What is Loom?
Loom is a cloud-based screen and video recording application designed for asynchronous communication in professional and educational settings. It captures your screen, webcam feed, or both to create short videos for sharing feedback, explaining processes, delivering updates, or providing tutorials.
Videos are shared via a link, and viewers can watch without downloading software. Creators receive notifications when their content is viewed. The platform aims to reduce unnecessary meetings and lengthy email threads through clearer, more personal video communication.
Loom is developed by Loom, Inc., a San Francisco-based company founded in 2015. It has grown significantly with substantial venture capital funding and positions itself as a central tool for distributed and hybrid teams. It integrates with major platforms like Slack, Google Workspace, and Notion, embedding its functionality directly into existing workflows.
Who is Loom best for?
Loom is not a traditional project management tool. It serves a distinct niche focused on video messaging. It excels for individuals and teams who need to communicate complex ideas, provide contextual feedback, or create training materials quickly without the friction of formal video editing software.
Its asynchronous nature makes it particularly valuable for organisations working across different time zones or embracing flexible work schedules, where live communication is not always possible or efficient.
- Remote and Hybrid Teams: Teams that are not co-located and rely on clear, contextual communication to stay aligned.
- Educators and Trainers: Instructors creating bite-sized lesson recaps, feedback on assignments, or software tutorials for students or employees.
- Sales and Customer Success Professionals: Those who can use personalised video messages to demo features, answer questions, or onboard clients in a more engaging way than text.
- Designers and Developers: Professionals who need to provide visual feedback on websites, mock-ups, or code, using screen recording to point out specific elements.
- Content Creators and Marketers: Individuals creating informal product walkthroughs, social media content, or internal company updates.
Key features
Instant Screen and Camera Recording
The core functionality lets you start recording your entire screen, a specific application window, or a browser tab with a single click or keyboard shortcut. A real-time webcam feed can be overlaid, typically in a small circle, allowing your reactions and expressions to accompany the screen content. This creates a more personal engagement than a silent screen capture.
Cloud-Based Link Sharing and View Analytics
Every recording is automatically uploaded to Loom's cloud and generates a unique, shareable link. Recipients do not need a Loom account to view content, which plays directly in their browser. Creators get basic view analytics showing who has watched the video and for how long, providing insight into engagement.
Simple In-Video Editing Tools
After recording, users can trim the start and end points to remove dead air or mistakes without a separate editing suite. Some plans offer custom thumbnails, clickable call-to-action buttons embedded in the video, and viewer reactions, adding interactivity and polish.
Centralised Video Library and Search
All videos are stored in a searchable library within the Loom workspace. This functions as a knowledge repository where past explanations, training materials, and updates can be easily retrieved and re-shared, preventing the need to re-record the same instructions repeatedly.
Deep Workplace Integrations
Loom offers dedicated integrations with tools like Slack, Google Chrome, and Notion. Users can record and share videos directly from within these platforms, and in some cases, video previews are embedded and playable without leaving the host application, streamlining the workflow.
Loom pricing
Loom operates on a freemium model with three main tiers: Free, Business, and Enterprise. The Free plan offers up to 25 videos per person with a 5-minute maximum recording cap, along with basic editing and viewer insights.
The Business plan, charged per creator per month, removes recording limits, unlocks videos up to 6 hours, and adds custom branding, HD video, clickable CTAs, and more detailed engagement analytics. The Enterprise tier adds advanced security controls, SSO, dedicated support, and enhanced admin management.
| Tier | Key limits | Notable features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 25 videos per person; 5-minute cap | Basic editing, viewer insights |
| Business | No recording limits; up to 6-hour videos | Custom branding, HD video, clickable CTAs, advanced analytics |
| Enterprise | No limits listed | Advanced security, SSO, dedicated support, enhanced admin management |
The Free plan is excellent for individuals or small teams to test the core utility of asynchronous video. The Business plan is priced competitively for organisations that have embedded Loom into daily workflows and require professional features like branding and advanced insights.
The value is directly tied to the volume of video communication a team employs. For heavy users, the time saved versus scheduling meetings or writing detailed emails can justify the cost.
What we like
- Streamlined user experience: Recording, sharing, and viewing work with minimal friction.
- Genuinely useful free tier: Not severely crippled, making it easy for teams to adopt and trial the software.
- Valuable viewer analytics: Simple but effective feedback on whether your message has been seen and engaged with.
- Natural integrations: Slack and Chrome integrations make it a part of existing workflows rather than a separate tool.
- Human connection: Combining screen and camera recording creates a more personal remote communication experience.
What could be better
- Basic editing suite: Lacks features like cutting sections from the middle of a video, adding text overlays, or splicing clips together.
- Limited organisation: While searchable, the library can be challenging to organise for large teams with vast archives beyond simple titles and folders.
- Inconsistent performance: Video quality and playback can vary depending on a user's internet connection during upload and playback.
- Data sovereignty concerns: Lower-tier plans may not offer a choice of geographic region for cloud storage, which could be an issue for organisations with strict requirements.
Loom verdict
Loom succeeds brilliantly in its core mission: making video messaging as easy as sending a text. It reduces miscommunication and can genuinely replace a significant number of scheduled meetings.
Loom is a highly effective, purpose-built tool for asynchronous video communication. It adds a valuable personal touch to digital interactions. The generous free plan and thoughtful integrations lower the barrier to entry, allowing teams to experience its benefits with little risk.
Loom is recommended for remote and hybrid teams, educators, and any professional who frequently needs to explain processes or provide feedback that is cumbersome to convey in writing. It is ideal for creating a library of informal knowledge and fostering clear, personable communication.
However, it is not a Swiss Army knife. Users seeking a full-featured video editing platform, a project management system, or a generic cloud storage solution for files like photos should look elsewhere. Loom's strength is its focus.
If your primary need is to communicate ideas quickly and clearly via video, Loom is among the best tools available. For broader needs, consider it a powerful supplement, not a replacement.