Bandicam vs other screen recorders
How Bandicam compares to OBS, XSplit, and other tools for game and screen recording on Windows. Pros, cons, and when to choose Bandicam.
Choosing a screen or game recorder depends on your needs: ease of use, streaming, file size, and performance. Bandicam focuses on simple recording with small file sizes and minimal FPS impact. It compresses video in real time, so at 1080p Full HD you can expect roughly 34 MB per minute at 30 FPS or 59 MB per minute at 60 FPS with H.264; using AV1 (GPU) can reduce that to about 15–18 MB per minute.
Below we compare Bandicam with OBS Studio, XSplit, and other popular options so you can decide which fits your workflow. For Bandicam features and download, see Features and Download.
Bandicam vs OBS Studio
OBS Studio is free and open source, widely used for streaming and recording. Bandicam is a commercial product (with a free tier) aimed at straightforward recording with high compression.
| Aspect | Bandicam | OBS Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | Simple: pick mode (game/screen/device) and record. Fewer settings. | More complex: scenes, sources, encoder settings. Steeper learning curve. |
| Streaming | Limited built-in streaming; focus is local recording. | Full streaming to Twitch, YouTube, etc. with scenes and overlays. |
| File size | Often 20–95% smaller at similar quality (compression while recording). | Depends on encoder settings; typically larger files unless tuned. |
| Game recording | Dedicated Game mode; hooks DirectX/OpenGL/Vulkan; up to 480 FPS, 4K. | Game capture source; very capable but requires configuration. |
| Cost | Free with 10-min limit and watermark; paid for unlimited. | Free and open source, no watermark. |
| Platform | Windows (and Mac via Mac App Store). | Windows, macOS, Linux. |
When to choose Bandicam: You want the simplest way to record gameplay or screen with small file sizes and minimal setup. When to choose OBS: You need streaming, advanced scenes, or a free unlimited recorder and are okay with more configuration. See Guides for how to record with Bandicam.
Bandicam vs XSplit
XSplit offers both recording and streaming with a focus on streamers and content creators. Bandicam is lighter and focused on recording quality and file size.
- Bandicam: Lightweight, easy game/screen/device recording, strong compression (NVENC, Quick Sync, AMD), low FPS impact. No built-in streaming suite. One-time or subscription options for full version.
- XSplit: Full streaming and recording with scenes, overlays, and plugins. More features for streamers; subscription-based. Heavier and more complex than Bandicam for simple recording.
If you only need to record gameplay or screen and want small files and simple operation, Bandicam is a good fit. If you need a full streaming studio with many sources and overlays, XSplit or OBS may be better.
Bandicam vs other tools
Other common options include ShareX (free, open source, screenshot and recording), Camtasia (paid, video editing + recording), Windows Game Bar (built-in, basic), and NVIDIA ShadowPlay / GeForce Experience (free, NVIDIA GPU only, game-focused).
- ShareX: Free and flexible; good for screenshots and short clips. Less focused on long gameplay with minimal FPS impact and small file sizes compared to Bandicam.
- Camtasia: Strong for tutorials and editing; recording is one part of a full editing suite. More expensive; overkill if you only need recording.
- Windows Game Bar: Built into Windows; no extra install. Limited codec and quality options; no dedicated screen or device recording like Bandicam.
- NVIDIA ShadowPlay: Free for NVIDIA users; low overhead. Tied to NVIDIA GPU; no generic screen or webcam-only recording like Bandicam’s Device mode.
Bandicam sits between “simple and small files” and “full streaming/editing.” It supports all three modes (game, screen, device), hardware encoding from NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD, and produces smaller files than many alternatives. For a quick overview of what Bandicam can do, see Features.
Summary: pros and cons of Bandicam
Pros
- Very easy to use: pick game, screen, or device and record
- Small file sizes (20–95% smaller at similar quality)
- Low FPS impact in games; hardware encoding (NVENC, Quick Sync, AMD)
- Up to 480 FPS and 4K; DirectX, OpenGL, Vulkan support
- Free tier: all modes, 10-minute limit per video
- Real-time drawing, webcam overlay, MP4/AVI output
Cons
- Free version: 10-minute limit and watermark
- No built-in streaming suite like OBS or XSplit
- Windows only (Mac version separate, no Linux)
- Paid license required for unlimited, no-watermark recording
For download and installation, go to Download. For common issues, see Troubleshooting and FAQ.
When to use Bandicam
Bandicam is a good fit if you want to record gameplay or screen with minimal setup and small file sizes. It is ideal for:
- Gamers and streamers who record for YouTube or archives and prefer simple recording over a full streaming suite.
- Educators and trainers who need screen recording with real-time drawing and small files for sharing.
- Content creators who capture software demos, tutorials, or browser content and want direct upload to YouTube without re-encoding.
- Anyone who wants a lightweight recorder with hardware encoding (NVENC, Quick Sync, AMD) and minimal FPS impact in games.
Choose OBS or XSplit if you need live streaming with scenes, overlays, and multiple sources. Choose ShareX if you want a free, open-source tool mainly for screenshots and short clips. Choose Camtasia if you need a full video editing suite with recording. Bandicam sits between “simple and small files” and “full streaming/editing”—best for straightforward recording with high compression. See Features and Download.
Feature summary
Bandicam focuses on local recording with small file sizes and minimal setup. Key differentiators:
- Three modes in one: Game (DirectX/OpenGL/Vulkan), Screen (full/window/region), and Device (webcam, capture card) — no need to switch between separate tools.
- Compression while recording: Files are typically 20–95% smaller than many other recorders at similar quality, so uploads and storage are easier.
- Hardware encoding: NVIDIA, Intel, and AMD GPU encoding for lower CPU load and smaller files.
- Real-time drawing: Annotate or highlight during recording without a separate editing step.
- Direct upload: Upload to YouTube, Vimeo, or Google Drive without re-encoding in many cases.
If your main goal is recording (games, screen, or device) with small files and simple operation, Bandicam is a strong choice. If your main goal is streaming with many sources and overlays, OBS or XSplit may fit better. For a full comparison of codecs and system requirements, see Features and Download – System requirements.