Action! vs Rewind

Action! records Windows gameplay, console video, and live broadcasts. It offers instant replay, multi-mode recording, GPU encoding, and webcam overlays. Windows gameplay recording is described as Full HD with low CPU use and no FPS loss; maximum listed video quality is 4K Ultra HD up to 3840x2160. Device recording supports Xbox and PlayStation, with capture cards from Elgato, Avermedia, and Hauppauge. Action! can stream to YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, Smashcast, and Ustream, among other services, and supports Streamlabs plus up to six modular URL overlay graphics. Microphone and system sound can be recorded separately, mixed, or saved with another audio device. Webcam overlays can be cropped, resized, repositioned, and used with a green screen. Screenshots can be saved in BMP, JPG, or PNG formats. Home use costs $19.77, paid once and commercial use costs $32.95, paid once; both include a lifetime license and free updates. A 30-day trial is available without a credit card, but trial recordings have a watermark.

Rewind is free, open-source gameplay replay software for macOS and Windows. It continuously buffers the previous 15–60 seconds of gameplay and saves that window through a hotkey or when a game reports an event. Buffering can pause while you are at the desktop. Capture settings let you choose a display or application, select audio and microphone sources, configure storage cleanup, and rebind hotkeys. Encoding uses Apple VideoToolbox on macOS; Windows options include NVENC, AMF, Quick Sync, and x264. The clip library groups recordings by game and match, offers in-app playback, and shows event-type badges. Steam achievement detection reads local stats-cache files to save labeled clips without an API key or network connection. The README describes League of Legends tracking through its local Live Client Data API, with feature status varying by section. Integrations use sanctioned data sources or screen capture rather than memory reading, injection, or hooking. Rewind is GPLv3 licensed and labeled alpha; Windows capture is not yet validated on real hardware.