CleanShot X

Mac screenshot and screen recording app with annotation and built-in cloud sharing.

Verified facts: 5 of 5
Alternatives ranked: 5
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About CleanShot X

CleanShot X is a Mac utility that replaces the built-in screenshot tools with something faster and more capable. It captures areas, windows and scrolling pages, hides desktop icons, annotates with arrows, blur and text, and records the screen as video or GIF with webcam overlay, click highlights and keystroke display. A floating thumbnail after each capture lets you drag, copy, annotate or upload in a click. CleanShot Cloud turns captures into shareable links, with custom domains and branding on the Pro plan. The Basic licence is a one-time purchase that includes a year of updates and a small amount of cloud storage, while Pro is a per-user subscription with unlimited storage and team features. It is also included in the Setapp subscription. It is Mac only and its video editing is limited to trimming, so it suits people who want polished screenshots and quick clips rather than produced videos.

Best for: Mac users who take lots of annotated screenshots and quick screen clips.

What works

Fast capture workflow with a handy floating preview
One-time licence option instead of a forced subscription
Built-in cloud links with custom domains on Pro

Why people leave

Mac only
Video editing is limited to basic trimming
Updates after the first year cost extra on the Basic licence

Top CleanShot X alternatives

See all 5

1
Snagit
Cross-platform alternative with stronger documentation templates for Windows teams.
66.5
2
Screen Studio
For screen recordings that need automatic zooms and a polished look.
62.6
3
Zight
Works on Mac and Windows with team libraries and analytics on shared links.
59.6
4
Kap
Free open-source Mac recorder if you only need simple video and GIF capture.
57.2
5
Droplr
Subscription capture-and-share tool that also covers Windows users on a team.
55.3

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CleanShot X: common questions

Is CleanShot X free?

No, CleanShot X is a paid product. Pro price: $10 per user/month, billed annually (checked on CleanShot X's own site).

Is CleanShot X open source?

No, CleanShot X is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Kap.

What platforms does CleanShot X run on?

CleanShot X is available for macOS.

What are the best alternatives to CleanShot X?

The highest-ranked CleanShot X alternatives right now are Snagit, Screen Studio and Zight. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 5 CleanShot X alternatives

CleanShot X facts

5 of 5 verified

Basic licence: $35 one-time; Checked Oct 25, 2026cleanshot.com(opens source in a new tab); “CleanShot Basic $35 Pay once, use forever.”
Pro price: $10 per user/month, billed annually; Checked Oct 25, 2026cleanshot.com(opens source in a new tab); “Get a discount Buy now CleanShot Pro Yearly -17% Monthly $10 per user/mo, billed annually”
Update renewal: $19 per year (optional); Checked Oct 25, 2026cleanshot.com(opens source in a new tab); “Optional renewal at $19 per year”
System requirement: macOS 13 or newer; Checked Oct 25, 2026cleanshot.com(opens source in a new tab); “CleanShot requires macOS 13.0 or newer.”
Setapp: Included in Setapp; Checked Oct 25, 2026cleanshot.com(opens source in a new tab); “Get a discount Download with Setapp Get CleanShot with one Setapp subscription, alongside 200+ Mac apps.”