ScreenPal Review (2026): The Budget Pick for Course Creators

Formerly Screencast-O-Matic, ScreenPal pairs an unusually generous free tier with a real (if basic) editor — at the cost of a watermark until you pay.

What you get for free

ScreenPal's free plan allows unlimited recordings up to 15 minutes each — no monthly cap on total recordings, just a per-clip length limit. That alone puts it ahead of most competitors' free tiers. You also get a functional video editor: trimming, cropping, basic transitions, and simple text overlays, all in-browser or via the desktop app. The catch is a ScreenPal watermark burned into every export until you upgrade.

Editor depth

The editor won't compete with Camtasia's template-driven polish, but it covers what most course lessons actually need: cut dead air, add a title card, overlay callout text or arrows, and insert simple zoom/pan effects to draw attention to part of the screen. For creators who want "good enough" editing without a learning curve, this hits a sweet spot that pure recorders like OBS don't.

Pricing

The paid tier starts at $3/month for Solo Deluxe (billed annually), which removes the watermark, raises the per-clip cap, and adds cloud storage. That's meaningfully cheaper than every other paid tool in this category — Camtasia and Loom's paid tiers both run well into double digits per month. For solo creators on a tight budget, ScreenPal's paid tier is close to a no-brainer once the free plan's watermark becomes a problem.

Verdict

ScreenPal is the strongest budget option for course creators who need actual editing (not just raw recording) but can't justify Camtasia or Descript pricing. The 15-minute per-clip cap is generous enough for most individual lessons, and $3/month to remove the watermark is cheap insurance once you're publishing real courses.