Loom vs Scribe
An honest comparison of Loom vs Scribe for creating process documentation. Video vs written docs - and why you might need both.
The Core Difference: Video vs Written Docs
Let's cut to the chase before getting into features and pricing.
Loom is a video recording tool. Hit record, walk through whatever you're doing on screen, maybe add your face in a corner bubble. You end up with a video link you can share. Nothing complicated there.
Scribe is a screenshot capture tool. Click through a process, and it automatically grabs screenshots at each step. Those become a written guide with text instructions. No video involved. No audio either.
These tools spit out completely different things for completely different situations. Comparing them is sort of like comparing a hammer to a screwdriver. Both useful tools that belong in your kit, but they solve different problems.
Here's what gets frustrating though. Most teams actually need both. You want clear screenshots alongside the context that comes from narration.
Platform Overview
Three platforms, three different approaches to documentation.
Loom is built for async video communication. Fast recording, instant sharing.
Great for quick updates and feedback. But videos get outdated fast, you can't edit the middle, and nobody wants to scrub through 12 minutes to find step 7. Recent Atlassian migration causing login issues.
Scribe auto-captures screenshots as you click through a process.
Easy to reference specific steps. But the auto-generated text is pretty generic. "Click Submit" doesn't tell you why you're clicking. No voice narration. Desktop app has reliability issues (blank scribes bug).
Glitter AI gives you both video AND written documentation from a single recording.
Record your screen and voice (Chromium browsers only), and AI generates a step-by-step guide with screenshots. Update individual steps without re-recording. No viewer fees for embedded guides.
At a Glance
Quick comparison of the key differences.
When Video Works Better
Video tends to work well when you need to:
- Show movement or dynamic interactions on screen
- Walk through complex visual tasks
- Inject personality and tone into your message
- Handle quick feedback or async communication
- Explain concepts that genuinely benefit from narration
Loom does well for quick async updates to your team. It's handy for giving feedback on designs when you want to talk through your thinking, showing investors a product demo with some context, or letting engineering teams explain bugs with screen recordings. Video really shines when context and tone matter.
When Written Documentation Works Better
Written step-by-step guides tend to win when you need:
- Instructions people can reference while actually doing the work
- Documentation that's easy to scan and search
- Guides that translate well across languages
- Process docs for knowledge bases
- SOPs for compliance or training purposes
Watching a 10-minute Loom video just to find one specific step? Nobody wants that. Screenshot guides let you jump straight to what you're looking for.
What If You Need Both?
Here's the uncomfortable reality: most teams need both video and written documentation.
New hires want video walkthroughs with narration to understand the "why." Those same employees also need written guides to reference when they're actually doing the work. Support teams need searchable documentation, but complex issues still benefit from video context.
Running Loom AND Scribe means paying for two tools, recording everything twice, and keeping both in sync when processes change. That becomes a maintenance headache fast.
Glitter AI solves this. Record once, get both. Your narration becomes contextual written instructions. Your screen recording turns into step-by-step guides with screenshots. You can update one step without re-recording everything. And at $16-20/mo per creator (vs $18 + $29 = $47/mo for Loom + Scribe on monthly billing), it costs significantly less too.
Core Features
How do all three tools compare on the features that matter?How do you create documentation?
Record video, share link.
Click record, do your thing, stop. You get a shareable video immediately. Simple and fast, but the output is only video.
Auto-capture screenshots as you click.
Scribe watches your clicks and captures screenshots automatically. Generates text descriptions, but they're often generic and need manual editing.
Record once, get video AND written guide.
Glitter captures your screen and voice, then uses AI to generate a complete step-by-step guide with screenshots AND keeps the video. Best of both approaches.
How do people consume your documentation?
Watch the video.
Users have to watch (or scrub through) the entire video. Fine for one-time learning, but frustrating for quick reference. Transcripts help with search but don't give you visual context.
Scan the written guide.
Users can jump directly to specific steps. Great for reference documentation. But without narration, they miss the "why" behind each step.
Watch video OR scan written guide.
New employees can watch the full video for context. Experienced team members can jump to specific steps in the written guide. Everyone gets what they need.
What happens when processes change?
Re-record the entire video.
Changed step 3 of a 20-step process? You're re-recording everything. Videos get outdated fast, and there's no way to update just one section.
Edit specific steps.
You can update individual screenshots and text without redoing the whole guide. Much easier to keep documentation current.
Edit specific steps.
Like Scribe, you can update individual steps without re-recording. Plus edit the video simply by editing the transcript.
How much context do readers get?
Full narration context.
Your voice explains the reasoning, tips, and warnings. Viewers understand not just what to do, but why. This is Loom's biggest strength.
Generic auto-generated text.
"Click the button labeled Submit." The text describes actions but lacks the reasoning and context. You'll spend time adding explanations manually.
AI-generated context from narration.
Glitter listens to what you say and uses it to generate rich, contextual step descriptions. You get Loom-quality context in Scribe-style guides.
Editing & Flexibility
How flexible is each tool when you need to make changes?Can you edit after recording?
Minimal editing.
You can trim the start and end. That's basically it. Mess up in the middle? You're re-recording. This is one of Loom's biggest limitations for polished content.
Full editing control on paid plans.
Edit text, swap screenshots, add annotations, blur sensitive info. Image editing requires Pro plan ($23/user/mo). Free tier only allows basic customization.
Edit text and screenshots.
Update step descriptions, swap screenshots, reorganize steps. The AI-generated content gives you a strong starting point that needs less editing than Scribe's generic text.
How searchable is the content?
Limited searchability.
Video content isn't really searchable by nature. Loom's transcriptions help, but you still need to watch to understand visual context. Finding specific information quickly is tough.
Searchable.
Text-based guides are fully searchable. Integrates well with knowledge bases like Confluence and Notion. Easy to find what you need.
Excellent searchability.
Written guides are fully searchable, plus the video provides additional context when needed. Search finds the step, video explains the why.
Pricing & Plans
See how pricing plans stack up across all three tools./mo
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Loom – Pricing Takeaways:
- Free tier is restrictive - 25 videos lifetime (not monthly), 5 min each
- AI features locked behind higher tier - $20/user/mo for AI add-on
- Atlassian migration issues - login problems reported widely
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/user/mo
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Scribe – Pricing Takeaways:
- 5-seat minimum for teams - forces small teams to pay for unused licenses
- SSO requires Enterprise - massive price jump - Starts at $18k (reported for 5 users)
- Desktop app reliability issues - frequent "blank scribe" bugs reported
/mo
/mo
/mo
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Glitter AI – Pricing Takeaways:
- Pay per creator - no viewer fees for embedded guides
- 10 free guides total (not per month)
- Chromium browsers only - no Safari, Firefox, or dedicated mobile apps
Known Issues & Red Flags
Before you commit to any tool, here are some honest concerns users have reported:
Loom's Atlassian Migration Problems
Since Atlassian acquired Loom, users have been reporting significant login issues. Many find themselves stuck in "login loops" or locked out of their accounts after being forced to migrate to Atlassian IDs.
"Everything was great until Loom switched to Atlassian's login system. I used to sign in with my Google account and it worked perfectly. Now I can't log in anymore because Atlassian blocked..." -- Trustpilot Review, Dec 2025
Scribe's Desktop App Reliability
The desktop app (which you need for non-browser apps) has a critical bug where recordings complete but show up as "blank scribes" with no steps captured.
"I have recorded and completed the same process 15 or so times now - 95% of them show up as a blank scribe with 'no steps', even though it showed all steps before hitting complete." -- Reddit User, Jan 2025
If you need to document desktop software, this could be a dealbreaker.
Scribe's Enterprise Pricing Shock
The jump from Pro ($23/user/mo) to Enterprise is jarring. Users report quotes of roughly $18,000/year for 5 users (about $300/user/mo) just to get SSO.
"I called to get enterprise pricing and was given $39 per user plus an additional $1300 per month. So that is $18,000 per year for 5 users. I feel like this was a bait and switch." -- Reddit User, discussing Enterprise pricing, 2024
For comparison, Glitter AI Enterprise starts at just $8K/year with transparent pricing.
Loom's Support Quality
Both Loom and Scribe have drawn complaints about unresponsive support. Loom users report difficulty canceling subscriptions and unexpected charges.
"We cancelled our account and we continued to be charged and we had to continue to call them every month to confirm the account was no longer active. We finally put a block on our card." -- Trustpilot Review, Aug 2025
Scribe users have shared similar frustrations:
"I tried getting a demo on three different occasions, all scheduled, and got ghosted. They don't have clue what they are doing. I can't imagine what their support would be like." -- Reddit User, 2024
By contrast, Glitter AI offers direct chat support with the founder. No bots, no ticket queues.
Glitter AI's Browser Limitations
Glitter only works on Chromium browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave). Non-Chromium browsers require desktop app.
AI Training & Privacy
All three tools state they don't use customer data to train AI models. Loom (via OpenAI partnership) and Scribe both explicitly opt out of using customer content for third-party AI training. Data sent to AI providers gets processed for features (like summaries) but isn't retained for model training.
Real-World Scenarios
Let me walk through some common situations and what I'd probably suggest.
Scenario 1: Startup Documenting Internal Processes
The need: You're a 10-person startup. You need to document internal workflows so you can delegate and onboard new hires without everything living in the founder's head.
My recommendation: Glitter AI.
Video alone won't cut it here. You need reference documentation people can actually follow step-by-step. Scribe works, but you'll spend time adding context to the generic text it generates. Glitter's narration-based AI gives you richer guides from the start, and no viewer fees for embedded guides means sharing documentation widely stays cost-effective. Worth noting: Glitter only works on Chromium browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave), not Safari or Firefox.
Scenario 2: Remote Team Doing Async Updates
The need: Your engineering and design teams are distributed across time zones. You need a way to give feedback and communicate without scheduling meetings.
My recommendation: Loom works, but consider Glitter AI.
Loom is built for quick async videos. But here's the thing. Those "quick updates" often become reference material later. "How did we decide to build it this way?" Someone digs up a 6-month-old Loom. With Glitter, you get the video AND a searchable written record for when that happens.
Scenario 3: Support Team Building a Knowledge Base
The need: Your support team needs to document common customer issues and solutions. These need to be searchable, easy to reference, and integrated with your help center.
My recommendation: Glitter AI.
Screenshot-based guides work well for this. Customers want quick answers, not videos. But here's where Glitter beats Scribe: the AI-generated descriptions include context from your narration, so you spend less time editing. Scribe's generic "Click Submit" text needs manual work. Plus, no viewer fees for embedded guides means you can share widely without worrying about costs. Just remember: Glitter requires Chromium browsers for recording.
Scenario 4: Training New Employees on Complex Workflows
The need: You onboard 5-10 new employees every quarter. They need clear training materials that explain both what to do and why.
My recommendation: Glitter AI.
New employees benefit from narrated walkthroughs (the why), but they also need written guides they can reference later (the what). Glitter gives you both. They watch the video during training, then use the written guide when they're actually doing the work.
So... which one should you choose?
All three tools have their strengths. Here's how to decide.Choose Loom if you...
Choose Loom if you only need fast async video communication with no documentation needs. Good for quick one-off messages you won't need to reference. Be aware: free tier is very limited (25 videos lifetime, 5 min each), and recent Atlassian login migration has caused problems for many users.
Don't choose Loom if you...
Don't choose Loom if you need reference documentation, editing capabilities, or searchable content. Also avoid if you've heard complaints about the Atlassian migration - login issues are widely reported. The free tier's 25-video lifetime limit makes it unsuitable for ongoing use.
Choose Scribe if you...
Choose Scribe if you need basic screenshot capture for simple web-based processes and you're okay with the free tier's limitations (web-only, no PDF export). For teams, be ready for the 5-seat minimum ($60/mo floor). Desktop app has reliability issues.
Don't choose Scribe if you...
Don't choose Scribe if you need SSO (requires expensive Enterprise tier, Starts at $18k (reported for 5 users)), reliable desktop app recording, or contextual explanations without manual editing. The 5-seat team minimum penalizes small teams, and the desktop app's 'blank scribe' bug is a dealbreaker for many.
Choose Glitter AI if you...
Choose Glitter AI if you want both video and written documentation from a single recording. Best for teams that need rich, contextual guides that are easy to update and reference. Pay per creator, no viewer fees for embedded guides, and cheaper than using Loom + Scribe together. Works on Chromium browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave).
Don't choose Glitter AI if you...
Don't choose Glitter AI if you need Safari or Firefox support, dedicated mobile apps, or offline recording. Also skip if you exclusively need ephemeral video messages you'll never reference again.
Real customer reviews
Genuine feedback from real customers ❤️
This software is mind-blowing! After 2+ months, it's an invaluable asset to my company. The transcription quality is out of this world, and the new image editing tools are so fluid and better than [competitor name redacted]. ...you've saved me so much time; I'm elated and highly anticipate subscribing for another year!
Tim M.
May 3, 2025
Our company has asked each department to use AI tools to increase productivity, and this has made a huge difference. One of our leaders had originally sent a link to check out Glitter AI, and we love it! We're now using it for clients as well as internal staff.
Kim W.
December 18, 2024
This is exactly the documentation solution that we've been looking for. Every software system requires operating instructions, and you make them so easy to create! It's perfect for employee training purposes.
Erez A.
January 9, 2025
Glitter is really cool! The step-by-step guide it created was exactly what we needed for our corporate Salesforce setup, which was a literal mess. Just having a video isn't great because it's a nightmare to update all the fields for billing. This tool is saving us so much time!
Dustin R.
March 8, 2025
This is amazing! I just used the desktop app to make a quick guide for a Photoshop tool that I can use in my class. It would have taken me at least 30 minutes before and I just did it in about 5 minutes. Thanks for such a great tool!
Sarah
January 28, 2025
I tested 2 products today to solve the problem of rapidly creating 60+ articles to onboard our customers, and Glitter AI is excellent! It's really easy to use and edit. The output is so easy to import into our CMS for our Knowledge Hub; it's fantastic.
Emily W.
February 15, 2025
Really love this product! We use Guru for documentation at our company. With Glitter, I can do a quick walkthrough, and it creates a guide that can be pasted right into Guru, which saves us from undocumented tasks.
Jens A.
April 12, 2025
So far, I'm liking Glitter a great deal; it's very intuitive and useful. Our school district has an old method for online help for our student information system. Glitter is a great way to save many, MANY, person-hours of work, and our IT person is excited about it too!
John
January 9, 2025
This software is mind-blowing! After 2+ months, it's an invaluable asset to my company. The transcription quality is out of this world, and the new image editing tools are so fluid and better than [competitor name redacted]. ...you've saved me so much time; I'm elated and highly anticipate subscribing for another year!
Tim M.
May 3, 2025
Our company has asked each department to use AI tools to increase productivity, and this has made a huge difference. One of our leaders had originally sent a link to check out Glitter AI, and we love it! We're now using it for clients as well as internal staff.
Kim W.
December 18, 2024
This is exactly the documentation solution that we've been looking for. Every software system requires operating instructions, and you make them so easy to create! It's perfect for employee training purposes.
Erez A.
January 9, 2025
Glitter is really cool! The step-by-step guide it created was exactly what we needed for our corporate Salesforce setup, which was a literal mess. Just having a video isn't great because it's a nightmare to update all the fields for billing. This tool is saving us so much time!
Dustin R.
March 8, 2025
This is amazing! I just used the desktop app to make a quick guide for a Photoshop tool that I can use in my class. It would have taken me at least 30 minutes before and I just did it in about 5 minutes. Thanks for such a great tool!
Sarah
January 28, 2025
I tested 2 products today to solve the problem of rapidly creating 60+ articles to onboard our customers, and Glitter AI is excellent! It's really easy to use and edit. The output is so easy to import into our CMS for our Knowledge Hub; it's fantastic.
Emily W.
February 15, 2025
Really love this product! We use Guru for documentation at our company. With Glitter, I can do a quick walkthrough, and it creates a guide that can be pasted right into Guru, which saves us from undocumented tasks.
Jens A.
April 12, 2025
So far, I'm liking Glitter a great deal; it's very intuitive and useful. Our school district has an old method for online help for our student information system. Glitter is a great way to save many, MANY, person-hours of work, and our IT person is excited about it too!
John
January 9, 2025
This software is mind-blowing! After 2+ months, it's an invaluable asset to my company. The transcription quality is out of this world, and the new image editing tools are so fluid and better than [competitor name redacted]. ...you've saved me so much time; I'm elated and highly anticipate subscribing for another year!
Tim M.
May 3, 2025
Our company has asked each department to use AI tools to increase productivity, and this has made a huge difference. One of our leaders had originally sent a link to check out Glitter AI, and we love it! We're now using it for clients as well as internal staff.
Kim W.
December 18, 2024
This is exactly the documentation solution that we've been looking for. Every software system requires operating instructions, and you make them so easy to create! It's perfect for employee training purposes.
Erez A.
January 9, 2025
Glitter is really cool! The step-by-step guide it created was exactly what we needed for our corporate Salesforce setup, which was a literal mess. Just having a video isn't great because it's a nightmare to update all the fields for billing. This tool is saving us so much time!
Dustin R.
March 8, 2025
This is amazing! I just used the desktop app to make a quick guide for a Photoshop tool that I can use in my class. It would have taken me at least 30 minutes before and I just did it in about 5 minutes. Thanks for such a great tool!
Sarah
January 28, 2025
I tested 2 products today to solve the problem of rapidly creating 60+ articles to onboard our customers, and Glitter AI is excellent! It's really easy to use and edit. The output is so easy to import into our CMS for our Knowledge Hub; it's fantastic.
Emily W.
February 15, 2025
Really love this product! We use Guru for documentation at our company. With Glitter, I can do a quick walkthrough, and it creates a guide that can be pasted right into Guru, which saves us from undocumented tasks.
Jens A.
April 12, 2025
So far, I'm liking Glitter a great deal; it's very intuitive and useful. Our school district has an old method for online help for our student information system. Glitter is a great way to save many, MANY, person-hours of work, and our IT person is excited about it too!
John
January 9, 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Loom and Scribe?
Loom creates videos only. Scribe creates screenshots with text only. Neither gives you both. Glitter AI records once and generates both video AND written step-by-step guides with screenshots, which solves the core limitation of both tools.
Is Loom or Scribe better for process documentation?
Neither is ideal. Loom videos are unsearchable and hard to reference. Scribe guides lack narration context, so you get generic "Click Submit" text. Glitter AI gives you searchable written guides with AI-generated context from your voice narration.
Can I use Loom for creating SOPs and training materials?
Loom is not great for SOPs. Videos get outdated fast, you can not edit the middle, and nobody wants to scrub through 10 minutes to find step 7. Use Glitter AI instead. You get the video for initial training plus written guides for ongoing reference.
How much do Loom and Scribe cost together?
Loom Business is $15-18/user/month (annual vs monthly). Scribe Pro Personal is $23-29/user/month. Using both costs $38-47/user/month depending on billing. Glitter AI is $16-20/month per creator with no viewer fees for embedded guides, giving you both capabilities for less than half the price.
Which tool is easier to use, Loom or Scribe?
Loom is slightly simpler. Click record and go. Scribe requires clicking through processes then editing generic text. Glitter AI is as simple as Loom (just record) but outputs both video and written documentation automatically.
Can Scribe capture audio or video like Loom?
No. Scribe only captures screenshots and generates generic text. No voice narration, no video. This is probably its biggest limitation. Glitter AI captures your voice and screen, then uses AI to generate contextual written guides from your narration.
What if I need both video and written documentation?
With Loom + Scribe, you pay for two tools and record everything twice. With Glitter AI, you record once and get both. The AI turns your narration into contextual written steps. One recording, two outputs, one price.
Which tool is better for remote teams?
Remote teams need both communication (video) and documentation (written guides). Loom handles video. Scribe handles docs. Glitter AI handles both from a single recording, which is why remote teams increasingly choose it over using two separate tools.
Can you edit content after creating it in Loom or Scribe?
Loom only lets you trim the start and end. Any mistake means re-recording. Scribe allows full editing but you are editing generic auto-generated text. Glitter AI lets you edit individual steps and generates smarter text from your narration, so less editing is needed.
Which tool has better ROI for documentation?
Glitter AI has the best ROI. You get both video and documentation from one recording, pay less than Loom + Scribe combined, and spend less time editing thanks to AI-generated context. For documentation specifically, it beats both alternatives.
Do any of these tools support SSO or enterprise security?
Loom offers SSO on Enterprise plans only (estimated $30-45/user/mo). Scribe also requires Enterprise for SSO, with reported pricing around $18K/year for 5 users. Both are SOC 2 Type II compliant. Glitter AI Enterprise starts at $8K/year with transparent pricing.
What are the biggest complaints about Loom and Scribe?
Loom: Atlassian migration causing login loops and account access issues. Free tier very restrictive (25 videos lifetime, not monthly). Support unresponsive. Scribe: Desktop app reliability problems (blank scribe bug). Massive Enterprise pricing jump for SSO. 5-seat team minimum forces small teams to pay for unused licenses.