NVIDIA ShadowPlay vs Medal

NVIDIA ShadowPlay8.9Visit MMedal8.7Visit

Higher score NVIDIA ShadowPlay #4 in Game Recording Software 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 4 features Visit NVIDIA

vs

M Medal #6 in Game Recording Software 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 4 features Visit Medal

• NVIDIA ShadowPlay fits best

  Free high-resolution NVIDIA GPU capture

• Medal fits best

  Creators wanting a broad recording suite

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Side by side

Feature	NVIDIA ShadowPlay 8.9/10 Visit ↗	MMedal 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	8.9	8.7
Ranking	#4 in Game Recording Software	#6 in Game Recording Software
Best for	Free high-resolution NVIDIA GPU capture	Creators wanting a broad recording suite
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Free plan	$7.99/user/mo
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop	Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	Windows	Web, Windows, iOS, Android
Support	Live chat, Docs	Tickets, Docs, Community
Integrations	3 integrations	1 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business	Solo, Small business
Features NVIDIA ShadowPlay 2/4 · Medal 4/4
Instant replay	✓	✓
Watermark-free video	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
GPU encoding	✓	✓
Webcam overlay	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Specs
Capture resolution	8k	4k
Recording modes	Multi-mode	Multi-mode
Supported platforms	Windows	Windows 10/11 desktop; iOS and Android mobile
Our review
Pros	Free access to manual recording, Instant Replay, and Highlights Captures up to 8K HDR at 30 fps or 4K HDR at 120 fps Supports Twitch, YouTube Live, and Facebook Live integrations	Captures instant replays, full sessions, desktops, and screens Supports up to 4K resolution and 144 FPS recording Combines editing, automatic clipping, cloud sharing, and mobile apps
Cons	Requires a Windows PC with an NVIDIA GPU AV1 recording is limited to supported RTX 40-series GPUs Capture capabilities vary by GPU model, codec, and settings	Official support excludes macOS and Linux Premium is required for unlimited cloud storage and full-quality uploads Discord is the listed integration
Our verdict	NVIDIA ShadowPlay is gameplay capture software delivered through the NVIDIA App for PC gamers and creators using NVIDIA GPUs. It covers manual gameplay recording, DVR-style Instant Replay, Automatic Highlights capture, screenshots,… Read the review →	Medal is game recording and clip-sharing software for gamers and creators who want to capture, edit, upload, and share gameplay. Its Windows app supports instant replay clips, full-session recording, screenshots, desktop capture,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• NVIDIA ShadowPlay — where it wins

  • Free access to manual recording, Instant Replay, and Highlights
  • Captures up to 8K HDR at 30 fps or 4K HDR at 120 fps
  • Supports Twitch, YouTube Live, and Facebook Live integrations

  Where it doesn't

  • Requires a Windows PC with an NVIDIA GPU
  • AV1 recording is limited to supported RTX 40-series GPUs
  • Capture capabilities vary by GPU model, codec, and settings

• Medal — where it wins

  • Captures instant replays, full sessions, desktops, and screens
  • Supports up to 4K resolution and 144 FPS recording
  • Combines editing, automatic clipping, cloud sharing, and mobile apps

  Where it doesn't

  • Official support excludes macOS and Linux
  • Premium is required for unlimited cloud storage and full-quality uploads
  • Discord is the listed integration

• NVIDIA ShadowPlay8.9/10 · Free plan

  A free Windows recorder with high-resolution capture for NVIDIA GPU users.

  Visit NVIDIAFull verdict →
• MMedal8.7/10 · Free plan

  A broad recording suite for creators who want capture, editing, and sharing in one app.

  Visit MedalFull verdict →