# CleanShot X vs Flameshot Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 Flameshot is the top pick for most Mac users looking at screenshot tools. It is free and open-source and installs in one Homebrew command. CleanShot X is the stronger choice if you want screenshot. As of November 2026, both install with brew install --cask cleanshot and brew install --cask flameshot. CleanShot X is the right default for most Mac users in August 2026 because it collapses scrolling capture, annotation, OCR, screen recording, and governed cloud sharing into a single native overlay that feels at home on Tahoe 26.x. Flameshot is the value champion, free, open source, cross-platform, and superb for fast in-overlay annotation, but it concedes scrolling, video, OCR, and first-party cloud. If budget is zero or cross-platform parity is non-negotiable, Flameshot is excellent. If screenshots are a daily communication tool, CleanShot pays for itself in saved clicks. ## Head to head | Factor | CleanShot X | Flameshot | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Paid | Free | | Open Source | No | Yes | | Replaces | — | Snagit ($63) | | Best for | screenshot, screen recording | screenshot, annotation, capture | | Install | brew install --cask cleanshot | brew install --cask flameshot | | Category | System Utilities | System Utilities | ## CleanShot X Capture your Mac's screen like a pro Install: `brew install --cask cleanshot` [CleanShot X on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/cleanshot) ## Flameshot Powerful screenshot software Install: `brew install --cask flameshot` [Flameshot on Bundl](https://bundl.run/apps/flameshot) ## Features - **Capture Modes.** CleanShot wins for scrolling and total mode coverage; Flameshot covers the essentials well. - **Annotation and Editing.** Both editors are excellent; Flameshot is faster in-overlay, CleanShot is deeper for polished markup. - **Screen Recording.** CleanShot is the clear winner if you need video; Flameshot is image-only. - **Cloud Sharing and Links.** CleanShot Cloud is an integrated sharing pipeline; Flameshot relies on third-party uploads. - **OCR and Text Extraction.** CleanShot includes OCR out of the box; Flameshot does not. - **macOS Integration and Performance.** CleanShot feels native on the Mac; Flameshot feels best on Linux. - **Customisation and Extensibility.** Flameshot wins for CLI and config-file tinkerers. - **Price and Licensing.** Flameshot wins on price, free beats paid if budget is the constraint. ## FAQ ### Is CleanShot X a one-time purchase or a subscription? Both. A $29 one-time license covers one Mac with 1 GB CleanShot Cloud and one year of updates ($19/year renewal for continued updates). CleanShot Cloud Pro is the subscription tier at $8/month billed annually or $10 month-to-month, adding unlimited storage, video uploads, custom domains, SSO, and team management. ### Is Flameshot free for commercial use on macOS? Yes. Flameshot is GPL-3.0, free for personal and commercial use on macOS, Linux, and Windows. You can install it via Homebrew or GitHub releases and use the full annotation editor without paying. ### Which is better for scrolling screenshots of long pages? CleanShot X. Its automatic scrolling capture scrolls and stitches long pages reliably. Flameshot does not have a native scrolling stitch on macOS, so you need to take multiple captures or use a separate stitching tool. ### Does Flameshot record screen video on the Mac? No. Flameshot is image-only. For screen recording on the Mac, use CleanShot X (built-in), QuickTime Player, OBS Studio, or Kap alongside Flameshot. ### Can Flameshot upload to a private cloud like CleanShot Cloud? Flameshot supports uploading to Imgur out of the box and can be scripted to hit other endpoints, but it has no first-party cloud with link management, passwords, or custom domains. If governed links matter, CleanShot Cloud is the purpose-built solution. ### Does CleanShot X work on macOS Tahoe 26.x and Apple Silicon? Yes. CleanShot X is a native, notarised macOS app with Apple Silicon support and active updates for Tahoe 26.x. Flameshot also runs on Apple Silicon via its macOS build, but its Mac polish trails the Linux experience. ### Will Flameshot get scrolling capture or video soon? There is community interest, but as of August 2026 the project has not shipped native scrolling stitch or video recording on macOS. Its roadmap prioritises editor improvements and Linux/Wayland robustness. Watch the GitHub releases page for updates. ### Can I use both tools together? You can, but pick one primary shortcut to avoid overlay conflicts. Many users keep Flameshot as a free backup and use CleanShot for daily capture, sharing, and recording. ## Sources - [CleanShot X Pricing](https://cleanshot.com/pricing/) - [CleanShot X, Screen Capture for Mac](https://cleanshot.com) - [Flameshot, Powerful yet Simple Screenshot Software](https://flameshot.org/) - [Flameshot on GitHub](https://github.com/flameshot-org/flameshot) - [Flameshot on AlternativeTo](https://alternativeto.net/software/flameshot/about/) - [Shottr vs CleanShot X, Setapp Comparison (context for CleanShot Cloud)](https://setapp.com/app-reviews/cleanshot-x-vs-shottr) - [Flameshot Homebrew Cask](https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/flameshot) - [CleanShot Cloud Pro Launch Coverage](https://techtelegraph.co.uk/cleanshot-x-launches-pro-cloud-accounts-with-custom-domains-and-branding-unlimited-storage-self-destructing-links-and-more/) ## Related - [Shottr vs CleanShot X](https://bundl.run/compare/shottr-vs-cleanshot) - [CleanShot X vs Screenshot](https://bundl.run/compare/cleanshot-vs-screenshot) - [Shottr vs Flameshot](https://bundl.run/compare/shottr-vs-flameshot) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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