Demo
See the whiteboard-focused motion
This 15-second demo shows the narrower job ExcaliRec is built for: draw an idea, keep the active strokes readable, add a camera bubble, and download the recording locally.
Free FocuSee alternative for whiteboard videos
Looking for a free FocuSee alternative for drawing-based explainers? FocuSee now offers both online and desktop screen recorders. ExcaliRec takes a different path: the whiteboard and recorder live in the same browser tab.
ExcaliRecBuilt-in whiteboard recorder; share once for a no-watermark export
FocuSeeFree online recorder plus a paid desktop app for general screen capture
Best forLessons, sketches, frameworks, founder notes
Best forSoftware demos and full-window walkthroughs
WorkflowDraw and record on one built-in canvas
WorkflowCapture a tab, window, screen, or desktop app
Quick answer
Use ExcaliRec when the drawing is the workspace. Use FocuSee when you need to capture another screen.
FocuSee Online can record a browser tab, window, webcam, microphone, or full screen without an install. Its desktop app adds automatic zoom, cursor effects, captions, audio tools, and a broader editing workflow. Those are better fits for SaaS demos, software walkthroughs, and general screen capture.
ExcaliRec is narrower. Its canvas is already the recording surface, so you can draw boxes, arrows, formulas, notes, or rough diagrams and record the explanation in the same tab. Choose it when the whiteboard itself is the content.
Free alternative scope
ExcaliRec is the FocuSee free alternative for a narrower job: recording directly on a whiteboard.
FocuSee Online already offers free, no-account screen recording and says its online exports are watermark-free. ExcaliRec should not pretend that being free or browser-based is unique.
The useful difference is the starting point. FocuSee records a tab, window, webcam, or full screen. ExcaliRec opens on a whiteboard where you draw the idea, keep active strokes readable with auto-zoom, add an optional camera bubble, and download the recording locally.
Choose ExcaliRec when your content is a diagram, lesson, framework, formula, or founder note and you want the canvas and recorder in one place. Choose FocuSee Online or desktop when the subject is another app or screen.
What does FocuSee offer?
FocuSee Online and the FocuSee desktop app
FocuSee Online is a free browser recorder for tabs, windows, full screens, webcams, and microphones. Its official page says it requires no account, adds zoom effects after recording, exports without a watermark, and processes recordings locally.
The Windows and macOS desktop app goes further with automatic zoom, cursor effects, camera layouts, captions, audio cleanup, background tools, and up to 4K export. The desktop product offers a free trial, followed by subscription or one-time paid plans for the broader workflow.
Who looks for a FocuSee alternative?
A useful alternative now needs a clearer reason than “free in the browser.” ExcaliRec covers a narrower slice: if your content starts as a whiteboard or hand-drawn diagram rather than an existing app screen, the drawing surface and recorder are already together.
Detailed comparison
ExcaliRec vs FocuSee
The table below is not about which tool is better in every case. It is about choosing the right recorder for the content you are making.
| Need | ExcaliRec | FocuSee |
|---|---|---|
| Recording surface | Built-in Excalidraw-style whiteboard | Online: tab, window, webcam, or full screen. Desktop: screen and apps. |
| Zoom behavior | Designed around whiteboard drawing and click focus | Online: add zoom after recording. Desktop: automatic zoom and cursor effects. |
| Installation | Runs in a desktop browser | Online needs no install; the advanced version is a Windows/macOS app |
| Best content type | Teaching clips, visual frameworks, math notes, product thinking, internal whiteboard explanations | Product demos, software tutorials, website walkthroughs, polished screen recordings |
| Privacy flow | Recording happens locally in the browser and downloads to your device | FocuSee says its online recorder processes recordings locally |
| Free scope | Free to start; share once for one no-watermark export | Online is free and watermark-free; desktop has a free trial and paid plans |
Review verdict
FocuSee covers general screen capture. ExcaliRec is purpose-built for whiteboard-first videos.
Use FocuSee Online when you need a free recorder for a tab, window, webcam, or full screen. Use the desktop app when you need automatic zoom, cursor effects, captions, audio tools, and a more complete software-demo workflow.
If your video starts from a blank board, a framework, a lesson, or a hand-drawn explanation, ExcaliRec removes setup. You do not need to open another whiteboard, frame a window, or clean up desktop clutter. The recording surface is already the whiteboard.
That is the honest tradeoff: choose FocuSee for broad screen capture and software demos; choose ExcaliRec when the drawing itself is the workspace.
When ExcaliRec fits better
Choose ExcaliRec for whiteboard explainers
ExcaliRec is useful when you want the viewer to understand the idea as it is being built. A static Excalidraw board can show the final structure, but a recording can show the order: what comes first, why one part connects to another, and which detail the viewer should look at right now.
- You are teaching a topic and want the drawing to stay readable on mobile.
- You want FocuSee-style motion, but the content is not a software interface.
- You need to record a quick product framework, strategy map, or internal diagram.
- You prefer a browser-based workflow with no setup before recording.
- You want a free whiteboard video recorder before committing to a heavier screen-recording stack.
When FocuSee fits better
Choose FocuSee for tabs, windows, full screens, and polished app demos
FocuSee Online is the closer fit when you want a free, no-install recorder for an existing tab, window, webcam, or full screen. The desktop app is the stronger fit when you need automatic zoom, cursor effects, captions, audio cleanup, or a polished software tour.
ExcaliRec intentionally does not replace that broader category. Its reason to exist is simpler: make the whiteboard the recording surface so drawing and explaining happen in one place.
Feature checklist
What you get with ExcaliRec
Whiteboard-native canvas
Draw and record in the same tab instead of capturing a separate Excalidraw window.
Automatic zoom
Let the recorded view follow important strokes so small diagrams stay readable.
Webcam bubble
Add a face-cam when trust or teaching presence matters, or turn it off for a clean board.
Clean backgrounds
Record a framed whiteboard video without random tabs, desktop clutter, or window borders.
Local download
Save the finished recording to your device and convert to MP4 only when your workflow requires it.
Free to start
Open the browser app and record without sign-up or a desktop install.
FAQ
FocuSee alternative FAQ
Is ExcaliRec a full FocuSee replacement?
No. FocuSee Online records general screens, while the FocuSee desktop app adds broader capture and editing tools. ExcaliRec is the focused choice when the explanation starts on a built-in whiteboard.
Does ExcaliRec have auto-zoom?
Yes. ExcaliRec is built around FocuSee-style auto-zoom for drawing-based explainers, so the recorded view can follow the active part of the whiteboard.
Is it free?
Yes. The current version is free to start and does not require sign-up to record a whiteboard video.
Do I need to install anything?
No. ExcaliRec runs in the browser. It is best used on a desktop browser for a wider canvas and a more stable recording experience.
Is there a free alternative to FocuSee?
Yes. ExcaliRec is a free FocuSee alternative for whiteboard videos. It runs in your browser, has FocuSee-style auto-zoom, and lets you share to social media once to unlock one no-watermark export.
Is there a free version of FocuSee?
Yes. FocuSee says its Online recorder is free, requires no account, and exports without a watermark. The Windows and macOS desktop product also offers a free trial, with paid plans for its broader editing workflow.
Where does FocuSee work?
FocuSee Online runs in modern browsers, while the desktop app supports Windows and macOS. ExcaliRec also runs in a desktop browser, but includes the whiteboard as the recording surface.
How does ExcaliRec compare to Screen Studio?
Screen Studio is a paid desktop recorder with auto-zoom for general screen capture. ExcaliRec focuses on whiteboard explainers in the browser and is free to start, so it is a lighter option when your content is a drawing rather than an app screen.
Try the free FocuSee alternative for whiteboard videos
Free · No sign-up · Records locally · Built for drawing-based explainers
Open ExcaliRecRelated guides
Excalidraw recorder
Record an Excalidraw-style whiteboard to video in your browser.
Whiteboard explainer recorder
Make explainer videos where the drawing stays the star.
ExcaliRec overview
See all features of the browser whiteboard recorder.
Free whiteboard recorder, share for no watermark
Record clean whiteboard videos, then share to social media once to unlock one no-watermark export.
Loom alternative for whiteboard videos
Compare Loom with a whiteboard-native recording workflow.
Record Excalidraw to MP4-ready video
Record WebM locally and convert to MP4 only when a workflow needs it.
Excalidraw screen recorder
Use the whiteboard-native recorder when your FocuSee-style video starts from a drawing.