Should you build your own Loom?
Async screen recording with instant hosting, transcripts, and team sharing
Local screen recording is easy, but instant hosting, permissions, viewer analytics, comments, trimming, and team libraries push it beyond one sitting.
ENOriginal research content in English. Original prompt preserved in English.
Build me a screen-record-and-share tool to replace Loom on macOS. Requirements:
- Two parts: a local recording CLI and a share server on my own VPS.
- Recording: `rec start` / `rec stop` wrapping ffmpeg's avfoundation capture,
screen plus mic, saved to ~/Recordings/YYYY-MM-DD-HHMM.mp4. No camera bubble.
- On stop: transcode to web-friendly H.264, transcribe with whisper.cpp, then
upload video and transcript to the server with rsync over SSH.
- The server (Node + Express + better-sqlite3 behind my existing reverse proxy)
serves each recording at an unguessable /v/<random-id> URL: player, title, date,
and the transcript below it, searchable in-page.
- `rec stop` ends by printing the share URL and copying it to my clipboard. Target:
under a minute from stop to link for a 2-minute video.
- The index page listing all recordings stays private (localhost or VPN only); the
share pages are link-only, no listing anywhere. No accounts, no telemetry.
- Out of scope: viewer analytics, comments, trimming, and team libraries. The
unlisted URL is the entire permission model.
- README: macOS screen-recording and mic permissions, finding the right ffmpeg
device index, and the server deploy steps.The prompt opens pre-filled in your agent. Review it before running. · this prompt is generated from the build plan · improve it via PR
What would building your own look like?
Record screen and camera, encode video, upload to storage, generate transcript/summary, and serve a share page.
What you will need
- screen capture API
- ffmpeg
- object storage
- hosted app
- auth
- optional transcription API
They pay because a Loom link works everywhere and preserves context for the team.
xinstant reliable hosting
xpermissions
xcomments
xanalytics
xworkspace libraries
xbrowser extensions
Prefer something ready-made?
CapLoom with your own storage and your own server chores.Open source↗License, setup, and limitations for each alternative.
How much does Loom cost?
- Monthly billing
- $18/mo$18/mo · per person
- Per year
- $216/yr$216/yr
- Annual billing
- $180/yr17% cheaper than paying monthly
- On a Brazilian card, with 3.5% IOF
- R$94.06/moR$941/yr
Saved to My list. You will see a notice on this site when the price changes.
You complete the purchase on Loom’s site. Vibe Radar does not handle payments.
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per month) | What is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| starter | $0/user | $0/user | Up to 50 workspace members; 25 videos/person; 5 minutes/video; unlimited-length meeting recordings; 720p. |
| business | $18/user≈ $18 | $15/user≈ $15 | Unlimited videos and recording length; paid Creator/Admin seat. |
| business + ai | $24/user≈ $24 | $20/user≈ $20 | Unlimited videos and length plus AI workflows; 14-day trial. |
| enterprise | custom | - | Custom users and limits; price not public. |
Free tier50 workspace members, 25 videos per person, 5 minutes per video, unlimited-length meeting recordings, unlimited screenshots and 720p recording.
Billing termsmonthly + annual (about 17% off); 14-day Business + AI trial
Additional costsCreator and Admin roles are paid; Creator Lite is free. Seat counting and billing mechanics differ between direct Loom subscriptions and Atlassian subscriptions.
verified 2026-08-11 · source ↗
Is it cheaper to build or buy Loom?
Adjust the numbers: hours to build, your hourly rate, running costs and the subscription price.
Over 24 months, subscribing is cheaper.
Starting hours estimated from the analysis (weekend). Does not price what you give up (support, integrations, security).
Is Loom free?
The free plan allows 25 videos of up to 5 minutes each. The paid plan is Business at $18/mo (checked 10/20/2026).
Can I rebuild Loom?
Kinda. The core of Loom is buildable in a weekend with the prompt on this page, but there are real gaps: instant reliable hosting, permissions. Read the honest list above before committing.
How much does Loom cost?
Loom costs about $18/mo (Business, checked 10/20/2026), which is $180 per year.
What do I lose by replacing Loom?
Honestly: instant reliable hosting; permissions; comments; analytics; workspace libraries; browser extensions. If any of those are load-bearing for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to Loom?
Yes: Cap (Loom with your own storage and your own server chores.) The prompt is for when you want it exactly your way.