Screen Recorders: Snag-it vs. Screencastify by Sebastian Fadel
| Snag-it | Screencastify | |
|---|---|---|
| Website |  |
 |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Chrome OS | Chrome OS |
| Cost | Free for just Chrome, $50 for the software to work on anything (not just Chrome) |
Free to record whole screen, not just Chrome |
| Summary | A user friendly screen-capture and screenshot extension. | A barebones screen-capture system, with no screenshot capabilities. Has the option to record yourself and the tab, but you can’t see yourself while recording. |
| Classroom uses | Can be used by teachers to make flipped-classroom videos, or by students taking online quizzes, etc. It also allows the ability to submit screenshots of online quizzes, or quizlet flashcard scores for extra credit. | Can be used by teachers to make flipped-classroom videos, or by students taking online quizzes, etc. Does not do screen-shots. Since you can record yourself as well as the screen, it would allow for pre-made presentations or newscasts. |
| Consider These | Workflow: Gives easy sharing to Youtube and Google drive. It even lets you turn videos into animated GIFs.Collaboration: This app could allow students to do things like record how they did a math problem, then send it to other students who aren’t understanding the material as well. They could also screenshot portions of their projects or graphs they’ve made to help increase collaboration.
Saving/Draft: The videos and screenshots are saved in the app automatically. When you open the app from the chrome menu, it shows all screenshots and recordings you have made giving you easy access to your work. |
Workflow: Allows uploads to Youtube and Google Drive.
Collaboration: Allows for video sharing between teachers and students alike, along with different options for who can see the video.
Saving/Draft: When saving a video, it is downloaded to your Chromebook and stays in the download folder mixed with everything else you have downloaded, making for a difficult system to save. |
An exemplar of each app can be found below.
Following an update on 9/26/14 Screencastify no longer works on a Chromebook. This is because the recent update requires Java to be installed, which cannot be done on the Chromebook without using developer mode. As a result, Screencastify may no longer be a viable option for screen recording in a 1:1 classroom environment.
Of course Screencastify works on a Chromebook! It’s one of the best screen recorders available on Chrome OS. SnagIt causes some lag and a serious drop of frame rate when recording, and any game play will be affected. Screencastify does also drop the frame rate, but not as much as Snagit. Even more, if you’re not playing any games, or anything that moves very fast, then Screencastify doesn’t cause any lag at all!
Custom key bindings for Screencastify allows everyone to use their own keyboard shortcuts to Start Recording, Stop Recording, Pause/Resume Recording, Switch Recording to current Tab, and more.
Definitely should get Screencastify.