Loom
Screen and camera recording with AI summaries, the fastest way to communicate async.
Loom is screen and camera recording designed for async communication. Record a message, share a link, let the other person watch on their schedule. The AI features added in 2023 make it meaningfully more capable than it was, automatic titles, summaries, action items, and transcript-based editing.
Why Loom Exists
The alternative to a Loom is usually either:
- A long email explaining something that would be 10x faster to show
- A meeting that exists only to communicate information (not to decide anything)
Loom cuts meeting overhead by letting you record explanations, walkthroughs, feedback, and updates asynchronously. The recipient watches when they can and can fast-forward, rewatch, and jump to relevant sections.
For remote and distributed teams, it’s replaced a meaningful percentage of meetings.
AI Features
Auto-generated titles and summaries: Loom analyzes the recording and generates a title and 3-5 bullet summary automatically. No more “loom-2024-march-14.mp4.”
Auto chapters: Breaks long recordings into named chapters based on content transitions. Recipients jump to the relevant section instead of scrubbing through.
Transcripts: Full searchable transcripts on all recordings. The transcript can be edited, which trims the corresponding video section.
AI message drafting: Record a Loom; Loom AI suggests a follow-up message to send alongside the video.
Action item detection: Identifies commitments and tasks mentioned in the recording.
Filler word removal: One-click removal of all filler words from the transcript (removes them from the video too).
The Workflow
- Click the Loom browser extension (Chrome, Edge) or desktop app
- Choose: camera only, screen only, or screen + camera
- Record, no editing required, just hit stop
- Loom instantly generates title, summary, and chapters
- Share the auto-generated link via email, Slack, or anywhere
- Viewers can comment at specific timestamps, react with emoji, and reply with their own Loom
Total time from “I need to explain this” to “link sent”: 2–3 minutes.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Video Limit | AI Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | Free | 25 videos, 5 min each | Basic AI |
| Business | $12.50/user/month | Unlimited | Full AI features |
| Business + AI | $16/user/month | Unlimited | All AI features |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | SSO, admin controls |
The free tier limit (25 videos, 5 minutes max) is the main restriction. For occasional use it’s fine; for regular async communication across a team, Business is needed.
Loom vs. Alternatives
Loom vs. video email (Vidyard, BombBomb): Loom is better for internal async communication; the video email tools are better for outbound sales use cases with CRM integration.
Loom vs. Zoom recordings: Zoom recordings are designed for full meetings. Loom is designed for quick async messages. Different tools for different purposes.
Loom vs. screen recording apps (Camtasia, QuickTime): Loom’s instant sharing and AI features make it significantly faster for communication purposes. Camtasia and similar tools are better for edited, polished output.
Best Use Cases
Design and product feedback: Instead of writing a paragraph of feedback on a mockup, record 90 seconds walking through what you’d change. Faster to give, easier to understand.
Engineering handoffs: Record a walkthrough of a pull request, new feature, or system architecture. Reduces “what did you mean by X” back-and-forth.
Sales follow-ups: Record a personalized video recap after a sales call. Higher engagement than a text email summary.
Onboarding new hires: Build a library of walkthrough videos for processes, tools, and company context. Accessible whenever new team members need them.
Leadership communication: Executive updates, company all-hands summaries, and decision rationale, communicated efficiently without scheduling a call.
Verdict
Loom is one of those tools that quietly becomes critical infrastructure for remote teams. The free tier works for individuals testing the concept; Business tier is where it delivers full value for teams. The AI features, especially auto-summaries and chapter navigation, meaningfully improve the experience over the raw screen recording that existed three years ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Loom free? Yes, the free Starter plan includes unlimited recordings up to 5 minutes each, basic AI summaries, and unlimited viewers. Business ($12.50/user/month) removes the 5-minute limit and unlocks team features.
How does Loom’s AI transcript editing work? Loom generates a full transcript of your recording. Editing text in the transcript also edits the video, deleting a sentence in the transcript removes the corresponding audio and video. It’s the fastest way to trim a recording without video editing skills.
Can Loom be used for external sharing (clients, prospects)? Yes. Loom links are shareable with anyone, no account required to view. Viewers can comment at specific timestamps and react with emoji. Password protection is available on paid plans.
What’s the difference between Loom and Zoom recordings? Zoom recordings capture meetings for later viewing. Loom is for asynchronous communication, you record a message specifically for someone else to watch on their schedule. Loom’s AI features (summaries, chapters, transcript editing) are optimized for this async workflow.