Framy Blog
7 Free Device Mockup Tools for App Demos (2026)
Co-founder, Framy
The best free device mockup tools for app demos in 2026, compared on watermarks, price, and speed — so you can frame a screen recording without a subscription.
Most "free" mockup tools aren't really free — they stamp a watermark on the export or gate the good part behind a subscription. This roundup of free device mockup tools for app demos is honest about which is which, so you can frame a screen recording and actually use the result.
The one thing that matters most for a public asset: can you export clean? A watermark is fine for a rough draft and fatal for an App Store listing.
What to look for
- Clean free export — no watermark on the file you post.
- Speed — the frame step should take minutes, not an afternoon.
- Right output — MP4 for video demos, correct ratios for each platform.
- No install — browser tools beat downloads when you just need one clip.
The tools
1. Framy
Browser-based, free during early access, no watermark, no subscription. Drop in a screen recording or photo, pick from 35 iPhone models, set the ratio, export High quality MP4. Deliberately narrow — it does the iPhone frame and does it fast. When it charges later, it's pay-per-pack, not monthly. Best for indie devs, founders, and creators who frame occasionally and want clean exports. Start with the iPhone video mockup maker or open the Framy editor.
2. mock.video
Nailed the "device frame on a screen recording" use case and is genuinely good at it. The catch is a watermark on the free tier; removing it means a Pro subscription. Great for teams that frame constantly. See the Mock.video vs Framy breakdown.
3. DeviceFrames
A 3D mockup generator with a screenshot builder and promo videos. Feature-rich but subscription-based and more of an editor. Good if you need the breadth. See the DeviceFrames alternative page.
4. Rotato
Premium 3D mockups with animated camera moves. Beautiful for cinematic hero shots, overkill for a plain flat frame, and paid.
5. shots.so
A comprehensive editor with backgrounds, templates, and animations. Powerful, but complex and subscription-based — more than most app demos need. See the Shots.so alternative page.
6. Screen Studio
A macOS screen recorder with motion polish that also offers device frames. Excellent recorder, but it's a paid Mac app, not a quick free framer.
7. Figma / mockup plugins
If you already live in Figma, device-frame plugins can drop a screenshot into a frame for free. Fine for static images; not built for video export.
Comparison
| Tool | Free export | Subscription | Runs in | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Framy | No watermark | No | Browser | Fast, clean iPhone frames |
| mock.video | Watermarked | Yes | Browser | Frequent framing (paid) |
| DeviceFrames | Varies | Yes | Browser | 3D + screenshots |
| Rotato | Clean (paid) | Yes | App | Cinematic 3D |
| shots.so | Varies | Yes | Browser | Full editing |
| Screen Studio | Clean (paid) | Paid app | macOS | Recording + polish |
| Figma plugins | Clean | Free-ish | Figma | Static image mockups |
Positioning and pricing at time of writing — verify before you commit.
How to choose
If you frame demos daily and want depth, a paid editor pays for itself. If you frame occasionally and mostly need a clean iPhone around a recording, start with a free browser tool and skip the subscription. For a public asset, the watermark question decides it: only ship from a tool that exports clean.
Bottom line
The best free device mockup tool is the one that exports without a watermark and doesn't make you pay monthly for a job you do a few times a month. For most app demos, that's a fast browser framer.
Next steps
Frame your first clip in the free iPhone mockup tool, or read Why Pay Monthly for a Phone Frame? Pay-Per-Pack Explained. More on the Framy blog.