A Shottr alternative for Mac that also records the screen
Quick answer: Screen2Shot is a Shottr alternative for people who want screenshots with markup and screen recording in one Mac app. It is free, with a thin Screen2Shot strip at the bottom of free exports; PRO is 5.99 USD a month or 79.99 USD once from the website. For screenshots only, Shottr is still the better choice: 12 USD once, with scrolling capture, a ruler and a color picker.
Why people look for a Shottr alternative
- No screen recording. Shottr’s home page lists screenshots, markup, scrolling capture, text recognition and measuring tools, and no video capture. If you also record demos or bug reports, that is a second app.
- English only. Shottr’s FAQ says its author is intentionally avoiding translating the interface for now. Screen2Shot’s interface is in 46 languages.
- Not on the Mac App Store. Shottr is a download from shottr.cc, sold through FastSpring and activated with a license key sent by email. Screen2Shot PRO is bought on its website as well, so it does not solve this one.
Shottr vs Screen2Shot
| Feature | Shottr | Screen2Shot |
|---|---|---|
| Free version | ✅ (upgrade reminders after 30 days; license required for commercial use) | ✅ screenshots, markup and recording up to 1080p; free exports carry a thin Screen2Shot strip at the bottom, PRO removes it |
| Area and full-screen capture | ✅ | ✅ |
| Scrolling capture | ✅ | ❌ |
| Text, freehand, arrows, shapes | ✅ | ✅ free; arrows in four styles |
| Pixelate | ✅ | ✅ PRO |
| Remove objects | ✅ | ❌ |
| Numbered steps | ✅ (Counter) | ✅ PRO |
| Text recognition and QR codes | ✅ | ✅ PRO, ⇧⌘C |
| Pin a screenshot to the screen | ✅ | ✅ PRO |
| Screen ruler | ✅ | ❌ (the selection shows its size in pixels) |
| Color picker | ✅ | ❌ |
| Backgrounds on screenshots | ✅ (gradients, shadows, rounded corners) | ❌ |
| Combine, overlay and resize screenshots | ✅ | ❌ |
| Upload | ✅ S3-compatible storage, after activation | ❌ (nothing is uploaded) |
| Screen recording to MP4 | ❌ | ✅ free up to 1080p, up to 4K with PRO |
| System audio and microphone | ❌ | ✅ |
| Auto zoom, smooth cursor, backgrounds in recordings | ❌ | ✅ PRO |
| Interface languages | English | 46 |
| Where to get it | shottr.cc (download, license key) | website (Direct download) |
| macOS | macOS 10.15 Catalina or newer | macOS 14 Sonoma for screenshots, macOS 15 Sequoia for recording; Apple silicon only |
| Size and speed | 2.3 MB download; 17 ms to grab a screenshot, about 165 ms to show it (Shottr’s figures) | — |
| Price | Free; Basic 12 USD once; Friends Club 30 USD once; one user, up to five computers | Free, with a thin Screen2Shot strip at the bottom of free exports; PRO 5.99 USD a month or 79.99 USD once from the website (Direct download) |
Checked on 2026-09-30. Sources below.
Recording needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later. Direct download: Sold through Stripe (Onelink is the merchant of record). Taxes are included where they apply.
What it costs
Both apps can be paid for once, and both are free to start. For screenshots alone, Shottr costs less: Basic is 12 USD once for one user on up to five computers, and Friends Club is 30 USD once. Screen2Shot PRO Lifetime is 79.99 USD once from the website, active on 1 Mac at a time and movable to another Mac at any time, with a 30-day refund window; website purchases have no Family Sharing. Neither renews.
What the difference buys is recording: Screen2Shot records the screen with system audio and the microphone, and PRO adds auto zoom, a smooth cursor, backgrounds and export up to 4K. If you do not record, Shottr is the better deal.
What you keep and what you give up
What you keep. Press ⇧⌘9, drag an area, draw with the pen, marker, arrow, rectangle or text in five colours, then press ⌘C or Return to copy. With PRO you also keep the Shottr tools people reach for most: Pixelate (B), numbered steps (N), Copy Text for text and QR codes (⇧⌘C) and Pin to Screen, plus Recent Screenshots with the last 10 screenshots.
What you give up. Scrolling capture, the screen ruler, the color picker, zooming into pixels, removing objects, backgrounds on screenshots, combining and overlaying screenshots, and S3 upload. Pixelate, numbered steps, Copy Text and Pin to Screen are part of PRO in Screen2Shot, and free screenshots carry a thin Screen2Shot strip at the bottom until you buy PRO.
What changes. Screen recording is in the same app: press ⌥⇧⌘9, and Studio opens when you stop, with free export up to 1080p. PRO adds auto zoom on clicks, a smooth cursor, backgrounds and export up to 4K.
When Shottr is still the right choice
- You only take screenshots and want to pay less: Shottr Basic is 12 USD once and covers up to five computers.
- You measure and pick colours: the screen ruler, pixel zoom and color picker are made for designers and front-end work.
- You capture long pages or chats with scrolling capture.
- You upload screenshots to your own S3-compatible storage.
- Your Mac runs a macOS older than 14 Sonoma, which Screen2Shot needs.
How to switch
- Quit Shottr or free its shortcuts first. If a shortcut you pick in Screen2Shot is still held by another app, Settings says it is already used by another app, and the previous shortcut keeps working.
- Press ⇧⌘9, or pick another preset in the menu under Shortcut ▸: ⌃⇧9, ⌃⇧S or ⇧⌘2.
- Drag an area, mark it up and press ⌘C to copy, or ⌘S to save a PNG. The save panel opens in the folder you used last, or in Pictures.
- Press ⌥⇧⌘9 to record the display under the pointer; press it again to stop, and Studio opens. Save Video… exports an MP4.
Screenshots you saved with Shottr stay in their folder. Prices are on the pricing page.
Other Shottr alternatives
- CleanShot X: screenshots with scrolling capture, plus screen recording, GIF export and cloud links; Basic is 35 USD once with one year of updates, then an optional 19 USD a year.
- Xnapper: framed, balanced screenshots with automatic redaction and on-device text recognition; free with a watermark, from 29.99 USD once for 1 Mac.
- Snagit: screenshots, templates, AI tools and video editing on Mac and Windows, sold as a yearly subscription.
- The built-in Screenshot app: press ⇧⌘5 to capture or record the whole screen, a window or part of it; system audio is built in from macOS 27 Golden Gate.