The Best Free Game Clipping Software to Use in 2026

December 7, 2025Ellyblerp

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If you’re a streamer or content creator, having fast, reliable clipping software is one of the easiest ways to grow your audience. Whether you’re grabbing highlight moments for TikTok or keeping receipts for a cracked clutch play, the right tools make everything smoother. 

Here’s your 2026 breakdown of the best free game clipping software you can use right now.


OBS Studio

  • OBS Studio is open-source, cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux), and completely free.
  • It supports high-quality recording (4K / 60 FPS or more depending on your hardware), overlaying webcam/audio, custom scenes/overlays, and manual or continuous recording.
  • Pros: highly customizable, no cost, great for streamers or anyone wanting control.
  • Cons: It can have a steeper learning curve than “click-and-go” solutions.


Best for: people who want full control. Streamers, YouTubers, or anyone serious about producing good-looking clips or long recordings.


NVIDIA ShadowPlay (via NVIDIA GeForce Experience)

  • ShadowPlay is free, if you have an NVIDIA GPU (GTX 600+ series or newer).
  • It uses GPU-based hardware encoding, meaning it has a low performance impact on your game, good if you care about FPS.
  • Supports instant-replay / “save last X minutes” style clipping, full-session recording, and decent resolution (often up to 4K / 60FPS).
  • Pros: minimal impact on performance, easy to use, good for instant clips or long-play capture.
  • Cons: requires NVIDIA GPU; editing tools are limited compared to OBS.


Best for: gamers with NVIDIA cards who want high-quality clips or recordings without sacrificing game performance.


Xbox Game Bar (Built-in for Windows 10 / 11)

  • Xbox Game Bar is built-in to Windows, you don’t need to install extra software.
  • It supports quick clip capture: you can save recent gameplay with a hotkey, which is super convenient for spontaneous highlights.
  • Pros: easy, zero-setup beyond what’s already on your PC, good for quick clips.
  • Cons: features are basic compared to OBS or GPU-powered tools; only suitable for simple clipping/recording.


Best for: casual gamers or folks who want a “set it and forget it” solution for quick clips, without fuss.


Medal.tv (Free Clip-Recorder / Social-Focused)

  • Medal.tv (and similar tools) is designed around capturing short clips, social sharing, and highlight reels rather than full recordings.
  • These tools often auto-detect “highlight-worthy” events (kills, wins, etc.) in supported games and let you clip or share quickly.
  • Pros: great for quick highlights, social sharing, and casual clipping without messing with long recordings.
  • Cons: might have limitations (storage, watermark or social features), and usually less control than full recorders.


Best for: players who focus on short, social-friendly clips or want to share highlights quickly without editing.


What to Watch Out For

  • Limited editing tools on simple clip recorders (you might need a separate editor if you want to polish videos).
  • Potential performance impact on older machines (especially with full-session recorders).
  • Some “free” tools may have limitations like watermarks, time limits, or require premium tiers for advanced features.