Short answer
PixPin calls itself free screenshot software for screenshots, pinning, OCR and recording on both Windows and macOS: capture, screen recording (video or GIF), stitched long screenshots, pinning images and text to the screen, extracting text from images and annotation, with membership features such as quick pin and action recording. If you move between Windows and Mac, it is one of the few tools on both. Shotbox is Mac only and does not record, but after each capture it indexes the text on your Mac, titles and files the shot and finds it again weeks later from one word. For cross-platform use, recording and pinning pick PixPin; for finding old screenshots pick Shotbox. Third-party facts checked 2026-10-16.
The differences at a glance
| PixPin | Shotbox | |
|---|---|---|
| What it mainly does | Per its site: screenshots, screen recording (video or GIF), long screenshots, pinning (images, text, colors, files), extracting text from images (OCR), annotation (circling, numbering, mosaic); membership adds quick pin and action recording | Reads the text in screenshots on your Mac, titles, sorts and de-duplicates them, so you find the original weeks later from one word; also text capture, annotation, scrolling capture and pinned images |
| Platform and requirements | The site says Windows and macOS; minimum macOS version: not verified | macOS 13 or later, Apple silicon and Intel (DMG from the website, not on the App Store) |
| Price | The site says free to download and use, no sign-up; membership is optional, exact price: not verified | Free, no account |
| Where data goes | The site does not set out network use and data flow in one place: not verified; see its privacy policy | Recognition, titling and sorting all happen on the Mac; screenshots and the text in them never leave it; only anonymous usage statistics (no screenshots or content) are sent, on by default and switchable off in settings |
| After the capture (check date) | The site does not mention searching past screenshots by text or automatic sorting | This is the core: recognition, titling, sorting and de-duplication, found again weeks later from one word |
Third-party entries come from the other product's official pages (read on 2026-10-16) and are its own statements, not our tests. Prices and requirements change, so check the official page on the day you download. "Not verified" means we did not see it on an official page, not that it does not exist. Our own column comes from our home page and privacy policy.
When to pick PixPin
- You use both Windows and Mac and want the same screenshot tool on each.
- You want screen recording, GIFs and images pinned on screen for reference.
- You are comfortable with membership features being optional paid extras.
When to pick Shotbox
- You only use a Mac and what you want is to find old screenshots, not record the screen.
- You want text recognition, titling and sorting on the Mac, free and with no account.
- You want screenshots to land in a searchable library automatically instead of managing folders.
Limits of Shotbox
- Shotbox does not record the screen, make GIFs or share to the cloud.
- Shotbox is installed from a DMG on the website, not the App Store, and the first run needs Screen Recording permission (every region-capture tool does).
- On-device OCR does well on clear print; handwriting, decorative fonts and dense multi-column layouts produce errors, so check amounts and code against the original.
Three things to test yourself before you commit
- Capture and pin a reference image in PixPin, then capture the same page in Shotbox and compare the two flows.
- Check PixPin's system requirements on your Mac: its site does not state a minimum macOS version in one place, so confirm yours before installing.
- Three weeks later, search Shotbox from one word and see whether you find the shot at once.
Moving over from PixPin, or using both
Screenshots PixPin saves are ordinary image files that Shotbox's index does not pick up automatically. On a Mac both only read the screen and do not conflict; change one hotkey if they clash. A practical split is PixPin for pinning, recording and long screenshots and Shotbox for archiving and finding everyday ones; to make older PixPin files searchable, run them through Shotbox's capture entry once.
FAQ
Does PixPin have a Mac version?
Yes, its site says Windows and macOS. Shotbox is Mac only.
Is PixPin free?
Its site says free to download and use with no sign-up and optional membership features; the price is not stated on the home page, so we mark it not verified. Shotbox is free with no account.
PixPin records the screen; does Shotbox?
PixPin's site says it records the screen and GIFs; Shotbox does not record the screen or make GIFs at the moment.
Can I use both?
Yes: PixPin for pinning and recording, Shotbox for archiving and finding.
Sources and check dates
- PixPin 官网首页 (checked 2026-10-16)
