Markup Hero vs Lightshot
Lightshot is a free download for Windows and Mac that captures part of your screen and uploads it to a short link. Markup Hero also takes screenshots, and adds PDF and Google Drive markup, blur, multi-page documents and sharing settings you control. The biggest difference is privacy: Lightshot's own policy says every uploaded image can be viewed by anyone who has its URL.
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Markup Hero vs. Lightshot at a glance
Checked on November 8, 2026.
Which one should you choose?
Choose Markup Hero if
- You need to mark up PDFs, Google Docs, Sheets or Slides, not only screenshots.
- You want sharing and privacy settings on your links instead of images that anyone with the URL can open.
- You want blur, crop, signatures and multi-page markups in one editor.
- You are on a Chromebook, where the Chrome extension and browser editor work without installing anything else.
- You want the people you share with to add their own annotations to your image.
Choose Lightshot if
- You want a free installed Windows app that takes over the normal Print Screen hotkey.
- You want to save a capture straight to a folder or the clipboard without opening a browser.
- You want to search for images similar to something on your screen.
- Your screenshots are not sensitive and you never want to pay or sign up.
Pricing compared (as of November 2026)
Lightshot's download page offers the Windows and Mac apps with the line "Download Lightshot for free". Its official site does not mention a paid plan.
Markup Hero's Basic plan is free forever with no credit card: 25 markups, annotations stay editable for 24 hours, and uploads up to 8 MB. Premium is $10/month, or $3/month billed yearly ($36/year), and gives unlimited markups, annotations that stay editable forever and 50 MB uploads. Premium Teams is $4 per user per month on an annual plan, and a Lifetime plan is $199 one-time. See pricing for details.
Who can see a screenshot you share
This is the point most worth checking before you upload anything private. Lightshot's privacy policy says every uploaded image, even one in your gallery, is public and has its own URL, and that it "can always be accessed and viewed by anyone who types in that exact URL." Lightshot does not require an account to upload. If you upload private information by mistake, its FAQ says to ask support to remove it or press the abuse button under the image.
On Markup Hero you choose for each markup. A Public markup can be opened by anyone who has its link, the same as a Lightshot link. A Private markup can only be opened by you, and you can send an expiring link when someone else needs to see it. Share links show a thumbnail preview in email, Slack, SMS and social apps.
Platforms and ways to capture
Lightshot lists apps for Windows and Mac plus add-ons for Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Opera. On Windows it replaces the standard screenshot tool and uses the same Print Screen hotkey. The Mac app comes from the Mac App Store. There is no Linux app, though its site says you can run it using Wine.
Markup Hero has free desktop screenshot apps for Mac, Windows and Linux (beta). The default shortcut is Command+Shift+1 on Mac and Ctrl+Shift+1 on Windows, and each screenshot opens in the Markup Hero editor in your browser. There is also a free Chrome extension with full-page (scrolling) screenshots and a Firefox add-on. Markup Hero has no Safari extension and no native phone app, but the editor works in any modern desktop, mobile or tablet browser.
Editing tools and file types
Lightshot lets you edit a screenshot as you take it or later in its online editor. You can copy a selection to the clipboard with Ctrl+C or save it to a folder without a Save As dialog, and its FAQ lists PNG, BMP and JPG as the supported formats. It also has a similar image search for anything you select on screen.
Markup Hero's editor has text, arrows, lines, rectangles, ovals, a pen and a highlighter, plus 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 through the Google Drive app, and use the AI Magic tool to copy text out of an image. Download as PNG or export to PDF. Editing needs an internet connection, since there is no offline editor.
Keeping track of past screenshots
To see all the screenshots you have taken with Lightshot, you need an account on prntscr.com, and new uploads are then added to your gallery. Its privacy policy adds that the gallery is not intended for secure image storage.
In Markup Hero you can give markups titles, star favorites, sort them into collections, add tags and search your history. Teams can invite and manage members with centralized billing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lightshot free?
Yes. Lightshot's download page says "Download Lightshot for free" for both Windows and Mac, and its official site does not mention a paid plan. Markup Hero is also free to start, with a Basic plan of 25 markups and Premium from $3/month billed yearly.
Are Lightshot screenshots private?
Not by design. Lightshot's privacy policy says every uploaded image is public, has its own URL, and can be viewed by anyone who types in that exact URL. If a screenshot holds private information, check the policy first. On Markup Hero you can keep a markup Private, so only you can open it.
How do I delete a Lightshot screenshot I uploaded by mistake?
Lightshot's FAQ says you can ask its support team at support@skillbrains.com to remove the screenshot from prntscr.com, or press the abuse button under the image on its website.
Does Lightshot work on Linux or a Chromebook?
Lightshot says it has no Linux app yet, but you can run it using Wine. Its site lists a Chrome extension but does not say whether it supports Chromebooks. Markup Hero's Chrome extension and browser editor both work in Chrome on a Chromebook, and it has a beta Linux app.
Can I annotate a PDF with Lightshot?
Lightshot's site does not mention PDFs; its FAQ lists PNG, BMP and JPG as supported formats. Markup Hero can import a multi-page PDF, annotate or sign it, and export the result back to PDF. You can try it now without an account.
Does Markup Hero have a free plan?
Yes. The Basic plan is free forever with no credit card. It includes 25 markups, annotations editable for 24 hours and uploads up to 8 MB. You can create a free account or start straight away at markuphero.com/new.
Prices and features checked on November 8, 2026 on each product's own website: app.prntscr.com, app.prntscr.com, app.prntscr.com, app.prntscr.com, app.prntscr.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.
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