22 Best Tutorial Software and Programs [2024]

Key features:

• Capture anything from your screen in HD and 4K
• Grab system sound and/or the sound from your mic
• Complete your tutorial with keystrokes and mouse actions
• Add annotations – shapes, arrows, lines, and figures
• Insert text explanations and customize them
• Edit your recording with the built-in video-editing tools

Movavi Screen Recorder is a versatile software for tutorials that is incredibly easy to use, and gives you a brilliant method of making screen recordings. These can be set up in a variety of configurations with both video sources from webcams and from the screen itself, there’s also a choice of audio sources, so you can use your microphone. Movavi Screen Recorder is simple to install and get to grips with, but it also has a brilliant set of features including basic editing features, making it excellent tutorial making software.

Key features:

• HD screen recording options

• Comes with a variety of different templates to start creating quickly

• Loads of import and export options to embed the tutorials anywhere

• Advanced recording and editing functionality

ActivePresenter is a brilliant piece of software for creating a variety of types of tutorials. This tutorial creations software does far more than just allowing you to create videos and annotate them with explanations and descriptions, it actually lets you create games and quizzes to go along with the tutorial, which you can export and upload online to let people learn in a variety of different ways.

Key features:

• Editing suite included

• Record from multiple audio and video sources

• Easy integration with YouTube

This Windows software can be downloaded and tested for free before you part with any of your hard-earned money. It allows you to record in a variety of different ways including timed and scheduled recordings, and this video tutorial app is one of the options to record from multiple screen inputs which you might need for some recordings. There is an editing suite to allow you to polish, trim, and improve your videos.

Key features:

• HD recording

• Support for high bitrate audio

• Capture gameplay and other footage in high definition

This video software is designed to allow people to record or screenshot images and video from their screen, and has some extra features like HD recording and optical character recognition for screenshots. It’s not specifically designed to make software recording or create interactive tutorials, but it can be put to great effect making a variety of types of video content.

Key features:

• HTML5/SCORM course support

• Support for video lectures as well as screencasts

• Text to speech for 42 languages

• Online collaborative editing

Though iSpring Suite is some of the most expensive software on the list, and as well as being some of the best video tutorial software it also integrates with PowerPoint and offers a lot of the same functionality. If you are comfortable using PowerPoint, you will be able to create some excellent video tutorials as well as slideshows and interactive presentations using iSpring Suite.

Key features:

• Support for a variety of audio and video files

• Watermark manager for adding or removing watermarks

• Easily cut and merge videos

Joyoshare VidiKit is very much focused on the video side of creating tutorials and as well as offering screen recordings, it serves as a good way to manage all of your videos. It recognizes ID3 tags, and incorporates lots of other functionality for video and audio such as “repairing” which works to varying degrees.

Key features:

• Works totally via the cloud

• Easily create CTAs and other customizations

• Totally safe and secure

This tutorial making software functions totally online. This means that recordings and edits are all cloud based, backing up the presentations as well as making it easy to share everything in the process. CloudApp is reasonably priced and is about far more than just video production as it has a variety of presentation functions and customizations: “use CloudApp to promote your own brand, including logos, customized redirect URLs, custom domains, webhooks, comments, and more.”

Key features:

• Powerful editing suite

• Motion graphics and text animations included

• Record online training with ease

ScreenFlow is some of the best video software if you want to make advanced edits to your screen captures and create a really slick and professional video presentation. The ScreenFlow software allows you to capture video from different sources, add a lot of different motion graphics, add stock videos and recordings and capture from your phone or mobile device.

Key features:

• Easy trimming

• Control with hotkeys

• Scheduled screen recordings

• Easy annotations

Icecream Screen Recorder provides you with a basic screen recording option but also has a variety of simple functions so that you can trim the videos and upload them wherever you want. You can use a lot of controls to edit and trim the video, as well as simple hotkeys to start recordings.

This can be purchased as Freemium software, or it also has the option to be purchased as part of the full suite of Icecream software.

DemoBuilder is a great way to create tutorials that you don’t even have to be in! The simple suite of virtual characters allows you to make a simple and engaging video using a character animation, and you don’t even have to be very good at editing. You can add balloons, notes, and other annotations to help explain your point and to make your tutorial very engaging and fun.

DemoBuilder is great for Windows users but doesn’t have a Mac version. There are some advanced editing features and the UI is not too difficult to get to grips with.

Key features:

• Capture video from a variety of different sources

• Import media or create video animations

• 3D effects and other advanced editing functionality

Key features:

• Capture audio and video from a variety of sources

• Powerful streaming software

• Windows, Linux, and Mac compatible

OBS Studio is a totally free and open-source piece of software used by a lot of Twitch streamers and other live streamers but it also has its uses as tutorial creation software. OBS allows you to use a variety of different video sources as well as audio sources and effects to create a detailed broadcast or video.

Unfortunately, it can take some getting used to, it is important to practice a lot to get to grips with the functionality of OBS Studio.

Key features:

• Add captions and annotations easily

• Capture from browser or camera sources

• Compress videos to small files for streaming

This software is totally free for personal use, and though its features aren't amazing, it can allow you to create really quick and easy video tutorials without having to spend any money, this is perfect for users to make simple videos that can be captured from multiple sources.

Key features:

• Simple Chroma keying

• Easy audio mixing

• Real time video drawing

Bandicam is very affordable software that can allow you a lot of the different features and functions of more expensive software. It has the option to Chroma key, so if you want to make green screen videos and then overlay it onto an image, it is really easy to edit these Bandicam videos or add webcam overlays. There are mouse effects and simple annotations, too.

Key features:

• Simple editing suite, including audio editing

• Record your screen with annotations

• Record parts of the screen rather than the full screen

Free Cam is another freeware option to create tutorial videos with simple functionality, and some really great audio editing. You can remove some background noise from the videos, as well as add effects like fade in and fade out. Combine this with the video editing for some slick results and professional video presentations.

Key features:

• HD video support

• SVG and PNG logo support

• Cloud storage included

You can get started on Renderforest totally free of charge. On top of having a really great set of features for creating video and presentations, this also gives you access to the design suite of graphics so you can create logos, images, and more, all of which can help with your tutorial.

Key features:

• Speech synthesis

• Some free audio included

• Simple editing functionality

• Annotate your videos

If you are the sort of person who doesn’t want to speak on a video, for instance, if you are using your second language, you can make use of the reliable yet free speech synthesis functions of Ezvid. This is totally free of charge, and though the video and capture features are a little basic, you can make simple tutorial videos without having too much technical knowledge.

Key features:

• Analytics to observe the viewer behavior

• Capture and stream from a variety of sources

• Edit via web browser

• Search functionality

Panopto is a great option for those who want to see the effects of their videos and broadcasts. Analytics are collected for each of the videos so you can see the impact they have had and if people have actually watched. It is secure to share these videos online.

You can try it with limited storage for free before opting for the paid plans and unlocking more storage and support.

Key features:

• Secure browser editing

• Templates and millions of assets

• Powerful editing for screen captures

This gives you powerful browser-based editing and allows you to either use your own video footage or choose from over one million different assets, great for making corporate videos and simple screen capture videos as well as presentations. There is also a huge number of preset templates for you to use. The fact that you can edit everything in the cloud on your browser is a huge bonus for both security and ease.

Key features:

• Record audio and video from a variety of sources

• Flexible pricing

• HD video support

• Loads of stock footage and assets

Clipchamp was originally built around its huge selection of stock video and audio but it has a very good set of features and functions for capturing from your webcam or from your screen, proving some of the best tutorial programs can be used in your browser to great effect, and can remain totally secure and simple to use.

Key features:

• Free trial

• Great integration with Google Classroom and other online platforms

• Easy to add text such as subtitles

Hippo Video is a simple option for tutorial making software, and it has many different facets, including the option for educators to make learning videos, you can select your video source including either a webcam or just your screen, and combine this with stock footage if required.

Key features:

• Loads of video templates

• Free audio and other assets to use

• Create anywhere via the Animoto app

Animoto has a fantastic set of features and templates if you want to easily create storyboard style videos. You do also have the option to use video you have captured, such as screen recordings or webcam recordings. It is easy to click and drag into the video editing platform, keeping things really simple. You can also add a variety of different annotations and text.

Key features:

• Make unlimited videos

• Create on your mobile tutorial app as well as desktop

• Publish directly to video platforms

Screencast-O-Matic is a fantastic option for those who don’t want to spend a lot on their tutorial app or software. It allows you to capture video recordings, edit these to some level of detail, and annotate as well as share videos securely on the cloud. It’s easy to get to grips with the very basics of the software and start creating.