# Bandicam review (2026)

Source: https://thebestscreenrecorder.com/reviews/bandicam/
By Sam Fisher, updated October 6, 2026. Part of The Best Screen Recorder (https://thebestscreenrecorder.com/). Method: https://thebestscreenrecorder.com/how-we-test/

Bandicam is a screen, game and webcam recorder for Windows, with a separate Mac app. It suits gamers and teachers who want a simple recorder with a game mode and a built-in trimmer.

## At a glance

- Score: 8.3/10 as a game recorder
- Best for: You record games or lessons on a Windows PC and want a straightforward recorder with a game mode, webcam overlay and a trimmer.
- Works on: Windows, Mac
- Free recording: 5 min per video
- Watermark when free: No
- Price: From $33.26/yr (Windows Personal annual licence, 1 PC, non-commercial (special-offer price; not sold monthly). Mac: $9.99/mo or $39.99/yr. Prices from bandicam.com, 6 Oct 2026.)
- Max resolution: 5K
- Made by: Bandicam Company (https://www.bandicam.com)
- Last checked: October 2026

## Plans

- Free: free, free. 5 minutes per recording, no watermark on recordings
- Personal Annual (Windows): n/a, $33.26/year. 1 PC, non-commercial, no time limit
- Mac Pro: $9.99/month, $39.99/year. Via Mac App Store, personal and commercial use
- Business Annual (Windows): n/a, $49.46/year. 1 PC, commercial use
- Personal Perpetual (Windows): n/a, $53.9/year. One-time, Bandicam 2027, 1 year of support

## Subscores

- Sharing: 6.0/10
- Recording features: 10.0/10
- Editing: 7.0/10
- Free plan: 7.0/10
- Value for money: 9.0/10
- Ease of use: 9.5/10
- Platforms: 4.0/10

## What we like

- Game recording mode for DirectX, OpenGL and Vulkan games, up to 4K
- Draw on screen and schedule recordings
- Upload straight to YouTube or Google Drive

## What to watch

- Free version limits each recording to 5 minutes
- Edited videos from the free version carry a watermark
- Windows and Mac need separate licences


## Our verdict

Bandicam is a capable, low-cost recorder for Windows. It has a game mode for DirectX, OpenGL and Vulkan games, a webcam overlay, drawing while you record, scheduled recording, and a trimmer with burned-in subtitles. A Personal licence costs $33.26 a year at the current offer price.

The free version is only good for a test: each recording stops at 5 minutes. Recordings carry no watermark, but anything you edit and export does. The Mac version is a separate App Store subscription, so a Windows licence won't cover both machines.

If you want a free recorder with no time limit, pick [OBS Studio](/reviews/obs-studio/). If you need a share link rather than a file, look at [ScreenRec](/reviews/screenrec/) or [Loom](/reviews/loom/). For streaming as well as recording, try [Streamlabs](/reviews/streamlabs/).