Markup Hero vs Zight (formerly CloudApp)
Zight, the company formerly called CloudApp, records screen videos and GIFs and shares screenshots, with desktop, Chrome and mobile apps. Markup Hero focuses on still images: screenshots, PDFs and Google Drive files that you annotate in the browser and share by link. If your team explains things with video, choose Zight. If you mainly mark up images and documents, Markup Hero costs less and you can start without an account.
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Markup Hero vs. Zight (formerly CloudApp) at a glance
Checked on November 8, 2026.
Which one should you choose?
Choose Markup Hero if
- You mainly annotate screenshots, images and multi-page PDFs rather than record video.
- You want to mark up Google Docs, Sheets and Slides straight from Google Drive.
- You want to try it right now without creating an account.
- You want a lower price: Premium is $3/month billed yearly, or $199 one-time for Lifetime.
Choose Zight (formerly CloudApp) if
- You record your screen or webcam to explain things, with transcripts and AI summaries on paid plans.
- You want native iPhone, iPad and Android apps.
- You want customers or colleagues to record their screen for you from a link, with no account or install.
- Your organization needs SSO, HIPAA compliance or premium help desk integrations.
CloudApp is now Zight
If you are looking for CloudApp, it is now called Zight. Zight's press page says CloudApp was the company's name until it became Zight in 2023, with the same product and the same team. Today it covers screenshots, screen recording and GIFs, plus AI features and video requests.
Pricing compared (as of November 2026)
Zight's Share plan is free with no credit card: you can record videos, request videos, share screenshots and make 15-second GIFs. Create is $9.95 per user per month and Collaborate is $12 per user per month, both billed annually; Create adds unlimited uploads and recording time. Scale is priced through sales. Paid plans can also be billed monthly, and Zight says annual billing saves 20%.
Markup Hero's Basic plan is free forever with no credit card: 25 markups, annotations editable for 24 hours and uploads up to 8 MB. Premium is $10/month, or $3/month billed yearly ($36/year). Premium Teams is $4 per user per month on an annual plan, and Lifetime is $199 one-time. See pricing.
Video and recording: Zight's strength
Zight records your screen, your webcam or both, and copies the link to the finished recording to your clipboard. Paid plans add recording up to 4K, automatic transcription, captions and summaries. Video Requests let you send someone a link so they can record their screen and send it back without an account or an install.
Markup Hero does not do screen recording or video capture of any kind. If video is a big part of how you work, Zight is the better fit.
Screenshots, PDFs and annotation
Zight captures the full screen, one window or a region, uploads the image as you take it and puts a share link on your clipboard. Its plan table lists annotation with shapes, arrows, lines, text and a marker, plus scrolling screenshots, on every plan.
Markup Hero has text, arrows, lines, rectangles, ovals, a pen and a highlighter, blur to permanently hide sensitive information, crop, inserted images and signatures. You can import a multi-page PDF, mark up Google Docs, Sheets and Slides with the Google Drive app, and use the AI Magic tool to copy text out of an image. People you share with can add their own annotations.
Platforms and accounts
Zight has a Mac app, a Windows app, a Chrome extension, an iOS app and an Android app. You need a free account to capture and share, because recordings are stored in your workspace, but anyone can open a shared link without an account.
Markup Hero's editor runs in any modern desktop, mobile or tablet browser, and you can try it now with no account. Free desktop screenshot apps are available for Mac, Windows and Linux (beta), plus a Chrome extension and a Firefox add-on. There is no native phone app and no offline editor.
Frequently asked questions
Is CloudApp the same as Zight?
Yes. Zight says CloudApp was the company's name until it became Zight in 2023, with the same product and the same team.
Is Zight free?
Zight has a free Share plan with no credit card required. It lets you record videos, request videos, share screenshots and make 15-second GIFs. Paid plans start at $9.95 per user per month, billed annually (as of November 2026).
Is Markup Hero cheaper than Zight?
For one person, yes. Markup Hero Premium is $3/month billed yearly or $10/month, and Lifetime is $199 one-time. Zight's paid plans are $9.95 or $12 per user per month, billed annually, and include video features that Markup Hero does not have.
Can Markup Hero record my screen like Zight?
No. Markup Hero does not record video of any kind. It is a tool for screenshots, images and PDFs. If you need screen or webcam recording, Zight includes it.
Do I need an account to use Zight or Markup Hero?
Zight needs a free account to capture and share, although people you send links to do not need one. Markup Hero lets you start at markuphero.com/new with no sign up or credit card, and you can create a free account later to keep your markups.
Can I annotate a PDF with Markup Hero?
Yes. Import a multi-page PDF, add text, arrows, highlights and signatures, then share a link or export it back to PDF with all pages.
Prices and features checked on November 8, 2026 on each product's own website: zight.com, zight.com, zight.com, zight.com. Prices can change; check the vendor's site before you buy.
More comparisons: Markup Hero vs. other screenshot tools.
New and coming soon from Markup Hero
Photo reports are live in SuperHero plans, and two more tools are on the way. Join a waitlist to get early access.
Markup Hero for teams in: