Loom vs Slidekick: Which Is Better for Screen Recordings?

You just recorded your screen. Now you need to share it. You have two tabs open: Loom and Slidekick. Both recorded your screen. But what happens next is completely different.

Loom turns your recording into a shareable link. Slidekick turns your recording into a trimmed GIF or MP4 file. One is built for async communication. The other is built for embedding clips into documents, slides, and tickets.

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What Loom actually is

Loom is an async video messaging platform. You record your screen, camera, or both. Loom uploads it to the cloud instantly and gives you a link to share. Viewers watch in a branded player with comments, reactions, and transcriptions. It is owned by Atlassian and integrates deeply with Jira, Confluence, Slack, and GitHub.

Loom pricing (as of 2026):

• Starter: Free, 25 videos, 5-minute recordings, 720p, up to 50 workspace members
• Business: $18/user/month, unlimited videos and recording time, 4K, trim and stitch, remove Loom branding, password protection
• Business + AI: $24/user/month, everything in Business plus auto-titles, summaries, chapters, filler word removal, silence removal
• Enterprise: Custom pricing, SSO, SCIM, Salesforce integration, dedicated support

What Loom does that Slidekick does not:

• Instant cloud upload with a shareable link
• Viewer analytics (who watched, for how long)
• Comments and emoji reactions on videos
• AI-generated titles, summaries, and chapters
• Transcriptions and closed captions in 50+ languages
• Team workspace with shared and personal libraries
• Integrations with Jira, Confluence, Slack, GitHub, Notion, Gmail, and more
• Drawing tools, mouse emphasis, and virtual backgrounds while recording

What Loom does NOT do well:

• Export recordings as standalone GIF or MP4 files for download (limited export options)
• Import and clip from YouTube, TikTok, or other URLs
• One-click export to Google Slides
• Precise frame-level trimming (basic trim/stitch only)

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What Slidekick actually is

Slidekick is a clipper with a built-in screen recorder. You record your screen, set exact in and out points on a visual scrubber, optionally crop, and export as GIF or MP4. The file downloads to your device or pushes to Google Slides.

Slidekick pricing:

• Monthly: $4.99/month, unlimited GIF and MP4 exports
• Lifetime: $99 one-time, everything in Monthly plus future updates and priority support

What Slidekick does that Loom does not:

• Export recordings as downloadable GIF or MP4 files
• Import from any public video URL (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and thousands more)
• One-click export to Google Slides
• Precise visual trimming with a scrubber (not just trim start/end)
• Crop to square, vertical, widescreen, or custom aspect ratios

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Direct comparison

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When Loom is the better choice

• You are sending a walkthrough to a client or stakeholder and want them to comment
• You need to know if someone actually watched your video
• You are creating a library of tutorials for your team
• You want AI-generated summaries and chapters so viewers can skip sections
• You are recording frequent team updates and want them organized in workspaces
• You need transcriptions for accessibility or searchability

Loom is a communication platform. If your job involves "send a video message and get feedback," Loom is the better tool.

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When Slidekick is the better choice

• You recorded a bug and need a 10-second GIF for a Jira ticket
• You are building product documentation and need MP4 clips embedded in Notion or Confluence
• You need a screen recording cropped to vertical for a mobile mockup presentation
• You want the recording as a file you own, not a link that depends on Loom's servers
• You are clipping a YouTube tutorial alongside your own screen recording
• You want to send a GIF to Slack or Discord, not a link that requires clicking

Slidekick is a production tool. If your job involves "record this, trim it, put it in a document," Slidekick is the better tool.

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Can you use both?

Yes. Many people do.

Use Loom for the message: "Here is a 3-minute walkthrough of the new feature." Use Slidekick for the artifact: "Here is the 8-second GIF of the bug I mentioned in the Loom."

Loom handles the communication layer. Slidekick handles the file layer.

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The honest verdict

Loom is a video messaging platform. Slidekick is a video clipper. They overlap on "screen recording" but diverge immediately after you hit stop.

If you need shareable links, viewer analytics, and team workspaces, Loom is worth $18-24/user/month. If you need trimmed GIFs and MP4s for embedding in documents and slides, Slidekick is worth $4.99/month or $99 lifetime.

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If your job is "send a video message," use Loom. If your job is "put this recording into a slide," use Slidekick.