Cap is a screen recorder built around quick, shareable video messages, with an open-source codebase you can inspect or run yourself. It records locally on macOS or Windows, or through a Chrome extension, then either uploads to Cap's cloud or stays on your own server.
Cap is genuinely open source, with the full source on GitHub, and it does offer real self-hosting: you can run your own instance and skip Cap's hosted cloud entirely. That makes its "open-source Loom alternative" pitch accurate rather than just marketing copy. Native apps cover macOS and Windows, plus a Chrome extension for browser-only recording. Studio Mode gives it a full editor for polished output, closer to what Screen Studio or Tella do, while Instant Mode covers the quick async-message use case Loom is known for.
Best for teams or individuals who want Loom's async-video workflow but don't want their recordings living on someone else's servers by default: engineering teams, privacy-conscious startups, or anyone who'd rather self-host than pay per seat indefinitely.
The desktop app is free to use, with unlimited local recording and a full Studio Mode editor at 4K/60fps. The catch is cloud sharing: free-tier shareable links cap out around 5 minutes, and commercial use needs the $29/year desktop license or Cap Pro at $12/user/month. Self-hosting sidesteps those caps but means running your own server.
Open source alternative to Loom. Lightweight, powerful, and stunning.
