A CleanShot X alternative for Mac: what you gain and what you give up
Read on 6 Oct 2026
Summary
CleanShot X is a larger screenshot and recording app with cloud sharing, scrolling capture and text recognition. Croptrove is smaller and local: no cloud, no account, a free version with no watermark, and a privacy shield that suggests hiding card numbers, IBANs and API keys. If you share captures by link or work with a team, CleanShot is the better fit. If you want a free-to-start editor that keeps everything on your Mac, try Croptrove.
Comparison
| CleanShot X | Croptrove | Read on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | CleanShot Basic "$35 Pay once, use forever" | Free to start; Pro one-time $19.99 (1 Mac) or $29.99 (5 Macs) | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Updates | "One year of updates" | 12 months of updates included; renewal optional | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Cloud | Basic: "1 GB storage"; Pro adds unlimited | No cloud, no account | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Hide sensitive info | "Mark up details, hide sensitive information" | Privacy shield suggests and covers card numbers, IBANs, API keys, free | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Scrolling capture | Yes ("Scrolling Capture") | Pro | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Text from images | "Text Recognition" | Search text in your images is Pro | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Free version | Not described on the pricing page; 30-day money-back | Yes: no watermark, MP4 recording with no time limit | 6 Oct 2026 |
| Requires | "macOS 13.0 or newer" | macOS 14 or later | 6 Oct 2026 |
Where CleanShot X is better
- Cloud sharing. One-click upload and a link. Croptrove has no cloud, so no share links.
- More features overall. Backgrounds, spotlight, outline steps and more sit in the Mac app.
- Team plans. CleanShot Pro adds unlimited cloud storage, custom branding and team features.
- Older Macs. It runs on macOS 13; Croptrove needs 14.
- Everything is in one purchase. CleanShot says "Both plans include the full Mac app"; in Croptrove, scrolling capture and text search in images are Pro.
- It is on Setapp if you already subscribe.
Where Croptrove may fit better
- You want nothing to leave your Mac and need no account.
- You want a free version with no watermark and unlimited MP4 recording.
- You want a privacy shield that finds card numbers, IBANs and API keys for you. It is not perfect; review the result before you share.
- You prefer a lower one-time price.
How to switch from CleanShot X
- Install Croptrove and grant Screen & System Audio Recording in System Settings → Privacy & Security.
- Set capture shortcuts. Croptrove defaults to ⌘⇧4 (area), ⌘⇧5 (all-in-one), ⌘⇧3 (full screen), ⌘⇧6 (record). Turn off any CleanShot shortcut that uses the same keys.
- Existing files stay where you saved them. Cloud links you shared from CleanShot stay with CleanShot.
- Test the editor and the privacy shield on a sample screenshot.
- Quit CleanShot when you are happy. Keep it if you still need cloud links.
FAQ
Is Croptrove a free CleanShot X alternative? The free version covers area, window and full-screen capture, the annotation editor, the privacy shield and MP4 recording, with no watermark. Scrolling capture, GIF, trimming and longer history are Pro.
Does Croptrove have cloud sharing? No. Captures stay on your Mac. That is a choice, and it means no share links.
Does the privacy shield catch everything? No. No method does. It suggests hiding patterns it finds; review before you share.
Can I keep both? Yes, if you change one app's shortcuts so they do not clash.
Try Croptrove
Download Croptrove (DMG, macOS 14+). If you need cloud links, stay with CleanShot X.
Product names belong to their owners. Croptrove is not affiliated with CleanShot.