Collaboration

5 Top-Rated Free Screen Sharing Software

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By Barkha Bali

Published | Updated on
10 min read

Whether you’re conducting a webinar, giving a presentation, or offering technical support to remote associates, screen sharing software makes it easier to communicate and collaborate with colleagues and clients. But how do you identify a solution that strikes the right balance between functionality and budget? Easy, start with a free solution first.

Free screen sharing software enables you to explore product capabilities without a purchase commitment. It lets you identify necessary features and test multiple tools before finalizing one.

This article highlights, in alphabetical order, five top-rated free screen sharing software products based on verified software reviews. Read more.

We've categorized these products into stand-alone web conferencing solutions and collaboration software suites. Web conferencing solutions with screen sharing capabilities prioritize video meetings, while collaboration suites not only enable video conferencing with screen sharing but also provide other collaboration features to enhance teamwork.

1. Bluescape

Bluescape is a collaboration suite with screen sharing features to improve brainstorming and collaboration. The tool lets you co-navigate web pages while sharing your screen and use the whiteboard to draw and present your ideas. You can also upload documents or videos from your PC or cloud storage and co-edit them with notes, remarks, or ideas.

Bluescape’s free plan lets you host unlimited video meetings with up to 15 participants in each meeting. With its paid plans, you can add 100 or more participants to each meeting. Paid plans also let you synchronize playback, allowing you to play videos or multimedia content simultaneously for all participants during a screen-sharing session.

Free features:

  • Emoji reactions: Use emojis and @mentions to add suggestions and capture feedback from attendees. This feature boosts creative brainstorming sessions and helps your presenters analyze the effectiveness of their presentations.

  • Live document viewing/editing: Leverage Google Drive, Box, or Dropbox to view and display documents while screen sharing. Allow attendees to co-edit and co-annotate shared documents, enhancing real-time collaboration.

  • Diagramming: Draw lines and shapes to illustrate your ideas and processes during a screen share. This feature is beneficial for brainstorming sessions and collaborative projects. 

Customer support options: Knowledge base and community forum

Who should consider Bluescape?

Bluescape is worth considering for businesses that are involved in collaborative projects and need flexibility to brainstorm new strategies to improve processes. Its screen sharing, digital whiteboard, diagramming, and co-annotation features not only improve collaboration but also accelerate feedback and decision-making processes. Additionally, businesses that require integration with cloud storage platforms such as Google Drive, Box, or Dropbox could benefit from Bluescape's live document viewing and editing capabilities.

Most affordable

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Cost to upgrade

$10 per user, per month (billed annually)

Device compatibility

* Analysis accurate as of July 2023

2. GoBrunch

GoBrunch is a stand-alone web conferencing solution for online meetings and events. Its screen sharing capabilities allow you to share your entire screen or specific applications. This flexibility lets you display the needed content—a document, a software demo, or other visual information. You can also switch between shared screens, enhancing information exchange.

With the free plan, you can include up to six participants in each meeting and have up to two presenter cameras active simultaneously. However, an upgrade may be worth considering if your projects require you to share several screens concurrently or if you need a media control feature to manage your attendees' cameras, mics, and screens.

Free features:

  • Share screen with sound: Share your computer or device screen while transmitting audio, such as system sounds, voice-overs, or live narration. This feature improves communications and helps your presenters create a better learning experience.

  • Multiple presenter cams: Enable up to two participants to share their screen simultaneously from different cameras or devices. This feature is helpful in scenarios where multiple team members need to share different sets of information.

  • Interactive memes and reactions: Use memes and reactions to express opinions or responses to what’s being discussed or shared. This feature fosters more engaging and dynamic virtual collaboration.

Customer support options: Help center and knowledge base

Who should consider GoBrunch?

GoBrunch could be a suitable option for businesses looking to create more interactive virtual meetings for their audience. Its screen share with sound feature improves communication, particularly for concepts/topics where audio cues or explanations are essential for understanding the shared content. GoBrunch also offers custom virtual layouts, memes, and reactions to create engaging sessions.

Best functionality

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Cost to upgrade

$23.99 per month (billed annually)

Device compatibility

* Analysis accurate as of July 2023

/ Pro tip

Determine your business’s specific screen sharing requirements. Besides basic screen sharing capabilities, consider additional features such as remote control, annotation, file sharing, whiteboarding, and screen recording options. Compare these features across different tools to find the right solution.

3. Livestorm

Livestorm is another stand-alone web conferencing tool with screen sharing capabilities. It lets you share your screen as well as record the sessions for future reference or to share with those who couldn’t attend the live meeting. You can also share and play videos with audio transmission without uploading the content.

Under Livestorm’s free plan, each session can run for a maximum of 20 minutes with up to 30 live attendees per session. It also allows up to 30 viewers per month to replay shared recordings. If you want to extend the session duration or increase the number of replays for recorded sessions, consider an upgrade. Upgrading also gets you advanced screen sharing features such as live interpretations and PowerPoint integration.

Free features:

  • Question and answer: Engage your audience with a built-in question and answer feature. You can add custom questions and provide answers in real time. This feature allows you to gauge your audience's understanding, address concerns, and improve collaboration.

  • Media sharing: Share media files such as PDFs, pre-recorded videos, or YouTube videos while screen sharing. This feature improves collaboration by allowing file sharing and video display.

  • Reporting and analytics: Access detailed reports to gain insights into virtual meetings. Track key metrics such as the number of participants, duration of screen sharing, engagement levels, and participant feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of your presentations.

Customer support options: Call, email, and knowledge base

Who should consider Livestorm?

If you want a browser-based screen sharing platform that requires no installation or software download, consider Livestorm. It also helps you record presentations and events and share the replay link with stakeholders who couldn't attend the live session.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Cost to upgrade

$79 per month (billed annually)

Device compatibility

* Analysis accurate as of July 2023

4. LiveWebinar

LiveWebinar also falls under the category of stand-alone web conferencing platforms. Its screen sharing feature facilitates collaboration with clients and colleagues on projects, documents, and application operations. You can choose what your attendees see—whether your whole screen or a single window. You can also access a built-in digital whiteboard to draw, write, and brainstorm ideas collaboratively during screen shares. 

LiveWebinar’s free plan allows a single presenter. However, if your projects require multiple presenters, opt for a paid plan, which also lets you display websites or other online content during your screen shares.

Free features:

  • Synchronized video playback: Present playback-synchronized videos via YouTube or Vimeo during screen shares. This feature eliminates any potential discrepancies in video playback and ensures all participants watch the same part of a video. 

  • Share files: Select and share documents, spreadsheets, or presentations during your screen share. This feature promotes collaboration and enables real-time feedback.

  • Engagement tools: Add polls, tests, and surveys while sharing your screen to keep attendees engaged and turn them into active participants.

Customer support options: Email, FAQs, and knowledge base

Who should consider LiveWebinar?

Consider LiveWebinar if you want an online screen sharing tool with session management capabilities. The tool offers insights into your events by tracking attendee participation, poll and test results, shared materials, and more. You can also monitor who joined your sessions and analyze their engagement levels.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Cost to upgrade

$14.42 per month (billed annually)

Device compatibility

* Analysis accurate as of July 2023

/ Pro tip

If you work with multiple monitors or need to share screens from different displays, get a screen sharing solution that supports multi-monitor setups. Verify whether the software allows you to choose specific monitors to share and switch between monitor screens.

5. Zoom Meetings

Zoom Meetings is also a stand-alone web conferencing solution with screen sharing functionality. It enables multiple participants to share their screens simultaneously and co-annotate for better content sharing. You can use the spotlight feature to highlight (or spotlight) up to nine attendees’ videos while sharing your screen. No matter who’s speaking, the entire meeting sees the spotlighted videos. 

Under the free plan, you can organize unlimited meetings—each of up to 40 minutes and with up to 100 participants. Consider upgrading to a paid plan if you require a higher participant capacity or longer meeting duration. Upgrading will also get you access to advanced engagement tools, such as in-meeting polls and Q&As, to create more dynamic and engaging sessions.

Free features:

  • Remote keyboard and mouse control: Enable meeting hosts to remotely control a participant's keyboard and mouse during screen sharing. This feature facilitates troubleshooting, technical support, and collaborative tasks.

  • Co-annotations: Allow multiple participants to co-annotate content during screen sharing. This feature lets users highlight and add comments or suggestions to the shared file, enhancing collaboration.

  • Whiteboard: Leverage the built-in digital whiteboard to draw, write, and annotate using elements such as pens, highlighters, shapes, and text. It serves as a visual collaboration space to brainstorm ideas and illustrate concepts.

Customer support options: Live chat, email, call, and knowledge base

Who should consider Zoom Meetings?

Zoom Meetings is worth considering for businesses with collaborative projects involving multiple stakeholders, presentations, or document reviews. It offers the ability to co-annotate materials while screen sharing. This feature is particularly useful when discussing diagrams, charts, or designs, enabling stakeholders to provide feedback, highlight important points, or directly annotate the shared content. Co-annotation also enhances engagement and promotes a shared understanding among stakeholders.

Trial/Free Version

  • Free Trial
  • Free Version

Cost to upgrade

$14.99 per user, per month

Device compatibility

* Analysis accurate as of July 2023

What is the cost to upgrade from free screen sharing software to a paid one?

Screen sharing software upgrades can be as low as $5 per user, per month, or increase up to $90+ per month, depending on various factors—features, number of users, number of meetings, and more. Most screen sharing platforms typically include the following subscription plans:

  • Free trials: No-cost plans ranging from a week to a month, giving users access to all or limited software features. These are ideal for businesses that wish to try out a tool before purchasing it.

  • Free versions: Free software plans offer basic features and limited premium feature access. This is ideal for small businesses or individuals on a budget.

  • Entry-level plans: Start at $5 per user, per month, and offer limited features. This option is suitable for small businesses or teams with basic feature requirements such as screen and file sharing.

  • Mid-tier plans: Range from $8 to $100 per month and offer features such as engagement tools and custom online meeting templates. These are ideal for businesses that have outgrown basic screen sharing solutions but don’t require the full range of functionality offered by enterprise-level tools.

  • High-end plans: Advanced plans that cost over $499 monthly and offer unlimited meeting features, content watermarking, advanced reporting tools, audience analysis, and more. These are ideal for cross-functional businesses with multiple teams and departments that need a customized solution.

   Hidden costs associated with screen sharing software

Besides the software license, additional costs associated with online screen sharing software include data migration, training, integration, hardware and IT, and maintenance/upgrades. Small businesses should also budget for these expenses when considering a new tool.

Frequently asked questions when selecting free screen sharing software

Here are some questions to ask screen sharing software providers before making a final purchase:

What are the limitations of the free plan?

A free screen sharing app may have limitations on the number of participants per session, number of hosts, and meeting duration. Ensure you can work with these limitations. However, if they hinder your workflow or collaboration requirements, consider upgrading to a paid version that offers the features and scalability you need.

Does the software offer additional collaboration features?

When sharing screens, you may need to emphasize or highlight specific information. Having a drawing or pointing tool would not just help you communicate better but also improve audience engagement. Check if the free screen sharing software provides collaboration features such as annotation tools, file sharing, chat functionality, or whiteboarding.

Does the software require a download, or can it be used online?

Determine if the screen sharing software requires download and installation or if it can be accessed and used directly through a web browser. The choice between downloadable software and web-based applications depends on your specific needs. If advanced features and performance are your priority, opt for a downloadable program. But if you want convenience, cross-platform compatibility, and quick access, a web-based application would be a better choice.


Methodology

We selected the five products with the highest ratings to feature in this article. To be considered for this list, products must:

  • Have at least 20 unique product reviews published on Capterra within the past two years, with an average rating of 3.0 or higher (as of July 12, 2023).

  • Offer a free, stand-alone software version (not a trial version where you must purchase the product after a limited time).

  • Meet our screen sharing software market definition: “Screen sharing software allows presenters and meeting participants to share the screens of their computers with other participants' computers or projecting devices.”

Read more about our editorial independence

The “most affordable” tool is identified based on the lowest pricing a vendor offered on their website in terms of cost to upgrade as of July 12, 2023.

The “best functionality” tool is identified based on the highest user ratings for functionality that a vendor received based on publicly available reviews as of July 12, 2023.

Product research for this article was contributed by Akriti Sharma.

Products evaluated for the pricing calculation were taken from Capterra’s screen sharing software. The pricing ranges exclude freemium versions of the products. The features highlighted were identified based on their relevance and the percentage of products in the Capterra directory that offer them. Only products with publicly available pricing information as of July 12, 2023, were considered for pricing calculation.


Looking for Project Management software? Check out Capterra's list of the best Project Management software solutions.

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About the Author

Barkha Bali profile picture

Barkha Bali is a writer at Capterra, providing expert insights to help small businesses identify the right software for their needs by analyzing user reviews data for the highest rated products in relevant software categories. She has worked in finance, lifestyle, education, and medical. With expertise in marketing and content strategy, Barkha’s work has been featured in Medium and educational websites. When not working, she can be found re-watching “The Office” or “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.”

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