Text Blaze is a powerful text expander tool that saves you time by automating repetitive typing tasks. Loved by over 400,000 users, it's perfect for professionals across various fields.
| 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. | |
Key Features A summary of the most important features offered by each extension. |
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Our Rating Tooltivity's expert review score for each extension, based on hands-on testing and research. | 9.3 Winner in this category | 7.8 |
Total users Total active users across all major browsers: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. | 617,650 | 6,000,000 Winner in this category |
Total ratings Total number of user ratings received across all supported browsers. | 1,615 | 11,733 Winner in this category |
Average rating Average user rating across all browsers, calculated from available store ratings. | 4.7 ⭐ Winner in this category | 4.0 ⭐ |
Entry Level Price The minimum price required to start using the extension. "Free" means a free tier is available. | Free | Free |
Chrome User rating and stats for the extension on Chrome browser. | ![]() 4.9 4.85 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 600.0K+Users Winner in this category | ![]() 4.0 3.63 Average Chrome Web Store rating from the last 100 reviews 6.0M+Users |
Edge User rating and stats for the extension on Edge browser. | ![]() 4.5 4.40 Average Microsoft Edge Store rating from the last 100 reviews 17.6K+Users Winner in this category | - |
Firefox User rating and stats for the extension on Firefox browser. | - | - |
Safari User rating and stats for the extension on Safari browser. | - | - |
Features Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Features' aspect of each extension. | 9.8 Text Blaze stands out because its features are unmatched by other tools. It excels at what it’s designed to do: generating text from shortcuts. The possibilities for creating your text snippets are practically limitless. You can:
Winner in this category | 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. |
Performance Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Performance' aspect of each extension. | 9.7 Text Blaze performs exceptionally well. There is no need to save, so that updating your shortcuts is straightforward. The snippets load quickly, and the AutoPilot feature works seamlessly. Winner in this category | 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. |
Design Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Design' aspect of each extension. | 9.5 The user interface is clean and intuitive, making it easy to navigate and organize snippets. Winner in this category | 9.0 The design is intuitive and user-friendly. We think that navigation is very intuitive despite the many functions. |
Value for Money Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Value for Money' aspect of each extension. | 9.5 The free version is quite powerful, and there was no need to upgrade for us when using it. The premium version offers good value for money, especially for teams. It's worth the investment as it will save you a lot of time. Winner in this category | 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. |
Ease of Use Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Ease of Use' aspect of each extension. | 8.5 Setting up and using Text Blaze is straightforward. The web interface is user-friendly, and the snippets are easy to create and manage. The only minor downside is the initial account creation process. Basic tasks like adding text fields are super simple, but some of the more advanced features might take a bit of time to master. That said, it's definitely worth the effort because they'll save you tons of time in the long run. Winner in this category | 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. Winner in this category |
Security & Privacy Tooltivity's expert score for the 'Security & Privacy' aspect of each extension. | 9.0 An account is required, but Text Blaze ensures that your data is secure and not sold or made public. The privacy policy is transparent and trustworthy. However, as with any online tool, it's essential to stay updated on their privacy policy. Winner in this category | 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. |
Conclusion A summary of our findings and final thoughts for each extension. | Text Blaze is a must-have tool for anyone looking to save time on repetitive typing tasks. Its powerful features, ease of use, and versatility make it an excellent choice for professionals across various fields. While some advanced features require a premium subscription, the value it offers is well worth the investment. | 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. |
Our Recommendation | In our comparison between Text Blaze and Screencastify, Text Blaze came out on top, scoring 9.3. Screencastify is the most widely used, with over 6 million users and 12k+ reviews, but Text Blaze outperformed it in our review. User reviews reflect our findings. Notably, Text Blaze has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.71, which supports its strong performance in our review. There are big differences between these extensions, so it's important to look at the details below to find the best fit for your needs.
If you want a quick recommendation, Text Blaze is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you. |