Tella
Screen Studio's cinematic zoom, cross-platform this time, with editing thrown in — but no free tier, and no quick way to leave a comment at a specific timestamp.
What is Tella?
Tella, running since 2020, positions itself deliberately in the space between Loom and Screen Studio: it records your screen, camera, or both, then automatically applies cursor-tracking auto-zoom, custom or stunning preset backgrounds, and flexible layouts, without requiring the kind of manual editing skill that a traditional NLE would demand. Unlike Screen Studio, it isn't locked to macOS. Unlike Loom, it leans more heavily into visual styling and beautiful presentation as a core feature rather than pure speed of sharing. Reviewers who've directly compared the three tend to land on the same framing: Loom wins on fast, frictionless async messaging; Screen Studio wins on the most cinematic possible zoom effects, Mac-only; Tella sits in between, combining automatic zoom, custom layouts, and some AI-assisted editing (removing mistakes, cleaning up audio, generating editable subtitles) in a cross-platform package.
Two honest, specific things worth knowing before committing. First, Tella has no free tier at all — where Loom offers a genuinely usable, if limited, free plan, Tella's only trial option is a 7-day window, after which you need a paid subscription to continue. Second, at least one detailed comparative review flagged a specific, practical gap: Tella lacks a quick way to leave comments at a specific timestamp in a video, a feature Loom includes and that matters for collaborative feedback workflows — that same reviewer specifically recommended a different tool (Supercut) if timestamped commenting was the priority, while still recommending Tella itself for recording tutorials, courses, or any video where you want more visual effort than a bare screen capture.
Feature comparisons and the timestamp-comment gap are drawn from independent 2026 reviews (albertodirisio.com, Efficient App, runtheprompts.com). Pricing details reflect Capterra and GetApp listings alongside Tella's own published rates.
Key features
Cursor-tracking auto-zoom
Automatically zooms in on cursor actions to guide viewer attention without manual editing.
Custom backgrounds & layouts
Stunning presets or custom backgrounds, with flexible camera/screen layout options.
Clip-by-clip recording & editing
Record in separate clips, then trim, split, and rearrange before exporting.
AI mistake removal & audio cleanup
Automatically removes flubs and improves audio quality without manual re-recording.
Automatic, editable subtitles
Generates captions automatically, with the ability to manually adjust wording and timing.
Slack integration
Connects natively to Slack for sharing recorded videos directly in team channels.
Pricing
Free trial
- Full feature access during the trial window
- No credit card required to start, typically
- No free plan exists after the trial ends
Tella Pro
- Includes the entire feature set — no tiered feature gating
- Unlimited recording
- Genuinely simple, single-plan pricing structure
Unlike many competitors with multiple gated tiers, Tella runs a single-plan model where Pro includes everything. Some promotional discounts have been reported bringing the effective monthly rate lower on annual commitments. Prices reflect Tella's published pricing as of July 2026.
Available models
Integrations & platforms
Pros, cons & best for
Pros
- Cross-platform auto-zoom and visual polish, unlike Mac-only Screen Studio
- Simple, single-plan pricing with no confusing feature gating
- Genuine AI-assisted editing (mistake removal, subtitles) built in
Cons
- No ongoing free tier, only a 7-day trial
- Lacks timestamped commenting that Loom offers for collaborative feedback
- Fewer deep workplace integrations than Loom's Atlassian ecosystem ties
Best for
- Course creators and founders wanting more polish than a bare screen recording
- Cross-platform teams wanting Screen Studio-style auto-zoom without macOS lock-in
- Not the pick if you specifically need timestamped video comments
Take a look inside
Alternatives
For a free tier, timestamped comments, or the most cinematic possible zoom instead:
Our verdict
Tella's positioning genuinely makes sense once you understand the category it's splitting the difference in: it brings Screen Studio's visual polish and auto-zoom to a cross-platform audience, while adding real AI-assisted editing that Screen Studio doesn't attempt, all without Loom's per-seat multi-tier pricing complexity — one plan, everything included. The lack of any ongoing free tier is a real, specific trade-off against Loom, and the missing timestamped comment feature is worth knowing about if collaborative video feedback is central to your workflow. For course creators, founders, and teams who want their recordings to look genuinely polished without a Mac-only lock-in or a complicated pricing ladder, it's a well-considered, simple choice.
FAQ
Is Tella free to use?
No, unlike Loom, Tella doesn't offer an ongoing free tier — only a 7-day free trial, after which a paid subscription is required to continue.
Does Tella work on Windows?
Yes, unlike Screen Studio's macOS-exclusive approach, Tella is cross-platform, which is one of its clearest differentiators in this specific category.
Can I leave comments at a specific point in a Tella video?
Not as directly as some competitors — at least one detailed comparison flagged the lack of quick timestamped commenting as a specific gap relative to Loom, recommending a different tool if that feature is a priority.
How does Tella's pricing compare to competitors?
It runs a single-plan model (Tella Pro, around $13-15/user/month annually) that includes the entire feature set, a simpler structure than the multiple gated tiers common among competitors like Loom or Vidnoz.
What AI features does Tella include?
Automatic mistake removal, audio cleanup, cursor-tracking auto-zoom, and automatically generated, editable subtitles are all built into the same recording and editing workflow.
Is Tella good for course creators?
Yes, reviewers specifically recommend it for tutorials, courses, and any video where you want more visual polish than a bare screen recording, though it's less suited as a direct one-to-one Loom replacement for fast internal messaging.