Vidyard vs. ScreenPal: Pricing & Cost Comparison 2026
67% of software buyers in 2026 report that hidden costs in 'per-user' pricing models are the primary reason for churning from video platforms within the first year.
Vidyard is a high-cost, sales-focused platform built for tracking engagement, while ScreenPal (formerly Screencast-O-Matic) is a budget-friendly editor designed for education and simple creation. If you are looking for an AI-powered solution that creates documentation and video guides automatically without the manual recording grind, Guidde is the superior modern alternative.
Pricing models dictate adoption. Choosing between Vidyard's expensive sales-enablement structure and ScreenPal's low-cost utility model fundamentally changes who in your organization can access video creation tools—and how much ROI you can expect.
The Cost of Video in 2026
When comparing Vidyard and ScreenPal, you are comparing two distinct economic philosophies. Vidyard positions itself as a premium revenue-generating tool for sales teams, with pricing that reflects its deep analytics and CRM integrations. ScreenPal positions itself as a high-value utility, offering robust recording and editing features for a fraction of the cost, targeting educators and individual creators.
In this guide, we break down the 2026 pricing structures of both platforms to help you decide whether you need a sales engine or a video editor—and introduce a third option that solves the limitations of both.
What is Vidyard?
Vidyard is an enterprise-grade video platform designed primarily for marketing and sales. It focuses on video hosting, personalization, and detailed analytics that track viewer behavior. Its value proposition is tied to revenue generation—helping sales reps close deals by sending personalized video messages.
Key Pricing Feature: Costs scale heavily based on 'Business' features like CRM integration and advanced analytics.
What is ScreenPal?
ScreenPal (formerly Screencast-O-Matic) is a user-friendly video creation suite that combines screen recording, video editing, and hosting. It is widely recognized for its affordability and accessibility, making it a favorite in the education sector (K-12 and Higher Ed) and among SMBs.
Key Pricing Feature: Flat, low-cost subscription models that include hosting and editing tools without complex tier gating.
| Feature/Tier | Vidyard (Sales Focus) | ScreenPal (Creation Focus) |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | Limited to 25 videos, basic recording, no downloads. | Unlimited recordings (15 min limit), watermarked, basic editing. |
| Entry Paid Tier | ~$19 - $29/mo (Pro) Removes limits, basic CTAs. |
~$3/mo (Deluxe) No watermark, full editor, system audio. |
| Mid-Tier | Custom Business Pricing Requires sales contact. |
~$6/mo (Premier) Stock library, secure hosting, branding. |
| Enterprise | High Cost (Per Seat/Volume) Full analytics, CRM sync. |
~$10/mo per user (Team) Admin controls, SSO. |
| Value Driver | Analytics & CRM Integration | Editing Tools & Stock Media |
Pricing Strategy Deep Dive
The gap between these two is massive. ScreenPal is priced as a productivity tool—cheap enough for an employee to put on a corporate card without approval. Vidyard is priced as a software solution, often requiring budget approval from a department head.
Vidyard's Hidden Costs
While Vidyard offers a Free and Pro tier, the real power lies in their 'Business' plans. To get the specific viewer tracking (i.e., 'Who watched this video and for how long?') that justifies the tool, you generally must upgrade to custom pricing tiers. This often puts the tool out of reach for L&D teams or support departments.
ScreenPal's Value Proposition
ScreenPal offers immense value for the dollar. For the price of a single coffee per month, users get a fully functional non-linear video editor. However, it lacks the sophisticated enterprise security and data tracking that large organizations often mandate.
Best Financial Fit
- Choose Vidyard if: Your primary goal is outbound sales prospecting. The high cost is justifiable if the analytics help you close high-ticket deals. It integrates with Salesforce and HubSpot, making it a sales team necessity.
- Choose ScreenPal if: You need a cost-effective way to create training videos, tutorials, or internal updates. If you have a limited budget and need robust editing capabilities (green screen, captions, zooming), ScreenPal is the undisputed value leader.
2026 Cost Breakdown
Vidyard Pricing
- Free: $0 (Very restrictive, practically a trial).
- Pro: ~$29/month per user (Billed annually). Good for individual sales reps.
- Business/Enterprise: Custom pricing, typically starting in the thousands per year for team access. Includes the 'Views Insights' and CRM integrations.
ScreenPal Pricing
- Solo Deluxe: ~$3.00/month. Includes the video editor.
- Solo Premier: ~$6.00/month. Adds stock photos/videos and secure hosting.
- Team Business: ~$8.00/month per user (volume discounts available). Adds SSO and license management.
Vidyard Pros & Cons
- Pros: ROI tracking for sales, professional hosting environment, excellent integrations with marketing stacks.
- Cons: Prohibitively expensive for non-sales use cases, steep learning curve for advanced features, 'Free' version is severely hobbled.
ScreenPal Pros & Cons
- Pros: Unbeatable price-to-value ratio, intuitive video editor included, very low barrier to entry.
- Cons: Lacks detailed viewer analytics, separate hosting platform feels disjointed from the recorder, feels less 'corporate' than Vidyard.
The Verdict
If you are a VP of Sales, Vidyard is the investment you make to drive revenue. If you are a teacher, trainer, or bootstrapped founder, ScreenPal is the tool you buy to get the job done cheaply.
However, both tools suffer from the 'Legacy Video Problem': they both require you to hit record, perform flawlessly, edit mistakes, and re-record when software updates. In 2026, this manual workflow is becoming obsolete.
Why Guidde is the Superior Alternative
While Vidyard and ScreenPal argue over the price of video hosting and editing, Guidde has rendered the manual recording process obsolete. Both competitors rely on you effectively performing in front of a camera or microphone. Guidde utilizes Generative AI to do the heavy lifting for you.
Guidde overcomes the shared limitations of Vidyard and ScreenPal:
- No More Re-recording: With ScreenPal and Vidyard, if your UI changes, you must re-record the video. With Guidde, you simply edit the underlying screenshot or text, and the AI regenerates the video instantly.
- AI-Generated Audio: Don't pay for ScreenPal's audio tools or Vidyard's hosting just to struggle with background noise. Guidde offers 100+ AI voices in various languages and accents.
- 11x Faster Creation: Guidde captures your workflow as you click and automatically turns it into a step-by-step video guide with voiceover. No timeline editing required.
- Enterprise Ready, Budget Friendly: Guidde offers the enterprise security of Vidyard with the accessibility of ScreenPal, scaling across teams without breaking the bank.
Stop paying for storage (Vidyard) or editors (ScreenPal) when you can pay for automation.
FAQs
Which tool is cheaper, Vidyard or ScreenPal?
ScreenPal is significantly cheaper, with plans starting around $3/month compared to Vidyard's Pro plan at roughly $19-$29/month.
Does ScreenPal offer analytics like Vidyard?
No. ScreenPal offers very basic view counts on their hosting platform, whereas Vidyard offers deep engagement analytics integrated with CRMs.
What is the best alternative to both for documentation?
Guidde is the best alternative for documentation and how-to videos because it automates the creation process using AI, eliminating the need for manual editing and voiceovers.