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Prequel

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Create cinematic videos from screen recordings, no editing needed

Screen RecordingVideo EditingDeveloper Tools
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Tracked since2026
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The Bottom Line

Entry price

Paid plans only

Biggest pro

Saves hours of manual video editing by automating the entire post-production pass

Biggest con

Requires an Apple Silicon Mac with macOS 14 or later; no Intel or Windows support

TL;DR - Prequel

  • Automatically creates zooms, camera framing, and background from your clicks and typing
  • Exports up to 4K at 120 fps using hardware encoding, all processed locally on your Mac
  • Free trial with no watermark, then a single paid plan
Pricing: Paid only
Best for: Enterprises & pros

What is Prequel?

Editorial review
Prequel is a macOS screen recorder that turns raw screen captures into finished, cinematic videos without manual editing. It records your screen, webcam, microphone, and system audio, then automatically analyzes where you clicked and typed to place zooms, frame the camera, apply a background, and cut dead air. The result is a polished video ready to export as a single MP4 at up to 4K resolution and 120 fps, using hardware encoding via your Mac's media engine. Designed for developers, educators, and anyone sharing their screen, Prequel eliminates the tedious post-production work of zooming, framing, and trimming. The editor opens automatically on your take with all the automatic adjustments already applied, and you can tweak or delete any of them. Everything runs locally on your Mac, no upload or cloud rendering required. Prequel requires an Apple Silicon Mac running macOS 14 or later, and offers a free trial before a paid subscription.
how we evaluateSourceprequel.sh ↗

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Saves hours of manual video editing by automating the entire post-production pass
  • High-quality exports with hardware encoding, up to 4K at 120 fps
  • Everything runs locally, no upload or cloud rendering required

Cons

  • Requires an Apple Silicon Mac with macOS 14 or later; no Intel or Windows support
  • No free plan, only a trial before a paid subscription

Key Features

Automatic zooms from clicks and typingCamera framing after recording with customizable shape, size, and positionBackgrounds with presets, gradients, and solids, plus padding, radius, border, and shadowTimeline editing with cuts, waveforms, and per-clip adjustmentsHardware-accelerated export up to 4K at 120 fps (H.264/HEVC)

Pricing Plans

Free Trial

Pricing checked Aug 30, 2026

Prequel

$14 / user/mo

  • Automatic zooms from clicks and typing
  • Perspective tilt and focus falling away from the subject
  • A camera you frame after the take, over a background
  • Screen, window and region capture
  • Webcam, microphone and system audio
  • Cuts on a real timeline, with waveforms
  • 4K and HEVC export, up to 120 fps
  • Every frame preset, including the social sizes
Calculate your costView full pricing

Is Prequel worth the price?

78/100

At $14/user/month for a single tier with all features included, Prequel is fairly priced for professionals who need cinematic screen recordings without per-video fees or watermarks.

It is more affordable than many all-in-one video tools that charge $20-50/month for similar timeline and export capabilities. Best for solo creators or small teams who want a polished, Mac-native recording solution.

Hidden Costs & Gotchas

No team seat discounts beyond $14/user/mo

No collaborative editing or cloud storage included

How Prequel's pricing compares

At $14/mo, Prequel is mid-range of its 6 direct competitors ($3 to $365/mo across the set).

ScreenPal
$3
Screencastify
$7
Prequel
$14
Vmaker
$18
Tella
$19
Soapbox
$79
Clipchamp
$365

Entry paid plan, monthly. Pricing checked Aug 30, 2026.

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Best Prequel Alternatives

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Capture high-quality videos and screen recordings directly from your browser, with built-in editing and AI tools.

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Still deciding?

Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.

All Prequel alternatives7+ tools ranked, pricing + verdict per pickPrequel vs ClipchampHead-to-head: features, pricing, who winsPrequel vs ScreenPalHead-to-head: features, pricing, who winsPrequel vs ScreencastifyHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins

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Prequel FAQ

How do the automatic zooms get placed?

Prequel watches where you click and type while recording. When the editor opens, those moments are already clustered into zooms that push in on your work and pull back when you move on. You can adjust or delete any of them.

Can I change the webcam's position and shape after recording?

Yes. The webcam is never burned into the screen recording, so you can frame it afterwards—choosing circle, squircle, rounded, or wide, in any corner and size.

Will zooming in make my recording look blurry?

It depends on the source resolution. Capture runs at your display's native resolution, so a Retina Mac recording at high resolution and exporting at 1080p has extra pixels to work with. Pushing past the source resolution will soften the image, like any crop.

Can I control the speed and feel of a zoom?

Yes. Each zoom has level, speed, tilt, and yaw settings, plus progressive blur that falls away from the focus. You can make slow, shallow pushes for walkthroughs or faster, tighter moves for highlights.

Do I need to set up anything before recording?

No. You just pick a screen, window, or dragged region and start. Zooms, camera framing, background, and cuts are all decided afterwards on the take you already see.

Can I delete the automatic zooms and add my own?

Yes. Every generated zoom is an ordinary slice on the timeline, identical to one you add manually. You can move, retime, retarget, or delete it—nothing is baked in.

What export aspect ratios and social presets are available?

Prequel exports landscape 16:9, vertical 9:16, square 1:1, and portrait 4:5, with presets for YouTube, Shorts, TikTok, Reels, X, and LinkedIn. The framing is stored proportionally, so switching formats keeps the composition intact.

Does Prequel upload my recording to the cloud?

No. Recording, editing, and export all happen locally on your Mac's media engine. The only time a server is involved is when you explicitly ask to upload a finished export to get a shareable link.

Source: prequel.sh

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