Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Xnip VS CleanShot X

Compare Xnip VS CleanShot X and see what are their differences

Xnip logo Xnip

Handy screenshot & annotation tool for macOS.🖥

CleanShot X logo CleanShot X

Capture your Mac’s screen like a PRO ⚡️
  • Xnip Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-08-07
  • CleanShot X Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-14

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.

CleanShot X features and specs

  • Comprehensive Screenshot Tools
    CleanShot X offers a variety of screenshot tools including capturing entire screens, specific windows, or user-defined areas.
  • Advanced Annotations
    The application provides extensive annotation options to mark up screenshots with text, shapes, emojis, and more.
  • Integrated Screen Recording
    CleanShot X allows users to record their screen activities with options for including or excluding system audio and microphone input.
  • Cloud Storage Integration
    Screenshots and recordings can be automatically uploaded to CleanShot Cloud, making it easy to share via a link.
  • Customizable Keyboard Shortcuts
    Users can set their own keyboard shortcuts for various screenshot and recording actions, enhancing workflow efficiency.
  • Offline Use
    CleanShot X can be used offline, ensuring that essential features remain accessible without an internet connection.
  • Privacy and Security
    Local storage options and secure cloud integration provide users with control over their data, ensuring privacy and security.

Possible disadvantages of CleanShot X

  • Subscription Model
    CleanShot X operates on a subscription model rather than a one-time purchase, which may be a drawback for some users due to continuous costs.
  • MacOS Only
    As of now, CleanShot X is only available for macOS, limiting its use for those on Windows or other operating systems.
  • Cloud Storage Limitations
    CleanShot Cloud comes with storage limitations, and additional storage requires an upgrade to a higher subscription tier.
  • Learning Curve
    With its extensive features, new users might face a learning curve to fully leverage all the application's capabilities.
  • System Resource Usage
    Running CleanShot X continuously in the background can be resource-intensive, potentially affecting system performance on lower-end hardware.

Analysis of CleanShot X

Overall verdict

  • CleanShot X is a well-regarded tool among macOS users, especially those who need a robust and versatile screen capturing solution. It offers value through its comprehensive set of features and streamlined user experience. While it requires a subscription, the investment can be justified by the productivity gains for those who frequently work with screenshots.

Why this product is good

  • CleanShot X is considered a powerful screen capturing tool for macOS users, offering a variety of features that extend beyond basic screenshot capabilities. It is appreciated for its high-quality capture, editing features, and cloud integration, making it suitable for professionals who require detailed and flexible screen capturing options. Users especially enjoy its ability to annotate images, blur sensitive data, and capture scrolling content. The interface is intuitive, and the utility offers quick sharing options, which enhances productivity.

Recommended for

  • Professionals who frequently need to capture and annotate screenshots
  • Content creators looking for an advanced tool for screen recording
  • Users who need to share screenshots quickly and efficiently
  • Individuals who appreciate a clean and intuitive interface
  • Teams that require a collaborative atmosphere with cloud sharing capabilities

Xnip videos

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CleanShot X videos

SCOM0953 - CleanShot X for macOS - Preview

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Xnip and CleanShot X)
Screenshots
19 19%
81% 81
Screenshot Annotation
14 14%
86% 86
Image Annotation
100 100%
0% 0
Design Tools
23 23%
77% 77

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Xnip and CleanShot X

Xnip Reviews

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CleanShot X Reviews

Top 10 Productivity Apps for MacOS 2025
Screenshots, screen recordings, annotations — CleanShot X just crushes it. It replaces the clunky default screenshot tools with something way more powerful and polished. You can blur sensitive info, add arrows and text, and even record GIFs. If you do anything involving tutorials, feedback, or content creation, this one’s an essential
Source: dev.to
5 Best Screenshot Tools for Mac in 2024 (Free & Paid)
In conclusion, these five screenshot apps for Mac offer a range of features to cater to different user needs. Xnapper stands out as the best all-in-one screenshot tool with its automatic beautification and screen recording capabilities. CleanShot X and Snagit are feature-rich and ideal for professionals, while Lightshot is perfect for users who prefer a simple free...
Source: storychief.io
The best screenshot tools for Mac
You could purchase a basic version of CleanShot for a one-time payment of $29, and it will bring with it a year of software updates and 1GB of cloud storage. But CleanShot X has the added advantage of being part of the Setapp subscription plan, which gives you access to more than 230 Mac and iOS apps for $9.99/month.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, CleanShot X seems to be a lot more popular than Xnip. While we know about 79 links to CleanShot X, we've tracked only 4 mentions of Xnip. 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.

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: about 4 years ago

CleanShot X mentions (79)

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What are some alternatives?

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

Enpose - The simple screenshot bot

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

LightShot - The fastest way to take a customizable screenshot.

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

Greenshot - Greenshot is a free and open source screenshot tool that allows annotation and highlighting using the built-in image editor.

Shottr - Shottr is a free macOS screenshot app with scrolling screenshots, OCR, annotation and measurement instruments.