I take a lot of screenshots. Client feedback, bug reports, documentation, social media — it adds up fast.
For years, Snagit was the default. But at $63 + $25/year for maintenance, I started wondering: is there something better for Mac?
So I tested every alternative I could find. Here's the honest breakdown.
The Quick Verdict
You probably don't need Snagit. Here's why:
| Tool | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| ScreenSnap Pro | $29 once | Content creators, marketers |
| Shottr | Free | Developers, designers |
| CleanShot X | $29/yr | Power users who need everything |
| Monosnap | Free/$5mo | Teams on a budget |
| macOS built-in | Free | Quick one-off captures |
The Free Options Are Better Than You Think
Shottr ($0)
This one surprised me. Completely free, no catch, and it includes:
- OCR text recognition
- Pixel measurements (huge for UI work)
- Scrolling capture
- Color picker
If you're a developer who needs precise measurements and quick captures, Shottr is genuinely unbeatable at this price point.
macOS Built-in
Don't sleep on Cmd+Shift+4. For basic captures, it's fast and reliable. Pair it with Preview for basic markup and you cover 70% of use cases.
The $29 Sweet Spot
ScreenSnap Pro
This is what I'd recommend for most people who share screenshots regularly:
- $29 one-time — no subscription, no maintenance fees
- GIF recording for tutorials and demos
- Cloud sharing with instant links
- 11 annotation tools (arrows, shapes, blur, pixelate)
- 22+ gradient backgrounds for professional-looking captures
- Built natively for macOS (feels right, runs fast)
The key differentiator: it makes screenshots look good without extra effort. Drop a screenshot in, pick a background, share. Done.
The Subscription Options
CleanShot X ($29/year)
If you need scrolling capture, OCR, and every feature imaginable — CleanShot X delivers. But it's a subscription, and over 5 years you're paying $145 vs $29 for ScreenSnap Pro.
Worth it if you use scrolling capture daily. Overkill for most people.
Monosnap (Free / $5/mo Pro)
Decent free tier with cloud storage. Cross-platform if you need Windows support too. The interface feels dated, but it gets the job done.
The 5-Year Math
This is what sold me:
| Tool | Year 1 | Year 3 | Year 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shottr | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| ScreenSnap Pro | $29 | $29 | $29 |
| Snagit | $63 | $113 | $138 |
| CleanShot X | $29 | $87 | $145 |
| Monosnap Pro | $60 | $180 | $300 |
One-time purchases win. Every time.
Which One Should You Pick?
Developer/Designer? → Shottr (free) for measurements + OCR
Content creator/Marketer? → ScreenSnap Pro ($29) for beautiful screenshots + cloud sharing
Power user who needs everything? → CleanShot X ($29/yr)
Just need basics? → macOS built-in is already on your Mac
Enterprise team? → Snagit still makes sense if you need cross-platform + video
Originally published on ScreenSnap Pro
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