Zight Review: Screen Recording Pricing, Features, and Honest Assessment (2026)

Per-seat pricing · Cloud · Web, macOS, Windows · Free trial available

Zight bundles screen recording, screenshots, GIFs, and file sharing into a single tool built for async communication -- replacing the need to juggle separate apps for each. This review covers actual pricing (free-$15/user/month), what AI Smart Actions do in practice, the real limits of the free plan, annotation quality, and where Loom or Tella might be a better pick for your workflow.

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Written by RajatFact-checked by Chandrasmita

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Pricing

Per-seat · Free plan available (15-second recordings, 50 items); Pro 7-day trial; Team 14-day trial

Deployment

Cloud

Supported OS

Web, macOS, Windows

What is Zight?

Zight (formerly CloudApp) is a screen recording and visual communication tool that combines screen recordings, annotated screenshots, GIF creation, and instant cloud sharing in one app. It works on Mac, Windows, Chrome, and iOS. AI-powered transcription and Smart Actions turn recordings into summaries, guides, and bug reports automatically. Plans start at $7.95/month with a limited free tier.

Zight pricing breakdown -- what each plan actually includes

Zight's pricing starts with a free plan that's more of a test drive than a usable tier. You get 15-second screen recordings, up to 50 items stored, and a 25MB file upload limit. That's barely enough to capture a bug report, let alone produce real content. The Pro plan at $9.95/month ($7.95/month if you pay annually) unlocks unlimited recording time, unlimited storage, HD quality, annotation tools, and AI-powered transcription. For a solo creator or freelancer, this is the plan that actually makes Zight usable.

The Team plan at $9/user/month ($8/user/month annually) requires a minimum of 2 users and adds shared workspaces, basic analytics, user management, and centralized billing. The Business plan at $15/user/month layers on custom branding, custom domains, advanced analytics, and priority support. Enterprise pricing is custom and includes SSO/SAML, SCIM provisioning, data retention policies, and audit controls.

The pricing gotcha most people miss: that free plan is aggressively limited. Fifteen seconds isn't a screen recording -- it's a glorified GIF. If you're comparing Zight's free tier to Loom's (which gives you 25 videos at 5 minutes each) or ScreenPal's (unlimited recordings at 15 minutes each), Zight's free plan loses badly. The real starting price for Zight is $7.95/month, not free.

Compared to competitors: Loom Business starts at $15/user/month, Tella Pro at $19/month (or $12 annually), ScreenPal at $4/month, and Berrycast at $5-$12/month. Zight's Pro plan at ~$8/month is priced competitively for what you get -- especially since it includes screenshots, GIFs, and annotation alongside recording. But if you only need screen recording and nothing else, ScreenPal or Berrycast are cheaper.

Free: $0/mo (15-sec recordings, 50 items, 25MB uploads)

Pro: $9.95/mo ($7.95/mo billed annually)

Team: $9/user/mo ($8/user/mo billed annually (min 2 users))

Business: $15/user/mo (Custom branding, advanced analytics)

Enterprise: Custom (SSO/SAML, data retention, audit controls)

Verified from the official pricing page on March 24, 2026. View source

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What Zight actually does (and what it doesn't)

Zight is strongest when you need more than just screen recording. If your daily workflow involves a mix of quick screenshots, short recordings, annotated visuals, and GIFs -- and you want all of that in one tool with instant shareable links -- Zight handles it well. The AI transcription and Smart Actions are genuinely useful for turning recordings into documentation. It falls short if you need polished, presentation-quality recordings (Tella does that better) or deep viewer analytics and team-wide video libraries (Loom owns that space). The free plan is nearly unusable at 15-second recordings, so treat it as a demo, not a real tier. At $8-$10/month, the Pro plan is a solid deal for solo creators who communicate visually throughout their day.

Quick verdict

Best when: You communicate visually throughout your day -- screen recordings for walkthroughs, annotated screenshots for feedback, GIFs for quick...

Worth it if: Pro ($7

Think twice if: Zight's free plan caps screen recordings at 15 seconds

Zight is best for

You communicate visually throughout your day -- screen recordings for walkthroughs, annotated screenshots for feedback, GIFs for quick demos, all shared instantly via links. Skip it if you need polished video presentations or deep viewer engagement analytics. The sweet spot is remote workers, product managers, designers, and support teams who want one tool for all visual communication instead of three separate apps.

Why Zight stands out

The all-in-one format, AI Smart Actions, and speed. Most screen recorders only do recordings. Zight does recordings, screenshots, GIFs, annotations, and file sharing in one app with one keyboard shortcut. Smart Actions automatically turn your recordings into step-by-step guides, bug reports, SOPs, and meeting notes -- saving real time on documentation. vs. Loom: Zight adds screenshots, GIFs, and annotation that Loom doesn't offer. vs. Tella: Zight is faster for quick captures; Tella is better for polished, presentation-style recordings.

Is Zight worth the price?

Pro ($7.95/mo annually) works for solo creators who need unlimited recording plus screenshots and GIFs. Team ($8/user/mo annually) makes sense once you have 2+ people and need shared workspaces and analytics. Test the free plan for the interface feel, but don't judge recording quality by it -- the 15-second cap makes it useless for real work. Don't go annual until you've used Pro for a full month at your actual pace.

Zight features

Screen Recording and Webcam Capture

Zight records your full screen, a selected region, or a specific window -- with optional webcam overlay and microphone audio. System audio capture is also supported, so you can record the sound from apps, browser tabs, or meeting calls. Recording starts instantly from the menu bar icon or a keyboard shortcut, and the finished video is auto-uploaded to Zight's cloud with a shareable link ready in seconds. The limitation is depth, not breadth. Zight captures well but doesn't offer multi-track recording (screen and webcam as separate layers you can rearrange later), presenter layouts, or real-time virtual backgrounds. If you need to adjust how your webcam overlays your screen after recording, Tella handles that. If you just need to hit record, narrate a walkthrough, and share a link, Zight does it faster than almost anything else.

Screenshot Annotation and GIF Creation

Zight's screenshot tool captures your full screen, a selected region, or a scrolling page, then opens an annotation editor with arrows, text, shapes, blur, numbered steps, and highlighting. Annotated screenshots are uploaded instantly and get a shareable link just like recordings. GIF creation works the same way -- select a screen region, record a few seconds, and Zight outputs a looping GIF with an instant link. This is Zight's clearest differentiator from Loom and most screen recording tools. An annotated screenshot often communicates faster than a 2-minute recording. A GIF embedded in a Slack message or Jira ticket shows a bug more clearly than a paragraph of text. The weakness: annotation tools are functional but not as refined as a dedicated tool like Snagit. If you need precise pixel-level annotation for design feedback, Snagit is still better.

AI Transcription and Smart Actions

Every recording on a paid plan gets automatic AI transcription in 50+ languages. Transcripts are searchable, so you can find specific recordings by what was said. Smart Actions take this further: click a button on any processed recording, and Zight generates a step-by-step guide, SOP, bug report, FAQ, or meeting summary. The output is formatted, structured, and ready to paste into your documentation tools. Smart Actions work best on recordings where you narrate clearly while demonstrating something on screen. A 3-minute walkthrough of a new feature can produce a complete SOP in seconds. The quality drops when recordings have poor audio, background noise, or minimal narration. For silent screen recordings, you'll get a basic visual description but not a useful guide. If AI-generated documentation is a key use case for you, always record with narration.

Integrations and Sharing Workflow

Zight integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Asana, Trello, GitHub, Zendesk, Notion, Google Docs, and Confluence. The core sharing mechanism is simple: every capture gets a cloud-hosted link that you paste anywhere. In Slack and Teams, links auto-unfurl with a preview. In Jira and Asana, you can attach Zight content directly to tickets. Smart Action outputs can be exported as formatted text to Notion, Google Docs, or Confluence. The integration approach is link-first rather than embed-first. This works well for most workflows, but it means Zight content lives on Zight's servers, not natively in your other tools. If your organization has strict data residency requirements or prefers self-hosted content, this could be a limitation. Enterprise plans offer custom domains and data retention controls, but standard plans rely on Zight's cloud infrastructure.

Pros and cons

Separate what looks good in the demo from what actually matters after a month of daily use.

Strengths

The strengths that matter most once you start using Zight daily.

Screenshots, recordings, and GIFs in one app

Most screen recording tools only record your screen. Zight also captures annotated screenshots, creates GIFs, and handles file sharing -- all from the same app with the same keyboard shortcuts. For someone who grabs 10 screenshots and 3 recordings throughout a workday, having one tool with one link format for everything eliminates context-switching. You don't need Snagit for screenshots, Loom for recordings, and Giphy for GIFs -- Zight replaces all three.

AI Smart Actions turn recordings into documentation

Record a screen walkthrough, and Zight's AI automatically transcribes it and can generate a step-by-step guide, SOP, bug report, FAQ, or meeting summary from the content. This isn't just transcription -- it restructures the information into a usable document format. You can export these to Notion, Google Docs, or Confluence. For teams that need to document processes, this feature alone can save hours of manual write-up per week.

Instant shareable links with no viewer login required

Every recording, screenshot, and GIF you create gets an instant cloud-hosted link. Recipients don't need a Zight account to view it -- they just click the link. This makes it frictionless for sharing with clients, external collaborators, or support tickets. The link includes engagement tracking (who viewed it, when, how long) on paid plans, so you know if your message was actually seen.

Real-time annotation during and after recording

Zight lets you annotate while recording -- adding arrows, text, shapes, and highlights directly on your screen as you capture. You can also annotate screenshots after the fact with the built-in editor. This is more useful than it sounds: a 30-second annotated screenshot often communicates what would take a 3-minute video or a 200-word email. Loom and most competitors don't offer annotation at all.

Competitive pricing for what's included

At $7.95/month (annual Pro), Zight is cheaper than Loom's paid plans ($15-$20/user/month) and includes capabilities that Loom charges extra for or doesn't offer at all -- screenshots, GIFs, annotation, and AI transcription are all bundled in. For a solo creator or small team that needs visual communication tools, the price-to-feature ratio is strong. You're paying half of what Loom costs and getting a broader toolkit.

Limitations

Check these before subscribing — these are the limitations most likely to affect your experience.

Free plan is barely functional -- 15-second recordings

Zight's free plan caps screen recordings at 15 seconds. That's not a screen recording -- it's a clip. You also get only 50 stored items and a 25MB upload limit. Compare this to Loom's free plan (25 videos at 5 minutes each) or ScreenPal's (unlimited recordings at 15 minutes). If you're evaluating Zight, you essentially need to sign up for the 7-day Pro trial to see what the tool actually does. The free plan won't show you.

No Android app -- mobile support is iOS only

Zight works on Mac, Windows, Chrome, and iOS, but there's no Android app. If your team includes Android users or you want to capture mobile screens on Android, Zight simply doesn't work. This is a real limitation for distributed teams where not everyone is on Apple devices. Loom and ScreenPal both support Android.

Video editing is minimal

Zight offers basic trimming, cropping, splitting, and merging, but it's not a video editor. You can't add transitions, text overlays, B-roll, or do multi-track editing. If your recordings need polish before sharing, you'll need to export and edit in Descript, ScreenPal, or another tool. Tella handles this much better with its multi-track recording and post-production layout controls. Zight is built for quick captures, not produced content.

Rebrand confusion -- CloudApp to Zight left a trail

Zight rebranded from CloudApp in 2023, and the transition created lingering confusion. Some integrations, help docs, and browser extensions still reference CloudApp. Users have reported broken custom domain links and inconsistent branding during the switchover. If you're searching for help or community discussions, you'll need to search both 'CloudApp' and 'Zight' to find relevant results. The dust has mostly settled, but it's still an occasional annoyance.

Analytics are basic compared to Loom

Zight includes view tracking and basic engagement data on paid plans, but it's not in the same league as Loom's viewer analytics. Loom shows you exactly who watched, where they dropped off, and how engaged they were -- Zight gives you view counts and timestamps. If you use recordings for sales outreach, onboarding, or content where viewer behavior data matters, Loom's analytics are significantly more useful.

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Setup, integrations, and getting Zight into your workflow

Getting started with Zight takes under 10 minutes: download the desktop app (Mac or Windows) or install the Chrome extension, create an account, and you're recording. The interface is straightforward -- a small menu bar icon gives you one-click access to screen recording, screenshot, GIF capture, and file upload. If you've used any screenshot tool before, you'll feel comfortable immediately.

The learning curve shows up in two places: annotation tools and Smart Actions. The annotation editor has more options than you'd expect (arrows, text, shapes, blur, numbered steps), and it takes a few uses to build muscle memory for the keyboard shortcuts. Smart Actions require you to understand what output formats are available (SOP, guide, bug report, FAQ) and when each is most useful. Budget 3-5 recordings before you're using Smart Actions efficiently.

For teams, Zight's shared workspaces and centralized content library work well. Everyone's recordings, screenshots, and GIFs live in one place with search and folders. The Team plan adds user management and basic analytics. Integration-wise, Zight connects directly with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Asana, Trello, Zendesk, and GitHub -- most of which support drag-and-drop or auto-generated link sharing.

One practical tip: set up keyboard shortcuts for your three most-used capture types on day one. Most Zight power users rely on hotkeys (screenshot, recording, GIF) rather than clicking through the menu. Also, if you're using Smart Actions for documentation, record your screen while narrating what you're doing -- the AI generates much better guides when it has both visual and audio context to work with.

Before you subscribe

Free trial and getting started with Zight

Before you subscribe to Zight, answer these questions. The all-in-one pitch sounds great on paper -- make sure it fits how you actually work.

Do you actually need screenshots AND recordings AND GIFs? If you only record your screen and never take annotated screenshots or create GIFs, Zight's main advantage disappears. A dedicated screen recorder like Loom or Berrycast may be simpler and cheaper for recording-only workflows.

Try the 7-day Pro trial on real work -- not the free plan. The free plan's 15-second recording limit will mislead you about Zight's actual capabilities. Use the Pro trial for a full week of your normal workflow: client walkthroughs, bug reports, team updates. That gives you a real sense of whether the tool fits.

Count how many visual captures you make per day. If you're grabbing 5+ screenshots, recordings, or GIFs daily, Zight's all-in-one approach saves real time. If you capture something once or twice a week, a simpler free tool might be all you need.

Test the integrations you care about. Zight connects with Slack, Jira, Asana, Trello, and more -- but test YOUR specific integration. Paste a Zight link in your team's Slack, attach one to a Jira ticket, drop one in a support tool. If the link previews and unfurls properly in your stack, that's a green light.

Compare Zight directly against Loom and ScreenPal. Record the same walkthrough in all three. Share it with a colleague. Compare the viewing experience, link quality, and whether the extra features (annotation, GIFs, Smart Actions) matter for your specific use case.

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Use pricing, tradeoffs, and alternatives before you make the final click.

Frequently asked questions about Zight

How much does Zight cost per month?

Zight's Pro plan costs $9.95/month ($7.95/month if billed annually). The Team plan is $9/user/month ($8/user/month annually, minimum 2 users). The Business plan is $15/user/month. Enterprise pricing is custom. There's also a free plan, but it limits recordings to 15 seconds and stores only 50 items -- it's really just a demo.

Does Zight have a free plan?

Technically yes, but it's heavily limited. Free Zight accounts get 15-second screen recordings, 50 stored items, and a 25MB file upload cap. That's barely enough to evaluate the interface. For actual use, you'll need the Pro plan ($7.95/month annually) or to use the 7-day free Pro trial to properly test the tool.

Who is Zight best for?

Zight is built for people who communicate visually throughout their workday -- remote workers, product managers, designers, customer support reps, and developers. It's especially useful if you need a mix of screenshots, screen recordings, GIFs, and annotations in a single tool rather than juggling three or four separate apps.

Zight vs Loom -- which is better?

Loom is better for dedicated screen recording with deep viewer analytics, AI summaries, and team video libraries. Zight is better if you need screenshots, GIFs, and annotation alongside recordings -- it's a broader visual communication tool at a lower price point ($8/mo vs $15/mo). Choose Loom if screen recording is your primary workflow. Choose Zight if you capture a mix of visual formats throughout the day.

What happened to CloudApp? Is Zight the same thing?

Yes. CloudApp rebranded to Zight in 2023. It's the same product, same team, same features. If you had a CloudApp account, it transferred to Zight automatically. Some older integrations and documentation still reference CloudApp, but the product and pricing have continued evolving under the Zight name.

What does Zight integrate with?

Zight integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, Asana, Trello, GitHub, Zendesk, Freshdesk, Notion, Google Docs, and Confluence. Most integrations work through auto-generated shareable links or drag-and-drop. The Slack and Jira integrations are the most polished, with link previews and inline embedding.

What are Zight's AI Smart Actions?

Smart Actions are AI-powered features that automatically turn your screen recordings into structured documents. Record a walkthrough, and Smart Actions can generate a step-by-step guide, SOP, bug report, FAQ, or meeting summary from the transcription. You can export these to Notion, Google Docs, or Confluence. It works best when you narrate while recording -- the AI uses both visual and audio context.

Can teams collaborate in Zight?

Yes. The Team plan ($8/user/month annually) includes shared workspaces, centralized content libraries, user management, and basic analytics. Team members can organize recordings and screenshots into shared folders, comment on content, and access a unified brand experience. The Business plan adds custom branding, custom domains, and advanced analytics.

Is Zight worth it compared to free screen recorders?

If you only record your screen occasionally, a free tool like Loom's Starter plan or ScreenPal's free tier will cover you. If you capture 5+ screenshots, recordings, or GIFs daily and want them all in one place with instant links, AI transcription, and annotation, Zight Pro at $7.95/month pays for itself in time saved. The value depends on volume -- high-frequency visual communicators get the most out of it.

Can I cancel Zight anytime?

Yes. Zight subscriptions can be cancelled anytime from your account settings. Monthly plans stop immediately at the end of the billing cycle. Annual plans continue through the end of the prepaid year. There's no cancellation fee, but annual plans aren't prorated -- you won't get a partial refund for unused months.

Zight alternatives worth comparing

If Zight isn't the right fit, these screen recording alternatives take different approaches. Some focus purely on recording quality, others on editing, and others on price. Compare them based on the specific mix of captures you make daily.

Tool	Best when	Main tradeoff	Pricing	Free trial
Zight(this tool)	You communicate visually throughout your day -- screen recordings for walkthroughs, annotated screenshots for...	Zight's free plan caps screen recordings at 15 seconds	Free plan + paid tiers	Yes
Loom	You send frequent, short video messages to teammates, clients, or collaborators and care more...	Loom lets you trim the start and end of a video, stitch clips together,...	Per-creator seat	Yes
Tella	You record course lessons, tutorials, product walkthroughs, or branded demos on a regular schedule...	Unlike Loom (25 free videos), ScreenPal (free with watermark), and Zight (free with 5-minute...	Per-seat	Yes
mmhmm	You present on video calls regularly and want to look more engaging than a...	Unlike Loom, ScreenPal, and Zight, mmhmm has no free tier after the 14-day trial	Flat rate	Yes
ScreenPal	You're a teacher creating lesson recordings, a creator making tutorials, or anyone who needs...	ScreenPal's design hasn't kept pace with newer competitors	Per-user tiered	Yes

Loom

Loom is the most widely adopted screen recording tool, now owned by Atlassian. It focuses purely on screen and webcam recording with strong viewer analytics, AI-generated summaries, and team video libraries. Business plans start at $15/user/month -- nearly double Zight's Pro price -- but you get deeper engagement data and better organizational features. Choose Loom over Zight if screen recording is your primary workflow and you need to know exactly who watched your videos and for how long.

Compare Loom

Tella

Tella records your screen and camera as separate tracks, letting you adjust layout, zoom, and positioning after recording. The result is more polished, presentation-quality video. At $19/month ($12 annually), it's pricier than Zight but built for a different purpose: recorded demos, course content, and customer-facing walkthroughs where visual polish matters. Choose Tella over Zight if your recordings need to look produced rather than captured.

Compare Tella

mmhmm

mmhmm (now Airtime) is a presentation-focused tool that layers your webcam over slides, images, and screen content with real-time layout controls. At $10-$12/month, it's similarly priced to Zight but optimized for a different use case: live presentations and recorded pitch decks rather than quick captures and async communication. Choose mmhmm over Zight if you present slides regularly and want cinematic control over how your face and content appear together.

Compare mmhmm

ScreenPal

ScreenPal (formerly Screencast-O-Matic) combines screen recording with a full video editor at prices starting from $4/month -- half of Zight's Pro plan. It includes trimming, transitions, overlays, captions, and stock media. Recording works on Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Chromebook. Choose ScreenPal over Zight if you need real video editing capabilities at a budget price and don't need screenshot annotation or GIF creation.

Compare ScreenPal

Berrycast

Berrycast is a lightweight screen recorder with AI transcription starting at $5/month. It focuses on the core record-and-share loop with less feature overhead than Zight. Recordings get instant links, AI-generated summaries, and basic analytics. Choose Berrycast over Zight if you want a simpler, cheaper tool that covers screen recording and transcription without the additional screenshot, GIF, and annotation features.

Compare Berrycast

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Sources

Pricing and product details referenced on this page were verified from public sources. Confirm final details directly with the vendor before purchasing.

pricing · verified Mar 24, 2026

Official pricing page

Zight pricing reference

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