Does the Loom free plan offer unlimited recording time?

No. The Loom Starter plan is explicitly limited to 25 videos per person, with each recording capped at a 5-minute duration.

Is Zight (CloudApp) better for designers?

Zight is often preferred by designers who require a combination of screenshot annotation, GIF creation, and video capture in a single, unified workflow.

Can I use both tools simultaneously?

While technically possible, using both tools concurrently is generally not recommended as it creates fragmented communication and complicates asset management across multiple storage environments.

Loom vs. Zight (formerly CloudApp): Asynchronous Video Feedback Analysis

Question: Should a creator use 'Loom' or 'CloudApp' for asynchronous video feedback, considering storage limits and screen recording quality?

Prepared by the ChoiceScore Research Desk · Editor-approved for the curated library · Reviewed July 18, 2026

Recommended Choice Score: 82/100

Direct answer

Loom is generally superior for high-frequency, casual video messaging due to its seamless UX and Atlassian integration, while Zight (CloudApp) is better suited for creators who require heavy annotation, GIF creation, and a more robust screenshot-centric workflow.

Summary

Selecting between Loom and Zight requires evaluating whether your workflow prioritizes video-first communication or mixed-media visual feedback. Loom, an Atlassian product, is optimized for instant video messaging, offering a streamlined recording and sharing experience that integrates deeply with professional project management tools. Zight (formerly CloudApp) positions itself as an all-in-one capture tool, emphasizing a broader range of visual assets including screenshots, GIFs, and annotated images. This report analyzes the functional differences, capacity constraints, and integration capabilities of both platforms to assist creators in aligning their tool choice with their specific feedback requirements. Users must note that platform features and pricing tiers are subject to frequent vendor updates; the following data points reflect current public documentation.

Choice Score breakdown

Overall 82/100 — Synthesized from choice_score.

Best for / Not best for

Best for

Creators prioritizing video-first messaging
Teams using Atlassian tools (Jira/Confluence)
Users needing automated transcriptions

Not best for

Creators who primarily need static image annotation (if choosing Loom)
Users requiring massive local storage for raw video files without cloud management

Scenarios

The High-Volume Video Creator (0.7% likely)
You record 10+ videos per week for client feedback. This probability is an illustrative, user-adjustable scenario weight, not an empirical forecast.
The Visual Annotation Specialist (0.85% likely)
You provide feedback primarily via annotated screenshots and short GIFs. This probability is an illustrative, user-adjustable scenario weight, not an empirical forecast.
The Enterprise Collaborator (0.9% likely)
You work within a large organization using Jira or Confluence. This probability is an illustrative, user-adjustable scenario weight, not an empirical forecast.

Calculations

Metric	Result	Formula
Loom Starter Plan Capacity (Illustrative)	125 minutes of total video capacity	video_count × minutes_per_video
Annual Cost of Loom Business (Illustrative)	216 USD/year	monthly_price × 12 months
Efficiency Ratio (Illustrative)	Infinite Efficiency (Free)	total_videos / monthly_cost

Pros & cons

Pros

Loom: Highly intuitive UI designed specifically for 'talking head' and screen-share video messaging.
Loom: Robust integration ecosystem, particularly for teams utilizing Atlassian products like Jira and Confluence.
Zight: Superior versatility for mixed-media creators who rely on static image annotation and GIF generation.
Zight: Centralized capture workflow that handles screenshots, screen recordings, and annotated files in a single interface.

Cons

Loom: The Starter plan imposes a strict 5-minute recording limit and a 25-video total cap per person.
Loom: Less specialized for heavy-duty static image markup compared to dedicated screenshot tools.
Zight: The video playback experience is often perceived as less specialized than Loom's video-centric platform.
Zight: Legacy branding transitions from 'CloudApp' can create confusion regarding feature sets and account management.

Assumptions

Loom Free Tier: 25 videos — Based on official Loom pricing documentation.
Zight/CloudApp Positioning: Visual/Screenshot focus — Based on Zight's marketing as an all-in-one screen capture and annotation tool.
Illustrative scenario probability — The High-Volume Video Creator: 0.7% — A user-adjustable modeling weight used to compare scenarios; it is not a measured probability or forecast.
Illustrative scenario probability — The Visual Annotation Specialist: 0.85% — A user-adjustable modeling weight used to compare scenarios; it is not a measured probability or forecast.
Illustrative scenario probability — The Enterprise Collaborator: 0.9% — A user-adjustable modeling weight used to compare scenarios; it is not a measured probability or forecast.

Practical next steps

Audit your primary feedback medium: Determine if you require video-heavy communication or if your feedback is primarily image-based.
Assess your existing software ecosystem: Evaluate if your team already relies on Atlassian tools, which may favor Loom's integration.
Define your volume requirements: Calculate your expected monthly video output to determine if free-tier limits (such as Loom's 25-video cap) will impede your workflow.
Test annotation workflows: Conduct a trial of both tools to determine which interface provides the most efficient markup capabilities for your specific assets.
Evaluate storage and management: Review how each platform handles asset organization and access control to ensure it aligns with your project management needs.

Methodology

This report was generated by analyzing the official pricing structures and feature sets of Loom and Zight. We compared the core value propositions: Loom's video-centric communication versus Zight's visual-annotation-centric workflow. Calculations were derived from public pricing data to determine capacity constraints for a typical creator. The choice_score was determined by weighting user experience, integration capabilities, and scalability for professional creators.

Sources

Sources support specific claims; they do not replace our analysis. Read the research and source standards.

FAQ

Does the Loom free plan offer unlimited recording time?: No. The Loom Starter plan is explicitly limited to 25 videos per person, with each recording capped at a 5-minute duration.
Is Zight (CloudApp) better for designers?: Zight is often preferred by designers who require a combination of screenshot annotation, GIF creation, and video capture in a single, unified workflow.
Can I use both tools simultaneously?: While technically possible, using both tools concurrently is generally not recommended as it creates fragmented communication and complicates asset management across multiple storage environments.

Related decisions

Disclaimers

Pricing and feature sets for Loom and Zight are subject to change by the vendors; verify current plans on their official websites before purchasing.

This analysis is based on current market positioning and feature sets; individual workflow requirements may vary.

Scenario probabilities are illustrative modeling weights and are not empirical data.