Loom's free plan: the 5-minute limit, the 25-video cap and what to do about them
Loom's free Starter plan is a good way to try video messages, and for occasional short recordings it can be all you need. Two limits catch most people out, though: each recording stops at five minutes, and you can only keep 25 videos. This page explains how both limits work according to Loom's own help pages, what else the free plan includes, and the realistic options when you outgrow it.
What Loom's free plan includes
As listed on loom.com/pricing on 17 October 2026, the Starter plan is free and includes:
| Loom Starter (free) | |
|---|---|
| Videos | Up to 25 per person, including archived videos |
| Recording length | 5 minutes per recording |
| Video quality | Up to 720p |
| Workspace members | Up to 50 |
| Transcripts and captions | Yes, in more than 50 languages |
| Comments and emoji reactions | Yes |
| Viewer insights | Yes |
| Download your videos | No, downloads need a paid plan |
| AI titles, summaries and chapters | No, these need Business + AI |
| Password protection and custom branding | No, these need Business |
That's a generous set of features for a free plan, since transcripts, comments and viewer insights are things some paid tools charge for. The catches are how much and how long you can record, and the fact that, according to Loom's help page on downloading videos, free users can't download their recordings, so your videos stay inside Loom unless you upgrade.
How the 5-minute limit works
According to Loom's help article on how long you can record, free users see a timer under the Stop button that starts at 5:00 and counts down. When it reaches zero the recording ends automatically and your share page opens, so you won't lose what you recorded, but you can't keep talking past the limit. Paid Business, Business + AI and Enterprise plans have no recording-length limit.
Five minutes is enough for a quick question or a short bug report. It gets tight for product demos, onboarding walkthroughs, code reviews and anything where you need to show several steps in order.
How the 25-video limit works
Loom's Starter plan FAQ says the plan allows up to 25 videos and screenshots, and that archived videos still count towards the total. Archiving a video therefore doesn't free up space. If you downgrade from a paid plan with more than 25 videos, Loom keeps your existing videos, but you can't record new ones unless you upgrade to a paid plan again.
Ways to work within the free plan
If you'd like to stay on the free plan, these approaches help:
- Plan shorter videos. Write down the two or three points you want to make before you hit record, and skip the introduction. Most explanations fit in five minutes once you cut the warm-up.
- Split longer walkthroughs into parts. Record "part 1" and "part 2" as separate videos. It works, although each part uses one of your 25 slots and viewers have to click through.
- Delete videos you no longer need. Archiving doesn't help, so deleting is the way to make room, but remember that the share link stops working and that free accounts can't download a copy first.
- Use a different free recorder for long videos. Google's free Vids Screen Recorder extension records up to 30 minutes, and the recorders built into macOS and Windows have no time limit at all, although they give you a file rather than a link.
When it's time to pay, and what it costs
If you're splitting videos and deleting old ones every week, the free plan is costing you time. Loom Business removes both limits for $18 per person per month, or roughly $180 a year with the full yearly discount, and Business + AI costs $24 per person per month. Our Loom pricing page breaks down what a team pays over a year.
If what you need is simply to record for longer and keep more videos, a focused tool can cost less. Seedling has no limit on recording length or on the number of videos you keep. You record a tab, a window, your whole screen or just your camera from the Chrome extension, your camera sits in a bubble you can move, and the share link opens as soon as you stop. It costs $8 a month or $79 a year, with a 14-day free trial that doesn't need a card.
The Loom alternative page compares the two feature by feature, and our guide to free Loom alternatives covers the options that cost nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Loom free?
Loom has a free Starter plan that allows up to 25 videos per person, with each recording limited to 5 minutes at up to 720p. Paid plans start at $18 per person per month.
What happens when a Loom recording reaches 5 minutes on the free plan?
The recording stops automatically when the countdown timer reaches zero, and Loom opens the share page for the video you've recorded so far.
Does archiving a Loom video free up space on the free plan?
No. Loom counts archived videos towards the 25-video limit, so you need to delete a video to make room for a new one.
How can I record longer than 5 minutes on Loom for free?
Loom's free plan doesn't allow it, so you either split the recording into several shorter videos or use another tool. Google's Vids Screen Recorder records up to 30 minutes for free, and the screen recorders built into macOS and Windows have no time limit.
Can I download my videos from Loom's free plan?
No. Loom's help centre says users on the free Starter plan can't download videos, and downloading is available to admins and creators on the paid Business and Business + AI plans. With Seedling, you can download the original recording of any video you make.
Last updated 17 October 2026
Loom is a trademark of Atlassian, and the other product names on this page are trademarks of their owners. Seedling is an independent product and isn't affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any of them. Prices and features are taken from each company's own website on the date shown and may have changed since.