SCREENGLIMPSE VS SCREENFORGE
Same auto-zoom.
Windows and Linux, today.
Screenforge is a genuinely free, local-first auto-zoom recorder — a real strength. It's just macOS only right now, with Windows and Linux listed as "coming very soon." ScreenGlimpse does the same cursor highlight and click-to-zoom on all three platforms today, plus a browser version if you don't want to install anything.
▸ Nothing is uploaded — recording happens entirely on your device
Side by side
Where the two tools actually differ.
Screenforge does a lot well for a free tool — timeline editing, background styling, cursor effects. Here's what changes if you're not on a Mac, or want it on more than one machine type.
| Screenforge | ScreenGlimpse | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS only — Windows/Linux "coming soon" | Windows, macOS & Linux, plus Web |
| Try without installing | Not offered | Yes — browser version at /app/ |
| Cursor zoom & effects | Built in — activity-based, 1x–4x, click ripples | Built in (Focus tier) |
| Built-in timeline editor | Yes — trim, split, 100-step undo | Not included |
| Background/padding styling | Built in | Not offered |
| Pricing today | Free — no paid tier exists yet | Free tier, or $5/mo, or $100 once |
| Locked-in future pricing | Not guaranteed — premium features "planned" | Forever tier locks in $100, one time |
| Local-only processing | Yes | Yes |
| Freeform whiteboard (Drawingboard) | Not built in | Built in — patterns, page colors, image import & eraser (Focus tier) |
Why people switch
Three reasons ScreenGlimpse ends up in the toolbox.
Platform
Windows and Linux, not "coming soon."
Screenforge's Windows and Linux versions aren't shipped yet. ScreenGlimpse already runs on all three, today.
No install
Try it in the browser first.
Screenforge is a native download only. ScreenGlimpse has a web version at screenglimpse.com/app for a quick recording with nothing to install.
Price certainty
Lock in a price today, if you want to.
Screenforge is free now, with premium features planned for later — no price is locked in. ScreenGlimpse's Forever tier is a single $100 payment you can commit to today.
Pricing
From a quick glimpse to full focus.
Start free. Upgrade when the highlight-and-zoom becomes something you actually rely on.
- Unlimited local recordings
- Up to 720p export
- Mic, webcam & system audio
- Cursor highlight & zoom
- Cursor highlight & click-to-zoom
- Up to 4K export
- No watermark
- Everything in Focus
- One payment, yours to keep
Fine print, in plain words
Questions worth answering up front.
Is ScreenGlimpse's cursor zoom as good as Screenforge's?
Both zoom in automatically based on cursor activity. The difference isn't the zoom itself — it's that ScreenGlimpse also runs on Windows and Linux today, and has a browser version if you don't want to install anything.
Does ScreenGlimpse include a timeline editor like Screenforge?
No — Screenforge's built-in editor with trimming, splitting, and undo is a genuine strength of theirs. ScreenGlimpse focuses on the recording itself; pair it with any editor if you need to trim afterward.
Will Screenforge stay completely free?
Everything is free today, but Screenforge's own FAQ mentions premium features are planned for the future — there's no locked-in price commitment. ScreenGlimpse's Forever tier is a one-time $100 payment you can lock in today.
Can I try ScreenGlimpse without installing anything, the way Screenforge works on Mac?
Yes — screenglimpse.com/app runs in the browser with nothing to install, in addition to native installers for Windows, macOS, and Linux.