catu vs CleanShot X
CleanShot X is a mature, much-loved screenshot and recording app for the Mac, sold once, with CleanShot Cloud for links. catu is a Mac app for the same captures plus clipboard history and dictation, free, with links encrypted on the Mac before upload.
- You want the capture app free, and pay only if you share: €4,16 a month for unlimited links and 100 GB.
- You want clipboard history and on-device dictation in the same app.
- You want links encrypted on your Mac before upload, with passwords and expiry on the one plan.
- Viewers should comment at a moment in the video and you should see how many watched, and where from.
- You'd rather pay once ($35) and own the app, or you already have Setapp.
- You want its deeper screenshot tools: twenty background presets, pinned screenshots you can click through, project files you can edit later.
- You polish recordings in the app with Studio Mode: smart zooms, motion blur, vertical exports.
- Your team needs a custom domain, SSO or SCIM on its cloud.
| Side by side | catu | CleanShot X |
|---|---|---|
| Capture | ||
| Screenshots: area, window, whole screen | ||
| Scrolling capture of long pages | ||
| Screenshot editor: arrows, text, steps, blur | ||
| Screenshots on a background, for posts and slides | ||
| Copy text from the screen (OCR) | ||
| Screen recording with camera and microphone | ||
| System audio in recordings | ||
| Draw on the screen while recording | Not listed | |
| Clicks shown in recordings | ||
| Clipboard history | Capture history only | |
| Dictation, transcribed on the device | macOS 26 | Not listed |
| Sharing | ||
| Share as a link | ||
| Link ready as the recording ends (uploads while you record) | Not listed | |
| Share any file from the Mac as a link | Up to 200 MB | Not listed |
| Password on a link | Pro | |
| Links that expire | 7, 30, 90 days or never | Not listed |
| Comments pinned to a moment in a video | ||
| Viewers comment without an account | Not listed | |
| View statistics | First-view alert | |
| Encrypted on your device before upload | On their servers | |
| Editing, price and platforms | ||
| Video editor, with AI | In the browser, Web app | Studio Mode, in the Mac app |
| Platforms | Mac, iPhone, web | Mac |
| Free | The whole Mac app | No; $35 once |
| Paid plan, one person | €4,16 a month, yearly | $35 once, or Pro $10 a month |
Where CleanShot X is ahead
- CleanShot X has been refined since 2018 and its screenshot tools go deeper in places: twenty background presets, pinned screenshots you can click through, editable project files.
- You can buy it once for $35, with a year of updates, and use it with no cloud at all. It is also in Setapp.
- Studio Mode polishes recordings in the app: smart zooms, smoother cursor, motion blur, vertical and square exports.
- Its cloud has team features: custom domain and branding, SSO and SCIM, and ISO 27001 certification.
Where catu is ahead
- The catu Mac app is free, and includes clipboard history and dictation, which CleanShot doesn't have.
- What you share is encrypted on your Mac before it is uploaded; CleanShot Cloud encrypts on its servers.
- One catu plan covers unlimited links, passwords, expiry dates and 100 GB; CleanShot's included cloud has 1 GB, and passwords need Pro at $10 a person a month.
- Every catu link shows views per day and by country; viewers comment at a moment in the video by giving a name.
- There is a catu iPhone app, and a video editor with AI in the browser.
Questions
Which costs less?
CleanShot X is $35 once with a year of updates ($19 a year after that), including 1 GB of cloud; CleanShot Pro is $10 a person a month billed yearly. The Mac app is free. Sharing, the web Library and comments are the Web app plan: €4,99 a month, or €49,90 a year (€4,16 a month), with a 14-day free trial.
Does catu have scrolling capture and OCR like CleanShot?
Yes. Scrolling capture of long pages and copying text from the screen (⇧⌘5) are both in the free Mac app, and both run on your Mac.
Can I use both?
Yes, as long as each has its own keyboard shortcuts. catu's can be changed in its Settings.
What we say about CleanShot X was checked on 5 November 2026 from cleanshot.com/pricing, cleanshot.com/features, cleanshot.com/product/cloud, cleanshot.com/security. Prices and features change; if something here is out of date, tell us and we’ll fix it. CleanShot is a trademark of its owners; catu is not affiliated with CleanShot.