Screen Capture Evaluation

Captivate vs. Camtasia

Captivate vs. Camtasia

Camtasia and Captivate are both well known in the E-Learning busy as industry standards. Both programs can capture anything happening on your screen and both programs have similar capabilities for editing captured footage.

Adobe Captive

Captivate is made by adobe so it has the backing of one of the largest creative software development companies in the industry.

Adobe CaptiveCaptivate gives the user ways to create and edit audio recorded to the screen capture. Users can add multiple tracks for recorded audio and sound effects.

Adobe CaptiveCaptivate allows you to edit your video screen captures with basic editing tools on a timeline. Trim, split, pan & zoom are just some of the tools that help users create flowing video recordings.

Adobe Captive

In adobe Captivate the screen capture software is called a video demo. The software allows for many different features such as mini animations panning and zooming but the interface has a bit of a learning curve and the overall software of captivate shines in its responsive learning so many of the video demos tools are geared toward other aspects of the software package.The software is $29.99/monthly for subscription while the full license is $1,099 and the student/teachers version runs $349.

Camtasia

Camtasia is a software that is dedicated to screen capture. The newer version of the program seems to boast E-Learning tools, but just some basics. When you first open the program a video tutorial starts up explaining the basics of how the program works. The interface looks inviting with buttons that have images on them inviting the user to click them.

CamtasiaThe camptasia screen looks much more like a non-linear video editing system than captivate which is surprising since captivate comes from adobe that makes Premiere, an industry standard in video editing.

CamtasiaCamtasia has audio editing capabilities with a few extra tools to help give users the right sound they are looking for.

CamtasiaCamtasia has the same type of timeline as well but one might say that this program’s skin has much more appeal that captivates.

Camtasia

Camtasia seems like a great dedicated screen capture program but that is where the program ends. Aside from exporting the screen captured video there isn’t a lot more than the program can do but that is probably why the cost is significantly lower then that of adobe captivate.Camtaisa will run on a users system at just $99 for a single user and $75 for the teacher/student version while the upgrade from a previous version is $49.50.

Captivate CamtasiaClaim Strongly

AgreeAgree Disagree Strongly Agree Agree Disagree

The directions are easy to follow

X X

The graphic elements are meaningful

X X

Basic tasks are easily learned

X X

Advanced features are easy to access and apply

X X

The program is enjoyable to use

X X

Menu-driven tutorials are built into the program

X X

Captivate vs. Camtasia Camtasia and Captivate are both well known in the E-Learning busy as

industry standards. I believe that Captivate has all the features you will ever need for screen capture but the interface, overall look, and usability are lacking. The program doesn’t seem to be as intuitive as it could be. If all you ever wanted to do was basic screen capture in an easy program Camtasia is the program for you.

My recommendation would be to get Captivate for all the other electronic learning features then also purchase Camtasia for the screen capture features as the Camtasia program is not nearly as expensive. If you were only able to choose one, then Captivate has everything you need and more. Just be prepared to find some online tutorials to help you figure out all its functions.