Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Kap VS Xnip

Compare Kap VS Xnip and see what are their differences

Kap logo Kap

Kap is an open-source screen recorder built with web technology.

Xnip logo Xnip

Handy screenshot & annotation tool for macOS.🖥
  • Kap Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-26
  • Xnip Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-08-07

Kap features and specs

  • Open Source
    Kap is an open-source project, meaning its code is freely available for users to inspect, modify, and enhance. This encourages community contributions and transparency.
  • Ease of Use
    Kap provides a simple and intuitive interface that makes screen recording easy, even for users who aren't very tech-savvy.
  • Customization
    Kap offers a variety of customizable settings and options, allowing users to tailor the screen recording experience to their specific needs.
  • Export Options
    Kap supports multiple export formats including GIF, MP4, WebM, and APNG, providing flexibility in how recordings can be used or shared.
  • Plugin Support
    Kap's functionality can be extended through a wide array of plugins, enabling users to add additional features and integrations.
  • Cross-Platform
    Kap is available for macOS, and while primarily developed for macOS, it's possible to run it on other OS using tools like Homebrew.

Possible disadvantages of Kap

  • Performance Overhead
    Screen recording can be resource-intensive, potentially affecting the performance of other applications running simultaneously.
  • Limited to macOS
    Kap is primarily designed for macOS, which limits its native usability for users on Windows or Linux platforms.
  • Feature Limitations
    While Kap is great for basic screen recording, it may lack advanced features found in other professional screen recording tools, such as detailed video editing capabilities.
  • Learning Curve for Plugins
    Although the plugin system adds versatility, it may require some time for users to find, install, and learn to use the right plugins effectively.
  • File Size
    The files generated can be quite large, especially for high-resolution recordings, which may be a concern for storage and sharing.

Xnip features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Xnip offers a straightforward and intuitive user interface that makes capturing and editing screenshots easy, even for beginners.
  • Scrolling Capture
    The app allows users to capture scrolling screenshots, which is useful for capturing long webpages and documents in a single image.
  • Annotation Tools
    Xnip provides a robust set of annotation tools, including text, shapes, and arrows, to help users highlight important areas in their screenshots effectively.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Xnip is compatible with both macOS and Windows, giving it flexibility for users who operate on multiple platforms.
  • Cloud Integration
    It integrates with cloud services, allowing users to easily save and share their screenshots via platforms like Dropbox and Google Drive.

Possible disadvantages of Xnip

  • Limited Free Version
    The free version of Xnip has limited features, which may require users to purchase the full version to access all functionalities.
  • OS-Specific Features
    Some features may be platform-specific, potentially causing inconsistency in user experience across different operating systems.
  • Resource Intensive
    On older systems, Xnip might be resource-intensive, leading to slower performance or increased system load during use.
  • Lack of Advanced Editing
    While Xnip offers basic annotation tools, it does not provide more advanced editing functionalities that some competitors might offer.
  • No Mobile App
    Xnip is currently only available for desktop platforms, limiting its utility for users who might prefer mobile screenshot apps.

Analysis of Kap

Overall verdict

  • Kap is considered a solid choice for anyone looking for an easy-to-use, efficient, and free screen recording tool on macOS. It balances simplicity with functionality, making it suitable for a wide range of users.

Why this product is good

  • Kap is a screen recording tool designed for macOS, known for its simplicity and open-source nature. It allows users to quickly capture their screens with ease, supporting a variety of formats and offering different customization options. The app provides additional flexibility through plugins, making it adaptable to specific needs. Being open-source also means that it is continually improved by contributions from the developer community, which keeps the tool up-to-date with users' needs.

Recommended for

    Kap is highly recommended for macOS users who need a straightforward screen recording solution. It is particularly beneficial for content creators, educators, and developers who require quick screen captures without the complexity of more advanced applications.

Kap videos

OrganiCup - Adet Kabı, Menstrual Kap

More videos:

  • Review - ✩Review: Kap Creations Resin Molds
  • Review - Test Kap och Gersåg - Review Mitre saw Metabo KGS 216 + stand KSU 251, (eng. subtitles)

Xnip videos

No Xnip videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Kap and Xnip)
Screen Recording
100 100%
0% 0
Screenshots
68 68%
32% 32
Screenshot Annotation
77 77%
23% 23
Image Annotation
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Kap should be more popular than Xnip. It has been mentiond 39 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Kap mentions (39)

  • QuickRecorder(macOS): open-source, lightweight, high-performance screen recorder
    This works great and is replacing Kap[1] for me. [1] https://getkap.co/. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Show HN: I made an open-source Loom alternative
    How about with a K instead https://getkap.co/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Show HN: Cap – open-source alternative to Loom
    I thought it was Kap for a moment https://getkap.co/ similar name, similar product (but that one is ready to use). Also a bit confused as it seems there is nothing there besides an idea and a landing page. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • A collection of useful Mac Apps
    Kap - Price: Free Screen recording app for Mac that allows you to record your screen and webcam with ease. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Free Screen Recorder With System Audio
    If you want free yet still powerful, check out the open-source kap. Pair it with something like BlackHole to reroute your system audio into kap and you've got a great combo without spending a dime. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

Xnip mentions (4)

  • App alternatives to Bartender and CleanShotX
    I like xnip for screen shots. It doesn't do video captures but can take a variety of screen capture types, can do scrolling captures, and has built-in annotations. It can even annotate other images pasted from the clipboard and costs 1/2 of what CleanshotX does. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • I just finished a screenshot app (macOS) for people who care about their pixels. Have a few questions in comments.
    The fact that it calculates the distances for you instead of manually putting lines is amazing. it's like Xnip but with more features. Love that it's written in appkit as well! Will give it a try :). Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Some amazing macOS apps I use every day
    Xnip is another good one. There is a free version with fewer features and a paid one. It supports built in annotation. If you need bare bones screen shot abilities for free, Macupdate shows another program called Menu Snappr that looks promising: https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/63398/menu-snappr-ii. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Macbook Air M1 - Better screenshot tool that saves screenshot to clipboard
    If you are still looking for 3rd party solution, I use http://xnipapp.com and am super happy with it. Source: over 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Kap and Xnip, you can also consider the following products

Loom - Loom is a screen recording extension for Chrome that gives people the ability to create and share media. Create your own videos using your camera, screen view, and audio. Read more about Loom.

CleanShot X - Capture your Mac’s screen like a PRO ⚡️

Screenity - The most powerful screen recorder & annotation tool for Chrome 🎥 - GitHub - alyssaxuu/screenity: The most powerful screen recorder & annotation tool for Chrome 🎥

Enpose - The simple screenshot bot

VeryCapture - core function:1.

ShareX - ShareX is a free and open source program that lets you capture or record any area of your screen...