Short answer
Shotbox and CleanShot X do different jobs: CleanShot X is strongest after the capture, with annotation, recording and sharing, while Shotbox focuses on reading the text in each shot on your Mac and indexing it so you can find the original weeks later from one word. Use CleanShot X for annotation and recording, Shotbox to find old screenshots, and install both if you need both; Shotbox is free and CleanShot X Basic is a one-time $35.
The differences in one table
| Item | Shotbox | CleanShot X | Source (checked 2026-10-14) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core purpose | Reads the text in each shot on your Mac, titles and files it, so one word brings an old shot back | Annotation, recording, scrolling capture and sharing after the capture | CleanShot home page |
| Region / window / full-screen capture | Yes | Yes (home page describes screenshots and scrolling capture) | Same |
| Scrolling capture | Yes | Yes | Same |
| Annotation | Yes (arrows, boxes, pen, text, redact, blur, pixelate and more) | Yes (markup, redact, spotlight, highlight text and more) | Same |
| OCR to copy text | Yes (Capture Text, on the Mac, offline) | Yes (site says text recognition is on-device) | Same |
| Find old shots from the text inside them | Yes: every shot is indexed on the Mac and searched from the main window | Not seen on the home page or FAQ: not verified | FAQ |
| Screen recording / GIF | Not at present (0.10.1) | Yes (MP4 / GIF) | Same |
| Cloud sharing | No, and no cloud library | Yes (link sharing through CleanShot Cloud) | Same |
| System requirement | macOS 13 or later, Apple silicon and Intel | macOS 13.0 or later; Intel support not mentioned on the site, not verified | FAQ |
| Price | Free, no account | Basic $35 one-time (includes one year of updates, then optional renewal at $19 per year); Pro $10 per user per month billed annually; also available through Setapp | Pricing |
| Where data goes | Reading and filing all happen on the Mac and screenshots and their text never leave the device; only anonymous usage statistics, on by default and switchable off | Cloud sharing is optional; site says text recognition is on-device | Home page |
| How you get it | A notarized DMG from the website, not in the App Store | Bought from the website; the pricing page also links to a Setapp subscription | Pricing |
The CleanShot X side comes from its own website and is its own statement, not our test. Prices and features change, so check the site on the day you buy. "Not verified" means we did not see it on an official page, not that it does not exist.
What CleanShot X does well
- The most complete chain after the capture: annotation, recording (MP4 / GIF), scrolling capture and link sharing through CleanShot Cloud; people who send images and videos to others rarely need anything else.
- A clearly priced one-time Basic license, with Pro or Setapp if you want continuous updates.
What Shotbox adds and leaves out
- Adds: every shot is read, titled, filed and de-duplicated on your Mac and indexed; weeks later one word in the main window finds text that really appeared in the image, not a file name.
- Adds: free, no account, fully offline recognition, and screenshots and their text never leave the device.
- Leaves out: no screen recording, GIF or cloud sharing at present; use CleanShot X for those.
How to choose
- You annotate, record and send right after the capture: CleanShot X.
- You take many shots and need to find one weeks later from a single word: Shotbox.
- You need both: install both; Shotbox reads originals read-only and does not touch files CleanShot X saved.
For more tools compared, see Which Mac screenshot tool is best?
FAQ
What is an alternative to CleanShot X?
It depends on which part of CleanShot X you use: for plain capture and mark-up, the built-in Shift-Command-5 panel and floating thumbnail cover part of it; for a free tool focused on finding old screenshots, Shotbox; for a small tool with color picking and pixel measuring, Shottr. The full comparison is in Which Mac screenshot tool is best.
Can Shotbox replace CleanShot X?
In part: it captures regions, annotates, captures scrolling pages and copies text from images, but it has no screen recording, GIF or cloud sharing today. It works better as a partner that helps you find screenshots later.
Is Shotbox free?
Yes, free with no account, installed from a DMG on the website.
Can I install both?
Yes. Shotbox reads originals read-only and never moves, edits or deletes files.
