One Rec vs Recordly
Recordly is an AGPLv3 open-source recorder that brings Screen Studio–style auto-zoom, cursor motion blur, and webcam overlays to macOS, Windows, and Linux. One Rec sits next to it on the free shelf and adds local AI captions, a live streaming studio, and cloud-hosted shareable links.
Short answer
One Rec vs Recordly: Recordly is the pure open-source choice if you want Screen Studio–style polish under AGPLv3 with no paywalls. One Rec adds local AI captions, a live streaming studio, and hosted sharing, at the cost of being source-available rather than fully open-source.
TL;DR
Quick verdict
- Both are free. One Rec ships local AI captions (Whisper, 17 languages). Recordly has no captioning today.
- One Rec ships a live streaming studio (in alpha) with multi-destination RTMP. Recordly is recording-and-editing only.
- Recordly is AGPLv3 open-source. One Rec is source-available under a fair-use license.
- Recordly exports looping GIFs with configurable frame rate and looping. One Rec also exports GIFs with frame-rate, size, and loop settings.
Feature comparison
How they compare
Verified feature-by-feature breakdown of One Rec vs Recordly.
| Feature | One Rec | Recordly |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
| Price | Free tier + $9/$19/mo paid | 100% free |
| Platforms & architecture | ||
| macOS | Included | Included |
| Windows (modern build) | Included | WGC on Windows 10 19041+ |
| Linux | X11 (no Wayland yet) | Electron capture, cursor hiding unsupported |
| Extension marketplace | Not included | Included |
| Homebrew cask install (macOS) | Not included | Included |
| Privacy & processing | ||
| Open-source license | Not included | AGPLv3 (canonical repo) |
| Recording | ||
| Auto-zoom | Included | Included |
| Cursor effects + motion blur | Included | Included |
| Custom backgrounds | Included | Included |
| Webcam overlay (smart bubble) | Included | Included |
| Device frames | Not included | Via extensions |
| 4K / 60fps | Native resolution at 30 fps; 4K export on Pro | Not explicitly documented |
| Editing | ||
| Timeline editor | Included | Included |
| Speed regions / time remapping | Not included | Included |
| GIF export with loop tuning | Included | Included |
| AI & captions | ||
| Local AI captions | Included | Not included |
| Live streaming & sharing | ||
| Live streaming studio | Included | Not included |
| Cloud-hosted shareable links | 3–500 by plan | Not included |
One Rec strengths
Where One Rec wins
Local AI captions out of the box
One Rec runs OpenAI Whisper on-device across 17 languages, so captions work offline after a one-time model download and your audio isn't uploaded. Recordly doesn't ship captioning today.
Live streaming studio included
One Rec is also a live studio (in alpha): scenes, guest invites on Creator and up, and multi-destination RTMP to YouTube, Twitch, Facebook, or custom servers, capped by plan. Recordly stops at recording and export.
Hosted shareable links
One Rec hosts up to 500 shared videos depending on your plan with configurable link expiry. Recordly exports files; sharing is on you.
A cleaner cursor on Linux (X11)
On X11, One Rec captures the screen without the system cursor and draws its own, so smoothing and click effects work. Recordly on Linux falls back to Electron capture APIs and cannot hide the real system cursor. One Rec doesn't support Wayland yet.
Honest take
When Recordly might be a better fit
Here's where Recordly might suit you better.
You need fully open-source software (AGPLv3)
Recordly's canonical repo is AGPLv3: full source, auditable, modifiable, redistributable under AGPL terms. One Rec is source-available but not OSI-approved. If open-source is a hard requirement, Recordly wins that lane.
You want zero paywalls, ever
Recordly has no tiers. No watermark, no account, no cloud, no subscription. One Rec has a free tier but gates 1080p and 4K export and watermark removal behind paid plans.
Extension marketplace and .recordly project files
Recordly's extension system and `.recordly` project format make it hackable and portable. If you value tinkerability and community-maintained extensions, that ecosystem is a real advantage.
Looping GIF workflows for bug reports and docs
Recordly has tuned GIF export with frame-rate and loop controls, ideal for inline documentation, bug reports, and support tickets. One Rec exports GIFs too, but Recordly is more opinionated around that loop format.
Decision helper
Which one should you pick?
Pick the column that sounds most like you.
Pick One Rec if…
- You need AI captions (local Whisper) for your recordings
- You sometimes go live and want a streaming studio in the same app
- You want hosted sharing with per-video expiry controls
- You record on Linux (X11) and want a clean, redrawn cursor
- You're willing to trade pure open-source for a more polished full-stack experience
Pick Recordly if…
- Open-source (AGPLv3) licensing is a hard requirement
- You refuse paywalls: 4K, no-watermark, and all editing must be free
- You want an extension marketplace and hackable project format
- Looping GIF export with precise control is your primary export format
- You're comfortable with Linux cursor-rendering limitations
Pricing
Side-by-side pricing
| Plan | One Rec | Recordly |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 free + $9/$19/mo paid | Free (donations only) |
| Watermark on free | Yes (removed on Creator+) | No watermark ever |
| 4K export | $19/month (Pro) | Not explicitly documented |
| License | Fair-use source-available | AGPLv3 |
| Streaming studio | Included | Not available |
Price
- One Rec
- $0 free + $9/$19/mo paid
- Recordly
- Free (donations only)
Watermark on free
- One Rec
- Yes (removed on Creator+)
- Recordly
- No watermark ever
4K export
- One Rec
- $19/month (Pro)
- Recordly
- Not explicitly documented
License
- One Rec
- Fair-use source-available
- Recordly
- AGPLv3
Streaming studio
- One Rec
- Included
- Recordly
- Not available
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Feature scope. One Rec adds local Whisper AI captions and a live streaming studio (in alpha) with multi-RTMP, plus hosted shareable links. Recordly sticks to a clean recording + editing loop under AGPLv3 with no cloud component.
No. Recordly is AGPLv3 (canonical webadderall repo). One Rec is source-available under a fair-use license that permits free personal and commercial use but isn't OSI-approved. If you need AGPL or MIT, Recordly is the match.
No. Recordly is recording and editing only. One Rec's streaming studio (in alpha) includes scenes, guest invites on Creator and up, and multi-destination RTMP output capped by plan.
Both export GIFs. Recordly is more opinionated around animated-loop workflows. One Rec exports GIF alongside MP4 and MOV, with 15 to 30 fps, size presets, and a loop toggle.
Both run on Linux, with nuances. One Rec records on X11 (Wayland isn't supported yet) and draws its own cursor. Recordly's Linux build relies on Electron capture APIs, so the system cursor is always visible in recordings. That's noticeable in clean demos.
See for yourself.
No account needed to record, edit or export, and no time limit on recordings. Try it on your next video.
Facts verified against Recordly (official website) on April 22, 2026. Spot something outdated? Let us know.