ScreenshotEdits vs Shottr (2026)
Two free Mac-native screenshot tools that solve different problems. Shottr captures and measures. ScreenshotEdits edits and beautifies. This is less "versus" and more "when to use which."
Quick verdict
Shottr captures. ScreenshotEdits edits. Shottr is excellent for capture and measurement—OCR, scrolling screenshots, pixel color picking. But when it comes to making screenshots look good with gradients, shadows, and device frames, that's our thing. They complement each other.
Feature comparison
Side by side, no spin. Green where we win, honest where we don't.
| Feature | ScreenshotEdits | Shottr |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free / €19 one-time | Free (donations accepted) |
| Platform | Mac (native) | Mac (native) |
| Primary focus | Editing + beautification | Capture + measurement |
| Gradient backgrounds | Yes | No |
| Scrolling capture | No | Yes |
| OCR / text extraction | No | Yes |
| Pixel measurement | No | Yes |
| Color picker | No | Yes |
| Blur / redaction | Gaussian blur + pixelate | Basic blur |
| Privacy (local processing) | 100% local | 100% local |
| App size | ~15 MB | ~3 MB |
Feature-by-feature breakdown
Capture vs editing
This is the core difference. Shottr is a capture tool that happens to have some editing. ScreenshotEdits is an editing tool that works with screenshots you've already captured. Shottr gives you scrolling capture, delayed capture, area selection with pixel precision. ScreenshotEdits gives you blur, annotations, gradient backgrounds, shadows, and fast export. Different tools for different moments in the workflow.
OCR and text extraction
Shottr has built-in OCR. Select an area, extract the text. Useful for pulling content from images, locked PDFs, or screenshots of other people's apps. ScreenshotEdits doesn't do OCR. macOS has built-in Live Text that covers many of the same cases, but Shottr's implementation is faster and more reliable for bulk extraction.
Pixel measurement and color picking
Shottr is a designer's measuring tool. Hover over any element to see pixel dimensions. Pick colors from anywhere on screen with hex values. Measure padding and spacing between UI elements. If you're a developer checking a design implementation or a designer doing QA, these features are gold. ScreenshotEdits doesn't have any of this. It's not trying to be a measurement tool.
Screenshot beautification
Shottr doesn't beautify. No gradient backgrounds, no shadows, no rounded corners, no device frames. You capture a screenshot and it looks exactly like your screen—which is fine for measurement, but not for a blog post or presentation. ScreenshotEdits turns a flat screenshot into something polished. One click for a gradient background, another for shadows. That's the gap Shottr doesn't fill.
Scrolling capture
Shottr does scrolling capture well. It automatically scrolls and stitches the result into one tall image. For capturing entire web pages, long chat threads, or tall UI screens, it's genuinely useful. ScreenshotEdits doesn't capture at all—it edits what you've already captured. The workflow: capture a long page with Shottr, open it in ScreenshotEdits to annotate and beautify.
Privacy
Both tools are 100% local. No cloud storage, no network requests, no accounts. Your screenshots stay on your Mac with either tool. This is rare—most screenshot tools eventually push you toward cloud features. Shottr and ScreenshotEdits both respect the idea that your images are your business.
Who should use Shottr?
- You need scrolling capture for long web pages
- You measure pixel distances and pick colors daily
- You use OCR to extract text from images regularly
- You're a designer or developer doing UI QA
Who should use ScreenshotEdits?
- You want screenshots with gradient backgrounds and shadows
- You blur sensitive info and annotate screenshots regularly
- You create content for blogs, docs, or social media
- You want a dedicated editing tool, not a capture replacement
Pricing: both free, both worth it
Neither tool asks for a subscription. That's worth noting in a world of $6/month screenshot tools.
| Detail | ScreenshotEdits | Shottr |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | Free | Free |
| Paid option | €19 one-time (remove watermark) | Optional donation |
| Cost over 3 years | €0–€19 | €0 |
Our take: Use both. Shottr for capture and measurement, ScreenshotEdits for editing and beautification. Total cost: €19 at most. No subscriptions anywhere.
The verdict
This isn't really a competition. Shottr is the best free capture tool on Mac. Scrolling screenshots, OCR, pixel measurement, color picking—features that even paid tools struggle to match. But Shottr doesn't make screenshots look good. No gradients, no shadows, no beautification.
ScreenshotEdits picks up where Shottr stops. Capture with Shottr, edit with ScreenshotEdits. The two tools together cost €19 at most and cover the entire screenshot workflow—capture, measure, edit, beautify, export. No subscriptions, no cloud, no bloat.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shottr free?
Shottr is free for personal use. It's a Mac-native app with fast capture, OCR, scrolling screenshots, pixel measurement, and color picking. ScreenshotEdits is also free with an optional €19 license to remove the watermark.
Can Shottr add gradient backgrounds to screenshots?
No. Shottr focuses on capture and measurement—OCR, scrolling capture, pixel rulers, color picking. It doesn't do beautification. ScreenshotEdits handles gradient backgrounds, shadows, rounded corners, and device frames.
Should I use Shottr or ScreenshotEdits?
They solve different problems. Shottr excels at capture—scrolling screenshots, OCR, measurement, color picking. ScreenshotEdits excels at editing—blur, annotations, gradient backgrounds, beautification. Many Mac users run both.
Does Shottr have blur and annotation?
Shottr has basic annotation and a blur tool, but its focus is on capture and measurement. ScreenshotEdits has more editing depth—adjustable blur intensity, gradient backgrounds, shadows, and a faster editing workflow.
Does ScreenshotEdits upload my screenshots?
No. ScreenshotEdits runs 100% locally on your Mac. Nothing is uploaded to any server. Your screenshots never leave your computer. Shottr is also local-only.
Can I use Shottr and ScreenshotEdits together?
Yes, and many people do. Use Shottr for capture (scrolling screenshots, quick OCR, measurement) and ScreenshotEdits for editing (blur, annotate, beautify). Capture with Shottr, paste into ScreenshotEdits, done.
Capture with Shottr. Edit with us.
Free to start. Make screenshots look good in seconds. No account needed. Free on web, desktop app for Mac & Windows.
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