy protection.
Our Rating	7.8	6.3
Total users	6,000,000	1,738,957
Total ratings	11,733	53,375
Average rating	4.0 ⭐	4.4 ⭐
Entry Level Price	Free	Free
Chrome	4.0 11.7K+ ratings 6.0M+Users	4.7 47.3K+ ratings 1.0M+Users
Edge	-	4.0 981 ratings 664.8K+Users
Firefox	-	4.4 5.1K+ ratings 74.1K+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.	7.0 SetupVPN offers basic VPN functions with limited free access. With free access, you have the choice of 5 countries to log in to for 30 minutes at a time. When using the premium version, these limitations do not apply, but here too there is a lack of advanced security features like those offered by competitors.
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.	4.5 SetupVPN offers basic performance for occasional use. The free version has limited server locations, but the premium version offers better speed and reliability. Our tests included establishing a VPN connection to London and then using online services to try to localize the location. It turned out that in some cases the actual location was still localized and not London. From our point of view, a continuous secure connection is therefore not guaranteed.
Design	9.0 The design is intuitive and user-friendly. We think that navigation is very intuitive despite the many functions.	7.0 The design of SetupVPN is simple and intuitive. However, the layout in the free version is very dubious and annoying due to the excessive number of advertisements.
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.	6.0 In this category, the extension performs completely differently if you are looking for a free or premium extension. The costs for the premium version are reasonable compared to the competition. However, it should be noted that many other providers have even more functions that can be used at the same time. Here you only get the VPN service. With the free version, you have the option of selecting 5 different countries. Due to the presence of a lot of advertising and performance problems with the VPN, there are much better alternatives for free users.
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 Setting up the extension is straightforward. A connection can be established immediately after installation and you can even test whether the connection works. Nobody should have any problems here.
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.	5.0 SetupVPN offers only basic privacy protection, with limited security features. However, the many advertisements in the free version raise concerns about data collection. Many who use a VPN want to use it precisely so that their data is not stored. From our point of view, a VPN service with such many advertisements is very dubious.
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.	SetupVPN is a good choice for users who are only rarely looking for a simple, free VPN service. While it offers privacy features, it has strong drawbacks, such as dubious frequent advertising and limited free access. For those who need more robust privacy and security features, the premium version might be worth considering, but there should be better alternatives. Overall, we agree with the current reviews from other users that there are much better alternatives.
	Install Screencastify	Install SetupVPN
Our Recommendation	In our comparison between Screencastify and SetupVPN, 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 SetupVPN lower than users do. Notably, SetupVPN has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.37, which is even higher than our rating of 6.3. 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, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 7. Need top performance? Screencastify stands out with a rating of 7.5. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 4.5. Design lovers, take note: Screencastify stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 7. Want to get the most for your money? SetupVPN stands out with a rating of 6. 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, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 8. With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Screencastify stands out with a rating of 8. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 5. If you want a quick recommendation, Screencastify is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.