Screenpipe vs Limitless (Rewind) in 2026 — What Changed
Screenpipe vs Limitless (Rewind) — What Changed
Rewind was the app that started the AI screen recording category in 2022. You installed it, it recorded your Mac screen, and you could search through everything you'd seen. People loved it.
Then Rewind rebranded to Limitless, pivoted to a $99 hardware pendant, and moved processing to the cloud. The original screen recording product took a back seat.
Screenpipe picked up where Rewind left off — and went further.
What Happened to Rewind?
Rewind was a local-first Mac app for screen recording with AI search. In 2024, the company:
- Rebranded to "Limitless"
- Launched a hardware pendant for in-person meeting capture
- Shifted screen recording to secondary priority
- Moved processing to cloud servers
- Added a $20/month subscription
Many original Rewind users felt abandoned. The product they loved — local screen recording with AI — was no longer the focus.
The Comparison Today
| Screenpipe | Limitless | |
|---|---|---|
| Screen recording | ✅ 24/7, all monitors | ⚠️ Secondary feature |
| Audio capture | ✅ System + mic | ✅ Pendant + app |
| Processing | 100% local | Cloud-based |
| Open source | ✅ MIT license | ❌ |
| In-person capture | Via mic | ✅ Dedicated pendant |
| Platforms | Mac, Windows, Linux | Mac + pendant |
| Developer API | ✅ Full REST API | ❌ |
| Works offline | ✅ | ❌ |
| Price | $400 lifetime | $99 pendant + $20/mo |
Where Limitless Still Wins
The pendant. Credit where it's due — the Limitless pendant is a genuinely clever device for capturing in-person conversations. Clip it to your shirt and it records meetings, coffee chats, hallway conversations — audio you'd never capture with a laptop-based tool.
If you have a lot of in-person meetings away from your computer, the pendant fills a real gap.
Where Screenpipe Wins Everything Else
Screen Recording That Actually Works
Screenpipe's core feature is 24/7 screen recording with OCR on every frame. This was what made Rewind special, and it's what Limitless de-prioritized. With Screenpipe:
- Every app, every tab, every window is captured
- OCR extracts all visible text automatically
- Search by keyword, app, time range, or natural language
- Multi-monitor support — all screens, simultaneously
Local-First Privacy
The original Rewind was local-first. Limitless moved to the cloud. Screenpipe stays local:
- All data on your device, always
- Open source — audit every line of code
- Works completely offline
- Choose your AI: local models (Ollama), Apple Intelligence, or cloud (Claude, GPT)
Cross-Platform
Rewind was Mac-only. Limitless is still Mac-only (plus the pendant). Screenpipe runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Your memory tool should work wherever you work.
No Subscription
Limitless costs $20/month on top of the $99 pendant — that's $339 in year one, $240 every year after. Screenpipe is $400 for a lifetime license. One payment. No recurring fees. The math works in Screenpipe's favor by year two.
Developer API
Screenpipe exposes a full REST API for building custom integrations. Pipe your screen data into Obsidian, build AI agents with Claude MCP, or create custom search interfaces. Limitless offers no API.
For Former Rewind Users
If you loved Rewind for its local screen recording and AI search, Screenpipe is the direct successor:
- Same concept: record your screen, search with AI
- Better: adds audio capture, cross-platform support, developer API
- Same privacy model: local-first, your data stays on your device
- Open source: you can verify the code, contribute, or fork it
For a deeper comparison, see Screenpipe vs Limitless and the open source Rewind alternative use case.