Source availability
Full source code available - verify exactly what runs on your machine
- Screenpipe
- Source available; personal use is free and commercial use requires a license
- ScreenMemory
- Not available
VS
Product comparison · reviewed August 1, 2026
Screenpipe vs ScreenMemory: which is right for your workflow?
Open-source cross-platform vs closed-source Mac-only. A side-by-side look at scope, data control, platform support, and extensibility—without pretending one product is best for everyone.
Same criteria
Both products are evaluated against the same feature and deployment questions.
Trade-offs included
ScreenMemory's strengths are shown alongside Screenpipe's.
No winner score
The right choice depends on the job, risk model, and operating environment.
The practical differences
Where the products differ
Start with the criteria that can actually change your decision. Marketing category labels are less useful than concrete operating constraints.
Platform Support
- Screenpipe
- Mac, Windows, Linux + iPhone & Android (Q3)
- ScreenMemory
- Mac only
Code Transparency
Know exactly what's happening with your sensitive data
- Screenpipe
- 100% auditable
- ScreenMemory
- Closed-source black box
Audio Recording
Capture meetings, voice notes, and conversations
- Screenpipe
- Available
- ScreenMemory
- Not available
Speech-to-Text
Search your spoken words, not just screen text
- Screenpipe
- Available
- ScreenMemory
- Not available
API Access
Build custom tools and automations with your data
- Screenpipe
- Available
- ScreenMemory
- Not available
Side by side
Screenpipe vs ScreenMemory
Capabilities can change. Treat this as an evaluation starting point and verify purchase-critical requirements with each vendor.
| Criterion | Screenpipe | ScreenMemory |
|---|---|---|
| Source availabilityFull source code available - verify exactly what runs on your machine | Source available; personal use is free and commercial use requires a license | Not available |
| Platform Support | Mac, Windows, Linux + iPhone & Android (Q3) | Mac only |
| Code TransparencyKnow exactly what's happening with your sensitive data | 100% auditable | Closed-source black box |
| Audio RecordingCapture meetings, voice notes, and conversations | Available | Not available |
| Speech-to-TextSearch your spoken words, not just screen text | Available | Not available |
| API AccessBuild custom tools and automations with your data | Available | Not available |
| Plugin SystemExtend functionality with community-built scheduled tasks | Available | Not available |
| Local AI SupportUse AI without sending data to external servers | Ollama + Apple Intelligence / Windows AI | None |
| Data Storage | 100% local | Local |
| Multi-Monitor | Available | Pro only ($27) |
| AI ChatChat with your captured data using AI | Available | Not available |
| LLM IntegrationsConnect to any AI provider or run locally | Claude, OpenAI, Ollama + Apple Intelligence / Windows AI | None |
| Development ActivityActive open-source community | 50+ updates/week | Infrequent updates |
Decision guide
Choose based on the job
Choose ScreenMemory if
- Simple, focused interface
- One-time payment model
- Local data storage
- Timeline view for browsing history
- App blacklisting for privacy
Choose Screenpipe if
- You need continuous screen and audio context, not only meeting notes or active-window context.
- You want local-only capture and search as a supported operating mode.
- Your team uses a mix of macOS, Windows, and Linux.
- You need an auditable, source-available capture engine and an API for agents or internal workflows.
Context
Key trade-offs in detail
Closed Source = Blind Trust
ScreenMemory claims your data stays local, but with closed-source software, you have no way to verify this. Screenpipe is fully open-source and source-available - every line of code is auditable. When a tool records everything on your screen, including passwords, banking info, and private conversations, transparency isn't optional. You shouldn't have to blindly trust marketing claims.
No Audio, Half the Context
ScreenMemory only captures your screen. It completely misses audio - no meeting transcriptions, no voice notes, no capturing what was actually said in calls. Screenpipe records both screen and audio with speech-to-text, giving you complete context of your digital life. Memory isn't just what you see, it's what you hear too.
Developer Hostile
ScreenMemory offers zero API access. Your data is locked in their format with no way to build on top of it. Screenpipe exposes a full REST API - query your data programmatically, build custom integrations, create automations, or send your context into any AI. Power users and developers deserve better than a locked-down black box.
Platform Lock-In
ScreenMemory only works on Mac. If you use Windows at work, Linux for development, or ever switch platforms, your memory tool is useless. Screenpipe runs everywhere - Mac, Windows, and Linux. Your workflow shouldn't be limited by your operating system choice.
Active Development vs Stagnant
Screenpipe ships 50+ updates per week with an active open-source community constantly improving the product. ScreenMemory has infrequent updates and a single developer. When you're trusting software with your most sensitive data, you want a project that's actively maintained and improving, not one that might be abandoned.
AI-Native vs Dumb Storage
Screenpipe includes built-in AI chat to query your captured data, integrations with Claude, OpenAI, and local LLMs through Ollama. Ask questions about what you did last week, get summaries, find that thing you saw. ScreenMemory is just storage with search - no AI features, no chat, no intelligence. In 2025, a memory tool without AI integration is just a fancy screenshot folder.
FAQ
Questions worth asking
Disclosure: this comparison is written and maintained by Screenpipe, not an independent review publication.
Are Screenpipe and ScreenMemory direct substitutes?+
ScreenMemory is a Mac app that continuously records your screen and uses OCR to make everything searchable. It stores data locally and offers a one-time purchase model. The overlap depends on the job you are buying for: Screenpipe focuses on continuous, searchable screen and audio context, while ScreenMemory may be a better fit for the narrower workflows described above.
Where is ScreenMemory stronger?+
ScreenMemory is a credible choice for teams that value simple, focused interface, one-time payment model, local data storage. Those strengths should be weighed against the deployment, data-control, platform, and extensibility differences in the table.
Where is Screenpipe stronger?+
Screenpipe is designed for continuous screen and audio capture, local-only capture and search, cross-platform deployment, and programmatic access through its local API and MCP integrations. Those advantages matter most when privacy, broad work context, or custom automation is the buying criterion.
Is this an independent comparison?+
No. Screenpipe publishes this page. We include ScreenMemory's strengths, avoid a numeric winner score, and state the criteria so readers can verify the claims that matter to them. Product capabilities change, so confirm critical details with each vendor before purchasing.
Evaluate with your own data
Try Screenpipe before you decide.
Install it, test the workflows that matter, and compare the result against your real requirements—not a vendor scorecard.