Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Loom VS SelfControl

Compare Loom VS SelfControl and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Loom logo Loom

Loom is a screen recording extension for Chrome that gives people the ability to create and share media. Create your own videos using your camera, screen view, and audio. Read more about Loom.

SelfControl logo SelfControl

V2 updates! - Custom time interval for distraction free mode - Ability to turn off ' always on' mode - Improved UI -- Self Control -- A simple app to keep you focused online by blocking sites that you spend way too much time on.
  • Loom Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-13
  • SelfControl Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

Loom features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Loom offers a highly intuitive interface that makes recording, sharing, and managing videos easy, even for users who are not tech-savvy.
  • Speed
    Loom allows for quick video recording, instant sharing, and embedding, which can greatly save time, especially for team communication and support tasks.
  • Integrations
    Loom integrates with various tools like Slack, Google Drive, and GitHub, providing seamless workflow enhancements.
  • Viewer Analytics
    Loom provides video engagement analytics, including viewer activity and completion rates, which helps understand the effectiveness of the content.
  • Cross-Platform Availability
    Loom is available on multiple platforms, including Chrome, Windows, Mac, and mobile devices, making it versatile for different user environments.
  • Team Collaboration
    Loom offers features specifically geared towards teams, allowing for shared libraries, comments, and real-time notifications.

Possible disadvantages of Loom

  • Limited Editing Features
    While Loom allows some basic editing, it lacks the advanced editing capabilities found in more robust video editing software.
  • Bandwidth Usage
    Recording high-quality video can be demanding on internet bandwidth, which might be an issue in areas with slower internet speeds.
  • Cost
    The free version of Loom has usage limits and fewer features compared to its paid plans, which might be a constraint for budget-conscious users.
  • Data Privacy
    As with any cloud service, there are potential concerns about data privacy and security, which may not be suitable for highly sensitive information.
  • Video Length Limitations
    The free tier imposes restrictions on the maximum length of videos, which could be a hindrance for users needing to create longer content.

SelfControl features and specs

  • Effective Website Blocking
    SelfControl blocks access to distracting websites based on a customizable blocklist, helping users stay focused.
  • Timer Functionality
    Users can set a timer for how long they want websites to remain blocked, ensuring focused work periods without distraction.
  • Free to Use
    SelfControl is open-source and free to download and use, making it accessible to anyone without financial barriers.
  • Easy to Use
    The interface is straightforward and user-friendly, allowing users to quickly set their preferences and get started.

Possible disadvantages of SelfControl

  • Mac-Only
    SelfControl is only available for macOS, excluding Windows and Linux users from using the application.
  • No Undo Option
    Once the block period is set and started, it cannot be undone even by restarting the computer, which could be an issue if access to blocked sites is needed unexpectedly.
  • Limited Feature Set
    The app primarily focuses on website blocking, lacking additional productivity tools or features like app blocking or usage analytics.
  • No Scheduled Blocking
    SelfControl does not offer the ability to schedule block sessions in advance, meaning users must manually start each session.

Analysis of Loom

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Loom is considered a good tool for asynchronous communication, particularly in professional settings. It is effective for enhancing communication clarity, saving time, and improving productivity.

Why this product is good

  • Loom is favored for its user-friendly interface, ease of use, and efficiency in creating and sharing video messages. It enables users to quickly record their screens, voice, and webcam, making it suitable for a range of professional and personal communication needs. The platform is particularly useful for those who want to provide clear, visual explanations or updates without the need for arranging meetings or lengthy emails.

Recommended for

  • Remote teams needing asynchronous communication tools.
  • Educators creating video tutorials or lectures.
  • Sales teams making personalized video pitches.
  • Product teams explaining features or demonstrating product use.
  • Anyone needing to communicate complex information quickly and clearly.

Analysis of SelfControl

Overall verdict

  • Overall, SelfControl is a highly recommended tool for individuals looking to enhance their productivity by minimizing digital distractions. Its open-source nature and no-nonsense approach make it a popular choice among students, freelancers, and professionals alike.

Why this product is good

  • SelfControl is considered a good application because it effectively blocks distracting websites, helping users focus on their tasks without getting sidetracked by online distractions. It's simple to use, efficient, and highly customizable, allowing users to specify which sites to block and for how long, ensuring a tailored productivity experience.

Recommended for

    SelfControl is ideal for students who need to concentrate on studying, remote workers who want to avoid procrastination, freelancers who require discipline in managing their time, and anyone who needs a simple solution to reduce digital distractions during focused work periods.

Loom videos

Loom: Full Review 2019

More videos:

  • Review - Classic Review - LOOM
  • Review - Loom Video Recorder Review 2019

SelfControl videos

How to block websites that distract you ? Selfcontrol [Mac App review and tutorial]

More videos:

  • Review - SelfControl Review - Block distracting websites

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Loom and SelfControl)
Screen Recording
100 100%
0% 0
Time Tracking
0 0%
100% 100
Video Maker
100 100%
0% 0
Time Management
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Loom and SelfControl

Loom Reviews

The 9 Best Vimeo Alternatives on the Market in 2024
Loom helps employees, sales professionals, and teams communicate better and faster. With Loom, you can coordinate asynchronously, empower customer support to meet customer expectations and needs, improve customer success metrics, and give and receive feedback quickly and easily. The communication and collaboration features in Loom make it easier for anyone to share ideas and...
Source: www.loom.com
Top 8 Best Free Screen Recorders in 2024
Loom is a modern, user-friendly screen recording app designed for diverse platforms and areas of use. Perfect for business settings, Loom lets you create and fine-tune screen recordings to be easily shared with your team.
Source: mixilab.com
Top 15 Free Alternatives to OBS | Online Free Screen Recorder for PC
This is an easy-to-use OBS alternative for Chromebooks and Macs. Loom can choose different recording styles according to the voice & face you want. At the same time it provides cloud storage and can share videos directly through their portal. It's suitable for team use, bringing the entire team together for recording and collaboration easily.
12 Best Free Chrome Screen Recorder with audio 2022
Loom is one of the most popular screen recording tools on the Google market. Loom records quickly, shares and collaborates easily. Since it has been loved by users, Loom has recently been updated, and many features have now been limited to charging, such as: only the first 100 recorded videos can be accessed. Access to more videos requires an upgrade purchase; free users can...
Best Screen Recorder For PC In 2022
Give Loom a try if you need to quickly record something and share a link. When it comes to recording, Loom isnโ€™t overly complicated: you can choose whether to record just your screen, your screen with webcam video, or just your webcam.

SelfControl Reviews

We have no reviews of SelfControl yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, SelfControl should be more popular than Loom. It has been mentiond 79 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Loom mentions (19)

  • UAT: A Quick Overview
    Loom is a video recording tool that allows users to capture screenshares with voiceovers. In UAT, itโ€™s used to show an application workflow, whether successful or buggy. Instead of listing steps to replicate a bug/workflow, you can record it firsthand and save everyone some time. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • How to Stand Out When Asking for a Job
    Telling somebody, โ€œI want to work for youโ€ is only as good as the reasons you give them. If you show them that you can identify value that they need created and can create it, you take a lot of that work off of their plate. Loom is a good tool for walking people through what you can create. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Show HN: Walkie-Talkie for Badass Developers
    Async meetings are pretty great), http://loom.com is pretty great. (don't work there, not even a paying customer, but even then it's transformed the way I work.). - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • Animation for software guides/snippets
    While not animation software, both loom.com and scribehow.com are a version of this. Loom is pure video and audio, Scribe is a combo of screenshots and written steps. It 'watches' what you do, then makes an instructional guide that can be edited later. Source: over 3 years ago
  • [need feedback] New landing page for upcoming SaaS!
    I'm not on mac, so I use loom.com as an alternative to screen.studio ๐Ÿ˜‰. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

SelfControl mentions (79)

  • Oregon School Cell Phone Ban: 'Engaged Students, Joyful Teachers'
    A combination of https://selfcontrolapp.com/ and Hammerspoon automation and you can lock yourself out of pretty much everything. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Kiki โ€“ The accountability monster for people who are easily distracted
    Happy to see it still exists, and free https://selfcontrolapp.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • How do you fight YouTube addiction and procrastination? I'm struggling with it
    I have found that a useful method for getting distractions off my work laptop has been https://selfcontrolapp.com/ (if you're on mac). - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • Using an $8 smart outlet to avoid brainrot
    Pro tip for macos/ios folks: - Macos: Install https://selfcontrolapp.com/, add every website and their alternatives you know, set it to 24 hours. Really hard to bypass this even if you know networking stuff - iOS: Enable downtime 24/7 ask someone else to set the password. I'm down to about 35 minutes a day of mobile usage, and laptop usage is only work related things. You really need two or three days to clear... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • My 30-Year Quitting Addiction
    There is a free and open source app called SelfControl for macOS. It allows one to block access to any site one adds to the list in the app for the amount of time the user chooses. Attempt to use multiple browsers, restarting one's machine, deleting the app, etc. won't get around the block either. It's been super helpful for me, so I thought I'd just throw it out there. https://selfcontrolapp.com. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Loom and SelfControl, you can also consider the following products

Camtasia - Unleash the worldโ€™s most powerful screen recorder and video editor with everything you need to tell your story โ€” powered by AI.

Cold Turkey - Cold Turkey is a free productivity program that you can use to temporarily block distractions so that you can get your work done!

ScreenStudio - Streaming, made easy!

Freedom.to - Freedom is a productivity hack that lets you block apps, websites or the entire Internet on iPhones, iPads, Windows and Mac computers.

Tella - Capture your best work with video. Record in the browser, share instantly.

FocusMe - The website blocker you can't cheat