Updated Nov 9, 2026, from what MacPip lists today.
MacPip lists 4 CleanShot X alternatives for Mac, and a person has checked 2 of them.2 of them have a free version.2 of them sell a one-time license.1 of them is paid by subscription.There is no single best CleanShot X alternative for everyone, so MacPip does not rank them.If you would rather pay once than subscribe, start with QuickShot.
Apps a person checked come first, newest check first. Never ordered by payment.
| App | What it does | Price | Free or paid | Apple silicon | Open source | Made by | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shotbase | Shotbase is a modern screen capture workspace for macOS. | $13/mo or $156/yr, 7-day free trial | Subscription | Yes, and Intel, its maker says | No | Not stated | Nov 9 |
| QuickShot | Screenshot app for Mac with markup, OCR, scrolling capture and recording | $16.99 once (2 Macs $24.99) | One-time | Not stated | No | CanonForge Apps | Nov 3 |
| ScreenVerb | The screenshot app built around AI. Capture, mark up, and paste AI answers in three keys. | Free, Pro available | Free versionOne-time | Yes, Apple silicon only, its maker says | No | David Tran | Pending |
| capcap | Take a screenshot, annotate and share in one flow | Free and open source | Free version | Yes, and Intel, its maker says | Yes | Not stated | Pending |
Shotbase is a modern screen capture workspace for macOS.
From its maker: Shotbase is a modern screen capture workspace for macOS. Capture, edit, organize, and share screenshots and recordings from one fast, streamlined workflow.
Screenshot app for Mac with markup, OCR, scrolling capture and recording
From its maker: QuickShot handles screenshots on the Mac from capture to sharing. Grab an area or a window, then mark it up in the editor with arrows, text, shapes and blur.
The screenshot app built around AI. Capture, mark up, and paste AI answers in three keys.
Made by David TranWebsiteOn XFrom its maker: ScreenVerb is a screenshot app for Mac built around AI. Snap a window, drag a pixel-exact region or grab a full scrolling page with one shortcut, then press a number key to run an AI action.
Take a screenshot, annotate and share in one flow
From its maker: capcap is a free, open-source screenshot and screen capture tool for macOS 14+, built with AppKit for Apple silicon and Intel. It helps developers, writers, and designers capture, annotate, and share without telemetry or a subscription.
Each of these is named by its own maker as an alternative to CleanShot X. That is the maker's claim, so check that it does the part of CleanShot X you use.
There is no single best one for everyone. MacPip lists 4: Shotbase, QuickShot, ScreenVerb, capcap. If you would rather pay once than subscribe, look at QuickShot.
Yes. With a free version on MacPip: ScreenVerb, capcap.
With a one-time option, so you can avoid a subscription: QuickShot, ScreenVerb.
By their makers' word or by our check: Shotbase, ScreenVerb, capcap.
Each has a dated report on its page: Shotbase, QuickShot.
Apps a person has checked come first, newest check first, then the rest by when they were added. Payment never changes the order, and sponsored rows are labeled and kept apart.