ScreenshotEdits vs Greenshot (2026)
Both free. Both simple. One runs on Windows, one runs on Mac. If you're on the wrong OS, the comparison ends here.
Quick verdict
Greenshot is excellent on Windows and it's free. But there's no Mac version and the editor feels dated. If you're on Mac, ScreenshotEdits is the closest thing to Greenshot's simplicity with modern screenshot beautification on top.
Feature comparison
The platform difference is the elephant in the room. Everything else is secondary.
| Feature | ScreenshotEdits | Greenshot |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free / €19 one-time | Free (open source) |
| Platform | Mac | Windows only |
| Open source | No | Yes (GPL) |
| Screenshot capture | Yes | Yes |
| Gradient backgrounds | Yes | No |
| Shadows & rounded corners | Yes | No |
| Annotations | Yes | Yes |
| Obfuscate / highlight | Yes (blur + pixelate) | Yes (highlight + obfuscate) |
| Export to clipboard | Yes | Yes |
| Plugin system | No | Yes (Jira, Confluence, etc.) |
| UI design | Modern (native macOS) | Dated (Windows Forms) |
| Last major update | 2026 | Sporadic |
Feature-by-feature breakdown
Platform: the dealbreaker
Greenshot is Windows-only. ScreenshotEdits is Mac-only. There's no overlap. If you're on Windows, use Greenshot—it's free, open source, and gets the job done. If you're on Mac, Greenshot literally doesn't run on your machine. The abandoned Mac version from years ago never made it past early beta. This comparison is mainly for people switching from Windows to Mac who want to know what they're losing and gaining.
Screenshot capture
Both tools capture screenshots well. Greenshot integrates with the Print Screen key on Windows and offers region, window, and full-screen capture. ScreenshotEdits works with macOS native screenshot (Command+Shift+4) and adds paste-from-clipboard, which is the fastest workflow: take a screenshot, Command+V into ScreenshotEdits, edit, export.
Editing and annotations
Greenshot's editor is functional but looks like it was built in 2010. Because it was. Windows Forms UI, basic shapes, highlight tool, obfuscation. It works. It's not pretty. ScreenshotEdits has a modern macOS-native interface with blur, pixelate, arrows, text, and crop. The editing experience is noticeably smoother, but that's partly just the benefit of being a newer app on a different platform.
Screenshot beautification
Greenshot doesn't do this at all. No gradient backgrounds, no shadows, no rounded corners, no padding. It's a capture-and-annotate tool. If you want your screenshots to look polished for a blog post, product docs, or social media, you'd need to open the screenshot in another app after Greenshot. ScreenshotEdits handles this natively—one-click gradient backgrounds, shadows, and rounded corners.
Plugins and integrations
Greenshot has plugins for Jira, Confluence, Imgur, Office, and more. You can screenshot something and upload it directly to Jira. That's genuinely useful in enterprise environments. ScreenshotEdits doesn't have plugins. You export or copy to clipboard and paste wherever you need. Simpler, but less integrated.
Open source vs free
Greenshot is open source under GPL. You can fork it, modify it, audit the code. If that matters to you—and for some teams it does—Greenshot wins this point. ScreenshotEdits is free to use but closed source. The €19 license just removes a watermark. If open source is a requirement, Greenshot is your only option. If you just want a free tool that works, both qualify.
Who should use Greenshot?
- You're on Windows (this is the only option here)
- You need Jira/Confluence integration via plugins
- Open source is a requirement for your team
- You just need basic capture + annotate, nothing fancy
Who should use ScreenshotEdits?
- You're on Mac and want Greenshot-level simplicity
- You want gradient backgrounds and modern screenshot polish
- You switched from Windows to Mac and miss Greenshot
- You want a modern UI, not a 2010 Windows Forms app
The verdict
This comparison is less "which is better" and more "which OS are you on." Greenshot is the best free screenshot tool on Windows. It's been reliable for over a decade. The UI looks like it belongs in a Windows 7 YouTube tutorial, but the tool works and it's free.
On Mac, Greenshot doesn't exist. ScreenshotEdits fills that gap with a modern editing experience and screenshot beautification that Greenshot never offered. If you recently switched from Windows to Mac and you miss Greenshot, ScreenshotEdits is what you're looking for. Same simplicity, better output, and it actually runs on your machine.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Greenshot for Mac?
No. Greenshot is Windows-only. There was a Mac version in early development years ago but it was never completed. ScreenshotEdits is the closest Mac equivalent—free, lightweight, focused on screenshot editing.
Is Greenshot still being updated?
Greenshot receives occasional updates, but development has slowed significantly. The core app still works well on Windows, but the UI and feature set haven't kept pace with modern alternatives.
What's the best free screenshot tool for Mac?
ScreenshotEdits is a strong option for Mac users who want free screenshot editing with modern features like gradient backgrounds, blur, and annotations. macOS also has built-in screenshot tools (Command+Shift+4) for basic capture.
Can I use Greenshot on Mac with Wine or a VM?
Technically yes, but it's impractical. Running a Windows app through Wine or a virtual machine just to edit screenshots defeats the purpose of a lightweight tool. Use a native Mac app like ScreenshotEdits instead.
Does Greenshot have gradient backgrounds?
No. Greenshot focuses on screenshot capture and basic annotation—highlighting, arrows, text, and obfuscation. It doesn't have screenshot beautification features like gradient backgrounds, shadows, or rounded corners.
Is ScreenshotEdits open source like Greenshot?
No. ScreenshotEdits is free to use but not open source. Greenshot is fully open source under GPL. If open source matters to your workflow, Greenshot is the pick. If you want modern Mac screenshot editing for free, ScreenshotEdits is the pick.
Greenshot, but for Mac
Free to start. Simple screenshot editing with modern polish. No account needed.
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