Always-On Capture
Screenpipe records everything in the background — you never need to remember to start it. Scribe only captures when you explicitly begin a recording session.
- Screenpipe
- 24/7 continuous screen + audio recording
- Scribe
- Not available
VS
Product comparison · reviewed August 1, 2026
Screenpipe vs Scribe: which is right for your workflow?
Scribe makes step-by-step guides. Screenpipe remembers everything you've ever done on your computer.. 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
Scribe'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.
Audio & Meeting Transcription
Screenpipe transcribes system audio, microphone input, and meetings in real-time. Scribe has zero audio capabilities.
- Screenpipe
- Available
- Scribe
- Not available
AI Search Across History
Ask Screenpipe 'what was that API endpoint I saw yesterday?' and it finds it. Scribe only knows about the specific workflows you recorded.
- Screenpipe
- Full-text + semantic search across all captures
- Scribe
- Not available
Local-First Privacy
Screenpipe stores everything in a local SQLite database. Scribe uploads all screenshots and workflow data to their cloud for processing.
- Screenpipe
- 100% local — data never leaves your device
- Scribe
- Cloud-only — all data on Scribe servers
Source availability
Screenpipe is fully open-source (source-available). Audit every line. Scribe is proprietary — you can't verify what happens to your data.
- Screenpipe
- Source available; personal use is free and commercial use requires a license
- Scribe
- Not available
Step-by-Step Guide Generation
This is Scribe's main value proposition. Screenpipe doesn't generate polished documentation guides — it's built for recall and AI context, not SOP creation.
- Screenpipe
- Not available
- Scribe
- Core feature — auto-annotated screenshots
Side by side
Screenpipe vs Scribe
Capabilities can change. Treat this as an evaluation starting point and verify purchase-critical requirements with each vendor.
| Criterion | Screenpipe | Scribe |
|---|---|---|
| Always-On CaptureScreenpipe records everything in the background — you never need to remember to start it. Scribe only captures when you explicitly begin a recording session. | 24/7 continuous screen + audio recording | Not available |
| Audio & Meeting TranscriptionScreenpipe transcribes system audio, microphone input, and meetings in real-time. Scribe has zero audio capabilities. | Available | Not available |
| AI Search Across HistoryAsk Screenpipe 'what was that API endpoint I saw yesterday?' and it finds it. Scribe only knows about the specific workflows you recorded. | Full-text + semantic search across all captures | Not available |
| Local-First PrivacyScreenpipe stores everything in a local SQLite database. Scribe uploads all screenshots and workflow data to their cloud for processing. | 100% local — data never leaves your device | Cloud-only — all data on Scribe servers |
| Source availabilityScreenpipe is fully open-source (source-available). Audit every line. Scribe is proprietary — you can't verify what happens to your data. | Source available; personal use is free and commercial use requires a license | Not available |
| Step-by-Step Guide GenerationThis is Scribe's main value proposition. Screenpipe doesn't generate polished documentation guides — it's built for recall and AI context, not SOP creation. | Not available | Core feature — auto-annotated screenshots |
| Developer API & ExtensibilityBuild custom AI agents that act on your screen data with Screenpipe's API. Scribe has no developer API. | Full REST API + scheduled task system for custom agents | Not available |
| Cross-PlatformBoth work on Mac and Windows. Screenpipe also supports Linux. Scribe's browser extension works anywhere but the desktop app is Mac/Windows only. | Mac, Windows, Linux + iPhone & Android (Q3) | Web, Mac, Windows (browser extension + desktop) |
| Pricingscreenpipe is free and open-source with an optional Business plan. Scribe's team plan requires a minimum of 5 seats ($75/mo). | Paid plans from $25/month | $25-29/mo personal, $15/seat team (5-seat min) |
Decision guide
Choose based on the job
Choose Scribe if
- Good for creating step-by-step documentation and SOPs
- Automatic screenshot annotation saves manual effort
- Wide enterprise adoption (94% of Fortune 500)
- Browser extension makes it easy to start capturing
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
Different Tools for Different Problems
Scribe and Screenpipe look similar on the surface — both involve screen capture. But they solve completely different problems. Scribe is a documentation tool: you start a recording, perform a task, and it generates a polished step-by-step guide. Screenpipe is an AI memory layer: it records everything 24/7 in the background and lets you search, recall, and query your entire work history. Scribe answers 'how do I do this task?' Screenpipe answers 'what did I do, see, and hear?'
Privacy: Local-First vs Cloud-Only
Every screenshot and workflow you capture with Scribe is uploaded to their cloud servers for processing. They're SOC 2 Type II certified and use AES-256 encryption, but your data still leaves your machine. Screenpipe keeps everything local — your screen recordings, audio transcriptions, and extracted text live in a SQLite database on your device. Nothing is uploaded unless you explicitly choose to. For enterprises handling sensitive data, this is a fundamental difference.
Always-On vs On-Demand
Scribe requires you to click 'Start Recording' before performing a workflow. If you forget, you miss it. Screenpipe runs continuously in the background — it captures everything automatically. That meeting where someone shared a critical URL? That Slack message you scrolled past? That terminal command you ran 3 days ago? Screenpipe has it all, searchable by AI. Scribe only knows about the workflows you remembered to record.
AI Memory vs Documentation
Scribe's AI helps polish documentation — it generates titles, descriptions, and cleans up steps. Screenpipe's AI lets you have conversations with your entire work history. Ask 'what did I work on last week?', 'find that error message I saw in the logs', or 'summarize my meetings from yesterday'. It's the difference between a documentation tool and a personal AI that knows everything you've done.
Open Source Transparency
Screenpipe is fully open-source and source-available. Every component — the capture engine, text extraction, transcription, AI pipeline — is on GitHub for anyone to audit, modify, or self-host. Scribe is proprietary. You trust their privacy policy; with Screenpipe, you can verify the code yourself.
FAQ
Questions worth asking
Disclosure: this comparison is written and maintained by Screenpipe, not an independent review publication.
Are Screenpipe and Scribe direct substitutes?+
Scribe (scribe.com) is a process documentation tool that captures on-demand workflows and converts them into step-by-step guides with annotated screenshots. It's designed for creating SOPs, training docs, and onboarding materials. Screenpipe is fundamentally different — it's a continuous, always-on AI memory layer that records everything you see, say, and hear, stores it locally, and lets you search and query your entire work history with AI. The overlap depends on the job you are buying for: Screenpipe focuses on continuous, searchable screen and audio context, while Scribe may be a better fit for the narrower workflows described above.
Where is Scribe stronger?+
Scribe is a credible choice for teams that value good for creating step-by-step documentation and sops, automatic screenshot annotation saves manual effort, wide enterprise adoption (94% of fortune 500). 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 Scribe'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.