screen recorder · Bandicam Company

Bandicam

Windows screen and game recorder with 4K capture, live drawing and AI transcription, sold as a yearly or one-time licence.

75/100

#1 of 9 screen recorders
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

In short

The free version stops each recording at 5 minutes, but adds no watermark to recordings².
A personal licence for one PC costs $33.26 a year, or $53.90 once for Bandicam 2027¹.
Records up to 4K UHD (3840 × 2160) at up to 480 frames a second with hardware acceleration⁴.
AI transcription turns recordings into a TXT transcript or SRT subtitles⁹.
Runs on 64-bit Windows 11, 10, 8 and 7, with a separate Mac app^5,6.

Bandicam suits people who record games or tutorials on a Windows PC and would rather pay once than subscribe¹. It records up to 4K, draws on screen while recording and transcribes speech into subtitles^3,4,9. The catch is the free version: each recording stops at 5 minutes, and edited exports carry a watermark².

Best for: Gamers and tutorial makers who would rather pay once.

Where the points come from

Capture30 of 30

Editing and sharing25 of 25

Systems10 of 15

Price and licence10 of 30

Capture 30 of 30 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Webcam overlay	YesRecords your screen and your face together in one video³.	6 / 6
System sound and microphone	YesCaptures computer sound and the microphone together³.	6 / 6
4K recording	YesRecords up to 4K UHD (3840 × 2160)⁴.	6 / 6
60 frames a second	YesRecords up to 480 frames a second with hardware acceleration⁴.	6 / 6
Draw while recording	YesAdds pen strokes, arrows, shapes and text while you record³.	6 / 6

Editing and sharing 25 of 25 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Built-in editor	YesBandicam 2027 trims recordings in its built-in editor; free exports get a watermark⁷.	8 / 8
Share by link	YesUploads to YouTube from the app, then copies the video link⁸.	8 / 8
Automatic captions	YesAI transcription creates subtitles automatically; the free version shows only part of the transcript^2,9.	9 / 9

Systems 10 of 15 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Desktop systems	Windows, macOSWindows 11/10/8/7 64-bit, plus a separate Mac app^5,6.	10 / 15

Price and licence 10 of 30 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Free without watermark or time limit	NoFree recordings have no watermark but stop at 5 minutes each².	0 / 12
First-year price	$33.26/yrPersonal Annual licence for one PC, $33.26 a year¹.	10 / 10
Open source	NoThe licence says the software is Bandicam Company's property and forbids decompiling it¹¹.	0 / 8

The rule behind each line: how we score screen recorders.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

Plan	Price as listed	Per month	Notes
Free1 PC	Free²	$0	5-minute limit per recording; edited exports get a watermark
Personal Annual1 PC, non-commercial use	$33.26/year¹	$2.77	Shown as 10% off
Personal Perpetual1 PC, non-commercial use	$53.90 one-time¹	–	Bandicam 2027 with one year of support; list price $77
Business Annual1 PC, commercial use	$49.46/year¹	$4.12	List price $65.95

Both personal licences show a discount: 10% off the annual licence and $53.90 instead of $77 for the perpetual one¹. The store lists no renewal price for the annual licence¹. Refunds are given within 14 days only if the serial number has not been registered¹⁰.

Strengths

A perpetual licence costs $53.90 once, so no subscription is needed¹.
Captures up to 4K UHD and up to 480 frames a second⁴.
Uploads straight to YouTube and copies the video link⁸.
Built-in trimming and AI transcription to TXT or SRT^7,9.

Limits

The free version stops each recording at 5 minutes².
Free users get a watermark on edited exports and see only part of each transcript².
No refund once the serial number has been registered¹⁰.
Personal licences are for non-commercial use; a business licence costs $49.46 a year per PC¹.

What Bandicam Company says

Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.

Bandicam says its Mac app captures the screen in 5K at 60 frames a second⁶.

Other screen recorders

2
ScreenPalTeachers and teams who share short how-to videos by link
74/100
$48/yrfirst-year price
3
OBS StudioPeople who want a free recorder with full control over sources and quality
69/100
$0first-year price
4
SnagitPeople who mix screenshots and short screen videos for guides and feedback
66/100
$44.25/yrfirst-year price
5
CamtasiaPeople who record tutorials and training videos and edit them in the same app
65/100
$204.13/yrfirst-year price

Bandicam vs ScreenPal · Bandicam vs OBS Studio · All 9 screen recorders

Sources

Buy Bandicam Screen Recorder - Official Store, Bandicam Company. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Bandicam free version vs. Bandicam full version, Bandicam Company. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Screen Recording Software: capture anything on your PC screen - Bandicam, Bandicam Company. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Free Game Recorder - Bandicam, Bandicam Company. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Screen Recorder Download - Best Screen Recording Software, Bandicam, Bandicam Company. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
All-in-One Screen Recorder for Mac | Bandicam, Bandicam Company. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
How to Trim a Video on Windows | Bandicam, Bandicam Company. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
How to Upload Videos to YouTube/Shorts from Bandicam, Bandicam Company. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Transcribe Video & Audio to Text: AI Transcription - Bandicam, Bandicam Company. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Can I get a refund after registering the serial number?, Bandicam Company. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
End User License Agreement, Terms of Service - Bandicam, Bandicam Company. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: www.bandicam.com · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Bandicam Company.