Medal is a real clipping app run by Medal B.V., a Dutch company, and its own pages say it's free with an optional Premium tier. The catch isn't malware, it's your content. Its terms give Medal a broad licence to your clips, including for training AI models, so read the privacy settings before you start posting.
If you game on PC, you've probably been sent a Medal clip, and then someone has asked you to install the app yourself. A screen-recording tool sees a lot, so it's fair to ask whether it's safe. I haven't found an independent security audit to cite, so this page sticks to what Medal's own terms and privacy policy say, in plain English.
Who makes Medal
The terms say, "We are Medal B.V., trading under the name Medal and Medal.tv." It's registered in The Netherlands, Dutch law governs the terms and disputes that can't be settled informally go to the courts in Amsterdam. So there's a named European company behind it with a published legal address.
Medal's About page describes it as a free app for PC and mobile that records, edits and shares gameplay highlights. It says Medal has over 12 million users and over 3 billion captured clips, but those are the company's own figures and I can't verify them independently.
What the Medal app records
Medal's privacy policy says the desktop app records content or activity you choose to capture. For gameplay it may also record game identifiers such as your in-game username. Clips can include voice audio, and the policy says clips are audio-scanned for moderation.
There's also an optional game recommendations feature. The policy says that if you turn it on, Medal reads a list of your installed games from local files saved by clients such as Steam, without signing in to your third-party account. If you don't want that, leave it off.
The Medal clip licence and AI training
This is the part most people skip, and it's the real trade-off. Medal's terms say you keep your intellectual property rights in your content. But you also grant Medal a non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable, worldwide licence. The terms say that covers running and promoting the platform, and developing and training AI models.
The privacy policy adds that clips and related data may be used for research and AI development, and that you can opt out in the in-app privacy settings. The terms also say they don't entitle you to any payments for your clips. If you stream or run a channel and care about where your footage ends up, check that opt-out first.
Deleting clips and accounts
Deleting a clip removes it from the live platform, but Medal's terms say Medal and other users may keep content that was shared, even after deletion. The privacy policy says clips already in a research dataset may be retained for generally not more than 12 months. It says Medal deletes personal data 14 days after an account is deleted.
So if you post something embarrassing or private, assume copies can exist. Think before you upload voice chat with friends.
Who can use Medal
The terms prohibit use by anyone under 13, and they say users under 18 need a parent or legal guardian to review and agree to the terms. If your child clips their games, it's worth sitting down together and going through the privacy settings. My guide to the best parental control apps by age explains how to set limits that fit a child's age.
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| What I checked | What Medal's own pages say |
|---|---|
| Who runs it? | Medal B.V., registered in The Netherlands |
| Does it cost money? | Free app, with an optional Premium tier |
| Do I keep my clips? | You keep your rights but grant Medal a broad licence |
| Can clips train AI? | Yes, with an opt-out in privacy settings |
| Minimum age | Under 13 prohibited; under 18 needs a parent or guardian |
| Premium refunds | Only issued if required by law |
Medal Premium: cancelling and refunds
Medal's terms say you may cancel Premium at any time, and access continues until the end of the paid period. They also say refunds are only issued if required by law, and that Medal must give at least 30 days' notice of price changes. Cancel before a renewal if you don't want the next charge.
Fake Medal downloads and scams
Popular gaming tools are favourite bait for malware, and the risk usually comes from where you download, not the real app. Get Medal only from its official website or an official app store, and type the address yourself.
- Avoid cracked or free Premium versions from file-sharing sites, which are a classic way to spread malware.
- Be suspicious of a Discord or social message sending you a clip link that asks you to log in again.
- Never share your password or verification codes with someone claiming to be Medal support.
- If you've already installed something odd, my guide on knowing if an account was hacked shows the warning signs.
If you play Android games on PC, my piece on playing Android games on a PC without emulator lag is worth a read before you add more software.
My verdict on Medal
Based on its own pages, Medal is a real, named company running a working product, so I wouldn't call it unsafe in the way a fake download is. But it's your footage, voice and gameplay data that you're handing over. Read the licence, check the AI opt-out, keep the app from official sources and think twice before uploading anything private.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Medal.tv?
Its terms say it's Medal B.V., trading as Medal and Medal.tv, registered in The Netherlands.
Is Medal free?
Medal's About page describes it as a free app for PC and mobile, with an optional paid tier called Medal Premium.
Does Medal use my clips to train AI?
Medal's terms and privacy policy say clips and related data may be used for research and AI development. The privacy policy says you can opt out in the in-app privacy settings.
What age do you need to be to use Medal?
Its terms prohibit use by anyone under 13, and say users under 18 need a parent or legal guardian to review and agree to the terms.
Can I get a refund on Medal Premium?
Its terms say refunds are only issued if required by law, and that you can cancel at any time with access lasting to the end of the paid period.
