Is Loom Free? Free Plan Limits and Free Alternatives

Is Loom free? Loom's paid plans are subscriptions. As of November 2026, we couldn't confirm from an official Loom source whether a free plan is available to you or what it allows (video length, number of videos, quality), so this page doesn't quote numbers. Use the pricing page on Loom's website and the limits shown in your own Loom account. Those are the figures that apply to you.

This page covers what to check in the free plan, what to do if a video length cap is the problem, and which free Mac recorders avoid that cap. Each of those recorders has its own catch, and we include ours.

We make Screen Bolt, one of the recorders below, so weigh our view accordingly. We've tried to be fair to every option here.

Is Loom free? The short answer

• Can you use Loom without paying? Check Loom's pricing page. It shows whether a free tier exists for your account type and what it includes today.
• Is there a length limit on free videos? If Loom stops your recording at a set length, that is a plan limit. The number shown in your account is the one that applies, whatever an article says.
• Can you avoid the cap for free? Yes, if you don't need a share link. The built-in macOS recorder and OBS Studio are free with no paid tier. Screen Bolt's free version records with no time limit, but its exports stop at 3 minutes.

How to check what Loom's free plan includes

Open Loom's pricing page or your account's plan settings. Then answer these five questions:

1. How long can one video be? This is the limit most people hit first.
2. How many videos can you keep? A cap on stored videos matters if you record often and never delete.
3. What quality do you get? Look for the maximum recording resolution on the free tier.
4. Are the sharing features you rely on included? Check each one appears on the free tier and not only on paid plans.
5. Can you download the file? This matters if you want a copy outside Loom.

If the answers fit how you work, the free plan is enough, and you can stop reading here.

Loom's recording length limit and how to get around it

If you searched for "Loom 5 minute limit," you have probably hit a cap on video length. We couldn't confirm the current number from Loom as of November 2026, so go by the limit shown in your account.

You have four ways around it:

• Split the message. Two short videos are often easier to watch than one long one. It costs nothing and keeps you in Loom.
• Pay for Loom. This makes sense if your team already works in Loom. See the last section.
• Record locally with a free tool. The built-in macOS recorder and OBS Studio have no paid tier to upgrade to. The practical limit is your free disk space (see how long you can screen record on a Mac). You lose the instant link: you get a file and upload it wherever your team watches video.
• Use a recorder with an editor. Screen Bolt is one, but its free version caps exports at 3 minutes. The details are below.

What paying removes

For Loom, compare its plans on the pricing page against the five questions above. Its paid plans are subscriptions, so the cost repeats.

We can only vouch for our own product. Here is exactly what a Screen Bolt license changes:

As of November 2026, a license costs $79 once, not a subscription. The free version never expires, and there is no timed trial. The editor features work in the free version. Only the export limits differ.

Free alternatives to Loom and their limits

Built-in macOS recording

This is the fastest free option. For a quick walkthrough it is often enough.

1. Press ⇧⌘5 (Command-Shift-5).
2. Click Record Entire Screen or Record Selected Portion.
3. Open Options to choose a microphone and where the file is saved.
4. Click Record.
5. Click the stop button in the menu bar when you're done.

You can trim the result in QuickTime Player. You don't get zooms, cursor smoothing or a link, so you attach or upload the file yourself. Recording the Mac's own sound takes extra setup. See how to record internal audio on Mac, and for more on the built-in tools, our guide to QuickTime screen recording.

OBS Studio

OBS Studio is free and open source. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, with separate installers for Apple silicon and Intel Macs. It records H.264 video with AAC audio and can also stream live to Twitch, YouTube and other services. On a Mac it needs macOS 13 or newer.

OBS is built for recording and streaming. If you need to trim or add zooms, budget for a second app. Our Loom vs OBS comparison covers how the two differ in day-to-day use.

Cap

Cap is another recorder people often compare with Loom. We don't have verified current details on its features, pricing or free-tier limits, so check its site before you rely on it.

Screen Bolt free version

Screen Bolt records a display, a window or an area, with optional webcam, microphone and system audio. The editor then opens with zooms already generated from your clicks, a smoothed cursor and a background behind the recording. Recording has no time limit in the free version. Exports have four limits: 3 minutes maximum, 720p, a watermark, and no GIF.

One gotcha matters if a length cap is why you're here. The export sheet checks the 3-minute limit against the full recording length, not the trimmed result. A 5-minute take trimmed to 2 minutes is still refused. On the free version, keep each take under 3 minutes.

Screen Bolt doesn't replace Loom for sharing. It has no share links, no cloud upload and no account. You get a local MP4 or MOV file, and your recordings are processed on your Mac and never uploaded. Our piece on local vs cloud screen recorders covers that trade-off. Screen Bolt is Mac only and needs macOS 14 or later.

You can download the free version of Screen Bolt and compare it with the paid license on the pricing page.

For a longer list, see the best free screen recorders for Mac.

When paying for Loom makes sense

Pay for Loom if the link is the point. Loom is built for async sharing: you send a link and people watch in their browser. Local recorders, ours included, don't do that. You export a file and upload it to Slack, Drive or your help center yourself.

Pick a paid Loom plan if:

• You send async video updates often and your team already watches them in Loom.
• The length limit in your account keeps getting in the way, and splitting videos isn't practical.
• Managing files and uploads would slow you down more than the subscription costs.

Skip it if:

• You record now and then and a file in Slack is fine. Use the built-in recorder.
• You want a free tool with no upgrade path at all. Use OBS Studio.
• You make demos or tutorials that need zooms, blur and editing, and you'd rather pay once than subscribe. Compare the options in our Loom alternatives roundup.

FAQ

Does Screen Bolt have a free trial? Not a timed one. The free version works indefinitely. Its exports are limited to 3 minutes and 720p, carry a watermark, and can't be GIFs. A license is $79 once as of November 2026 and comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Is the Mac's built-in screen recording limited in length? There is no paid tier to unlock. The practical limit is free disk space, which we explain in how long you can screen record on a Mac.

Can I get a Loom-style share link from a free local recorder? Not from the macOS recorder, OBS Studio or Screen Bolt. Each gives you a file that you upload yourself.