Short answer
Shottr describes itself in one line: a screenshot measurement and annotation app for Mac, for designers, front-end engineers and people who care about pixels. It is small (its site says 2.4 MB), optimized for Apple silicon, and offers annotation, beautiful backgrounds, scrolling screenshots, OCR and QR reading, pixel measuring, a color picker and pinned images; its own feature-vote lists "Screenshots organizer". That is the part Shotbox does: it reads the text on your Mac after each capture, titles and files the shot, and finds it again weeks later from one word, free, with no account and offline. For annotating and measuring pick Shottr; for finding old screenshots pick Shotbox; you can install both. Third-party facts checked 2026-10-16.
The differences at a glance
| Shottr | Shotbox | |
|---|---|---|
| What it mainly does | Per its site: annotation, beautiful backgrounds (gradients, shadows, rounded corners), scrolling screenshots, pixelate/remove objects, text recognition (OCR) and QR, combine screenshots, resize, pinned images, screen ruler, color picker, saving to a dedicated folder | 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 | macOS 10.15 or later, optimized for Apple silicon; the home page shows a download of about 2.3 to 2.4 MB | macOS 13 or later, Apple silicon and Intel (DMG from the website, not on the App Store) |
| Price | The home page shows no amount today; when checked on 2026-10-14 its purchase page said "pay what you want, $0 is fine"; exact price: not verified | Free, no account |
| Where data goes | Its site lists S3 upload; activating a license and checking for updates at launch use the network, and statistics can be turned off in Preferences (checked 2026-10-14); search across past screenshots: not verified | 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) | Its "what should I build next" vote lists "Screenshots organizer", which indicates it is not offered today | 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 Shottr
- You capture, annotate, measure pixels and pick colors all day, working in design files or front-end debugging.
- You want to scroll-capture a long web page, or dress a screenshot up with a background.
- You want a tool of two or three MB with a price you set.
When to pick Shotbox
- You capture a lot and weeks later want to find an old screenshot from one word you remember instead of browsing folders.
- You want text recognition, titling and sorting done on the Mac, with screenshots and text staying on the device.
- You want it free, with no account, working offline.
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
- Use both for a week, Shottr for annotating and Shotbox for archiving, then search from one word three weeks later and see which shot you reach fastest.
- Read Shotbox's network note: recognition stays on the Mac and only switchable anonymous statistics are sent; for Shottr see the network items on its site.
- Pick 10 screenshots with text and compare OCR quality; check amounts and code against the original.
Moving over from Shottr, or using both
Shottr and Shotbox both capture the screen and do not conflict. If a hotkey clashes, change one in either app's settings. The practical split is to capture with Shottr when you need annotation or measuring and save to the folder you chose, and capture with Shotbox the ones you want to search later. Files Shottr saves do not enter Shotbox's index automatically; run them through Shotbox's capture entry again if you want them indexed, or keep managing them in Finder.
FAQ
What is the difference between Shottr and Shotbox?
Shottr is a screenshot annotation and measuring tool; Shotbox helps you find old screenshots by reading, titling and sorting them on the Mac. They do not conflict and can be installed together.
Is Shottr free?
When checked on 2026-10-14 its site said pay what you want, with $0 fine and purchase prompts when used free; today's home page shows no amount, so we mark the price not verified. Shotbox is free with no account.
Does Shotbox have annotation and scrolling capture like Shottr?
Shotbox has annotation, scrolling long screenshots, pinned images and text capture, but no pixel measuring, color picker or background styling.
Does Shottr use the network?
Its site lists S3 upload, and license activation and update checks use the network (checked 2026-10-14). Shotbox does recognition, titling and sorting on the Mac and sends only anonymous usage statistics that can be turned off.
Sources and check dates
- Shottr 官网首页 (checked 2026-10-16)
