ScreenshotEdits vs CleanShot X (2026)
Two Mac-native screenshot tools. One costs $29, one is free. The real question is whether those missing features matter to you.
Quick verdict
Both are native Mac screenshot tools. CleanShot X does more and costs $29. ScreenshotEdits does screenshot beautification better and costs nothing. If you need screen recording and cloud sharing, CleanShot wins. If you want gradient backgrounds, shadows, and quick polish without paying, we've got you.
Feature comparison
An honest look at what each tool does. CleanShot X is excellent—we just solve a different problem.
| Feature | ScreenshotEdits | CleanShot X |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free / €19 one-time | $29 one-time / $8/mo Cloud |
| Platform | Mac | Mac |
| Screenshot editing | Yes | Yes |
| Gradient backgrounds | Yes (core feature) | Basic |
| Screen recording | No | Yes |
| Scrolling capture | No | Yes |
| OCR / text extraction | No | Yes |
| Cloud sharing | No (local only) | Yes ($8/mo extra) |
| Clipboard history | No | Yes |
| Annotations | Yes | Yes |
| Privacy (local processing) | 100% local | Local + optional cloud |
| File size | ~15 MB | ~30 MB |
Feature-by-feature breakdown
Screenshot beautification
This is where ScreenshotEdits was built to shine. Gradient backgrounds, customizable shadows, rounded corners, smart padding—you paste a screenshot and get a polished image in seconds. CleanShot X added a background feature eventually, but it feels bolted on. The gradient options are limited and the customization is nowhere near as deep. If making screenshots look good for blog posts, docs, or social media is your thing, ScreenshotEdits does it better. And free.
Screen recording
CleanShot X records your screen beautifully. GIF and video, with audio, with a clean UI. It's one of the best screen recording experiences on Mac. ScreenshotEdits doesn't do video at all. Not on the roadmap either. If you record tutorials, bug reports, or demos, CleanShot is the better tool. No contest.
Cloud sharing
CleanShot Cloud gives you a shareable link for any screenshot or recording. Take a screenshot, get a URL, paste it in Slack. It's genuinely convenient. But it costs $8/month on top of the $29 license. And your screenshots now live on someone else's server. ScreenshotEdits keeps everything local. You copy to clipboard and paste wherever you want. No URL, but also no monthly fee and no privacy trade-off.
Annotations
Both tools handle annotations well. Arrows, text, shapes, highlights. CleanShot has more annotation variety—numbered steps, custom colors, callout styles. ScreenshotEdits keeps it focused: arrows, text, blur, and the basics. If you build complex annotated guides with 15 different callout styles, CleanShot gives you more to work with. If you add an arrow and some text, both work fine.
Scrolling capture
CleanShot X captures entire web pages and long documents by scrolling automatically. ScreenshotEdits doesn't have this. If you screenshot long pages regularly, this alone might justify CleanShot's $29 price tag.
Price and value
CleanShot X is $29 one-time for the base app. Fair price for what you get. But CleanShot Cloud (the sharing features everyone wants) is $8/month. That's $96/year on top of the $29. Suddenly it's not cheap anymore. ScreenshotEdits is free. Pay €19 once to remove the watermark. That's the entire pricing model. No tiers, no subscriptions, no upsells.
Who should use CleanShot X?
- You record your screen and want native Mac quality
- You share screenshots via link (CleanShot Cloud)
- You need scrolling capture for long web pages
- You want one tool that does screenshots + recording + sharing
Who should use ScreenshotEdits?
- You want beautiful screenshot backgrounds without paying
- Privacy matters—zero cloud, zero network requests
- You don't record your screen—you just edit screenshots
- You're tired of paying subscriptions for basic utilities
Pricing: what you actually pay
CleanShot X looks affordable at $29. Then you want cloud sharing. Prices as of March 2026.
| Period | ScreenshotEdits | CleanShot X | CleanShot + Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | €0 or €19 | $29 | $125 ($29 + $96) |
| Year 2 | €0 or €19 (still) | $29 (still) | $221 ($29 + $192) |
| Year 3 | €0 or €19 (still) | $29 (still) | $317 ($29 + $288) |
Worth noting: CleanShot X at $29 without cloud is a fair deal. But CleanShot Cloud at $8/month turns a one-time purchase into a $96/year subscription. The cloud features are the ones people actually want.
The verdict
CleanShot X is genuinely great software. Best-in-class screen recording on Mac, clean UI, reliable scrolling capture. If you need those features, buy it. $29 is fair.
But if your workflow is "take screenshot, make it look good, share it"—you don't need CleanShot. ScreenshotEdits does the beautification part better, it's free, and it doesn't try to upsell you on cloud storage. For screenshot editing specifically, we think we're the better tool. Biased? Sure. But also true.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free alternative to CleanShot X?
Yes. ScreenshotEdits is a free macOS screenshot editor with gradient backgrounds, blur, annotations, and export. It doesn't have screen recording or cloud sharing like CleanShot X, but for making screenshots look polished it's a capable free alternative.
Is CleanShot X worth $29?
If you use screen recording, scrolling capture, and cloud sharing regularly, CleanShot X is worth every penny. It's one of the best Mac utilities out there. If you mainly beautify screenshots with backgrounds and shadows, ScreenshotEdits does that for free.
Does CleanShot X have a free version?
No. CleanShot X is a paid app—$29 for a one-time license or $8/month for CleanShot Cloud with 1GB storage. There's no free tier or trial beyond the Setapp bundle.
Can ScreenshotEdits replace CleanShot X?
For screenshot beautification—adding gradient backgrounds, shadows, blur, and annotations—yes. ScreenshotEdits can't replace CleanShot's screen recording, scrolling capture, OCR, cloud sharing, or clipboard history features.
Which is better for screenshot backgrounds, ScreenshotEdits or CleanShot X?
ScreenshotEdits. Gradient backgrounds with customizable colors, shadows, padding, and rounded corners are core features. CleanShot X added background features but they're more basic. ScreenshotEdits was built specifically for making screenshots look good.
Does ScreenshotEdits upload screenshots to the cloud?
No. ScreenshotEdits runs in your browser or locally on your desktop with zero network activity. CleanShot X offers optional cloud sharing through CleanShot Cloud, which requires the $8/month subscription.
Beautiful screenshots, zero dollars
Free to start. Gradient backgrounds, blur, annotations. No account needed.
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