Updated April 26, 2026.
Both Clipy and Bubbles get pitched as "async video for teams." They feel similar from the outside — record, share a link, talk over your screen. Once you actually use them, they're built around different beliefs about how async video should work.
This is a practical comparison written by people on the Clipy side. Numbers and product behaviors here come from each tool's public pages.
The 30-second answer
- Pick Bubbles if you want a video where each comment is anchored to a specific timestamp, plus an opinionated meeting-replacement workflow with rich threading.
- Pick Clipy if you want a recorder that gets out of the way: record, get a link, paste it anywhere, done — with a free tier that doesn't cap recordings.
How do the design philosophies of Clipy and Bubbles differ?
Bubbles is workflow-first. The product wants you to live inside Bubbles: record there, comment there, manage threads there, get notified there. The bet is that async video is most useful when it's wrapped in a discussion product.
Clipy is link-first. The product believes the best place for video is wherever your team already talks — Slack, Linear, GitHub, email, Notion, whatever. Clipy's job is to make recording one click and the resulting link as portable and viewable as possible. Comments live where your work lives.
Neither bet is wrong. Pick the one that matches how your team actually communicates today.
What’s the free-plan reality on each?
Bubbles Free
- Time and recording caps on the free plan.
- Workspace-style features behind paid tiers.
- Comments and threading are a core feature, free or paid.
Clipy Free
- Unlimited recordings, unlimited length, no watermark.
- No install — works in your browser; desktop app available for system audio.
- No sign-up required to watch a shared link.
How do Clipy and Bubbles compare side-by-side?
| Feature | Bubbles | Clipy |
|---|---|---|
| Free-tier length cap | Yes | None |
| Watermark on free | Sometimes | Never |
| Inline comments on video | Yes (timestamped, threaded) | No (comment in Slack/Linear/etc.) |
| Workspace | Built-in | None — links live wherever |
| Install | Web + extension + desktop | Web app or desktop |
| Viewer sign-up | Sometimes | Never |
| Trim | Yes | Yes (free) |
| Best for | Async meeting replacement | One-off recordings + share links |
Workflow A: which wins for a 30-minute team review?
If you're trying to kill a recurring meeting and replace it with structured async video discussion, Bubbles is purpose-built for it. Threaded comments anchored to timestamps are the actual feature. You'll get more out of it than wedging the same workflow into a generic video link.
Workflow B: which wins for one-off recordings sent outside your team?
If you're sending a 90-second clip to a customer, candidate, or vendor — someone who is not going to sign up for your team's video tool — Clipy wins easily. The link plays in any browser. No sign-up. No app. No "create an account to comment" gate.
This covers most one-off recordings: bug reports, demos, support replies, walkthroughs, candidate take-home reviews, sales follow-ups.
How does cost over time compare?
Bubbles' paid plan is designed for teams that want the workspace and threading. Clipy stays on the free side of this comparison because the company sells higher tiers (storage, team features) without locking the recorder itself behind a paywall.
For most early-stage teams the choice is: do you want one more workspace tool, or do you want a recorder that drops a link into the workspace you already have? Clipy bets on the second.
Bottom line
Both products are good. They're optimizing for different things. If discussion on video is the primary feature you want, Bubbles is the right pick. If get the recording out of your head and into a teammate's eyes in 60 seconds is the job, Clipy is faster and free.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bubbles really free?
Bubbles has a free tier, but the core async-conversation features (threaded replies, video comments, longer recordings) sit behind paid plans. If you’re using Bubbles only for the recorder without the conversation features, you’re paying for a workflow you’re not using — a flat free tool like Clipy is a cleaner fit.
Which is better for distributed teams?
Bubbles for ongoing async meetings (status syncs, threaded design reviews, weekly standup-replacement). Clipy for everything else — quick walkthroughs, bug reports, sales follow-ups, customer onboarding. Many teams use both: Bubbles for internal threaded conversation, Clipy for any recording that leaves the team.
Does Bubbles replace Loom?
Partially. For internal async conversation, Bubbles is arguably better than Loom — it’s built for it. For sending a recording to a customer or a candidate, Loom’s share page is more polished, and Clipy’s no-signup-to-watch flow is friendlier. The right answer depends on which side of the use case you’re on.
Does Bubbles record at higher quality than Clipy?
Both record at standard browser quality (typically 1080p, 30fps). Neither is a professional production tool — if you need 4K or 60fps, you want OBS or a dedicated desktop recorder. For everyday team comms, both are indistinguishable on quality.
Can I export recordings from Bubbles?
Yes, on paid plans Bubbles supports MP4 export. On the free tier, export options are limited and recordings live inside the Bubbles workspace. Clipy gives you the MP4 download on every recording, on every tier.
Try Clipy free. One-click screen recording in your browser, instant share link, no watermark, no time limit, no sign-up to watch. Start recording at clipy.online — or download the desktop app for system-audio capture.