Action! vs Vice

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.

Vice is a free Linux game clipper for saving recent gameplay, recording full sessions, editing clips, and sharing them through public links. Instant replay captures recent action, while double-tapping F9 starts a full recording session. Its multi-mode recording uses GPU encoding through NVENC or VAAPI, and the maker says typical CPU use is below one percent. Shared clips can play inline in Discord without an upload step; clip links are also described for Steam, Telegram, and Slack. A built-in multi-track editor handles video and audio tracks, transitions, and text overlays. Vice can identify known games, name clips, sort them into matching playlists, and update Discord Rich Presence for recognized games. It requires no account, says it has no telemetry, and is licensed under GPL-3.0. The Free plan costs nothing and has no Vice file-size limit.