Comparison

A CleanShot X alternative for Mac

ShotScreen is a CleanShot X alternative for Mac if you want a one-time purchase at a lower price (€8.99, with a free version of 5 captures a day) and AI that runs on your Mac. CleanShot X is a polished, capable app, and it is the better fit if you want its cloud with custom domains and team features. Here is an honest, feature-by-feature comparison, with prices checked on cleanshot.com on 27 October 2026.

ShotScreen vs CleanShot X

Feature ShotScreen CleanShot X
Price model Free version (5 captures/day), Pro €8.99 once $35 once (includes 1 year of updates, then $19/year optional), or Pro at $10 per user/month billed annually; also on Setapp
Free tier 5 popup-free shots/day, free forever No free trial; 30-day money-back guarantee
Scrolling capture Auto + manual, live preview Yes
Background removal On-device (Vision / BiRefNet) Not listed (backgrounds and padding for screenshots)
Image upscaling On-device (Real-ESRGAN) Not listed
OCR & QR On-device (Apple Vision) Yes, on-device
3D perspective editor Whole image or per layer Not listed
Screen recording MP4 + GIF, with trim MP4 + GIF, with a built-in video editor
Cloud hosting Optional (Cloud Plus subscription) 1 GB with Basic; unlimited, custom domain and team features with Pro
Account required No Not stated for the app

CleanShot X prices and features taken from cleanshot.com/pricing and cleanshot.com on 27 October 2026. "Not listed" means the page does not mention it, not that the app lacks it. They can change; check their site for the latest.

Where ShotScreen stands out

Pay once, keep it

€8.99, one time, with no yearly update renewal. No Setapp bundle needed.

On-device AI

Background removal, upscaling and OCR run locally. No account, no cloud, no tracking.

3D perspective editor

Tilt a shot in 3D (the whole image or a single layer) for slick mockups.

Scroll capture

Auto or manual scrolling capture with a live preview and repeated-banner detection.

Try ShotScreen today

Free forever with 5 popup-free screenshots a day. Unlock unlimited captures with a one-time purchase.

SHOTSCREEN20 20% off on Gumroad
Buy on Gumroad Mac App Store

Quick questions

How much does CleanShot X cost?

On cleanshot.com (27 October 2026), CleanShot Basic is $35 once with one year of updates and 1 GB of cloud; renewing updates is $19 a year. Pro is $10 per user per month, billed annually. ShotScreen Pro is €8.99 once.

Is ShotScreen really a one-time purchase?

Yes. ShotScreen Pro is €8.99, on the App Store or on Gumroad, paid once. There is no subscription. The optional ShotScreen Cloud Plus plan (€3.50/month) is the only recurring thing, and it is entirely optional.

Does ShotScreen have cloud sharing like CleanShot X?

Yes, in both the Gumroad and Mac App Store versions. ShotScreen Pro includes up to 10 files online at once and 35 MB; Cloud Plus raises that to 5 GB with unlimited uploads and adds screen-recording uploads. CleanShot X includes 1 GB of cloud storage with Basic and unlimited with Pro.

Where does the AI run?

On your Mac. Background removal, upscaling and OCR all run on-device with no account and no cloud processing, so your screenshots never leave your machine unless you choose to share them.

Keep comparing: Best screenshot app for Mac · Scrolling screenshots · FAQ · Pricing