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Cap

lastmod 2025-05-30created 2024-05-203 edits

Open source Loom alternative. Effortless, instant screen sharing.

Open-source alternative to Loom, a screen recording & sharing tool

Features

  • Lightweight, powerful video messaging (screen recording & sharing) tool
    • Record and share in just a few seconds
  • Available on Mac and web. Windows/Linux in development
  • Rust + Next.js + TypeScript + Tauri + Drizzle(ORM) + MySQL + Tailwind CSS

GN⁺'s opinion

  • Cap offers features similar to Loom while having the advantage of being open source, so it seems likely to draw a lot of interest from the developer community. However, since it is still in beta, stability and performance may need improvement.
  • Screen recording and sharing are already offered by several commercial services such as Loom and Vidyard, but many users are frustrated by their pricing policies or feature limits. It will be worth watching whether Cap can resolve these frustrations and provide a better user experience.
  • However, by the nature of open-source projects, the roadmap may be uncertain and development may be slow. There may also be concerns about sustainability due to the lack of a revenue model. Overcoming this seems to require building a strong development community along with establishing a suitable business model.
  • If it clearly defines its differentiators from existing services like Loom and steadily improves core values such as usability and performance, it is expected to become competitive in the market. A project whose future direction is worth watching.

Hacker News comments

The following is a summary of the Hacker News comments:

  • Product introduction needs improvement: introduce the product without naming competitors, and clearly show on the landing page what sets it apart
  • Reason for YC rejection: a tweet was shared saying Cap was rejected by YC because it had no co-founder
  • Questions about open-source plans: whether the pro features will also be included in the open source, and whether there is a risk of a license change once a hosted service is offered
  • Doubts about the lifetime price guarantee: it advertises a lifetime price guarantee, but some think it would be hard to honor if the company is sold
  • Suggestion for recording start UX: feedback that it would be better if recording started after a countdown rather than immediately when the record button is pressed
  • Need a concrete explanation of "lightweight": it should be made clear what "lightweight" means — CPU efficiency, binary size, lightness of features, etc.
  • Comparison with similar tools on macOS: people wondered how it differs from OBS, macOS's built-in recording, ffmpeg, etc.
  • Incorporating feedback: features are being improved and bugs fixed quickly based on feedback, and self-hosting and S3 integration options are coming soon

See also

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