ENShotENShot vs CleanShot X
CleanShot X is a polished, paid capture suite with an optional cloud service. ENShot covers much of the same ground for free, keeps everything local, and adds step-by-step guides and a pixel inspector.
The short version
Choose ENShot if
- You want a free tool with no license to manage
- You prefer nothing to leave your Mac
- You write how-to guides from clicks, or measure pixels in designs
Choose CleanShot X if
- You want hosted share links through a cloud service
- You need team features in a paid plan
- You rely on a workflow or integration that only CleanShot X offers
Feature by feature
| Feature | ENShot | CleanShot X |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | From US$35 one-time (1 year of updates); Pro plan per user per month |
| Account required | No | No |
| Platforms | macOS | macOS |
| Area, window and full-screen capture | Yes | Yes |
| Scrolling capture | Yes | Yes |
| Annotation tools | Yes | Yes |
| Step numbers | Yes | Yes |
| Background / beautify | Yes | Yes |
| Quick overlay after capture | Yes | Yes |
| Searchable capture history | Yes | Yes |
| Pin captures on screen | Yes | Yes |
| OCR text recognition | Yes | Yes |
| QR code reading | Yes | Yes |
| Color picker | Yes | Yes |
| Pixel measurement | Yes | Not listed |
| Screen recording (video) | Yes | Yes |
| GIF recording | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone audio | Yes | Yes |
| System audio | Yes | Yes |
| Camera overlay | Yes | Yes |
| Click & keystroke display | Yes | Yes |
| Step-by-step guide generator | Yes | Not listed |
| Cloud upload & share links | No — local only | YesOptional |
| Minimum macOS | 14 | 13 |
ENShot facts come from the app itself. Competitor facts come from each vendor's official website and were checked on October 23, 2026; “Not listed” means we could not find the feature on the vendor's own pages. Products change — please check the vendor's site, and tell us if something here is out of date.
macOS 14 Sonoma or later · Apple silicon & Intel