Is Zella free?
Yes. Zella Free is free forever — not a trial. It records unlimited length, runs 100% locally with no account, exports up to 1080p with no watermark, and includes AI cleanup, on-device captions, and auto-zoom. That is already more than Loom, Descript, or CapCut give you on a paid plan. Zella Pro is an optional one-time $89 unlock for 4K and the full creative suite.
What is the difference between Zella Free and Zella Pro?
Free gives you unlimited local recording, the full editor, AI cleanup, captions, auto-zoom, core transitions and titles, and 1080p export with no watermark. Pro ($89 one-time) adds 4K export, the full color suite (18 LUT looks, Color Match, scopes, Color Board), all 18 transitions, speed ramps and keyframe graph editing, Vision auto-reframe, Polish Voice and Auto-Duck, all caption presets with SRT/VTT/CSV export, pro callouts and kinetic titles, effect masks, and project snapshots.
Does Zella upload my recordings to the cloud?
No. Zella is local-only on every plan. Recording, editing, AI cleanup, and captions all run on your Mac — nothing is uploaded, and there is no account to sign into.
Is this a subscription?
No. Zella Free is free forever, and Zella Pro is a one-time purchase with free updates within the major version. No monthly bill — unlike Loom, Descript, CapCut, and Camtasia, which are all subscriptions.
What do I need to run it?
macOS 14 Sonoma or later, on Apple Silicon or Intel. Zella ships as a universal binary.
Do the AI features need internet?
No. Auto-captions, filler-word removal, silence removal, and background removal all run on-device.
Can I get a refund?
Yes — there is a 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked.
Which platforms can I export for?
Export MP4, MOV, GIF or M4A at 1080p and 4K, with one-click presets for TikTok/Reels/Shorts (1080×1920), YouTube/X (1920×1080) and Instagram (1080×1350).
Can I record system audio and my mic at the same time?
Yes — capture system audio, mic, or both, and Auto-Duck can lower music under your voice automatically.
Does it work on Intel Macs?
Yes. Zella ships as a universal binary for Apple Silicon and Intel. Some Vision-based auto-track features are fastest on Apple Silicon.
Can I export captions separately?
Yes — export SRT, VTT, or CSV alongside your video, or burn captions in with any of the six presets.
How are long recordings protected?
Zella writes fragmented MP4 and recovers automatically after a crash, and long takes are safe across sleep.