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LMS · head to head

Screencastify vs Seesaw

Screencastify logo

Screencastify

LMS

Simple video creation for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Seesaw logo

Seesaw

LMS

Student-driven digital portfolios and family communication

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Screencastify limited to Chrome browser only, cannot record on Firefox, Safari, or Edge; Seesaw seesaw Starter limited to 1 active class per teacher and 35 students maximum
  • They diverge on capability: Screencastify covers Screen recording, Seesaw covers Digital portfolios.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Screencastify and Seesaw actually diverge.

Attributes where Screencastify and Seesaw differ
AttributeScreencastifySeesaw
PlatformsChrome BrowserWeb, IOS, Android, Chromebook

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (LMS), founded (2013).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Screencastify

  • Screen recording
  • Video editing
  • Drawing tools
  • Google Drive export
  • Chrome support
  • Edge support

Only in Seesaw

  • Digital portfolios
  • Creative tools
  • Family messaging
  • Activity library
  • Assessment
  • Translation
  • Multimodal responses
  • Mobile apps

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Screencastify

  • Recording lessons for flipped classroom instruction without external toolsnot Seesaw
  • Creating product demos and explainer videos for sales teamsnot Seesaw
  • Documenting technical processes for customer support tutorialsnot Seesaw
  • Collecting and grading video assignments from students with rubricsnot Seesaw
  • Adding interactive assessments to video content to measure understandingnot Seesaw

Seesaw

  • Student portfoliosnot Screencastify
  • Family communicationnot Screencastify
  • Formative assessmentnot Screencastify
  • Student voicenot Screencastify

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Screencastify

  • Limited to Chrome browser only, cannot record on Firefox, Safari, or Edge
  • Free version watermark appears on all videos and requires upgrade to remove
  • Free tier limited to 10 videos total before requiring paid plan
  • Maximum 1080p resolution at 30fps, no support for higher framerates or 4K
  • No free educator license for educational institutions

Seesaw

  • Seesaw Starter limited to 1 active class per teacher and 35 students maximum
  • Free tier only offers 35 activities and 5 multimedia items per post
  • No individual teacher subscriptions available; requires school or district purchase
  • Paid licenses start at $2,500 USD minimum per school or district

Pricing, plan by plan

Screencastify

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 videos
    • 30-minute recording limit
    • Browser tab, full screen, and webcam recording
  • Starter$7/month
    • Unlimited videos
    • 60-minute recording limit
    • Basic editing
  • Pro$10/month
    • Unlimited videos
    • 180-minute recording limit
    • AI video enhancements
  • Enterprise & EDU$null/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Central admin controls
    • LMS integrations

Seesaw

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Digital portfolios
    • Family messaging
    • Basic activities
  • Seesaw Plus$12/month
    • All free features
    • Advanced activities
    • Skill-based learning
  • Seesaw for Schools$undefined/month
    • Admin tools
    • Analytics
    • SSO

Which should you pick?

Choose Screencastify if

  • You need screen recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome Browser.
  • You also want video editing.
Screencastify review

Choose Seesaw if

  • You need digital portfolios.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, Chromebook.
  • You also want creative tools.
Seesaw review

Questions people ask

Is Screencastify or Seesaw better?
Neither clearly leads. Screencastify starts at Free and Seesaw at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Screencastify or Seesaw?
Screencastify starts at Free and Seesaw at Free.
Does Screencastify or Seesaw run on more platforms?
Screencastify runs on Chrome Browser. Seesaw runs on Web, IOS, Android, Chromebook.
Can I use Screencastify for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Screencastify best used for?
Screencastify is most often used for recording lessons for flipped classroom instruction without external tools, creating product demos and explainer videos for sales teams, documenting technical processes for customer support tutorials, collecting and grading video assignments from students with rubrics. Of those, recording lessons for flipped classroom instruction without external tools and creating product demos and explainer videos for sales teams are not what Seesaw is typically brought in for.
What can Screencastify do that Seesaw cannot?
Screencastify covers Screen recording, Video editing, Drawing tools, Google Drive export. Seesaw covers Digital portfolios, Creative tools, Family messaging, Activity library.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Screencastify: What's the free tier limit?

Free plan allows 10 total videos up to 30 minutes each, with watermark. After 10 videos, you must upgrade.

Source
Seesaw: Is Seesaw free to use?

Seesaw offers a free tier called Seesaw Starter. Effective June 30, 2026, Seesaw Starter is limited to 1 active class per teacher, 35 students maximum, 35 activities, and 5 multimedia items per post. Paid plans are available for schools and districts only.

Source
Screencastify: Is Screencastify limited to Chrome?

Yes. Screencastify is exclusively a Chrome extension and does not work on other browsers like Firefox, Safari, or Edge.

Source
Seesaw: What grade levels does Seesaw support?

Seesaw is designed for elementary education from pre-kindergarten through 6th grade. It serves as the only elementary Learning Experience Platform with award-winning tools for joyful, inclusive instruction.

Source
Screencastify: What's the maximum video quality?

Maximum resolution is 1080p at 30 frames per second. Videos can only be exported to MP4, audio to MP3, or as GIF.

Source
Seesaw: What new features are coming to Seesaw in 2026?

As of June 30, 2026, Seesaw Starter users gain AI-powered tools with included credits, Student Highlights Folders, and Post Visibility Settings to control who can see sensitive student work.

Source
Screencastify: Does Screencastify work for educational use?

Screencastify lacks a free educator license for schools or non-profits, unlike some competitors who offer discounted or free plans for educational institutions.

Source
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