12 Best GIF Recorders for Mac in 2024

This convenient, easy tool from Movavi works on both Windows and Mac and allows one-click screen capture. You can capture both video and images and export them in a wide variety of popular formats.

File sharing is another convenient feature of the program, as you can upload to YouTube or Google Drive in one click or share GIFs directly to social media and messaging applications. Plus, Movavi Screen Recorder uses Intel hardware acceleration to create clean GIFs that process and play seamlessly.

Key features

• Easily record the entire screen, a window, or a certain part of the screen
• Draw on your video and add shapes, lines, and arrows
• Save exactly what you need and cut out unnecessary parts with trimming tools
• Grab webcam footage or just the audio stream to create media content
• Share your recording right from the app via messengers or upload it to Google Drive

Most users know GIPHY as the go-to search engine for GIFs. It offers a seemingly endless collection of GIFs uploaded by users from all over the world. But the website also offers a GIF creation feature called GIPHY Create that allows users to upload and create their own animated GIFs.

The online platform is easy to use and lets you both create and share your GIFs all from the same platform. You just select a source material – URL or upload – and then choose a point in the video to create GIF. From there, you can also add stickers, captions, and filters and then share the file with ease.

Key features

• Integrates with GIPHY CAM for smartphone uploads
• Option to add stickers, filters, and captions
• Create GIFs from URLs directly from YouTube or Vimeo
• Custom background tool

Go to GIPHY

GIF Brewery is owned by Gfycat, which is another popular site to find millions of GIFs. The program is a popular GIF recorder for Mac users that allows users to create GIFs directly from video files, screen recordings, iOS video, and webcam recordings.

The interface allows you to crop and resize your videos and set a frame rate or count before editing. From there, you can apply colorization filters or common photo overall photo filters like Noir. It’s also possible to overlay images and add captions to your GIFs.

Sharing is straightforward with the program but only goes to iMessage, Gfycat, or email.

Key features

• Record or import files
• Ability to set frame rate or delay frame
• Can add multiple images and captions

Download GIF Brewery

If you’re looking for speed and precision in your GIF recorder, then Gifox is a superb option. The program offers some of the most accurate capturing tools of any GIF recorder for Mac. It’s possible to select pixel-perfect custom regions or capture GIFs from a specific window – even when covered by other windows.

For speed, Gifox features a range of hotkeys to help you control everything in the program with ease. But the real highlight is the menu bar icon that allows you to access everything you need from a dropdown menu.

Outside of those features, it includes a lot of standard editing features you’ll see elsewhere on the list – fps settings, cutting, trimming, etc. But it really shines with its compression options that allow you to manipulate file sizes to accommodate your needs.

Key features

• Quick access icon in your menu bar
• Has hotkeys programmed for even faster usage
• Offers advanced compression options

Download Gifox

Smart Gif Maker offers one of the best interfaces for making GIFs from screen captures on a Mac. The program is simple and efficient and makes it easy for users of any level to create a GIF.

Smart Gif Maker has a wide range of import options with drag-and-drop functionality for editing. Though editing options are minimal – there are just enough tools to get the job done – the editing window shines in its simplicity and ease of use.

The development company that created the app closed, so don’t expect updates. But it’s a cost-efficient option for anyone looking for a simple program to create GIFs from screen capture on a Mac.

Key features

• GIF previews before export
• Drag and drop functionality
• Edit GIFs with a Paint-like template

Download Smart Gif Maker

If you only want to screen-record a GIF on a Mac, then LICEcap is a viable option. The program allows you to capture your desktop activity quickly and save it as a .gif or .lcf file. Outside of the base features, you can pause recordings, insert text, adjust the framerate, display the elapsed recording time, and record mouse clicks.

LICEcap is a simple, free program that can record your screen as a GIF, and that’s all. It has no frills, so choose another program if you need additional editing and sharing tools.

Key features

• Can move your screen capture frame while recording
• Elapsed time display
• Records in both .gif and .lcf

Download LICEcap

While it’s true that the latest macOS has a superb screenshot tool, some users may want a little more. CleanShot X offers a variety of features that could make up multiple applications. The program does screen capture and recording, text recognition, annotations, floating screenshots, GIF recording, and more.

The tools offer much more than many of the programs on the list dedicated only to saving your screen to GIF on a Mac. But we’ll specifically highlight the ability to integrate audio into your recording with the Mac’s built-in microphone.

Overall, this tool might offer a little more than what you’re looking for from this list. But if you want added value to your GIF recording program, this is a stellar choice.

Key features

• Webcam recording
• Ability to record your microphone and macOS audio
• Auto-hides notifications

Download CleanShot X

Movavi Video Converter can definitely fulfill your GIF recording needs on your Mac. The program is a total package that can convert screen recordings to GIF and take care of a wide range of other video conversion needs.

The program allows you to convert media files to popular formats, compress files, and make basic video edits. Movavi Video Converter is an all-in-one solution that includes essential conversion and editing features and is easy to use.

Key features

• Works with over 180 formats
• Tons of compression features
• Editing features, including subtitles/text
• AI features to increase the quality of your video

Apple Keynote is one of the original applications that Apple created for their iWork suite – their answer to Microsoft Office. The program is a slideshow creator that includes a lot of additional features.

Specific to the list, the program allows you to export slideshows as an animated GIF. And since the program also allows you to play YouTube and Vimeo videos directly in the interface, you can convert anything you want into a GIF with ease.

Key features

• Offers over thirty themes for presentations
• Lots of effects and transitions
• Integrates other Apple applications for ease-of-use

Download Keynote

If you’re looking for a free file converter to turn an image into a GIF, then Zamzar could be a solid option. The program works completely online – though they offer a desktop download for subscribers – and converts files into GIFs with ease.

The program is a simple three-step drag-and-drop process, so it’s perfect for users of all skill levels. However, just know that the server can be a little slow if they have high traffic. And the free version only supports files up to 50 MB, so you may need to upgrade if you're working with bigger files.

Key features

• Offers compression features too
• Convert images, documents, sound, and video
• No software to download; deletes files within seven days from their server

Go to Zamzar

Ezgif is an easy online solution for anyone who needs to create a GIF quickly. The program has basic editing features – cut, crop, resize, reverse – and allows you to convert and cut a video into a GIF or create a GIF from a string of images.

If you want to make your GIF pop, you can also insert from a small selection of effects and filters. Overall, it’s a perfect choice for anyone that’s new to creating GIFs and wants to test out the process.

Key features

• Completely online
• Basic editing features
• Healthy amount of filters for free

Go to Ezgif

CloudСonvert GIF Converter is a straightforward online program that converts files of all types into GIFs – along with many other formats. This isn’t a free program, so it may not be ideal if you only want to convert files to GIFs.

But if you need a comprehensive solution to convert all types of files, then this is a viable option. Plus, it allows custom app integration and works completely in the cloud on a highly secure server.

Key features

• Supports over 200 formats
• Offers custom app integration
• High-quality conversions

Go to CloudConvert GIF Converter