Scribe vs. Cap: Pricing Comparison Guide 2026

What is Scribe?

Scribe is an AI-powered workflow documentation platform that automatically generates step-by-step guides as users complete processes in their browser or desktop applications. Founded to eliminate manual screenshot-and-annotation work, Scribe has grown to serve over 5 million users and 78,000+ enterprise customers, including 94% of Fortune 500 companies.

Scribe's Pricing-Relevant Features

• Auto-capture technology: Records clicks and actions across web, desktop, and mobile applications
• AI-generated guides: Automatically creates annotated screenshots with descriptions
• Multi-format export: PDF, HTML, Markdown, and Microsoft Word (Pro/Enterprise only)
• Custom branding: Add company logos and colors (Pro/Enterprise)
• Sensitive data redaction: Manual and automated PII/PHI blurring (varies by tier)
• Team collaboration: Comments, version history, and workspace management
• Enterprise features: SSO, SCIM provisioning, role-based access control (Enterprise only)

Scribe positions itself as a comprehensive workflow intelligence platform, with recent Series C funding supporting expansion into AI-powered workflow optimization and analysis tools.

What is Cap

Cap is an open-source screen recording and sharing platform that launched as a lightweight, privacy-focused alternative to Loom. Built by a small team with a community-first philosophy, Cap emphasizes local recording, data ownership, and transparent pricing. With over 25,000 users and 16.4k GitHub stars, Cap has gained traction among developers, creators, and privacy-conscious teams.

Cap's Pricing-Relevant Features

• Cross-platform native apps: Native macOS and Windows applications (not Electron)
• Two recording modes: Instant Mode (real-time upload) and Studio Mode (local recording with editing)
• 4K and 60fps recording: High-quality capture with intelligent compression
• Local and cloud storage options: Use Cap's cloud, connect your own S3 bucket, or keep everything local
• AI-powered features: Auto-generated titles, summaries, chapters, and transcriptions
• Open-source codebase: Full transparency with self-hosting capabilities
• Privacy controls: Password protection, private/public sharing, local-only options

Cap positions itself as the ethical, affordable alternative to expensive screen recording tools, emphasizing user ownership and data sovereignty.

Scribe vs. Cap: Pricing at a Glance

Pricing Deep Dive: Understanding True Cost of Ownership

Scribe's Pricing Structure Analysis

Scribe employs a traditional SaaS per-seat pricing model with notable constraints:

The 5-Seat Minimum Problem

While Scribe advertises Pro Team pricing at $12/user/month (annual), this requires a minimum commitment of 5 seats, resulting in a $59/month minimum ($708/year) even if you only have 2-3 team members who need the tool. For monthly billing, this jumps to $15/user/month with the same 5-seat minimum ($75/month or $900/year).

This creates a significant barrier for small teams and forces organizations to pay for unused licenses. According to 2026 Reddit discussions from MSP communities, enterprise pricing can escalate to $39+ per user for larger deployments.

Feature Gating by Tier

Scribe's free Basic plan is severely limited:

• Browser-only capture (no desktop app access)
• No custom branding
• No PDF/HTML/Markdown exports
• No team collaboration features
• No desktop or mobile app capture

This means most professional use cases require the Pro tier at minimum, effectively making Scribe a paid-only solution for serious users.

Scribe's Value Proposition

Despite the higher cost, Scribe delivers significant value for documentation-heavy teams:

• Time savings: Users report 41.6 hours saved per month and 90% reduction in documentation time
• AI automation: Automatic screenshot annotation and text generation
• Multi-app capture: Works across web, desktop, and mobile environments
• Enterprise compliance: SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, CCPA certifications

For teams creating extensive process documentation, the ROI can justify the higher seat costs.

Cap's Pricing Structure Analysis

Cap takes a radically different approach with three distinct pricing paths:

The Open-Source Advantage

Cap's free tier is genuinely usable for many scenarios:

• Unlimited local recordings for personal use
• Basic sharing capabilities (up to 5-minute cloud shares)
• Access to core recording features
• No artificial feature limitations beyond commercial licensing

One-Time License Option

Cap's Desktop License at $58 one-time or $29/year is unique in this space:

• Perpetual license for a single device (one-time option)
• Unlimited local recording and editing
• Commercial usage rights
• Export to any format
• No recurring fees (one-time option)

This model is especially attractive for freelancers, consultants, and small businesses who want to avoid subscription fatigue. Over 3 years, this represents $58 total cost vs. Scribe's $828 minimum (Pro Personal annual).

Cap Pro: Competitive Cloud Features

At $8.16/user/month (annual), Cap Pro is 33% cheaper than Scribe's Pro Team pricing and includes:

• Everything in Desktop License
• Unlimited cloud storage and sharing
• AI-powered titles, transcriptions, summaries, and chapters
• Custom domain support
• Team workspaces
• No minimum seat requirement

The lack of minimum seats means a 3-person team pays $24.48/month (annual) vs. Scribe's forced $59/month minimum—a 59% cost savings.

Cap's Limitations

However, Cap's lower price reflects its narrower focus:

• Screen recording only (no automatic step-by-step guide generation)
• No automatic screenshot annotation like Scribe
• Smaller team and fewer enterprise integrations
• Public beta status (though rapidly maturing)

Hidden Costs and Considerations

Scribe Hidden Costs

• Forced overprovisioning: 5-seat minimum wastes budget for small teams
• Per-seat scaling: Adding users at $12-15/month each adds up quickly
• Enterprise features locked: SSO, advanced redaction, and governance require expensive Enterprise tier
• No ownership: Stop paying, lose access to all content

Cap Hidden Costs

• Storage costs: If using custom S3, you pay AWS fees separately
• Learning curve: Open-source tools may require more technical setup for self-hosting
• Limited support: Community support on free/Desktop plans; priority support requires Pro
• Video-only: No built-in documentation features means you may need additional tools

Best Use Cases: When Each Pricing Model Makes Sense

Choose Scribe When:

• You need automatic documentation: If your primary goal is creating annotated step-by-step guides without manual editing, Scribe's AI automation justifies the higher cost
• You have 5+ team members: The 5-seat minimum becomes reasonable at this scale, and per-user costs become manageable
• Compliance is critical: Enterprise teams requiring SOC 2, HIPAA, or CCPA certifications need Scribe's enterprise tier
• Multi-format export matters: If you need to export to PDF, Word, Markdown, or HTML for wikis and knowledge bases
• Budget is flexible: Organizations with $700+/year budgets for documentation tools

Scribe Pricing Sweet Spot

Teams of 5-50 users needing structured process documentation across multiple applications, with budget for $12-15/user/month.

Choose Cap When:

• Video recording is your primary need: If you're creating screen recordings, tutorials, or demos rather than step-by-step documentation
• You're a solo creator or small team: The one-time Desktop License or low-cost Pro plan (no minimums) is perfect for 1-3 person teams
• You value data ownership: If you want to host recordings locally or on your own S3 buckets
• You prefer one-time purchases: The $58 perpetual license appeals to those avoiding subscription fatigue
• You're budget-conscious: Cap offers professional features at a fraction of Scribe's cost
• You're technically savvy: Developers and creators who appreciate open-source transparency and can self-host if needed

Cap Pricing Sweet Spot

Individual creators, consultants, and teams of 1-10 users needing affordable, high-quality screen recording with optional cloud features.

Real-World Cost Scenarios

Scenario 1: Freelance Consultant

• Scribe: $276/year (Pro Personal annual) or $348/year (monthly billing)
• Cap: $58 one-time (perpetual) or $29/year (annual license)
• 3-Year Total: Scribe = $828 | Cap = $58 or $87
• Winner: Cap saves $741-770 over 3 years

Scenario 2: 3-Person Startup

• Scribe: $708/year (forced 5-seat minimum at $12/user/month)
• Cap: $294/year (3 users × $8.16/month × 12 months)
• Annual Difference: Cap saves $414/year (58% savings)
• Winner: Cap for significant savings

Scenario 3: 10-Person Team

• Scribe: $1,440/year (10 users × $12/month × 12)
• Cap: $979/year (10 users × $8.16/month × 12)
• Annual Difference: Cap saves $461/year (32% savings)
• Winner: Cap for pure recording; Scribe if documentation automation is worth the premium

Scenario 4: 50-Person Enterprise

• Scribe: $7,200+/year (50 users × $12/month × 12, plus Enterprise fees)
• Cap: $4,896/year (50 users × $8.16/month × 12) + Enterprise features
• Winner: Depends on feature requirements; Scribe's documentation AI and compliance may justify premium

Cost Comparison: Breaking Down the Numbers

Scribe Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Cap Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Cost Savings Analysis

Individual/Freelancer (1 User, 3 Years)

• Scribe Pro Personal (Annual): $828
• Cap Desktop License (One-time): $58
• Savings with Cap: $770 (93% less)

Small Team (5 Users, 3 Years)

• Scribe Pro Team: $2,124
• Cap Pro: $1,470
• Savings with Cap: $654 (31% less)

Medium Team (10 Users, 3 Years)

• Scribe Pro Team: $4,320
• Cap Pro: $2,937
• Savings with Cap: $1,383 (32% less)

Value Assessment

While Cap offers significant cost savings, the value equation isn't purely about price:

When Scribe's Premium is Justified

• AI-powered automatic documentation saves 40+ hours/month per user
• At $12/user/month, if each user saves even 3 hours/month at $50/hour wage, ROI is 12.5x
• Enterprise compliance and security certifications are included
• Multi-format exports enable knowledge base integration

When Cap's Savings Win

• For pure screen recording without documentation needs, Cap's quality matches or exceeds expensive alternatives
• One-time licensing eliminates long-term subscription costs
• Open-source transparency and self-hosting provide unique value for technical teams
• No minimum seat requirements prevent forced overprovisioning

Honest Assessment: Pricing-Focused Pros and Cons

Scribe: Pricing Pros

• Predictable SaaS model: Standard per-seat pricing is easy to budget and scale
• All-inclusive: Cloud storage, AI features, and enterprise security included in subscription
• 20% annual discount: Reasonable savings for annual commitments
• Proven ROI: Customer data shows 41.6 hours saved per month justifies the cost
• Enterprise-ready: Compliance certifications and security features built into pricing tiers
• No hidden fees: Storage, AI, and updates included in seat price

Scribe: Pricing Cons

• 5-seat minimum: Forces small teams to pay for unused licenses ($708/year minimum)
• High individual pricing: $276-348/year for solo users is expensive compared to alternatives
• No perpetual license: Stop paying, lose all access—creates vendor lock-in
• Limited free plan: Browser-only Basic plan is too restricted for professional use
• Enterprise pricing opacity: Custom pricing makes budgeting difficult for larger teams
• Subscription fatigue: Yet another monthly/annual cost to track

Cap: Pricing Pros

• Perpetual license option: $58 one-time payment provides lifetime access—unprecedented in this space
• No minimum seats: Pay only for users you need, perfect for 1-3 person teams
• Genuinely free tier: Unlimited personal recordings with no artificial limitations
• Lowest per-user cost: $8.16/month (annual) beats competitors by 30-50%
• 32% annual discount: Better savings than competitors for annual commitments
• Flexible pricing paths: Choose between free, perpetual, annual, or subscription based on needs
• No vendor lock-in: Self-hosting and local storage options prevent dependency
• Transparent pricing: No hidden enterprise fees or surprise costs

Cap: Pricing Cons

• Limited feature parity: Lower price reflects narrower focus (recording only, not documentation)
• Storage costs separate: Custom S3 users pay AWS fees on top of Cap subscription
• Beta pricing risk: 'Early adopter pricing' may increase post-beta (though locked in for early users)
• Fewer enterprise features: SAML SSO and advanced admin controls require Enterprise tier
• Smaller team: Slower feature development and support compared to well-funded competitors
• Newer platform: Less established track record for long-term reliability

Strategic Positioning: What the Pricing Reveals

Scribe's Strategy

Scribe's pricing reflects a growth-stage SaaS company (Series C funded) targeting mid-market and enterprise customers. The 5-seat minimum, enterprise tier, and premium pricing position it as a comprehensive documentation platform for teams willing to pay for automation and compliance. The lack of perpetual licensing ensures recurring revenue but creates friction for cost-conscious buyers.

Cap's Strategy

Cap's open-source, community-first approach with perpetual licensing options signals a disruption strategy—competing on transparency, affordability, and user ownership against incumbents like Loom. The early adopter pricing locks in loyal users while building market share. However, sustainability questions remain about long-term profitability with one-time licensing.

The Missing Middle Ground

Both tools excel in their respective niches but leave gaps: Scribe is expensive for small teams needing documentation, while Cap lacks automated guide creation. This creates opportunity for platforms that combine AI-powered documentation and video creation at competitive prices—exactly where Guidde positions itself.

The Verdict: Which Pricing Model Wins?

For Individual Users and Freelancers

Winner: Cap by a landslide. The $58 one-time Desktop License or $29/year option saves $770+ over three years compared to Scribe's $828 total. Unless you specifically need Scribe's automatic step-by-step documentation with AI annotations, Cap delivers professional screen recording at a fraction of the cost.

For Small Teams (2-5 People)

Winner: Cap for most scenarios. Without minimum seat requirements, a 3-person team pays $294/year vs. Scribe's forced $708/year (5-seat minimum). That's a 58% savings. Cap Pro's AI features (titles, transcriptions, summaries) bridge much of the gap with Scribe's automation.

Exception: If your team creates 10+ process documentation guides weekly and needs multi-format exports to wikis/knowledge bases, Scribe's time savings may justify the premium.

For Growing Teams (6-20 People)

Winner: Depends on use case.

• Choose Cap if: Your primary need is screen recording, video tutorials, demos, or visual communication. The 32% cost savings ($461/year for 10 users) is significant.
• Choose Scribe if: You're documenting complex workflows across multiple applications and need structured, searchable process documentation. The AI automation and multi-format exports provide ROI if users create 3+ guides weekly.

For Enterprise Teams (20+ People)

Winner: Evaluate carefully based on requirements.

• Choose Scribe if: Compliance (SOC 2, HIPAA) is mandatory, you need advanced governance features, and documentation automation across departments justifies the premium
• Choose Cap if: Video communication and recording are primary needs, you value data sovereignty (self-hosting), and you want to avoid vendor lock-in

The Hybrid Reality

Here's the uncomfortable truth: Most teams actually need both types of tools—automated documentation and screen recording. This often leads to tool sprawl, where organizations pay for Scribe for documentation and Cap (or Loom) for videos, creating:

• Redundant costs ($1,440/year Scribe + $979/year Cap = $2,419 for a 10-person team)
• Workflow fragmentation (switching between tools)
• Training overhead (learning two platforms)
• Inconsistent content formats

The Real Winner: Next-Generation Unified Platforms

This pricing comparison reveals a fundamental market gap: teams need affordable, unified platforms that combine AI-powered video creation AND step-by-step documentation.

While Scribe excels at documentation and Cap at affordable recording, neither offers the complete package at a competitive price point. This is precisely where next-generation solutions like Guidde are disrupting the market—delivering both capabilities with superior AI automation at pricing that undercuts tool sprawl while outperforming on speed (11x faster creation) and ease of use.

Before committing to either Scribe's expensive per-seat model or Cap's video-only approach, evaluate whether a unified platform might deliver better ROI by eliminating the need to choose between documentation and video in the first place.

Why Smart Teams Are Moving Beyond Scribe and Cap

The Shared Limitations of Both Platforms

While Scribe and Cap each excel in their respective domains, both share critical limitations that impact team productivity and budget efficiency:

1. The False Choice Between Documentation and Video

Both platforms force you to choose between two essential formats:

• Scribe creates step-by-step guides but lacks native video recording and editing
• Cap records beautiful videos but doesn't generate automatic documentation

Modern teams need both—and paying for two separate tools ($1,440 Scribe + $979 Cap = $2,419/year for 10 users) creates unnecessary complexity and cost.

2. Manual Creation Bottlenecks

Despite their automation features, both tools still require significant manual work:

• Scribe: While it captures screenshots automatically, users must still perform the process manually to capture it—no AI generates the workflow for you
• Cap: Recording is easy, but editing, annotating, and organizing videos requires manual effort—no automatic guide generation

This means creation time, while improved, still takes 15-30 minutes per piece of content.

3. Limited AI Intelligence

Both platforms offer basic AI features but lack next-generation capabilities:

• No AI-powered voiceovers in 100+ languages
• No automatic video editing with smart cuts and zoom effects
• No personalized AI avatars or speakers
• No AI-suggested workflow improvements in real-time
• No unified search across video and documentation

4. Pricing Models That Don't Scale

• Scribe's 5-seat minimum forces small teams to overpay
• Cap's lack of documentation forces teams to adopt second tools
• Neither offers truly flexible pricing that adapts to sporadic use cases

Introducing Guidde: The AI-First Alternative That Does Both

Guidde represents the next generation of visual documentation—a unified platform that combines AI-powered video creation and step-by-step documentation in one seamless workflow.

How Guidde Overcomes Both Platforms' Limitations

1. Unified Video + Documentation Creation

Guidde generates both formats simultaneously from a single recording:

• AI-powered video with automatic editing, zooms, and transitions
• Step-by-step written guides with screenshots and annotations
• Interactive walkthroughs
• Smart playlists and chapters

Result: Eliminate tool sprawl and create both formats in one workflow.

2. 11x Faster Creation Speed

While Scribe and Cap reduce creation time, Guidde's AI automation delivers unprecedented speed:

• Traditional documentation: 60-90 minutes per guide
• Scribe/Cap: 15-30 minutes per guide
• Guidde: 5 minutes or less per guide (11x faster)

This isn't just incrementally better—it's a paradigm shift that enables teams to document everything, not just high-priority processes.

3. Superior AI Capabilities

Guidde leverages cutting-edge AI that goes far beyond basic automation:

• AI voiceovers in 100+ languages: Automatically narrate guides in any language with natural-sounding voices
• Smart video editing: AI applies zoom effects, highlights, and transitions automatically
• Personalized AI avatars: Create branded video presenters without recording yourself
• Context-aware suggestions: AI recommends when to create guides based on repetitive questions
• Instant translation: Convert content to any language in seconds
• Unified search: Find information across video transcripts and documentation

4. Enterprise-Ready Without Enterprise Pricing

Guidde delivers enterprise features that both Scribe and Cap charge premium prices for:

• SSO and SAML authentication
• Advanced analytics and engagement tracking
• Custom branding and white-labeling
• Team workspaces and permissions
• Integrations with Slack, Teams, Salesforce, and more

All at pricing that's competitive with Cap and lower than Scribe—no forced seat minimums, no hidden enterprise fees.

Real-World Impact: Measurable Outcomes

Organizations switching to Guidde report transformational results:

• 91% reduction in support tickets from self-service guides
• 70% faster employee onboarding with video-enabled training
• 5x increase in knowledge base engagement from multimedia content
• $50,000+ annual savings by consolidating multiple tools (documentation, video, training platforms)
• 60% reduction in training time for new software implementations

The Cost Comparison: Guidde vs. Scribe vs. Cap

When to Choose Guidde Over Scribe or Cap

Choose Guidde if you:

• Need both video and documentation (avoiding tool sprawl)
• Want the fastest possible content creation (11x faster than alternatives)
• Require AI voiceovers, translations, and advanced automation
• Are tired of per-seat pricing that doesn't match usage patterns
• Need enterprise features without enterprise price tags
• Want a modern, AI-first platform built for 2026 and beyond

Try Guidde Free Today

Stop choosing between documentation and video. Stop paying for multiple tools. Stop spending hours on content that should take minutes.

Try Guidde for free and experience the next generation of visual communication—where AI does the heavy lifting, and you get both video and documentation from a single workflow.

See for yourself why thousands of teams are consolidating their documentation and video tools into one AI-powered platform that's faster, smarter, and more affordable than cobbling together separate solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper: Scribe or Cap?

Cap is significantly cheaper. For individuals, Cap's $58 one-time Desktop License or $29/year option saves over $700 compared to Scribe's $276-348/year. For teams, Cap's $8.16/user/month with no minimums is 32% less than Scribe's $12/user/month with a 5-seat minimum. However, Scribe includes AI documentation automation that Cap lacks, which may justify the premium for documentation-heavy workflows.

Does Cap have a free plan like Scribe?

Yes, and it's more generous. Cap's free plan includes unlimited local recordings for personal use and 5-minute cloud shares, while Scribe's free Basic plan is browser-only with limited features. Neither free plan is sufficient for professional team use, but Cap's free tier is more usable for individual creators.

What is Scribe's 5-seat minimum and why does it matter?

Scribe's Pro Team plan requires a minimum of 5 user licenses even if you only have 2-3 team members. This means you pay $59/month ($708/year) minimum, effectively forcing small teams to pay for unused seats. Cap has no minimum seat requirements, so a 3-person team pays only $24.48/month with Cap Pro—a 59% savings.

Can I buy a lifetime license for Scribe?

No. Scribe only offers subscription-based pricing (monthly or annual). Cap offers a unique $58 one-time perpetual Desktop License for a single device, making it one of the few modern tools with a buy-once option. This is ideal for users wanting to avoid subscription fatigue.

Which tool has better value for money?

It depends on your use case:

• For pure screen recording: Cap offers exceptional value at 1/3 to 1/10 the cost of Scribe
• For documentation automation: Scribe's AI may justify the 3x premium if users save 40+ hours/month
• For teams needing both: Neither tool alone provides full value—consider unified platforms like Guidde that combine video and documentation

Do either Scribe or Cap have hidden fees?

Both are relatively transparent, with caveats:

• Scribe: No hidden fees, but the 5-seat minimum and Enterprise pricing opacity can surprise buyers
• Cap: No hidden fees, but users connecting custom S3 storage pay AWS costs separately

Which tool is better for small businesses on a budget?

Cap is the clear winner for budget-conscious small businesses needing screen recording and sharing. The $58 one-time license or $8.16/user/month Pro plan (no minimums) is affordable for startups and freelancers. However, if you need automated documentation across your organization, evaluate whether Scribe's time savings justify the higher cost, or consider Guidde for unified video + documentation at competitive pricing.

Can I use Scribe and Cap together?

Yes, but it's expensive and fragmented. Some teams use Scribe for documentation and Cap for video recording, but this creates:

• Combined costs of $1,440 + $979 = $2,419/year for a 10-person team
• Workflow friction from switching between tools
• Training overhead for multiple platforms
• Inconsistent content formats

This is why many organizations are consolidating to unified platforms like Guidde that handle both use cases in one workflow.

What's the best alternative to both Scribe and Cap?

Guidde is the superior choice for teams needing both capabilities. Here's why:

• Unified platform: Create AI-powered videos AND step-by-step documentation from one recording
• 11x faster: Guidde's AI automation creates content in 5 minutes vs. 15-30 minutes with Scribe/Cap
• Advanced AI: Voiceovers in 100+ languages, automatic video editing, AI avatars, instant translations
• Better pricing: Competitive with Cap but delivers Scribe's features plus video—no tool sprawl
• Enterprise-ready: SSO, analytics, custom branding without enterprise price premiums
• No forced minimums: Pay only for what you use

Thousands of teams have switched from Scribe, Cap, and Loom to Guidde to consolidate costs, accelerate content creation, and leverage next-generation AI. Try Guidde free to see the difference yourself.

How do I choose between Scribe, Cap, and Guidde?

Here's a simple decision framework:

• Choose Cap if: You only need affordable screen recording with basic sharing (no documentation)
• Choose Scribe if: You only need step-by-step documentation automation (no video creation) and budget isn't constrained
• Choose Guidde if: You need both video and documentation, want the fastest creation speed (11x), require advanced AI features, or want to avoid tool sprawl and budget bloat

For most teams in 2026, the answer is Guidde—it's the only platform that eliminates the false choice between documentation and video while delivering superior speed, AI capabilities, and value.

Explore further

• Scribe vs. Cap: Pricing Comparison Guide 2026