Alternatives / CleanShot
Looking for an open source CleanShot alternative? We compared 6 open source screen capture and recording tools by license, platforms, screenshots, annotations, and sharing. Most are screen recorders rather than screenshot tools, and none is a polished macOS screenshot app like CleanShot.
Written by Maxime DERAME
Last updated:
| Alternative | Best for | License |
|---|---|---|
| OBS Studio | Recording and streaming (not a screenshot tool) | GPL-2.0 |
| ShareX | Screenshots and uploads on Windows | GPL-3.0 |
| Cap | Screenshots, recordings, and sharing on macOS and Windows | AGPL-3.0 (+ MIT crates) |
| Screenity | Recording and annotating in Chrome | GPL-3.0 |
| Kap | Simple macOS recording to GIF (development stalled) | MIT |
| Snapify | Self-hosted recording sharing (inactive) | AGPL-3.0 |
We looked for open-source tools that overlap with CleanShot's core: capturing screenshots and screen recordings, annotating them, and sharing them quickly. We verified each project's license, recent activity, stars, and platforms in its repository. CleanShot is a macOS app focused on screenshots, so we note which alternatives actually take screenshots and which only record video. See our methodology for the full criteria.
OBS Studio, Kap, Screenity, and Snapify focus on video recording, and OBS Studio is mainly a recording and live streaming tool. ShareX is the strongest for screenshots, but it runs on Windows only. Cap includes a Screenshot mode next to its recording modes.
Cap is the closest cross-platform option: a desktop recorder with Instant, Studio, and Screenshot modes, local editing, share links, and optional self-hosting, available for macOS and Windows. ShareX is the closest in screenshot features, with region capture, annotation, effects, and 80+ upload destinations, but it is Windows only.
Cap's applications are AGPL-3.0, with some Rust crates under MIT, and it offers a paid Cap Cloud alongside self-hosting. The free cloud tier is limited, so check what you need before choosing between Cap Cloud, your own storage, and self-hosting.
Kap is MIT, OBS Studio is GPL-2.0, and ShareX and Screenity are GPL-3.0. Cap and Snapify are AGPL-3.0.
OBS Studio, ShareX, Cap, and Screenity were updated within weeks of this update. Kap's last release was in October 2022 and its last commit in November 2024, and Snapify has had no commits since November 2024, so both are effectively inactive.
CleanShot is a proprietary macOS app sold as a one-time purchase with a paid cloud and update plan, and it only runs on a Mac. Open-source alternatives are free, can run on Windows, Linux, or in the browser, and let you inspect the code, at the cost of fewer polished screenshot features such as scrolling capture and the all-in-one macOS workflow.
| Alternative | Platforms | License | Screenshots | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OBS Studio | Windows, macOS, Linux | GPL-2.0 | Limited | Recording and streaming |
| ShareX | Windows | GPL-3.0 | Yes | Screenshots and uploads |
| Cap | macOS, Windows | AGPL-3.0 (+ MIT crates) | Yes | Recording and sharing |
| Screenity | Chrome extension | GPL-3.0 | Limited | Recording in the browser |
| Kap | macOS | MIT | No | GIF and MP4 recordings |
| Snapify | Web | AGPL-3.0 | No | Self-hosted sharing |
Want screenshots, recordings, and sharing on a Mac
Cap offers Instant, Studio, and Screenshot modes with local editing and share links, with optional self-hosting.
Want powerful screenshots on Windows
ShareX offers region capture, annotation, effects, and 80+ upload destinations, on Windows only.
Want to record and stream
OBS Studio offers high-performance real-time capture and mixing, but it is not a screenshot tool.
Want to record and annotate in the browser
Screenity is a Chrome extension for recording, annotating, and editing without sign-up.