Snagit alternatives in 2026
Snagit is a paid desktop app for Windows and Mac that captures screenshots, records video and builds step-by-step guides. If you mostly need screenshots with arrows, text and blur, several free or cheaper tools cover that. Below are eight options with their prices as of November 2026, the computers they run on, and what each does better or worse than Snagit. If you record a lot of video or make how-to guides, read the last section first.
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The options at a glance
Checked on November 8, 2026.
What to check before you switch from Snagit
Snagit does many jobs in one app, so start with the jobs you actually use. Four questions narrow the list quickly.
- Do you record video? ShareX, CleanShot X, Zight, Snipping Tool (Windows 11) and the macOS Screenshot app record the screen. Markup Hero does not.
- Which computers? Greenshot, ShareX and Snipping Tool are Windows-first, CleanShot X is Mac only, and Markup Hero runs in any modern browser.
- How do you share? Some tools save files to your computer; others upload and give you a link. Check who can open that link.
- How do you want to pay? Options range from free, to a one-time license, to a yearly subscription.
Markup Hero: browser-based markup with share links
Markup Hero is a screenshot and annotation tool that runs in any modern web browser. Free desktop screenshot apps for Mac, Windows and Linux (beta) and a Chrome extension with scrolling screenshots send each capture to the browser editor. There you add text, arrows, shapes, blur and signatures, mark up multi-page PDFs and Google Docs, and share a link that others can annotate too.
The free Basic plan allows 25 markups, with annotations editable for 24 hours and 8 MB per upload. Premium is $10/month, or $3/month billed yearly ($36/year), and Lifetime is $199 one-time. You can try it now without an account.
- Good for: sharing marked-up screenshots and PDFs by link, Chromebooks, and teams on mixed computers.
- Not for: screen recording or offline editing. It has neither, and its desktop apps open captures in the browser editor.
Greenshot: free and open source for Windows
Greenshot is a light-weight screenshot tool for Windows that is completely free and open source under the GPL. It captures a region, a window or the full screen, and its editor lets you annotate, highlight or obscure parts of a screenshot before you save, print, email or upload it. It needs Windows 10 or later. A Mac version costs $1.99, and the team says there are no plans for a Linux version. See Greenshot or our Markup Hero vs Greenshot comparison.
- Good for: Windows users who want a free editor on their own PC, including uploads to Jira.
- Not for: Linux users. Greenshot's own site mentions scrolling page capture only for Internet Explorer.
ShareX: free and open source, with screen recording
ShareX is a free and open source screenshot tool for Windows with no account and no advertisements. It does far more than capture: screen recording, GIF recording, scrolling capture, text recognition (OCR), an image editor with blur and pixelate, and automated uploads to many destinations, with the link copied for you. Builds for macOS and Linux are in preview. Details are on getsharex.com and in our Markup Hero vs ShareX comparison.
- Good for: Windows power users who want free screen recording and custom upload workflows.
- Not for: people who want a simple tool on a Mac or Chromebook; the Mac and Linux builds are still a preview.
Lightshot: free quick captures with short links
Lightshot is a free capture tool for Windows and Mac, with browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, IE and Opera. You can edit a screenshot as you take it or later in its online editor, then upload it to get a short link right away. You do not need an account to upload. There is no Linux app, though Lightshot says it can run under Wine. See our Markup Hero vs Lightshot comparison.
- Good for: very fast captures you want to send as a link in seconds.
- Not for: confidential images. Lightshot's privacy policy says every uploaded image can be viewed by anyone who types in its exact URL.
CleanShot X: a Mac app with recording and cloud links
CleanShot X is designed only for macOS and needs macOS 13.0 or newer; its makers say there are no plans for a Windows version. It records the screen with webcam, audio, click highlights and key presses, exports video or GIFs, takes scrolling captures, and copies text from images on your device. CleanShot Basic is $35, pay once, with one year of updates and 1 GB of cloud storage; renewal is optional at $19 per year. Pro is $10 per user/mo, billed annually. See our Markup Hero vs CleanShot X comparison.
- Good for: Mac users who want a native app that both captures and records, without a subscription.
- Not for: Windows or Chromebook users.
Zight (formerly CloudApp): recordings and screenshots in one workspace
Zight is the company that was called CloudApp until 2023. Its free Share plan lets you record videos, share screenshots and make 15-second GIFs, with no credit card. The Create plan is $9.95 per user / month and Collaborate is $12 per user / month, both billed annually. There are apps for Mac, Windows, iOS and Android plus a Chrome extension. You need a free account to capture and share, while viewers need no account. See our Markup Hero vs Zight comparison.
- Good for: teams that send screen recordings and screenshots as links every day.
- Not for: capturing without an account, since recordings are stored in your Zight workspace.
Snipping Tool: free from Microsoft for Windows
Snipping Tool is a free Microsoft app for Windows. Press Windows logo key + Shift + S to capture a rectangle, freeform shape, window or the full screen, or Windows logo key + Shift + R to record a video clip on Windows 11. You can mark up with pen, highlighter and shapes, copy text with Text actions, and quick redact emails and phone numbers. Every snip is saved to your Screenshots folder. See our Markup Hero vs Snipping Tool comparison.
- Good for: quick captures and short screen recordings on Windows at no cost.
- Not for: Mac or Chromebook users.
macOS Screenshot and Markup: already on your Mac
A Mac can capture the screen without extra software. Shift-Command-3 captures the screen, Shift-Command-4 a portion, and Shift-Command-5 opens the Screenshot app, which can also record the whole screen, a window or a portion, with a timer and microphone. Click the floating thumbnail to mark up the screenshot. Markup lets you write, sign, draw on, crop or rotate PDFs and images, and it also appears in Preview, Mail and Notes. Apple's guide to taking screenshots on Mac lists every shortcut.
- Good for: Mac users with simple needs who want nothing to install.
- Not for: Windows or Chromebook users.
When to stay on Snagit
Snagit, now sold as Camtasia Snagit, costs $39.00 per user per year for Snagit Individual as of November 2026, and it is included in all Camtasia plans. It runs on Windows 10 and 11 and on macOS 14 or newer. It records your screen, microphone, system audio and webcam, and Step Capture turns your clicks into a shareable guide. Smart Redact hides emails, phone numbers and card details, and Themes keep captures consistent. See TechSmith's Snagit page or our Markup Hero vs Snagit comparison.
- Stay on Snagit if you make how-to guides or training material every week.
- Stay on Snagit if you need video, screenshots and branded templates in one desktop app.
Frequently asked questions
What is a free alternative to Snagit?
For Windows, Greenshot, ShareX, Lightshot and Snipping Tool are free. On a Mac, the built-in Screenshot app and Markup are free. Markup Hero has a free Basic plan with 25 markups that runs in any modern browser, and Zight has a free Share plan. Which fits depends on whether you need video and how you share.
Is there a free Snagit alternative that records the screen?
Yes. ShareX records the screen and GIFs on Windows, Snipping Tool records video snips on Windows 11, and the macOS Screenshot app records the whole screen, a window or a portion. Zight's free Share plan also records videos. Markup Hero does not record video.
What is a good Snagit alternative for Mac?
CleanShot X is a Mac-only app with screenshots and recording for a one-time $35 Basic license. The built-in Screenshot app and Markup cost nothing. Markup Hero has a free Mac screenshot app that opens each capture in its browser editor, and Greenshot has a Mac version for $1.99.
What can I use instead of Snagit on a Chromebook?
Snagit's store page lists Windows 10 and 11 and macOS 14 or newer. On a Chromebook, the Markup Hero Chrome extension and browser editor work in Chrome with nothing else to install. Zight and Lightshot also list Chrome extensions.
Which Snagit alternatives can mark up PDFs?
Markup Hero imports multi-page PDFs, adds text, arrows, highlights and signatures, and exports a PDF; see how to annotate a PDF. On a Mac, Markup can write, sign and draw on PDF documents. Most of the other tools here are built for screenshots rather than PDFs.
Are screenshot share links private?
It depends on the tool. Lightshot's privacy policy says any uploaded image can be viewed by anyone who types in its exact URL. Zight says anyone can open its share links without an account. Markup Hero has custom sharing and privacy settings for each markup.
Prices and features checked on November 8, 2026 on each product's own website: techsmith.com, techsmith.com, getgreenshot.org, getgreenshot.org, getgreenshot.org, getgreenshot.org, getsharex.com, getsharex.com, app.prntscr.com, app.prntscr.com, app.prntscr.com, cleanshot.com, cleanshot.com, zight.com, zight.com, zight.com, apps.microsoft.com, support.microsoft.com, support.apple.com, support.apple.com, support.apple.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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