"[New] Elevate Video Engagement  Top 7 Free Thumbnail Design Tools"

"[New] Elevate Video Engagement Top 7 Free Thumbnail Design Tools"

Kevin Lv12

Elevate Video Engagement: Top 7 Free Thumbnail Design Tools

Top 12 Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers - Filmora

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Video thumbnails are vital to get your videos more views. Many successful YouTubers make nice thumbnails which help them get lots of views and thus tons of subscribers.

If you are searching for software tools that can assist in the creation of YouTube video thumbnails, then you are on the right page because the details available below will provide you with complete information about the top 10+ highly rated YouTube Thumbnail Makers on both desktop and mobile devices. Some of them are free to create YouTube thumbnails; others may need to pay to get more advanced features. Besides, I’ll also show you how to create a thumbnail in the Filmora video editor in detail.

Before we get started, it is highly recommended to watch this video, teaching you how to make a YouTube Thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora.

You might be interested in


Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version


Part 1:10+ Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers for Windows/Mac/Online/Android/iPhone/iPad

In this part, we will share with you some Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers that you can use. Some of them are online solutions, so there is no need to download them, some of them can be downloaded on Windows or Mac computers.

If you prefer to edit videos on mobile devices, then it is good to have an app that allows you to create video thumbnails for YouTube videos. So in this part, we have included some video thumbnail maker apps that you can use on iPhone and Android phones.

1. Canva

It is a free thumbnail maker that can be accessed from its official website at Canva.com. This Video Thumbnail Maker is useful for graphic designers as it offers incredible features. The simple to use drag and drop type functions are wonderful, and the effects available for your Thumbnail Creation include free stock-type photos, Illustrations, Lines, Shapes, Frames, Grids, Backgrounds, Text, etc. The quick customer support facility is appreciable. Note: You need to sign up to use the thumbnail templates.

Main Features of this free YouTube Thumbnail Maker:

  • It offers a customized YouTube thumbnail design
  • You can change images, colors and fonts easily
  • You can get more styles and templates if you pay
  • Registration needed

2. Wondershare PixStudio

PixStudio youtube thumbnail maker

Wondershare PixStudio is an all-in-one and powerful online graphic design maker for everyone. It has various types of templates for YouTube Thumbnails, Logos, Posters, etc. You can create a beautiful design by simply dragging and dropping the elements and photos. The online platform is free to use all templates, just One-Click to download your creations and share to your Facebook, Instagram Story, YouTube Thumbnails, etc. immediately.

Features

  • Various types of templates
  • Simple and Fast Design
  • Background remover

Available:
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

3. PicMonkey

picmonkey youtube thumbnail maker

This online thumbnail maker provides numerous filters, exclusive overlays, fonts, frames, and extra beautifying touch-up type tools to users with a single registration to Picmonkey’s premium membership. The exclusive effects like Ombre, zombify, premium fonts and Mirror are a really good collection of this tool. Now you can easily design beautiful collages, edit your memories, and create professional thumbnails with Picmonkey.com. Because of its wide range of options, it is probably the second most popular option for YouTubers who want to make professional thumbnails, right after Canva. One major difference between Picmonkey and Canva is that Picmonkey is no longer free. It costs $4 per month.

Features:

  • As a youtube thumbnail maker, you also can touch up facial beautification
  • Design tools make creative logos
  • Provides 100+ designer-crafted thumbnail templates

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

4. Fotor

fotor youtube thumbnail maker

It is possible to get something outstanding even out of your simple content without making much effort because Fotor serves you with all advanced features, and it covers attractive themes from all over the world. Fotor allows you to re-discover your art and skills without any limitation as it offers all quick editing services online. It is very interactive and simple to use with all rich features, so even beginners who haven’t made any thumbnail before can make a video thumbnail with it easily.

Features:

  • Your thumbnail will be saved on the cloud
  • Fast processing speed while exporting your work
  • Provides YouTube thumbnail templates for different scenarios

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

5. Fotojet

fotojet youtube thumbnail maker

The fotojet.com online tool provides numerous facilities, whereas it is preferably used for collage making, graphic designing, and as a photo editor. With this advanced thumbnail creator tool, now you can easily rotate, crop, resize or filter your images while creating direct posts for social media pages such as Instagram, Facebook, etc. Fotojet.com possesses more than 600 stunning collage making templates that are suitable for your special events.

Features:

  • It owns many templates for you to use
  • Easy to have a high-quality thumbnail with only a few clicks
  • 3 Steps to make a YouTube thumbnail

Available :
Online
Windows
Mac

6. Backgrounder

backgrounder youtube thumbnail maker

It allows you to design masterpieces of customized professional art, avatars, and thumbnails for videos on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It is simple to use and contains an interactive user interface that is suitable for professionals as well as beginners.

Features:

  • It owns a community that you can share works with other people
  • The interface is extremely straightforward

Available :
Online

7. Pixlr:

pixlr

It is a specially designs app version of well known Pixlr website where you can feel free to add overlays to your thumbnails. The choice of filters is also good for her with a high-end resolution as compared to available online solutions.

Features:

  • Its free effects are a great source to come up with a new YouTube thumbnail
  • Comprehensive editing tools are handy to use every day

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

8. Photo Editor:

photo editor

Photo Editor is one of the most popular applications that assist users in the easy addition of stickers, frames, etc while it makes adjustment of redeye, brightness, and sharpness much easier. Most people love this application more due to its ability to create memes with available images and text for those images can be adjusted easily. The photo editor also makes it much easier to share edited stuff on Instagram and the quality of edited images use to be very high in this case.

Features:

  • Color splash is a great tool to brighten up your thumbnail
  • You can easily crop, rotate and flip

Available :
iPhone/iPad

9. Insta Collage:

insta collage

The name of this application describes its most special feature that is it allows users to create wonderful collages within very little time. This tool comes with easy editing and sharing features so that users can have an easy interface on other platforms too. There are lots of effects that can be added to images while designing thumbnails and it is rated to have an outstanding quality of results.

Features:

  • The personalized layout will give you a catchy thumbnail
  • It owns 30 patterns and 18 frames to select

Available :
Android

10. Cropic:

cropic

Here is one more application for you that you will need for easy customization as well as fast sharing to YouTube as well as Instagram. Users can bring all size types to this platform, and it is also possible to add text at the time of editing. This tool is suggested for beginners as well as professionals due to its great results.

Features:

  • You can scale the image by hand and cut it
  • Pro version is more powerful for supporting 1224x1224 pixels

Available :
iPhone/iPad

With all these available software tools, it becomes much easier to create video Thumbnails for YouTube. The easy-to-follow steps are well described in different articles on the internet, but first of all, you need to make a selection between whether you need to use the online tool or wish to download the app on your device.

For the second case, you need to spare some memory in your device, whereas for the first one it demands a fast internet connection for easy services. Besides those specially designed YouTube Thumbnail makers, you can also create a thumbnail in Filmora if you’ve already installed it.

11. Snappa:

If you’re looking for a tool that can be upgraded later, then Snappa could be for you. Offering users both free and paid functions, Snappa will allow users to generate some truly alluring thumbnails, while still being able to use the tools for work on other social media platforms.

Features:

  • Pre-Made Templates Available
  • Easily Customize Backgrounds
  • Place Custom Text Anywhere You Want
  • Create a Truly Bespoke YouTube Thumbnail

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

12. Adobe Spark:

Not only is Adobe recognized for creating images in many different contexts, but it is also able to offer YouTubers a free tool to ensure that their video thumbnails are catching the eye of social network visitors.

Features:

  • A Basic and Easy-To-Use Platform
  • Ideal for Beginners
  • Customize Colors, Backgrounds, and Text with Ease
  • Add Additional Images if Needed

Available :
Windows 7 or newer
Mac OS X
Chromebook


Part 2: How to Make YouTube Thumbnails in Wondershare Filmora?

Filmora is easy to use and powerful video editing software for your YouTube videos, which allows you not only to cut, rotate, crop, reverse, or speed up your videos, but also to apply some advanced editing effects like green screen, PIP, audio editing, etc. within clicks.

Here are several creative ways of making thumbnails in Filmora. You can easily create a thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora’s new feature, AI portrait.

You can add your image or background image to Filmora and then add some filters, texts, overlay, or elements to the photo, and then take a snapshot, since Filmora features the snapshot tool which allows you to pick up the most attractive images from the video and use it as a video thumbnail.

Create YouTube Video Thumbnail with Photo

Thumbnail created from a photo in Filmora

Or, you can extract frames from the video and use it as a thumbnail and upload it to YouTube later.

Extract Frame from Video and Use as Thumbnail

Thumbnail extracted from video footage in Filmora

One more creative way is to compositevideo footage with the green screen feature .

Compositing with Green Screen to Make Thumbnail

Use Green Screen to Create Video Thumbnail in Filmora

Where to find the thumbnail photo in Wondershare Filmora?

After clicking the Camera icon in Filmora to take a screenshot, you can find the photos by right-clicking the image in the Media library and then selecting Reveal in Explorer to check it.

Find Screenshots in Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Part 3: FAQs About YouTube Thumbnail

1. What Does Thumbnail Mean on YouTube?

Thumbnails are reduced-size versions of images or videos. The name is an allusion to images being reduced to roughly the size of a human thumbnail. Thumbnails have special significance in YouTube SEO. They are used for drawing the viewers’ attention. A well-made thumbnail can bring millions of views for a YouTuber .

2. Which Is the Best Thumbnail Maker for YouTube?

Besides the thumbnail maker introduced above, the Filmora video editor and be used as an excellent thumbnail maker as well. Instead of going through the hassle of installing or subscribing to a separate program or website, it is better to use the extensive features of Filmora. It can take free snapshots for you, which you can modify within Filmora. There are stunning title templates, effects, overlays, transitions, and a large library of stock content at your service. From Part 2 in this article, you can see that making a YouTube thumbnail in Filmora is easy and efficient.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Video thumbnails are vital to get your videos more views. Many successful YouTubers make nice thumbnails which help them get lots of views and thus tons of subscribers.

If you are searching for software tools that can assist in the creation of YouTube video thumbnails, then you are on the right page because the details available below will provide you with complete information about the top 10+ highly rated YouTube Thumbnail Makers on both desktop and mobile devices. Some of them are free to create YouTube thumbnails; others may need to pay to get more advanced features. Besides, I’ll also show you how to create a thumbnail in the Filmora video editor in detail.

Before we get started, it is highly recommended to watch this video, teaching you how to make a YouTube Thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora.

You might be interested in


Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version


Part 1:10+ Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers for Windows/Mac/Online/Android/iPhone/iPad

In this part, we will share with you some Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers that you can use. Some of them are online solutions, so there is no need to download them, some of them can be downloaded on Windows or Mac computers.

If you prefer to edit videos on mobile devices, then it is good to have an app that allows you to create video thumbnails for YouTube videos. So in this part, we have included some video thumbnail maker apps that you can use on iPhone and Android phones.

1. Canva

It is a free thumbnail maker that can be accessed from its official website at Canva.com. This Video Thumbnail Maker is useful for graphic designers as it offers incredible features. The simple to use drag and drop type functions are wonderful, and the effects available for your Thumbnail Creation include free stock-type photos, Illustrations, Lines, Shapes, Frames, Grids, Backgrounds, Text, etc. The quick customer support facility is appreciable. Note: You need to sign up to use the thumbnail templates.

Main Features of this free YouTube Thumbnail Maker:

  • It offers a customized YouTube thumbnail design
  • You can change images, colors and fonts easily
  • You can get more styles and templates if you pay
  • Registration needed

2. Wondershare PixStudio

PixStudio youtube thumbnail maker

Wondershare PixStudio is an all-in-one and powerful online graphic design maker for everyone. It has various types of templates for YouTube Thumbnails, Logos, Posters, etc. You can create a beautiful design by simply dragging and dropping the elements and photos. The online platform is free to use all templates, just One-Click to download your creations and share to your Facebook, Instagram Story, YouTube Thumbnails, etc. immediately.

Features

  • Various types of templates
  • Simple and Fast Design
  • Background remover

Available:
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

3. PicMonkey

picmonkey youtube thumbnail maker

This online thumbnail maker provides numerous filters, exclusive overlays, fonts, frames, and extra beautifying touch-up type tools to users with a single registration to Picmonkey’s premium membership. The exclusive effects like Ombre, zombify, premium fonts and Mirror are a really good collection of this tool. Now you can easily design beautiful collages, edit your memories, and create professional thumbnails with Picmonkey.com. Because of its wide range of options, it is probably the second most popular option for YouTubers who want to make professional thumbnails, right after Canva. One major difference between Picmonkey and Canva is that Picmonkey is no longer free. It costs $4 per month.

Features:

  • As a youtube thumbnail maker, you also can touch up facial beautification
  • Design tools make creative logos
  • Provides 100+ designer-crafted thumbnail templates

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

4. Fotor

fotor youtube thumbnail maker

It is possible to get something outstanding even out of your simple content without making much effort because Fotor serves you with all advanced features, and it covers attractive themes from all over the world. Fotor allows you to re-discover your art and skills without any limitation as it offers all quick editing services online. It is very interactive and simple to use with all rich features, so even beginners who haven’t made any thumbnail before can make a video thumbnail with it easily.

Features:

  • Your thumbnail will be saved on the cloud
  • Fast processing speed while exporting your work
  • Provides YouTube thumbnail templates for different scenarios

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

5. Fotojet

fotojet youtube thumbnail maker

The fotojet.com online tool provides numerous facilities, whereas it is preferably used for collage making, graphic designing, and as a photo editor. With this advanced thumbnail creator tool, now you can easily rotate, crop, resize or filter your images while creating direct posts for social media pages such as Instagram, Facebook, etc. Fotojet.com possesses more than 600 stunning collage making templates that are suitable for your special events.

Features:

  • It owns many templates for you to use
  • Easy to have a high-quality thumbnail with only a few clicks
  • 3 Steps to make a YouTube thumbnail

Available :
Online
Windows
Mac

6. Backgrounder

backgrounder youtube thumbnail maker

It allows you to design masterpieces of customized professional art, avatars, and thumbnails for videos on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It is simple to use and contains an interactive user interface that is suitable for professionals as well as beginners.

Features:

  • It owns a community that you can share works with other people
  • The interface is extremely straightforward

Available :
Online

7. Pixlr:

pixlr

It is a specially designs app version of well known Pixlr website where you can feel free to add overlays to your thumbnails. The choice of filters is also good for her with a high-end resolution as compared to available online solutions.

Features:

  • Its free effects are a great source to come up with a new YouTube thumbnail
  • Comprehensive editing tools are handy to use every day

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

8. Photo Editor:

photo editor

Photo Editor is one of the most popular applications that assist users in the easy addition of stickers, frames, etc while it makes adjustment of redeye, brightness, and sharpness much easier. Most people love this application more due to its ability to create memes with available images and text for those images can be adjusted easily. The photo editor also makes it much easier to share edited stuff on Instagram and the quality of edited images use to be very high in this case.

Features:

  • Color splash is a great tool to brighten up your thumbnail
  • You can easily crop, rotate and flip

Available :
iPhone/iPad

9. Insta Collage:

insta collage

The name of this application describes its most special feature that is it allows users to create wonderful collages within very little time. This tool comes with easy editing and sharing features so that users can have an easy interface on other platforms too. There are lots of effects that can be added to images while designing thumbnails and it is rated to have an outstanding quality of results.

Features:

  • The personalized layout will give you a catchy thumbnail
  • It owns 30 patterns and 18 frames to select

Available :
Android

10. Cropic:

cropic

Here is one more application for you that you will need for easy customization as well as fast sharing to YouTube as well as Instagram. Users can bring all size types to this platform, and it is also possible to add text at the time of editing. This tool is suggested for beginners as well as professionals due to its great results.

Features:

  • You can scale the image by hand and cut it
  • Pro version is more powerful for supporting 1224x1224 pixels

Available :
iPhone/iPad

With all these available software tools, it becomes much easier to create video Thumbnails for YouTube. The easy-to-follow steps are well described in different articles on the internet, but first of all, you need to make a selection between whether you need to use the online tool or wish to download the app on your device.

For the second case, you need to spare some memory in your device, whereas for the first one it demands a fast internet connection for easy services. Besides those specially designed YouTube Thumbnail makers, you can also create a thumbnail in Filmora if you’ve already installed it.

11. Snappa:

If you’re looking for a tool that can be upgraded later, then Snappa could be for you. Offering users both free and paid functions, Snappa will allow users to generate some truly alluring thumbnails, while still being able to use the tools for work on other social media platforms.

Features:

  • Pre-Made Templates Available
  • Easily Customize Backgrounds
  • Place Custom Text Anywhere You Want
  • Create a Truly Bespoke YouTube Thumbnail

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

12. Adobe Spark:

Not only is Adobe recognized for creating images in many different contexts, but it is also able to offer YouTubers a free tool to ensure that their video thumbnails are catching the eye of social network visitors.

Features:

  • A Basic and Easy-To-Use Platform
  • Ideal for Beginners
  • Customize Colors, Backgrounds, and Text with Ease
  • Add Additional Images if Needed

Available :
Windows 7 or newer
Mac OS X
Chromebook


Part 2: How to Make YouTube Thumbnails in Wondershare Filmora?

Filmora is easy to use and powerful video editing software for your YouTube videos, which allows you not only to cut, rotate, crop, reverse, or speed up your videos, but also to apply some advanced editing effects like green screen, PIP, audio editing, etc. within clicks.

Here are several creative ways of making thumbnails in Filmora. You can easily create a thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora’s new feature, AI portrait.

You can add your image or background image to Filmora and then add some filters, texts, overlay, or elements to the photo, and then take a snapshot, since Filmora features the snapshot tool which allows you to pick up the most attractive images from the video and use it as a video thumbnail.

Create YouTube Video Thumbnail with Photo

Thumbnail created from a photo in Filmora

Or, you can extract frames from the video and use it as a thumbnail and upload it to YouTube later.

Extract Frame from Video and Use as Thumbnail

Thumbnail extracted from video footage in Filmora

One more creative way is to compositevideo footage with the green screen feature .

Compositing with Green Screen to Make Thumbnail

Use Green Screen to Create Video Thumbnail in Filmora

Where to find the thumbnail photo in Wondershare Filmora?

After clicking the Camera icon in Filmora to take a screenshot, you can find the photos by right-clicking the image in the Media library and then selecting Reveal in Explorer to check it.

Find Screenshots in Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Part 3: FAQs About YouTube Thumbnail

1. What Does Thumbnail Mean on YouTube?

Thumbnails are reduced-size versions of images or videos. The name is an allusion to images being reduced to roughly the size of a human thumbnail. Thumbnails have special significance in YouTube SEO. They are used for drawing the viewers’ attention. A well-made thumbnail can bring millions of views for a YouTuber .

2. Which Is the Best Thumbnail Maker for YouTube?

Besides the thumbnail maker introduced above, the Filmora video editor and be used as an excellent thumbnail maker as well. Instead of going through the hassle of installing or subscribing to a separate program or website, it is better to use the extensive features of Filmora. It can take free snapshots for you, which you can modify within Filmora. There are stunning title templates, effects, overlays, transitions, and a large library of stock content at your service. From Part 2 in this article, you can see that making a YouTube thumbnail in Filmora is easy and efficient.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Video thumbnails are vital to get your videos more views. Many successful YouTubers make nice thumbnails which help them get lots of views and thus tons of subscribers.

If you are searching for software tools that can assist in the creation of YouTube video thumbnails, then you are on the right page because the details available below will provide you with complete information about the top 10+ highly rated YouTube Thumbnail Makers on both desktop and mobile devices. Some of them are free to create YouTube thumbnails; others may need to pay to get more advanced features. Besides, I’ll also show you how to create a thumbnail in the Filmora video editor in detail.

Before we get started, it is highly recommended to watch this video, teaching you how to make a YouTube Thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora.

You might be interested in


Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version


Part 1:10+ Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers for Windows/Mac/Online/Android/iPhone/iPad

In this part, we will share with you some Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers that you can use. Some of them are online solutions, so there is no need to download them, some of them can be downloaded on Windows or Mac computers.

If you prefer to edit videos on mobile devices, then it is good to have an app that allows you to create video thumbnails for YouTube videos. So in this part, we have included some video thumbnail maker apps that you can use on iPhone and Android phones.

1. Canva

It is a free thumbnail maker that can be accessed from its official website at Canva.com. This Video Thumbnail Maker is useful for graphic designers as it offers incredible features. The simple to use drag and drop type functions are wonderful, and the effects available for your Thumbnail Creation include free stock-type photos, Illustrations, Lines, Shapes, Frames, Grids, Backgrounds, Text, etc. The quick customer support facility is appreciable. Note: You need to sign up to use the thumbnail templates.

Main Features of this free YouTube Thumbnail Maker:

  • It offers a customized YouTube thumbnail design
  • You can change images, colors and fonts easily
  • You can get more styles and templates if you pay
  • Registration needed

2. Wondershare PixStudio

PixStudio youtube thumbnail maker

Wondershare PixStudio is an all-in-one and powerful online graphic design maker for everyone. It has various types of templates for YouTube Thumbnails, Logos, Posters, etc. You can create a beautiful design by simply dragging and dropping the elements and photos. The online platform is free to use all templates, just One-Click to download your creations and share to your Facebook, Instagram Story, YouTube Thumbnails, etc. immediately.

Features

  • Various types of templates
  • Simple and Fast Design
  • Background remover

Available:
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

3. PicMonkey

picmonkey youtube thumbnail maker

This online thumbnail maker provides numerous filters, exclusive overlays, fonts, frames, and extra beautifying touch-up type tools to users with a single registration to Picmonkey’s premium membership. The exclusive effects like Ombre, zombify, premium fonts and Mirror are a really good collection of this tool. Now you can easily design beautiful collages, edit your memories, and create professional thumbnails with Picmonkey.com. Because of its wide range of options, it is probably the second most popular option for YouTubers who want to make professional thumbnails, right after Canva. One major difference between Picmonkey and Canva is that Picmonkey is no longer free. It costs $4 per month.

Features:

  • As a youtube thumbnail maker, you also can touch up facial beautification
  • Design tools make creative logos
  • Provides 100+ designer-crafted thumbnail templates

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

4. Fotor

fotor youtube thumbnail maker

It is possible to get something outstanding even out of your simple content without making much effort because Fotor serves you with all advanced features, and it covers attractive themes from all over the world. Fotor allows you to re-discover your art and skills without any limitation as it offers all quick editing services online. It is very interactive and simple to use with all rich features, so even beginners who haven’t made any thumbnail before can make a video thumbnail with it easily.

Features:

  • Your thumbnail will be saved on the cloud
  • Fast processing speed while exporting your work
  • Provides YouTube thumbnail templates for different scenarios

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

5. Fotojet

fotojet youtube thumbnail maker

The fotojet.com online tool provides numerous facilities, whereas it is preferably used for collage making, graphic designing, and as a photo editor. With this advanced thumbnail creator tool, now you can easily rotate, crop, resize or filter your images while creating direct posts for social media pages such as Instagram, Facebook, etc. Fotojet.com possesses more than 600 stunning collage making templates that are suitable for your special events.

Features:

  • It owns many templates for you to use
  • Easy to have a high-quality thumbnail with only a few clicks
  • 3 Steps to make a YouTube thumbnail

Available :
Online
Windows
Mac

6. Backgrounder

backgrounder youtube thumbnail maker

It allows you to design masterpieces of customized professional art, avatars, and thumbnails for videos on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It is simple to use and contains an interactive user interface that is suitable for professionals as well as beginners.

Features:

  • It owns a community that you can share works with other people
  • The interface is extremely straightforward

Available :
Online

7. Pixlr:

pixlr

It is a specially designs app version of well known Pixlr website where you can feel free to add overlays to your thumbnails. The choice of filters is also good for her with a high-end resolution as compared to available online solutions.

Features:

  • Its free effects are a great source to come up with a new YouTube thumbnail
  • Comprehensive editing tools are handy to use every day

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

8. Photo Editor:

photo editor

Photo Editor is one of the most popular applications that assist users in the easy addition of stickers, frames, etc while it makes adjustment of redeye, brightness, and sharpness much easier. Most people love this application more due to its ability to create memes with available images and text for those images can be adjusted easily. The photo editor also makes it much easier to share edited stuff on Instagram and the quality of edited images use to be very high in this case.

Features:

  • Color splash is a great tool to brighten up your thumbnail
  • You can easily crop, rotate and flip

Available :
iPhone/iPad

9. Insta Collage:

insta collage

The name of this application describes its most special feature that is it allows users to create wonderful collages within very little time. This tool comes with easy editing and sharing features so that users can have an easy interface on other platforms too. There are lots of effects that can be added to images while designing thumbnails and it is rated to have an outstanding quality of results.

Features:

  • The personalized layout will give you a catchy thumbnail
  • It owns 30 patterns and 18 frames to select

Available :
Android

10. Cropic:

cropic

Here is one more application for you that you will need for easy customization as well as fast sharing to YouTube as well as Instagram. Users can bring all size types to this platform, and it is also possible to add text at the time of editing. This tool is suggested for beginners as well as professionals due to its great results.

Features:

  • You can scale the image by hand and cut it
  • Pro version is more powerful for supporting 1224x1224 pixels

Available :
iPhone/iPad

With all these available software tools, it becomes much easier to create video Thumbnails for YouTube. The easy-to-follow steps are well described in different articles on the internet, but first of all, you need to make a selection between whether you need to use the online tool or wish to download the app on your device.

For the second case, you need to spare some memory in your device, whereas for the first one it demands a fast internet connection for easy services. Besides those specially designed YouTube Thumbnail makers, you can also create a thumbnail in Filmora if you’ve already installed it.

11. Snappa:

If you’re looking for a tool that can be upgraded later, then Snappa could be for you. Offering users both free and paid functions, Snappa will allow users to generate some truly alluring thumbnails, while still being able to use the tools for work on other social media platforms.

Features:

  • Pre-Made Templates Available
  • Easily Customize Backgrounds
  • Place Custom Text Anywhere You Want
  • Create a Truly Bespoke YouTube Thumbnail

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

12. Adobe Spark:

Not only is Adobe recognized for creating images in many different contexts, but it is also able to offer YouTubers a free tool to ensure that their video thumbnails are catching the eye of social network visitors.

Features:

  • A Basic and Easy-To-Use Platform
  • Ideal for Beginners
  • Customize Colors, Backgrounds, and Text with Ease
  • Add Additional Images if Needed

Available :
Windows 7 or newer
Mac OS X
Chromebook


Part 2: How to Make YouTube Thumbnails in Wondershare Filmora?

Filmora is easy to use and powerful video editing software for your YouTube videos, which allows you not only to cut, rotate, crop, reverse, or speed up your videos, but also to apply some advanced editing effects like green screen, PIP, audio editing, etc. within clicks.

Here are several creative ways of making thumbnails in Filmora. You can easily create a thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora’s new feature, AI portrait.

You can add your image or background image to Filmora and then add some filters, texts, overlay, or elements to the photo, and then take a snapshot, since Filmora features the snapshot tool which allows you to pick up the most attractive images from the video and use it as a video thumbnail.

Create YouTube Video Thumbnail with Photo

Thumbnail created from a photo in Filmora

Or, you can extract frames from the video and use it as a thumbnail and upload it to YouTube later.

Extract Frame from Video and Use as Thumbnail

Thumbnail extracted from video footage in Filmora

One more creative way is to compositevideo footage with the green screen feature .

Compositing with Green Screen to Make Thumbnail

Use Green Screen to Create Video Thumbnail in Filmora

Where to find the thumbnail photo in Wondershare Filmora?

After clicking the Camera icon in Filmora to take a screenshot, you can find the photos by right-clicking the image in the Media library and then selecting Reveal in Explorer to check it.

Find Screenshots in Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Part 3: FAQs About YouTube Thumbnail

1. What Does Thumbnail Mean on YouTube?

Thumbnails are reduced-size versions of images or videos. The name is an allusion to images being reduced to roughly the size of a human thumbnail. Thumbnails have special significance in YouTube SEO. They are used for drawing the viewers’ attention. A well-made thumbnail can bring millions of views for a YouTuber .

2. Which Is the Best Thumbnail Maker for YouTube?

Besides the thumbnail maker introduced above, the Filmora video editor and be used as an excellent thumbnail maker as well. Instead of going through the hassle of installing or subscribing to a separate program or website, it is better to use the extensive features of Filmora. It can take free snapshots for you, which you can modify within Filmora. There are stunning title templates, effects, overlays, transitions, and a large library of stock content at your service. From Part 2 in this article, you can see that making a YouTube thumbnail in Filmora is easy and efficient.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Video thumbnails are vital to get your videos more views. Many successful YouTubers make nice thumbnails which help them get lots of views and thus tons of subscribers.

If you are searching for software tools that can assist in the creation of YouTube video thumbnails, then you are on the right page because the details available below will provide you with complete information about the top 10+ highly rated YouTube Thumbnail Makers on both desktop and mobile devices. Some of them are free to create YouTube thumbnails; others may need to pay to get more advanced features. Besides, I’ll also show you how to create a thumbnail in the Filmora video editor in detail.

Before we get started, it is highly recommended to watch this video, teaching you how to make a YouTube Thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora.

You might be interested in


Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version


Part 1:10+ Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers for Windows/Mac/Online/Android/iPhone/iPad

In this part, we will share with you some Free YouTube Thumbnail Makers that you can use. Some of them are online solutions, so there is no need to download them, some of them can be downloaded on Windows or Mac computers.

If you prefer to edit videos on mobile devices, then it is good to have an app that allows you to create video thumbnails for YouTube videos. So in this part, we have included some video thumbnail maker apps that you can use on iPhone and Android phones.

1. Canva

It is a free thumbnail maker that can be accessed from its official website at Canva.com. This Video Thumbnail Maker is useful for graphic designers as it offers incredible features. The simple to use drag and drop type functions are wonderful, and the effects available for your Thumbnail Creation include free stock-type photos, Illustrations, Lines, Shapes, Frames, Grids, Backgrounds, Text, etc. The quick customer support facility is appreciable. Note: You need to sign up to use the thumbnail templates.

Main Features of this free YouTube Thumbnail Maker:

  • It offers a customized YouTube thumbnail design
  • You can change images, colors and fonts easily
  • You can get more styles and templates if you pay
  • Registration needed

2. Wondershare PixStudio

PixStudio youtube thumbnail maker

Wondershare PixStudio is an all-in-one and powerful online graphic design maker for everyone. It has various types of templates for YouTube Thumbnails, Logos, Posters, etc. You can create a beautiful design by simply dragging and dropping the elements and photos. The online platform is free to use all templates, just One-Click to download your creations and share to your Facebook, Instagram Story, YouTube Thumbnails, etc. immediately.

Features

  • Various types of templates
  • Simple and Fast Design
  • Background remover

Available:
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

3. PicMonkey

picmonkey youtube thumbnail maker

This online thumbnail maker provides numerous filters, exclusive overlays, fonts, frames, and extra beautifying touch-up type tools to users with a single registration to Picmonkey’s premium membership. The exclusive effects like Ombre, zombify, premium fonts and Mirror are a really good collection of this tool. Now you can easily design beautiful collages, edit your memories, and create professional thumbnails with Picmonkey.com. Because of its wide range of options, it is probably the second most popular option for YouTubers who want to make professional thumbnails, right after Canva. One major difference between Picmonkey and Canva is that Picmonkey is no longer free. It costs $4 per month.

Features:

  • As a youtube thumbnail maker, you also can touch up facial beautification
  • Design tools make creative logos
  • Provides 100+ designer-crafted thumbnail templates

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

4. Fotor

fotor youtube thumbnail maker

It is possible to get something outstanding even out of your simple content without making much effort because Fotor serves you with all advanced features, and it covers attractive themes from all over the world. Fotor allows you to re-discover your art and skills without any limitation as it offers all quick editing services online. It is very interactive and simple to use with all rich features, so even beginners who haven’t made any thumbnail before can make a video thumbnail with it easily.

Features:

  • Your thumbnail will be saved on the cloud
  • Fast processing speed while exporting your work
  • Provides YouTube thumbnail templates for different scenarios

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

5. Fotojet

fotojet youtube thumbnail maker

The fotojet.com online tool provides numerous facilities, whereas it is preferably used for collage making, graphic designing, and as a photo editor. With this advanced thumbnail creator tool, now you can easily rotate, crop, resize or filter your images while creating direct posts for social media pages such as Instagram, Facebook, etc. Fotojet.com possesses more than 600 stunning collage making templates that are suitable for your special events.

Features:

  • It owns many templates for you to use
  • Easy to have a high-quality thumbnail with only a few clicks
  • 3 Steps to make a YouTube thumbnail

Available :
Online
Windows
Mac

6. Backgrounder

backgrounder youtube thumbnail maker

It allows you to design masterpieces of customized professional art, avatars, and thumbnails for videos on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It is simple to use and contains an interactive user interface that is suitable for professionals as well as beginners.

Features:

  • It owns a community that you can share works with other people
  • The interface is extremely straightforward

Available :
Online

7. Pixlr:

pixlr

It is a specially designs app version of well known Pixlr website where you can feel free to add overlays to your thumbnails. The choice of filters is also good for her with a high-end resolution as compared to available online solutions.

Features:

  • Its free effects are a great source to come up with a new YouTube thumbnail
  • Comprehensive editing tools are handy to use every day

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

8. Photo Editor:

photo editor

Photo Editor is one of the most popular applications that assist users in the easy addition of stickers, frames, etc while it makes adjustment of redeye, brightness, and sharpness much easier. Most people love this application more due to its ability to create memes with available images and text for those images can be adjusted easily. The photo editor also makes it much easier to share edited stuff on Instagram and the quality of edited images use to be very high in this case.

Features:

  • Color splash is a great tool to brighten up your thumbnail
  • You can easily crop, rotate and flip

Available :
iPhone/iPad

9. Insta Collage:

insta collage

The name of this application describes its most special feature that is it allows users to create wonderful collages within very little time. This tool comes with easy editing and sharing features so that users can have an easy interface on other platforms too. There are lots of effects that can be added to images while designing thumbnails and it is rated to have an outstanding quality of results.

Features:

  • The personalized layout will give you a catchy thumbnail
  • It owns 30 patterns and 18 frames to select

Available :
Android

10. Cropic:

cropic

Here is one more application for you that you will need for easy customization as well as fast sharing to YouTube as well as Instagram. Users can bring all size types to this platform, and it is also possible to add text at the time of editing. This tool is suggested for beginners as well as professionals due to its great results.

Features:

  • You can scale the image by hand and cut it
  • Pro version is more powerful for supporting 1224x1224 pixels

Available :
iPhone/iPad

With all these available software tools, it becomes much easier to create video Thumbnails for YouTube. The easy-to-follow steps are well described in different articles on the internet, but first of all, you need to make a selection between whether you need to use the online tool or wish to download the app on your device.

For the second case, you need to spare some memory in your device, whereas for the first one it demands a fast internet connection for easy services. Besides those specially designed YouTube Thumbnail makers, you can also create a thumbnail in Filmora if you’ve already installed it.

11. Snappa:

If you’re looking for a tool that can be upgraded later, then Snappa could be for you. Offering users both free and paid functions, Snappa will allow users to generate some truly alluring thumbnails, while still being able to use the tools for work on other social media platforms.

Features:

  • Pre-Made Templates Available
  • Easily Customize Backgrounds
  • Place Custom Text Anywhere You Want
  • Create a Truly Bespoke YouTube Thumbnail

Available :
Online
iPhone/iPad
Android

12. Adobe Spark:

Not only is Adobe recognized for creating images in many different contexts, but it is also able to offer YouTubers a free tool to ensure that their video thumbnails are catching the eye of social network visitors.

Features:

  • A Basic and Easy-To-Use Platform
  • Ideal for Beginners
  • Customize Colors, Backgrounds, and Text with Ease
  • Add Additional Images if Needed

Available :
Windows 7 or newer
Mac OS X
Chromebook


Part 2: How to Make YouTube Thumbnails in Wondershare Filmora?

Filmora is easy to use and powerful video editing software for your YouTube videos, which allows you not only to cut, rotate, crop, reverse, or speed up your videos, but also to apply some advanced editing effects like green screen, PIP, audio editing, etc. within clicks.

Here are several creative ways of making thumbnails in Filmora. You can easily create a thumbnail in 30 seconds with Filmora’s new feature, AI portrait.

You can add your image or background image to Filmora and then add some filters, texts, overlay, or elements to the photo, and then take a snapshot, since Filmora features the snapshot tool which allows you to pick up the most attractive images from the video and use it as a video thumbnail.

Create YouTube Video Thumbnail with Photo

Thumbnail created from a photo in Filmora

Or, you can extract frames from the video and use it as a thumbnail and upload it to YouTube later.

Extract Frame from Video and Use as Thumbnail

Thumbnail extracted from video footage in Filmora

One more creative way is to compositevideo footage with the green screen feature .

Compositing with Green Screen to Make Thumbnail

Use Green Screen to Create Video Thumbnail in Filmora

Where to find the thumbnail photo in Wondershare Filmora?

After clicking the Camera icon in Filmora to take a screenshot, you can find the photos by right-clicking the image in the Media library and then selecting Reveal in Explorer to check it.

Find Screenshots in Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Part 3: FAQs About YouTube Thumbnail

1. What Does Thumbnail Mean on YouTube?

Thumbnails are reduced-size versions of images or videos. The name is an allusion to images being reduced to roughly the size of a human thumbnail. Thumbnails have special significance in YouTube SEO. They are used for drawing the viewers’ attention. A well-made thumbnail can bring millions of views for a YouTuber .

2. Which Is the Best Thumbnail Maker for YouTube?

Besides the thumbnail maker introduced above, the Filmora video editor and be used as an excellent thumbnail maker as well. Instead of going through the hassle of installing or subscribing to a separate program or website, it is better to use the extensive features of Filmora. It can take free snapshots for you, which you can modify within Filmora. There are stunning title templates, effects, overlays, transitions, and a large library of stock content at your service. From Part 2 in this article, you can see that making a YouTube thumbnail in Filmora is easy and efficient.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Pro Gamers’ Preferred Video Capture

15 Best Game Recording Software for YouTuber in 2024

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

There is no doubt that gaming is one of the largest entertainment sources for most of people. The advanced technology has led to the development of game recorders by which you can record the video of your favorite game and share it with your friends and viewers on YouTube.

Wondershare Filmstock Gaming Video Editing Skils ](https://filmstock.wondershare.com/creative-theme-game?source%5Fchannel=seo%5Farticle&spm=rs.filmora%5Fweb )


You might be interested in:


If you are looking for a screen recorder that allows you to capture your gameplay, add markers to the important point during playing, and edit the recorded gameplay video easily, then we recommend you to try Wondershare DemoCreator.

With DemoCreator, you can:

  • Add Markers to important points during recording
  • Record high paced games at up to 120 fps
  • Capture video, system audio, webcam, and mic at the same time
  • Record the entire screen or just a part of your screen
  • Change video speed and add fade in and fade out with a simple drag
  • Detach audio and record voice narration during editing and reduce the noise
  • Use the Blur effect to blur the private info or remove the watermark
  • Share videos to Vimeo, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch directly

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

However, if you are looking for a video editing software that provides various gameplay elements, I want to recommend - Wondershare Filmora , an easy to use while powerful video editor that allows you not only cut, split, crop, resize, reverse your videos, but also offers you multiple video effects specially designed for Fashion, Beauty, Gaming, Travel, Education, etc. Check the video to know more fantastic features, and keep reading the article to know why Filmora is still one of the best options when it comes to gameplay recording.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


15 Best Game Screen Recorders for Recording Game Videos

1. ShadowPlay

shadowplay recording software

It is free game video capture software created by Nvidia GeForce for streaming game videos. There are two modes of this video recording tool i.e. Manual mode and Shadow mode.

Features:

  • Instant replay and record
  • Excellent hardware i.e. a GPU-accelerated video encoder
  • It has a minimal performance impact
  • Records up to 4K resolution at the speed of 130 Mbps

Compatibility: Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10

Pros:

  • Unlimited recording time in manual mode
  • Allow it users to capture full desktop screen

Cons:

  • Geforce GTX 600 and above is required to operate this software.

Price: It is available free of cost.

We have researched about how to record gameplay with Nvidia ShadowPlay, check this article How to Use Nvidia Share or ShadowPlay to Record Gameplay for the detailed information.

2. Camtasia

camtasia recording software

It is one of the best game recorders for recording professional videos on your PC. You can also import HD videos from an external source. The interactive videos can also be created by using this software.

Features:

  • Stunning graphics
  • Direct link to social media
  • Effective recording option
  • Drag and drop editing
  • Google Drive integration

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8 and 7 SP1

Pros:

  • You can easily include animated items
  • Video, audio and cursor tracks can be edited individually
  • Provides panning and zooming options
  • Incorporates webcam
  • You can also use the green screen effect

Cons:

  • Free trial for only 30 days.
  • The users cannot record videos for commercial use in the free version
  • Very expensive
  • Works slowly on large projects

Price: $299.00 USD but it can be reduced if you buy 5-9 licenses

3. Open Broadcast Software

open broadcast recording software

It is an open-source game recording tool having unlimited customization options. You can get idea about this software by its name i.e. the game streams can be broadcasted on various websites such as Twitch, YouTube, Hitbox etc.

Features:

  • Simple interface
  • Limitless scenes and sources
  • It has file output to FLV or MP4
  • GPU-based video game capture

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8, 8.1, Vista and 7, Version for Linux and Mac OS X is also in the pipeline

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • High-speed performance
  • Keyboard shortcuts

Cons:

  • A sharp learning curve
  • Difficult to construct scenes

Price: Free

4.Bandicam

bandicam recording software

It is a perfect choice for beginners as it is easy to understand. You can also record a video game that utilizes the Direct X or OpenGL technology and share on YouTube with a single click. The size of the window can also be adjusted according to your need.

Features:

  • Built-in compression feature ensuring high-quality videos
  • Recording can be done for more than 24 hours
  • You can record videos at 4k Ultra HD resolution

Compatibility: Windows XP, 10, 8.1, 8, and 7

Pros:

  • Maximum frame rate i.e. 120 fps
  • Two different audio inputs can be recorded at the same time

Cons:

  • It does not proffer live streaming

Price: Free trial, $59 for two licenses, $39 for one license

5. EpicRewind

epicrewind recording software

This software is developed recently introducing a unique feature i.e. RAM Rolling Buffer mode. It enables the user to replay the recording instantly. The buffer contents can also be saved by pressing a hotkey.

Features:

  • You can conveniently capture screenshot and video from browser games or flash games.
  • Direct-To-Disk capture mode
  • Video Output Format and Codec can be configured with great ease.

Compatibility: It does not support windows

Pros:

  • Videos are not encoded all the time.

Cons:

  • It cannot be run on the Windows operating system.

Price: Free trial of the base version

6.D3DGear

d3dgear recording software

It is a very simple and light recorder. This software compresses the recorded files in real-time mode i.e. you are able to record screen activity even if there is less space in your storage drive. The videos can be shared over any social networking website.

Features:

  • User-friendly interface
  • Built-in compression system

Compatibility: Windows XP, 7, 10, 8, 8.1 and Vista

Pros:

  • You can do live video streaming
  • The audio files can be saved separately.

Cons:

  • Pro version is very costly

Price: 15-day free trial otherwise it costs $34.95.

7.Fraps

fraps recording software

It is one of the most famous game screen recorders having superb features. The average performance rate can also be measured by using this recorder. You can also save these statistics in a different file. It is also very light software similar to D3DGear.

Features:

  • It can be used as a benchmark tool.
  • Capture high-quality footage

Compatibility: Windows Vista, XP, 7, 10, 8.1 and 8

Pros:

  • You can record videos at 7680×4800 resolution
  • Frames can be adjusted up to 120fps

Cons:

  • It does not have streaming options

Price: Free version with few features, full version at $37

8.Microsoft Screen Encoder 4

mirosoft screen recording software

It is an advanced version of Microsoft screen encoder 3. It has wonderful graphics and live IIS (Internet Information Services) smooth streaming options. The Windows Media video, as well as audio files, can be produced with the help of this software.

Features:

  • Screen capture
  • GUI interface
  • Live template support

Compatibility: Windows 7, Vista, Windows XP service pack2

Pros:

  • High-quality playback
  • Enables encoding using H.261Intuitive interface

Cons:

  • Less editing tools in comparison to other software
  • You cannot export your recordings to Sony Vegas11

Price: Pro version costs $199.95 while the standard version is free having limited features

9.Tinytake

tinytake recording software

This game recorder is an ideal choice for making commercial presentations. This software allows its users to capture video from the selected region and upload it directly on YouTube or any other social media.

Features:

  • Drag and drop option
  • You can conveniently annotate the videos
  • Inbuilt online file viewer

Compatibility: It can work with Windows as well as Mac operating system

Pros:

  • You can develop custom shortcut keys
  • Bulk files sharing
  • You can run this software on mobile devices

Cons:

  • Files are saved only in MP4 format
  • Video recording can be done up to 2 hours
  • No free version is available for business purposes

Price: It ranges between $29.95 and $199.95 for a yearly plan. You will also get storage memory space up to 2TB with a business plan.

10.Ezvid

ezvid game recording software

This screen software is specially designed for saving the time of the users. It also increases the recording speed and video editing capabilities. You can also add text and watermark to the videos.

Features:-

  • Videos are uploaded on YouTube in a fast manner.
  • It provides computer speech for narrative purposes.
  • Modern and sleek interface

Compatibility: Windows XP SP3, 7 and Vista

Pros:

  • High-quality video resolution
  • You can also select the most popular music tracks
  • It also has a facecam and a video editor
  • You can also drag and drop videos
  • Professional videos can be created in a few minutes

Cons:

  • It is glitch and leggy.
  • It requires 10GB free space
  • Fewer features as compared to Camtasia software

Price: Free

11. Gecata

gecata

Gecata by Movavi is a lightweight video recording tool designed to capture gameplays. Screen recording with this program is easy without needing external hardware. You can capture all screen activities and save recordings in major video formats, including .MOV, .MP4, .AVI, and GIF.

Features:

  • One-click screenshots
  • Game mode for automatic recording
  • Screen and audio recording simultaneously and separately
  • Graphics hardware integration option (NVIDIA or Intel) for 400% faster encoding

Compatibility: Windows 7/8/10

Pros:

  • Simple interface
  • Speedy capturing
  • Tested on dozens of games
  • Game recording up to 120fps

Cons:

  • The free version pastes a watermark on the recording
  • Lagging

Price: $30.95 for a lifetime

12. EaseUS RecExperts

recexperts

RecExperts by EaseUS is a premium screen recorder with many exciting features. For instance, you can record a particular part of the screen by making a selection through your mouse. Likewise, you can also record multiple screens side by side.

While RecExperts is made for gamers and YouTubers, you can use this tool for a wide range of purposes. Such as recording an online meeting, video tutorial, and more.

Features:

  • Sound recording and extracting
  • Web camera capturing
  • Saving captured video into GIF
  • Screenshots
  • Schedule recording with automatic stop and split options

Compatibility: Windows 7/8.1/10/11 and macOS 10.13 or later

Pros:

  • Simple software design
  • Allows editing on the captured screen
  • Supports different video and formats, including MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI

Cons:

  • Limited editing, such as trimming and cutting

Price: $19.95 per month, $39.95 per year, and $79.95 for a lifetime

13. Flashback Express (Free Version)

flashback express

Flashback Express is a screen recording and editing software. It is a powerful tool for recording desktop screens simultaneously with mic sounds. You can also add webcam recordings to recorded gameplays as most YouTubers do.

Besides, there’s no time limit on the recording. So whether you want to capture a small portion of your video or screen record several hours of gameplay, feel free to do it.

Features:

  • Video trimming
  • Multi-screen recording
  • Webcam overlay
  • Direct YouTube uploading option

Compatibility: Windows 7/8.1/10/11

Pros:

  • Easy interface
  • No watermark
  • Voice over during screen capturing
  • Selected and full-screen recording
  • You can save the recordings in MP4

Cons:

  • Difficult export settings
  • Unable to export audio in the free version
  • You need to convert the video using other programs if you want your recording in different video formats

Price: Free

14. Snagit

snagit

Snagit is another product by TechSmith (the developers of Camtasia). It’s a super easy tool to take screenshots and record screens.

You can save the captured video in MP4 and directly send the file through email. You can also upload files on different platforms and applications, including YouTube, Twitter, Slack, Google Drive, and more.

Features:

  • Screen and audio recording
  • Annotations
  • Video trimming
  • Webcam recording
  • Cloud library
  • Video conversion to GIFs
  • Panoramic screen capturing

Compatibility: Windows 10/11 and Mac 11 or later

Pros:

  • Simple user interface
  • Fast video uploading to various platforms

Cons:

  • Saved videos are only available in MP4 format

Price:$62.99 for a lifetime, including first-year maintenance (regular maintenance charges are $12.6 per year applicable after completing the first year)

15. Filmora

filmora

Filmora is an all-in-one program and is one of the top video editing tools cherished by all types of users – beginners and professionals. But what makes this software super cool for gamers and YouTubers is its screen recording option. With comprehensive features, you can record your gameplay and edit your screen recordings by using a wide range of features.

Features:

  • Support 4K editing
  • Noise removal
  • Advanced text editor
  • Color tuning
  • Audio mixing

Compatibility: Windows 7/8/10/11 (64-bit) and macOS V10.1/V10.13/V10.14/V10.15/V11/V12

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface
  • Huge effects library
  • Affordable perpetual licensing
  • Wide range of features
  • Support various video formats
  • High-quality results

Cons:

  • The free version includes a watermark
  • You need to purchase the product to use some important features, such as keyframing

Price: $29.99 per month, $69.99 per year, and $79.99 for a perpetual

What to look for game screen recorder

There are many people who do not have any knowledge regarding game capture software. You must look for the following things before choosing a game screen recorder.

  • The option of personalizing the hotkeys
  • Number of built-in tools
  • How to begin and pause recording
  • Number of codes offered by it
  • Recording time
  • Editing features like cut and paste
  • Custom-made Recording Resolution
  • Adjustable video frames

In addition to this, some game recorders also affect your in-game fps (Frame per second). You should also check whether it is compatible with large-sized files or not. The quality of the video also depends upon the file size. The larger is file size, the higher is video quality. However, you can face problems while uploading huge-sized videos as online content distributors hardly support such files. So you must compress your video before sharing anywhere. There are also some recorders that provide a direct link to social networking sites. Thus you should consider these factors also before purchasing the game recording software.

You can easily run this recorder on your computer if it is updated and has 8GB of RAM. PC should also have two storage drives so as to install gaming software on one drive and record videos on another drive. It is also advisable to use computers than laptops for recording screen activities because laptops rarely have two storage drives.

You can easily run this recorder on your computer if it is updated and has 8GB of RAM. PC should also have two storage drives so as to install gaming software on one drive and record videos on another drive. It is also advisable to use computers than laptops for recording screen activities because laptops rarely have two storage drives.

FAQs

Q1. What software do YouTubers use to record gameplay?

Most gamers on YouTube use Open Broadcast System (OBS) and Bandicam to record their gameplays. However, there are a few more authentic screen recording tools for high-quality video recording, such as Filmora.

Using Filmora to record your gameplay will help you save the video in all major video formats. Moreover, the tool is also compatible with Mac and Windows operating systems.

Q2. How do I record my screen smoothly?

You should do a couple of things to avoid lagging while screen recording your gameplay. For example, do not use your built-in microphone to record your voice during screen recording. Instead, use an external microphone.

Only record what is important. Use high RAM and have a good graphics card. And most importantly, get screen recorders with at least 60fps.

Q3. Does screen recording decrease FPS?

Yes, it does affect your overall gaming performance. However, it depends on several factors. For instance, the fps won’t be affected much if you’re playing a less CPU-intensive game. The only way to sustain FPS is to have a high-quality screen recorder, such as OBS, Filmora, Bandicam, and Fraps.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

There is no doubt that gaming is one of the largest entertainment sources for most of people. The advanced technology has led to the development of game recorders by which you can record the video of your favorite game and share it with your friends and viewers on YouTube.

Wondershare Filmstock Gaming Video Editing Skils ](https://filmstock.wondershare.com/creative-theme-game?source%5Fchannel=seo%5Farticle&spm=rs.filmora%5Fweb )


You might be interested in:


If you are looking for a screen recorder that allows you to capture your gameplay, add markers to the important point during playing, and edit the recorded gameplay video easily, then we recommend you to try Wondershare DemoCreator.

With DemoCreator, you can:

  • Add Markers to important points during recording
  • Record high paced games at up to 120 fps
  • Capture video, system audio, webcam, and mic at the same time
  • Record the entire screen or just a part of your screen
  • Change video speed and add fade in and fade out with a simple drag
  • Detach audio and record voice narration during editing and reduce the noise
  • Use the Blur effect to blur the private info or remove the watermark
  • Share videos to Vimeo, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch directly

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

However, if you are looking for a video editing software that provides various gameplay elements, I want to recommend - Wondershare Filmora , an easy to use while powerful video editor that allows you not only cut, split, crop, resize, reverse your videos, but also offers you multiple video effects specially designed for Fashion, Beauty, Gaming, Travel, Education, etc. Check the video to know more fantastic features, and keep reading the article to know why Filmora is still one of the best options when it comes to gameplay recording.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


15 Best Game Screen Recorders for Recording Game Videos

1. ShadowPlay

shadowplay recording software

It is free game video capture software created by Nvidia GeForce for streaming game videos. There are two modes of this video recording tool i.e. Manual mode and Shadow mode.

Features:

  • Instant replay and record
  • Excellent hardware i.e. a GPU-accelerated video encoder
  • It has a minimal performance impact
  • Records up to 4K resolution at the speed of 130 Mbps

Compatibility: Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10

Pros:

  • Unlimited recording time in manual mode
  • Allow it users to capture full desktop screen

Cons:

  • Geforce GTX 600 and above is required to operate this software.

Price: It is available free of cost.

We have researched about how to record gameplay with Nvidia ShadowPlay, check this article How to Use Nvidia Share or ShadowPlay to Record Gameplay for the detailed information.

2. Camtasia

camtasia recording software

It is one of the best game recorders for recording professional videos on your PC. You can also import HD videos from an external source. The interactive videos can also be created by using this software.

Features:

  • Stunning graphics
  • Direct link to social media
  • Effective recording option
  • Drag and drop editing
  • Google Drive integration

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8 and 7 SP1

Pros:

  • You can easily include animated items
  • Video, audio and cursor tracks can be edited individually
  • Provides panning and zooming options
  • Incorporates webcam
  • You can also use the green screen effect

Cons:

  • Free trial for only 30 days.
  • The users cannot record videos for commercial use in the free version
  • Very expensive
  • Works slowly on large projects

Price: $299.00 USD but it can be reduced if you buy 5-9 licenses

3. Open Broadcast Software

open broadcast recording software

It is an open-source game recording tool having unlimited customization options. You can get idea about this software by its name i.e. the game streams can be broadcasted on various websites such as Twitch, YouTube, Hitbox etc.

Features:

  • Simple interface
  • Limitless scenes and sources
  • It has file output to FLV or MP4
  • GPU-based video game capture

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8, 8.1, Vista and 7, Version for Linux and Mac OS X is also in the pipeline

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • High-speed performance
  • Keyboard shortcuts

Cons:

  • A sharp learning curve
  • Difficult to construct scenes

Price: Free

4.Bandicam

bandicam recording software

It is a perfect choice for beginners as it is easy to understand. You can also record a video game that utilizes the Direct X or OpenGL technology and share on YouTube with a single click. The size of the window can also be adjusted according to your need.

Features:

  • Built-in compression feature ensuring high-quality videos
  • Recording can be done for more than 24 hours
  • You can record videos at 4k Ultra HD resolution

Compatibility: Windows XP, 10, 8.1, 8, and 7

Pros:

  • Maximum frame rate i.e. 120 fps
  • Two different audio inputs can be recorded at the same time

Cons:

  • It does not proffer live streaming

Price: Free trial, $59 for two licenses, $39 for one license

5. EpicRewind

epicrewind recording software

This software is developed recently introducing a unique feature i.e. RAM Rolling Buffer mode. It enables the user to replay the recording instantly. The buffer contents can also be saved by pressing a hotkey.

Features:

  • You can conveniently capture screenshot and video from browser games or flash games.
  • Direct-To-Disk capture mode
  • Video Output Format and Codec can be configured with great ease.

Compatibility: It does not support windows

Pros:

  • Videos are not encoded all the time.

Cons:

  • It cannot be run on the Windows operating system.

Price: Free trial of the base version

6.D3DGear

d3dgear recording software

It is a very simple and light recorder. This software compresses the recorded files in real-time mode i.e. you are able to record screen activity even if there is less space in your storage drive. The videos can be shared over any social networking website.

Features:

  • User-friendly interface
  • Built-in compression system

Compatibility: Windows XP, 7, 10, 8, 8.1 and Vista

Pros:

  • You can do live video streaming
  • The audio files can be saved separately.

Cons:

  • Pro version is very costly

Price: 15-day free trial otherwise it costs $34.95.

7.Fraps

fraps recording software

It is one of the most famous game screen recorders having superb features. The average performance rate can also be measured by using this recorder. You can also save these statistics in a different file. It is also very light software similar to D3DGear.

Features:

  • It can be used as a benchmark tool.
  • Capture high-quality footage

Compatibility: Windows Vista, XP, 7, 10, 8.1 and 8

Pros:

  • You can record videos at 7680×4800 resolution
  • Frames can be adjusted up to 120fps

Cons:

  • It does not have streaming options

Price: Free version with few features, full version at $37

8.Microsoft Screen Encoder 4

mirosoft screen recording software

It is an advanced version of Microsoft screen encoder 3. It has wonderful graphics and live IIS (Internet Information Services) smooth streaming options. The Windows Media video, as well as audio files, can be produced with the help of this software.

Features:

  • Screen capture
  • GUI interface
  • Live template support

Compatibility: Windows 7, Vista, Windows XP service pack2

Pros:

  • High-quality playback
  • Enables encoding using H.261Intuitive interface

Cons:

  • Less editing tools in comparison to other software
  • You cannot export your recordings to Sony Vegas11

Price: Pro version costs $199.95 while the standard version is free having limited features

9.Tinytake

tinytake recording software

This game recorder is an ideal choice for making commercial presentations. This software allows its users to capture video from the selected region and upload it directly on YouTube or any other social media.

Features:

  • Drag and drop option
  • You can conveniently annotate the videos
  • Inbuilt online file viewer

Compatibility: It can work with Windows as well as Mac operating system

Pros:

  • You can develop custom shortcut keys
  • Bulk files sharing
  • You can run this software on mobile devices

Cons:

  • Files are saved only in MP4 format
  • Video recording can be done up to 2 hours
  • No free version is available for business purposes

Price: It ranges between $29.95 and $199.95 for a yearly plan. You will also get storage memory space up to 2TB with a business plan.

10.Ezvid

ezvid game recording software

This screen software is specially designed for saving the time of the users. It also increases the recording speed and video editing capabilities. You can also add text and watermark to the videos.

Features:-

  • Videos are uploaded on YouTube in a fast manner.
  • It provides computer speech for narrative purposes.
  • Modern and sleek interface

Compatibility: Windows XP SP3, 7 and Vista

Pros:

  • High-quality video resolution
  • You can also select the most popular music tracks
  • It also has a facecam and a video editor
  • You can also drag and drop videos
  • Professional videos can be created in a few minutes

Cons:

  • It is glitch and leggy.
  • It requires 10GB free space
  • Fewer features as compared to Camtasia software

Price: Free

11. Gecata

gecata

Gecata by Movavi is a lightweight video recording tool designed to capture gameplays. Screen recording with this program is easy without needing external hardware. You can capture all screen activities and save recordings in major video formats, including .MOV, .MP4, .AVI, and GIF.

Features:

  • One-click screenshots
  • Game mode for automatic recording
  • Screen and audio recording simultaneously and separately
  • Graphics hardware integration option (NVIDIA or Intel) for 400% faster encoding

Compatibility: Windows 7/8/10

Pros:

  • Simple interface
  • Speedy capturing
  • Tested on dozens of games
  • Game recording up to 120fps

Cons:

  • The free version pastes a watermark on the recording
  • Lagging

Price: $30.95 for a lifetime

12. EaseUS RecExperts

recexperts

RecExperts by EaseUS is a premium screen recorder with many exciting features. For instance, you can record a particular part of the screen by making a selection through your mouse. Likewise, you can also record multiple screens side by side.

While RecExperts is made for gamers and YouTubers, you can use this tool for a wide range of purposes. Such as recording an online meeting, video tutorial, and more.

Features:

  • Sound recording and extracting
  • Web camera capturing
  • Saving captured video into GIF
  • Screenshots
  • Schedule recording with automatic stop and split options

Compatibility: Windows 7/8.1/10/11 and macOS 10.13 or later

Pros:

  • Simple software design
  • Allows editing on the captured screen
  • Supports different video and formats, including MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI

Cons:

  • Limited editing, such as trimming and cutting

Price: $19.95 per month, $39.95 per year, and $79.95 for a lifetime

13. Flashback Express (Free Version)

flashback express

Flashback Express is a screen recording and editing software. It is a powerful tool for recording desktop screens simultaneously with mic sounds. You can also add webcam recordings to recorded gameplays as most YouTubers do.

Besides, there’s no time limit on the recording. So whether you want to capture a small portion of your video or screen record several hours of gameplay, feel free to do it.

Features:

  • Video trimming
  • Multi-screen recording
  • Webcam overlay
  • Direct YouTube uploading option

Compatibility: Windows 7/8.1/10/11

Pros:

  • Easy interface
  • No watermark
  • Voice over during screen capturing
  • Selected and full-screen recording
  • You can save the recordings in MP4

Cons:

  • Difficult export settings
  • Unable to export audio in the free version
  • You need to convert the video using other programs if you want your recording in different video formats

Price: Free

14. Snagit

snagit

Snagit is another product by TechSmith (the developers of Camtasia). It’s a super easy tool to take screenshots and record screens.

You can save the captured video in MP4 and directly send the file through email. You can also upload files on different platforms and applications, including YouTube, Twitter, Slack, Google Drive, and more.

Features:

  • Screen and audio recording
  • Annotations
  • Video trimming
  • Webcam recording
  • Cloud library
  • Video conversion to GIFs
  • Panoramic screen capturing

Compatibility: Windows 10/11 and Mac 11 or later

Pros:

  • Simple user interface
  • Fast video uploading to various platforms

Cons:

  • Saved videos are only available in MP4 format

Price:$62.99 for a lifetime, including first-year maintenance (regular maintenance charges are $12.6 per year applicable after completing the first year)

15. Filmora

filmora

Filmora is an all-in-one program and is one of the top video editing tools cherished by all types of users – beginners and professionals. But what makes this software super cool for gamers and YouTubers is its screen recording option. With comprehensive features, you can record your gameplay and edit your screen recordings by using a wide range of features.

Features:

  • Support 4K editing
  • Noise removal
  • Advanced text editor
  • Color tuning
  • Audio mixing

Compatibility: Windows 7/8/10/11 (64-bit) and macOS V10.1/V10.13/V10.14/V10.15/V11/V12

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface
  • Huge effects library
  • Affordable perpetual licensing
  • Wide range of features
  • Support various video formats
  • High-quality results

Cons:

  • The free version includes a watermark
  • You need to purchase the product to use some important features, such as keyframing

Price: $29.99 per month, $69.99 per year, and $79.99 for a perpetual

What to look for game screen recorder

There are many people who do not have any knowledge regarding game capture software. You must look for the following things before choosing a game screen recorder.

  • The option of personalizing the hotkeys
  • Number of built-in tools
  • How to begin and pause recording
  • Number of codes offered by it
  • Recording time
  • Editing features like cut and paste
  • Custom-made Recording Resolution
  • Adjustable video frames

In addition to this, some game recorders also affect your in-game fps (Frame per second). You should also check whether it is compatible with large-sized files or not. The quality of the video also depends upon the file size. The larger is file size, the higher is video quality. However, you can face problems while uploading huge-sized videos as online content distributors hardly support such files. So you must compress your video before sharing anywhere. There are also some recorders that provide a direct link to social networking sites. Thus you should consider these factors also before purchasing the game recording software.

You can easily run this recorder on your computer if it is updated and has 8GB of RAM. PC should also have two storage drives so as to install gaming software on one drive and record videos on another drive. It is also advisable to use computers than laptops for recording screen activities because laptops rarely have two storage drives.

You can easily run this recorder on your computer if it is updated and has 8GB of RAM. PC should also have two storage drives so as to install gaming software on one drive and record videos on another drive. It is also advisable to use computers than laptops for recording screen activities because laptops rarely have two storage drives.

FAQs

Q1. What software do YouTubers use to record gameplay?

Most gamers on YouTube use Open Broadcast System (OBS) and Bandicam to record their gameplays. However, there are a few more authentic screen recording tools for high-quality video recording, such as Filmora.

Using Filmora to record your gameplay will help you save the video in all major video formats. Moreover, the tool is also compatible with Mac and Windows operating systems.

Q2. How do I record my screen smoothly?

You should do a couple of things to avoid lagging while screen recording your gameplay. For example, do not use your built-in microphone to record your voice during screen recording. Instead, use an external microphone.

Only record what is important. Use high RAM and have a good graphics card. And most importantly, get screen recorders with at least 60fps.

Q3. Does screen recording decrease FPS?

Yes, it does affect your overall gaming performance. However, it depends on several factors. For instance, the fps won’t be affected much if you’re playing a less CPU-intensive game. The only way to sustain FPS is to have a high-quality screen recorder, such as OBS, Filmora, Bandicam, and Fraps.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

There is no doubt that gaming is one of the largest entertainment sources for most of people. The advanced technology has led to the development of game recorders by which you can record the video of your favorite game and share it with your friends and viewers on YouTube.

Wondershare Filmstock Gaming Video Editing Skils ](https://filmstock.wondershare.com/creative-theme-game?source%5Fchannel=seo%5Farticle&spm=rs.filmora%5Fweb )


You might be interested in:


If you are looking for a screen recorder that allows you to capture your gameplay, add markers to the important point during playing, and edit the recorded gameplay video easily, then we recommend you to try Wondershare DemoCreator.

With DemoCreator, you can:

  • Add Markers to important points during recording
  • Record high paced games at up to 120 fps
  • Capture video, system audio, webcam, and mic at the same time
  • Record the entire screen or just a part of your screen
  • Change video speed and add fade in and fade out with a simple drag
  • Detach audio and record voice narration during editing and reduce the noise
  • Use the Blur effect to blur the private info or remove the watermark
  • Share videos to Vimeo, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch directly

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

However, if you are looking for a video editing software that provides various gameplay elements, I want to recommend - Wondershare Filmora , an easy to use while powerful video editor that allows you not only cut, split, crop, resize, reverse your videos, but also offers you multiple video effects specially designed for Fashion, Beauty, Gaming, Travel, Education, etc. Check the video to know more fantastic features, and keep reading the article to know why Filmora is still one of the best options when it comes to gameplay recording.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


15 Best Game Screen Recorders for Recording Game Videos

1. ShadowPlay

shadowplay recording software

It is free game video capture software created by Nvidia GeForce for streaming game videos. There are two modes of this video recording tool i.e. Manual mode and Shadow mode.

Features:

  • Instant replay and record
  • Excellent hardware i.e. a GPU-accelerated video encoder
  • It has a minimal performance impact
  • Records up to 4K resolution at the speed of 130 Mbps

Compatibility: Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10

Pros:

  • Unlimited recording time in manual mode
  • Allow it users to capture full desktop screen

Cons:

  • Geforce GTX 600 and above is required to operate this software.

Price: It is available free of cost.

We have researched about how to record gameplay with Nvidia ShadowPlay, check this article How to Use Nvidia Share or ShadowPlay to Record Gameplay for the detailed information.

2. Camtasia

camtasia recording software

It is one of the best game recorders for recording professional videos on your PC. You can also import HD videos from an external source. The interactive videos can also be created by using this software.

Features:

  • Stunning graphics
  • Direct link to social media
  • Effective recording option
  • Drag and drop editing
  • Google Drive integration

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8 and 7 SP1

Pros:

  • You can easily include animated items
  • Video, audio and cursor tracks can be edited individually
  • Provides panning and zooming options
  • Incorporates webcam
  • You can also use the green screen effect

Cons:

  • Free trial for only 30 days.
  • The users cannot record videos for commercial use in the free version
  • Very expensive
  • Works slowly on large projects

Price: $299.00 USD but it can be reduced if you buy 5-9 licenses

3. Open Broadcast Software

open broadcast recording software

It is an open-source game recording tool having unlimited customization options. You can get idea about this software by its name i.e. the game streams can be broadcasted on various websites such as Twitch, YouTube, Hitbox etc.

Features:

  • Simple interface
  • Limitless scenes and sources
  • It has file output to FLV or MP4
  • GPU-based video game capture

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8, 8.1, Vista and 7, Version for Linux and Mac OS X is also in the pipeline

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • High-speed performance
  • Keyboard shortcuts

Cons:

  • A sharp learning curve
  • Difficult to construct scenes

Price: Free

4.Bandicam

bandicam recording software

It is a perfect choice for beginners as it is easy to understand. You can also record a video game that utilizes the Direct X or OpenGL technology and share on YouTube with a single click. The size of the window can also be adjusted according to your need.

Features:

  • Built-in compression feature ensuring high-quality videos
  • Recording can be done for more than 24 hours
  • You can record videos at 4k Ultra HD resolution

Compatibility: Windows XP, 10, 8.1, 8, and 7

Pros:

  • Maximum frame rate i.e. 120 fps
  • Two different audio inputs can be recorded at the same time

Cons:

  • It does not proffer live streaming

Price: Free trial, $59 for two licenses, $39 for one license

5. EpicRewind

epicrewind recording software

This software is developed recently introducing a unique feature i.e. RAM Rolling Buffer mode. It enables the user to replay the recording instantly. The buffer contents can also be saved by pressing a hotkey.

Features:

  • You can conveniently capture screenshot and video from browser games or flash games.
  • Direct-To-Disk capture mode
  • Video Output Format and Codec can be configured with great ease.

Compatibility: It does not support windows

Pros:

  • Videos are not encoded all the time.

Cons:

  • It cannot be run on the Windows operating system.

Price: Free trial of the base version

6.D3DGear

d3dgear recording software

It is a very simple and light recorder. This software compresses the recorded files in real-time mode i.e. you are able to record screen activity even if there is less space in your storage drive. The videos can be shared over any social networking website.

Features:

  • User-friendly interface
  • Built-in compression system

Compatibility: Windows XP, 7, 10, 8, 8.1 and Vista

Pros:

  • You can do live video streaming
  • The audio files can be saved separately.

Cons:

  • Pro version is very costly

Price: 15-day free trial otherwise it costs $34.95.

7.Fraps

fraps recording software

It is one of the most famous game screen recorders having superb features. The average performance rate can also be measured by using this recorder. You can also save these statistics in a different file. It is also very light software similar to D3DGear.

Features:

  • It can be used as a benchmark tool.
  • Capture high-quality footage

Compatibility: Windows Vista, XP, 7, 10, 8.1 and 8

Pros:

  • You can record videos at 7680×4800 resolution
  • Frames can be adjusted up to 120fps

Cons:

  • It does not have streaming options

Price: Free version with few features, full version at $37

8.Microsoft Screen Encoder 4

mirosoft screen recording software

It is an advanced version of Microsoft screen encoder 3. It has wonderful graphics and live IIS (Internet Information Services) smooth streaming options. The Windows Media video, as well as audio files, can be produced with the help of this software.

Features:

  • Screen capture
  • GUI interface
  • Live template support

Compatibility: Windows 7, Vista, Windows XP service pack2

Pros:

  • High-quality playback
  • Enables encoding using H.261Intuitive interface

Cons:

  • Less editing tools in comparison to other software
  • You cannot export your recordings to Sony Vegas11

Price: Pro version costs $199.95 while the standard version is free having limited features

9.Tinytake

tinytake recording software

This game recorder is an ideal choice for making commercial presentations. This software allows its users to capture video from the selected region and upload it directly on YouTube or any other social media.

Features:

  • Drag and drop option
  • You can conveniently annotate the videos
  • Inbuilt online file viewer

Compatibility: It can work with Windows as well as Mac operating system

Pros:

  • You can develop custom shortcut keys
  • Bulk files sharing
  • You can run this software on mobile devices

Cons:

  • Files are saved only in MP4 format
  • Video recording can be done up to 2 hours
  • No free version is available for business purposes

Price: It ranges between $29.95 and $199.95 for a yearly plan. You will also get storage memory space up to 2TB with a business plan.

10.Ezvid

ezvid game recording software

This screen software is specially designed for saving the time of the users. It also increases the recording speed and video editing capabilities. You can also add text and watermark to the videos.

Features:-

  • Videos are uploaded on YouTube in a fast manner.
  • It provides computer speech for narrative purposes.
  • Modern and sleek interface

Compatibility: Windows XP SP3, 7 and Vista

Pros:

  • High-quality video resolution
  • You can also select the most popular music tracks
  • It also has a facecam and a video editor
  • You can also drag and drop videos
  • Professional videos can be created in a few minutes

Cons:

  • It is glitch and leggy.
  • It requires 10GB free space
  • Fewer features as compared to Camtasia software

Price: Free

11. Gecata

gecata

Gecata by Movavi is a lightweight video recording tool designed to capture gameplays. Screen recording with this program is easy without needing external hardware. You can capture all screen activities and save recordings in major video formats, including .MOV, .MP4, .AVI, and GIF.

Features:

  • One-click screenshots
  • Game mode for automatic recording
  • Screen and audio recording simultaneously and separately
  • Graphics hardware integration option (NVIDIA or Intel) for 400% faster encoding

Compatibility: Windows 7/8/10

Pros:

  • Simple interface
  • Speedy capturing
  • Tested on dozens of games
  • Game recording up to 120fps

Cons:

  • The free version pastes a watermark on the recording
  • Lagging

Price: $30.95 for a lifetime

12. EaseUS RecExperts

recexperts

RecExperts by EaseUS is a premium screen recorder with many exciting features. For instance, you can record a particular part of the screen by making a selection through your mouse. Likewise, you can also record multiple screens side by side.

While RecExperts is made for gamers and YouTubers, you can use this tool for a wide range of purposes. Such as recording an online meeting, video tutorial, and more.

Features:

  • Sound recording and extracting
  • Web camera capturing
  • Saving captured video into GIF
  • Screenshots
  • Schedule recording with automatic stop and split options

Compatibility: Windows 7/8.1/10/11 and macOS 10.13 or later

Pros:

  • Simple software design
  • Allows editing on the captured screen
  • Supports different video and formats, including MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI

Cons:

  • Limited editing, such as trimming and cutting

Price: $19.95 per month, $39.95 per year, and $79.95 for a lifetime

13. Flashback Express (Free Version)

flashback express

Flashback Express is a screen recording and editing software. It is a powerful tool for recording desktop screens simultaneously with mic sounds. You can also add webcam recordings to recorded gameplays as most YouTubers do.

Besides, there’s no time limit on the recording. So whether you want to capture a small portion of your video or screen record several hours of gameplay, feel free to do it.

Features:

  • Video trimming
  • Multi-screen recording
  • Webcam overlay
  • Direct YouTube uploading option

Compatibility: Windows 7/8.1/10/11

Pros:

  • Easy interface
  • No watermark
  • Voice over during screen capturing
  • Selected and full-screen recording
  • You can save the recordings in MP4

Cons:

  • Difficult export settings
  • Unable to export audio in the free version
  • You need to convert the video using other programs if you want your recording in different video formats

Price: Free

14. Snagit

snagit

Snagit is another product by TechSmith (the developers of Camtasia). It’s a super easy tool to take screenshots and record screens.

You can save the captured video in MP4 and directly send the file through email. You can also upload files on different platforms and applications, including YouTube, Twitter, Slack, Google Drive, and more.

Features:

  • Screen and audio recording
  • Annotations
  • Video trimming
  • Webcam recording
  • Cloud library
  • Video conversion to GIFs
  • Panoramic screen capturing

Compatibility: Windows 10/11 and Mac 11 or later

Pros:

  • Simple user interface
  • Fast video uploading to various platforms

Cons:

  • Saved videos are only available in MP4 format

Price:$62.99 for a lifetime, including first-year maintenance (regular maintenance charges are $12.6 per year applicable after completing the first year)

15. Filmora

filmora

Filmora is an all-in-one program and is one of the top video editing tools cherished by all types of users – beginners and professionals. But what makes this software super cool for gamers and YouTubers is its screen recording option. With comprehensive features, you can record your gameplay and edit your screen recordings by using a wide range of features.

Features:

  • Support 4K editing
  • Noise removal
  • Advanced text editor
  • Color tuning
  • Audio mixing

Compatibility: Windows 7/8/10/11 (64-bit) and macOS V10.1/V10.13/V10.14/V10.15/V11/V12

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface
  • Huge effects library
  • Affordable perpetual licensing
  • Wide range of features
  • Support various video formats
  • High-quality results

Cons:

  • The free version includes a watermark
  • You need to purchase the product to use some important features, such as keyframing

Price: $29.99 per month, $69.99 per year, and $79.99 for a perpetual

What to look for game screen recorder

There are many people who do not have any knowledge regarding game capture software. You must look for the following things before choosing a game screen recorder.

  • The option of personalizing the hotkeys
  • Number of built-in tools
  • How to begin and pause recording
  • Number of codes offered by it
  • Recording time
  • Editing features like cut and paste
  • Custom-made Recording Resolution
  • Adjustable video frames

In addition to this, some game recorders also affect your in-game fps (Frame per second). You should also check whether it is compatible with large-sized files or not. The quality of the video also depends upon the file size. The larger is file size, the higher is video quality. However, you can face problems while uploading huge-sized videos as online content distributors hardly support such files. So you must compress your video before sharing anywhere. There are also some recorders that provide a direct link to social networking sites. Thus you should consider these factors also before purchasing the game recording software.

You can easily run this recorder on your computer if it is updated and has 8GB of RAM. PC should also have two storage drives so as to install gaming software on one drive and record videos on another drive. It is also advisable to use computers than laptops for recording screen activities because laptops rarely have two storage drives.

You can easily run this recorder on your computer if it is updated and has 8GB of RAM. PC should also have two storage drives so as to install gaming software on one drive and record videos on another drive. It is also advisable to use computers than laptops for recording screen activities because laptops rarely have two storage drives.

FAQs

Q1. What software do YouTubers use to record gameplay?

Most gamers on YouTube use Open Broadcast System (OBS) and Bandicam to record their gameplays. However, there are a few more authentic screen recording tools for high-quality video recording, such as Filmora.

Using Filmora to record your gameplay will help you save the video in all major video formats. Moreover, the tool is also compatible with Mac and Windows operating systems.

Q2. How do I record my screen smoothly?

You should do a couple of things to avoid lagging while screen recording your gameplay. For example, do not use your built-in microphone to record your voice during screen recording. Instead, use an external microphone.

Only record what is important. Use high RAM and have a good graphics card. And most importantly, get screen recorders with at least 60fps.

Q3. Does screen recording decrease FPS?

Yes, it does affect your overall gaming performance. However, it depends on several factors. For instance, the fps won’t be affected much if you’re playing a less CPU-intensive game. The only way to sustain FPS is to have a high-quality screen recorder, such as OBS, Filmora, Bandicam, and Fraps.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

There is no doubt that gaming is one of the largest entertainment sources for most of people. The advanced technology has led to the development of game recorders by which you can record the video of your favorite game and share it with your friends and viewers on YouTube.

Wondershare Filmstock Gaming Video Editing Skils ](https://filmstock.wondershare.com/creative-theme-game?source%5Fchannel=seo%5Farticle&spm=rs.filmora%5Fweb )


You might be interested in:


If you are looking for a screen recorder that allows you to capture your gameplay, add markers to the important point during playing, and edit the recorded gameplay video easily, then we recommend you to try Wondershare DemoCreator.

With DemoCreator, you can:

  • Add Markers to important points during recording
  • Record high paced games at up to 120 fps
  • Capture video, system audio, webcam, and mic at the same time
  • Record the entire screen or just a part of your screen
  • Change video speed and add fade in and fade out with a simple drag
  • Detach audio and record voice narration during editing and reduce the noise
  • Use the Blur effect to blur the private info or remove the watermark
  • Share videos to Vimeo, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitch directly

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

However, if you are looking for a video editing software that provides various gameplay elements, I want to recommend - Wondershare Filmora , an easy to use while powerful video editor that allows you not only cut, split, crop, resize, reverse your videos, but also offers you multiple video effects specially designed for Fashion, Beauty, Gaming, Travel, Education, etc. Check the video to know more fantastic features, and keep reading the article to know why Filmora is still one of the best options when it comes to gameplay recording.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


15 Best Game Screen Recorders for Recording Game Videos

1. ShadowPlay

shadowplay recording software

It is free game video capture software created by Nvidia GeForce for streaming game videos. There are two modes of this video recording tool i.e. Manual mode and Shadow mode.

Features:

  • Instant replay and record
  • Excellent hardware i.e. a GPU-accelerated video encoder
  • It has a minimal performance impact
  • Records up to 4K resolution at the speed of 130 Mbps

Compatibility: Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10

Pros:

  • Unlimited recording time in manual mode
  • Allow it users to capture full desktop screen

Cons:

  • Geforce GTX 600 and above is required to operate this software.

Price: It is available free of cost.

We have researched about how to record gameplay with Nvidia ShadowPlay, check this article How to Use Nvidia Share or ShadowPlay to Record Gameplay for the detailed information.

2. Camtasia

camtasia recording software

It is one of the best game recorders for recording professional videos on your PC. You can also import HD videos from an external source. The interactive videos can also be created by using this software.

Features:

  • Stunning graphics
  • Direct link to social media
  • Effective recording option
  • Drag and drop editing
  • Google Drive integration

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8 and 7 SP1

Pros:

  • You can easily include animated items
  • Video, audio and cursor tracks can be edited individually
  • Provides panning and zooming options
  • Incorporates webcam
  • You can also use the green screen effect

Cons:

  • Free trial for only 30 days.
  • The users cannot record videos for commercial use in the free version
  • Very expensive
  • Works slowly on large projects

Price: $299.00 USD but it can be reduced if you buy 5-9 licenses

3. Open Broadcast Software

open broadcast recording software

It is an open-source game recording tool having unlimited customization options. You can get idea about this software by its name i.e. the game streams can be broadcasted on various websites such as Twitch, YouTube, Hitbox etc.

Features:

  • Simple interface
  • Limitless scenes and sources
  • It has file output to FLV or MP4
  • GPU-based video game capture

Compatibility: Windows 10, 8, 8.1, Vista and 7, Version for Linux and Mac OS X is also in the pipeline

Pros:

  • Easy to use
  • High-speed performance
  • Keyboard shortcuts

Cons:

  • A sharp learning curve
  • Difficult to construct scenes

Price: Free

4.Bandicam

bandicam recording software

It is a perfect choice for beginners as it is easy to understand. You can also record a video game that utilizes the Direct X or OpenGL technology and share on YouTube with a single click. The size of the window can also be adjusted according to your need.

Features:

  • Built-in compression feature ensuring high-quality videos
  • Recording can be done for more than 24 hours
  • You can record videos at 4k Ultra HD resolution

Compatibility: Windows XP, 10, 8.1, 8, and 7

Pros:

  • Maximum frame rate i.e. 120 fps
  • Two different audio inputs can be recorded at the same time

Cons:

  • It does not proffer live streaming

Price: Free trial, $59 for two licenses, $39 for one license

5. EpicRewind

epicrewind recording software

This software is developed recently introducing a unique feature i.e. RAM Rolling Buffer mode. It enables the user to replay the recording instantly. The buffer contents can also be saved by pressing a hotkey.

Features:

  • You can conveniently capture screenshot and video from browser games or flash games.
  • Direct-To-Disk capture mode
  • Video Output Format and Codec can be configured with great ease.

Compatibility: It does not support windows

Pros:

  • Videos are not encoded all the time.

Cons:

  • It cannot be run on the Windows operating system.

Price: Free trial of the base version

6.D3DGear

d3dgear recording software

It is a very simple and light recorder. This software compresses the recorded files in real-time mode i.e. you are able to record screen activity even if there is less space in your storage drive. The videos can be shared over any social networking website.

Features:

  • User-friendly interface
  • Built-in compression system

Compatibility: Windows XP, 7, 10, 8, 8.1 and Vista

Pros:

  • You can do live video streaming
  • The audio files can be saved separately.

Cons:

  • Pro version is very costly

Price: 15-day free trial otherwise it costs $34.95.

7.Fraps

fraps recording software

It is one of the most famous game screen recorders having superb features. The average performance rate can also be measured by using this recorder. You can also save these statistics in a different file. It is also very light software similar to D3DGear.

Features:

  • It can be used as a benchmark tool.
  • Capture high-quality footage

Compatibility: Windows Vista, XP, 7, 10, 8.1 and 8

Pros:

  • You can record videos at 7680×4800 resolution
  • Frames can be adjusted up to 120fps

Cons:

  • It does not have streaming options

Price: Free version with few features, full version at $37

8.Microsoft Screen Encoder 4

mirosoft screen recording software

It is an advanced version of Microsoft screen encoder 3. It has wonderful graphics and live IIS (Internet Information Services) smooth streaming options. The Windows Media video, as well as audio files, can be produced with the help of this software.

Features:

  • Screen capture
  • GUI interface
  • Live template support

Compatibility: Windows 7, Vista, Windows XP service pack2

Pros:

  • High-quality playback
  • Enables encoding using H.261Intuitive interface

Cons:

  • Less editing tools in comparison to other software
  • You cannot export your recordings to Sony Vegas11

Price: Pro version costs $199.95 while the standard version is free having limited features

9.Tinytake

tinytake recording software

This game recorder is an ideal choice for making commercial presentations. This software allows its users to capture video from the selected region and upload it directly on YouTube or any other social media.

Features:

  • Drag and drop option
  • You can conveniently annotate the videos
  • Inbuilt online file viewer

Compatibility: It can work with Windows as well as Mac operating system

Pros:

  • You can develop custom shortcut keys
  • Bulk files sharing
  • You can run this software on mobile devices

Cons:

  • Files are saved only in MP4 format
  • Video recording can be done up to 2 hours
  • No free version is available for business purposes

Price: It ranges between $29.95 and $199.95 for a yearly plan. You will also get storage memory space up to 2TB with a business plan.

10.Ezvid

ezvid game recording software

This screen software is specially designed for saving the time of the users. It also increases the recording speed and video editing capabilities. You can also add text and watermark to the videos.

Features:-

  • Videos are uploaded on YouTube in a fast manner.
  • It provides computer speech for narrative purposes.
  • Modern and sleek interface

Compatibility: Windows XP SP3, 7 and Vista

Pros:

  • High-quality video resolution
  • You can also select the most popular music tracks
  • It also has a facecam and a video editor
  • You can also drag and drop videos
  • Professional videos can be created in a few minutes

Cons:

  • It is glitch and leggy.
  • It requires 10GB free space
  • Fewer features as compared to Camtasia software

Price: Free

11. Gecata

gecata

Gecata by Movavi is a lightweight video recording tool designed to capture gameplays. Screen recording with this program is easy without needing external hardware. You can capture all screen activities and save recordings in major video formats, including .MOV, .MP4, .AVI, and GIF.

Features:

  • One-click screenshots
  • Game mode for automatic recording
  • Screen and audio recording simultaneously and separately
  • Graphics hardware integration option (NVIDIA or Intel) for 400% faster encoding

Compatibility: Windows 7/8/10

Pros:

  • Simple interface
  • Speedy capturing
  • Tested on dozens of games
  • Game recording up to 120fps

Cons:

  • The free version pastes a watermark on the recording
  • Lagging

Price: $30.95 for a lifetime

12. EaseUS RecExperts

recexperts

RecExperts by EaseUS is a premium screen recorder with many exciting features. For instance, you can record a particular part of the screen by making a selection through your mouse. Likewise, you can also record multiple screens side by side.

While RecExperts is made for gamers and YouTubers, you can use this tool for a wide range of purposes. Such as recording an online meeting, video tutorial, and more.

Features:

  • Sound recording and extracting
  • Web camera capturing
  • Saving captured video into GIF
  • Screenshots
  • Schedule recording with automatic stop and split options

Compatibility: Windows 7/8.1/10/11 and macOS 10.13 or later

Pros:

  • Simple software design
  • Allows editing on the captured screen
  • Supports different video and formats, including MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI

Cons:

  • Limited editing, such as trimming and cutting

Price: $19.95 per month, $39.95 per year, and $79.95 for a lifetime

13. Flashback Express (Free Version)

flashback express

Flashback Express is a screen recording and editing software. It is a powerful tool for recording desktop screens simultaneously with mic sounds. You can also add webcam recordings to recorded gameplays as most YouTubers do.

Besides, there’s no time limit on the recording. So whether you want to capture a small portion of your video or screen record several hours of gameplay, feel free to do it.

Features:

  • Video trimming
  • Multi-screen recording
  • Webcam overlay
  • Direct YouTube uploading option

Compatibility: Windows 7/8.1/10/11

Pros:

  • Easy interface
  • No watermark
  • Voice over during screen capturing
  • Selected and full-screen recording
  • You can save the recordings in MP4

Cons:

  • Difficult export settings
  • Unable to export audio in the free version
  • You need to convert the video using other programs if you want your recording in different video formats

Price: Free

14. Snagit

snagit

Snagit is another product by TechSmith (the developers of Camtasia). It’s a super easy tool to take screenshots and record screens.

You can save the captured video in MP4 and directly send the file through email. You can also upload files on different platforms and applications, including YouTube, Twitter, Slack, Google Drive, and more.

Features:

  • Screen and audio recording
  • Annotations
  • Video trimming
  • Webcam recording
  • Cloud library
  • Video conversion to GIFs
  • Panoramic screen capturing

Compatibility: Windows 10/11 and Mac 11 or later

Pros:

  • Simple user interface
  • Fast video uploading to various platforms

Cons:

  • Saved videos are only available in MP4 format

Price:$62.99 for a lifetime, including first-year maintenance (regular maintenance charges are $12.6 per year applicable after completing the first year)

15. Filmora

filmora

Filmora is an all-in-one program and is one of the top video editing tools cherished by all types of users – beginners and professionals. But what makes this software super cool for gamers and YouTubers is its screen recording option. With comprehensive features, you can record your gameplay and edit your screen recordings by using a wide range of features.

Features:

  • Support 4K editing
  • Noise removal
  • Advanced text editor
  • Color tuning
  • Audio mixing

Compatibility: Windows 7/8/10/11 (64-bit) and macOS V10.1/V10.13/V10.14/V10.15/V11/V12

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface
  • Huge effects library
  • Affordable perpetual licensing
  • Wide range of features
  • Support various video formats
  • High-quality results

Cons:

  • The free version includes a watermark
  • You need to purchase the product to use some important features, such as keyframing

Price: $29.99 per month, $69.99 per year, and $79.99 for a perpetual

What to look for game screen recorder

There are many people who do not have any knowledge regarding game capture software. You must look for the following things before choosing a game screen recorder.

  • The option of personalizing the hotkeys
  • Number of built-in tools
  • How to begin and pause recording
  • Number of codes offered by it
  • Recording time
  • Editing features like cut and paste
  • Custom-made Recording Resolution
  • Adjustable video frames

In addition to this, some game recorders also affect your in-game fps (Frame per second). You should also check whether it is compatible with large-sized files or not. The quality of the video also depends upon the file size. The larger is file size, the higher is video quality. However, you can face problems while uploading huge-sized videos as online content distributors hardly support such files. So you must compress your video before sharing anywhere. There are also some recorders that provide a direct link to social networking sites. Thus you should consider these factors also before purchasing the game recording software.

You can easily run this recorder on your computer if it is updated and has 8GB of RAM. PC should also have two storage drives so as to install gaming software on one drive and record videos on another drive. It is also advisable to use computers than laptops for recording screen activities because laptops rarely have two storage drives.

You can easily run this recorder on your computer if it is updated and has 8GB of RAM. PC should also have two storage drives so as to install gaming software on one drive and record videos on another drive. It is also advisable to use computers than laptops for recording screen activities because laptops rarely have two storage drives.

FAQs

Q1. What software do YouTubers use to record gameplay?

Most gamers on YouTube use Open Broadcast System (OBS) and Bandicam to record their gameplays. However, there are a few more authentic screen recording tools for high-quality video recording, such as Filmora.

Using Filmora to record your gameplay will help you save the video in all major video formats. Moreover, the tool is also compatible with Mac and Windows operating systems.

Q2. How do I record my screen smoothly?

You should do a couple of things to avoid lagging while screen recording your gameplay. For example, do not use your built-in microphone to record your voice during screen recording. Instead, use an external microphone.

Only record what is important. Use high RAM and have a good graphics card. And most importantly, get screen recorders with at least 60fps.

Q3. Does screen recording decrease FPS?

Yes, it does affect your overall gaming performance. However, it depends on several factors. For instance, the fps won’t be affected much if you’re playing a less CPU-intensive game. The only way to sustain FPS is to have a high-quality screen recorder, such as OBS, Filmora, Bandicam, and Fraps.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Also read:

  • Title: "[New] Elevate Video Engagement Top 7 Free Thumbnail Design Tools"
  • Author: Kevin
  • Created at : 2024-05-25 16:05:02
  • Updated at : 2024-05-26 16:05:02
  • Link: https://youtube-videos.techidaily.com/new-elevate-video-engagement-top-7-free-thumbnail-design-tools/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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