Utilities · €0
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CleanShot X
macOS screenshots pushed to the extreme: annotate, record, share in seconds.
- Category
- Utilities
- Pricing
- Included in Setapp (~€9.99/month) · Paid
- How often
- Every week
- My rating
- 4.9 out of 5
In short
CleanShot X is the best macOS app in its category. No hyperbole, every feature is well thought out. It is one of the few apps that justifies its price immediately.
- Ideal for
- Developers, content creators and designers who take frequent screenshots on macOS
- Use case
- Screenshots, annotation, video recording, instant sharing
What it costs
Entry price: Included in Setapp (~€9.99/month). Prices taken from the official site, excluding tax.
| Plan | Per month | Per year | For whom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setapp · Recommended | ~€9.99/month (Setapp subscription) | – | Setapp subscribers who already use the suite |
| One-time | €29 (one-time) | – | Developers and creators who do not use Setapp |
Alternatives I ruled out
| Alternative | Why I did not keep it |
|---|---|
| Screenshot (native macOS) | Native macOS for occasional use. CleanShot X for daily professional use. Better at: Free, built into the system, no installation Worse at: Basic annotations, no scrolling capture, no cloud, no GIF |
| Shottr | Shottr if you want free and decent features. CleanShot X if you want the best. Better at: Free, lightweight, solid basic features, OCR included Worse at: Fewer features (no cloud, no video/GIF, less complete annotations) |
Strengths and limits
Pros
- Scrolling capture: screenshot a whole page even without scrolling
- One-click annotation: arrows, text, blurs, numbers directly on the capture
- Video and GIF recording of any area of the screen
- CleanShot Cloud: instant upload with a shareable link (lien.cleanshot.com/xxx)
- Floating overlay: keep a capture visible on screen while you work
Cons
- Paid, $29 for 1 year of updates, then a renewal for new versions
- macOS only, no Windows version
- Cloud features (CleanShot.com) have limited storage
- Discovery curve, lots of hidden features to explore
Main features
- Scrolling capture
- Capture a whole page or window by scrolling automatically Document a long web page, a terminal or an interface without manual stitching
- Advanced annotation
- Arrows, text, highlighting, numbers, blur, pixelation, shapes Document bugs, create tutorials, annotate designs without Photoshop
- Video / GIF recording
- Record any area as an MP4 video or an animated GIF Create feature demos, report visual bugs
- CleanShot Cloud
- Instant upload of the capture with a short link generated Share a capture in Slack, email or Notion with 1 shortcut
- Floating overlay
- Keep a capture visible as an overlay on the screen Compare a mockup with the implementation in progress, keep a reference visible
- Built-in OCR
- Extract the text from a screenshot directly Copy text from an image, a video or a non-selectable window
Compatibility
- macOS : compatible
- Windows : not compatible
- Linux : not compatible
- iOS : not compatible
- Android : not compatible
- Browser : not compatible
- API : not compatible
- n8n : not compatible
- Zapier : not compatible
Frequently asked questions
Does CleanShot X replace the macOS capture tool?
Yes, CleanShot X can fully replace Cmd+Shift+4/5 with far superior features.
Is CleanShot X available on Setapp?
Yes, CleanShot X is included in Setapp ($9.99/month for 200+ macOS apps).
Are captures uploaded to CleanShot Cloud private?
By default, links are accessible to anyone who has the URL. A password protection option is available.
Is there a trial version?
No, but there is a money-back guarantee. Available via Setapp with a 1-month free trial.
Final verdict
The best-executed screenshot app on macOS. One of the few apps that justifies its price immediately.
- I recommend it to
- Any developer or content creator on macOS who takes screenshots regularly.
- Not suited for
- Windows users or those who take very occasional screenshots, the native tool is enough.
- Value for money
- Excellent · 4.9 out of 5
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