screenpipe

Screenpipe turns desktop activity into a searchable record, aimed especially at people who want AI tools to retain context from their work. Its local-first approach is compelling, but continuous recording and desktop-only availability narrow its fit.

Overview

Screenpipe collects screen content, app text, browser context and audio into a history users can search in natural language. Searches can be filtered by date, application, window title or browser URL, and return screenshots and audio clips alongside extracted text. A visual timeline provides a second route through that history, with screenshots, text and audio playback.

Captures, audio, extracted text and transcriptions stay by default in a local SQLite database rather than being sent to external servers. On-device app and URL filtering, password and PII redaction, and optional encryption at rest with a zero-knowledge key hierarchy strengthen that privacy stance. Organizations should account for the stated compliance position: a SOC 2 Type 2 report is available under NDA, while ISO 27001 certification is still in progress.

Key features

Screenpipe captures connected monitors when activity changes, extracts accessibility text with OCR as a fallback, and records the active app, window title and browser URL when available. That combination gives searches useful context beyond images alone, though the metadata depends on what the app can capture from each screen state.

System audio and microphone input are transcribed locally with OpenAI Whisper, with speaker identification for conversations. The result is a searchable audio record as well as screen history; users can also play audio from a selected point in the timeline. AI summaries are supported, though the precise summary workflow is not described.

Developer access is a substantial part of the product: a localhost REST API exposes screen content, transcriptions and frames, with a JavaScript/TypeScript SDK and MCP server. Official integrations span coding assistants and model tools including Cursor, Claude Code, Cline, Continue, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, ChatGPT and Claude Desktop via MCP, plus Obsidian, Notion, Ollama and OpenAI-compatible model servers. This makes Screenpipe more useful to people who want to route captured context into an existing AI workflow than to someone seeking only a standalone recorder.

The resource cost deserves planning. Screenpipe recommends 8 GB of RAM, estimates 5–10 GB of disk use per month of continuous recording, and reports typical CPU usage of 5–15% on modern hardware. Those estimates make the persistent record practical for some desks, but less attractive on storage-constrained machines or for users unwilling to keep recording running.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and covers one device, screen, audio and meeting capture, recent-work search, and AI-tool context sharing. It is a sensible way to try the core capture model, but recent-work search is narrower than the full searchable history on Basic.

Basic costs $21 a month, billed $250/yr billed annually, with $50 savings. It adds full searchable history, MCP context for Claude and Codex, and unlimited installed scheduled workflows. It fits an individual who wants durable history and workflow access; it remains a single-user tier rather than a device-sync or team-management plan.

Business costs $42 a month, billed $500/seat/yr billed annually, with $100 savings. It adds personal device sync, recurring workflows, centralized billing and managed seats. Shared teammate context is not currently included, so teams expecting a common searchable memory should not mistake seat management for shared context. Enterprise has custom pricing and adds managed searchable history, dedicated support, custom models, SSO, MDM, retention and device controls.

Free and Basic include community support, Business includes priority support, and Enterprise includes dedicated support. Paid plans are priced annually despite their monthly price presentation.

Platforms

Screenpipe is a desktop application for macOS, Windows and Linux, with API access. It has no mobile app, so it is not a fit for people who need their work history captured or searched from a phone. The output formats include MP4.

Who it's for

Screenpipe best suits developers and other computer-based workers who want searchable recall across apps and audio, particularly those who will use its API, SDK or MCP integrations to provide context to AI tools. Its local-default storage also suits users who prefer not to send recordings to external servers. It is less suited to mobile-first work, formal compliance requirements that depend on completed ISO certification, or machines where the estimated ongoing storage use is unwelcome.

Pros and cons

Pro: Screen, app, browser and audio history can be searched together, with filters and a visual timeline to make retrieval more targeted than replaying undifferentiated recordings.

Pro: Local storage by default, on-device redaction and optional at-rest encryption offer meaningful privacy controls.

Pro: A REST API, SDK, MCP server and broad AI-tool integrations give developers several ways to reuse captured context.

Con: Continuous recording is estimated to use 5–10 GB per month, with 8 GB RAM recommended, which may be a meaningful resource commitment.

Con: No mobile app limits capture to desktop work.

Con: Business seats do not currently include shared teammate context, and ISO 27001 certification remains in progress.

Alternatives

For a process-mining or automation-oriented comparison, browse Task Mining Software or AI Screen Recorders. Choose EdgeVerve AssistEdge instead if a free single-user license for learning and building automations is the priority. Automation Anywhere Document Automation is a better fit for eligible small businesses needing document automation on up to five machines and 100 pages per month at no cost. Celonis Process Mining Platform is another free-plan option. mindzie Desktop Process Mining offers a free desktop edition with full functionality up to 1,000 cases and no time-limited trial. Nintex Automation CE, Operavix, Pega CRM and UiPath Maestro Case Management are also alternatives.

Verdict

Choose Screenpipe if you want a local-first, searchable desktop memory that can feed screen and audio context into developer and AI workflows. Its combination of capture, transcription and integration access is the main reason to pick it; look elsewhere if you need mobile support, shared teammate context, or a lighter continuous-recording footprint.