Free Snagit Alternative Mac
The Best 143 Snagit Alternatives 538 Like. Greenshot is a light-weight screenshot tool optimized for productivity with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) support. Free Mac OS X Windows Chrome Firefox. Jul 30, 2021 This tool is a huge help, especially for those gamers, teaching professions, and business persons. It is a free Snagit alternative for mac and windows; therefore, everyone can use it. The best thing about it is high-quality recording software with numerous formats, including MP4, MOV, WMA, MP3, JPG, PNG and GIF, etc.
So, you’re on your desktop and you find yourself needing to do a quick screengrab. What do you do? Do you just buy Snagit because the internet has been force-feeding it to you for years? Or do you roll up your sleeves and decide to look for a free alternative to Snagit?
Snagit is a program that works as a screen recorder with an image screen capturing tool, a snipping tool, and video/audio recording capabilities. Here’s the thing, though, there are so many other programs like Snagit that are free, and, dare we say, even better.
Is there a free version of Snagit?
Let’s get this out of the way now; no, THERE IS NO FREE VERSION OF SNAGIT.
Snagit is available to purchase for $49.95.
Snagit Free Download
Why you have to pay for a tool so simple as screen capture is beyond our understanding, but Snagit only comes in a premium package.
Snagit Alternatives at a Glance
Platforms | Capture Video? | Built-in Editor? | Private Sharing? | Free Version Unlimited? | Best Feature | |
ScreenRec | Windows | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Private Sharing Link |
TuneFab Screen Recorder | Windows | Yes | Yes | No | No | Real-time editing |
Windows Snipping Tool | Windows | Yes | No | No | Yes | Built-in to Windows OS |
Greenshot | Windows | No | Yes | No | Yes | Incredibly easy-to-follow interface |
Lightshot | Windows | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No need to download or install |
Jing | Windows | No | Yes | Yes | No | Easy to use editor |
PicPick | Windows | No | Yes | Yes | No | Extensive editing features |
TinyTake | Windows | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Can add text to recorded videos |
Screen spresso | Windows | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Built-in document generator |
Shutter | Linux | No | Yes | No | Yes | Additional plugins for effects |
ShareX | Windows | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Dozens of upload destinations |
Steam | Windows | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Easily take screenshots during gameplay |
SnapDraw | Windows | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Professional image effects |
The best free alternatives to Snagit
1. Screenrec
Screenrec is a powerful alternative to Snagit for Windows (Lastest Windows 10, 8, 7 are supported), Linux and Mac. It is both screenshot capture tool and screen recording software . Powered by StreamingVideoProvider , Screenrec uses a sophisticated algorithm to upload your recording to the cloud in real time. So, as soon as you finish recording, you instantly get a shareable link.
The interface is mind-blowingly simple. Capturing screencasts or screenshots is as easy as opening the app, selecting your capture area, and pressing a button. It comes with a very simple but yet powerful screenshot annotation tool and lets you add comments, draw rectangles and arrows or add text.
You have the option of recording audio from a mic or your system, or both. Yes, both! That, plus the ability to record unlimited videos for free, makes Screenrec the best free alternative to Snagit.
Screenrec does much more than Snagit (and for $0) which makes it the best snagit alternative
Pros:
- Instant private link sharing
- Can record HD video with webcam
Cons:
- No Mac version (Coming Soon)
2. TuneFab Screen Recorder
TuneFab Screen Recorder is also a great Snagit alternative that is perfectly compatible with Windows and Mac systems. It provides 4 different modes to capture any screen activity easily, including the video recorder, audio recorder, webcam recorder, and screen capture function. You can flexibly record any type of content revealed on the desktop screens. It supports common video/audio formats such as MP4, MOV, AVI, GIF, MP3, M4A, AAC, and more.
Besides the basic screen recording functions, some advanced functions are offered. For example, its real-time editing panel makes it convenient to draw and add notes while recording. Before saving a recording, you can also trim or cut some unnecessary parts or adjust the sound volume to create a satisfying screen recording.
When the recording task is completed, you will also have a shortcut to upload and share the recorded content to popular social media platforms. And the greatest part is that the video recording doesn't even come with a watermark!
For first-time users, the free version can only support recording video within 3 minutes, but its screen capture feature doesn’t have any limits.
Pros:
- Intuitive UI and useful hotkeys
- Can record webcam and set a specific recording length
Cons:
- Free trial limits the recording to 3 minutes only
- Few video editing tools
3. Windows Snipping Tool
The Windows snipping tool is a PC screenshot tool that is included in Windows Vista and later by default. It simply takes a “photo” of the screen. Whether it’s an open window, rectangular area, free-form area or the entire full screen itself, the snipping tool makes it easy.
When you have a snip, you can add annotation or edit the image.
Now, you might be thinking, “How is it free if it comes with Windows?” Yes, technically you have to buy Windows , but since you don’t have to purchase the screenshot tool separately, we’ll say it’s free.
So, if you want to capture the contents of the screen and don’t want to pay 50 bucks for something so basic, the Windows Snipping Tool works as a viable alternative to Snagit. But, if you need to record a video of your screen, you’re out of luck.
The Snipping Tool is a simple screenshot utility built into Windows
Pros:
- No need for download
- Can copy image to clipboard
Cons:
- Lack-luster editing
- Can’t insert a text box
4. Greenshot
Greenshot is a free and open source screen-capture tool that can serve as a Snagit free alternative for Windows 7. It is quite unfortunate that Greenshot is only compatible with Windows, but hey, it’s free, so we can’t judge.
Greenshot is a fairly simple program that gives you all you need when capturing screenshots. It is very lightweight and refrains from making you climb a steep learning curve.
We are lazy. Give us something that we can understand in five minutes. That’s what Greenshot does and it makes us happy.
Greenshot is simple, lightweight screenshot software
Pros:
- Simple interface
- Lightweight app
Cons:
- Can’t screen record
- Insecure file sharing to Imgur
5. Lightshot
Lightshot is yet another free software like Snagit (well, besides the ‘free’ part obviously). Lightshot, available in Google Chrome Web Store , is a browser extension app that not only allows you to easily take a screenshot, but allows you to upload it to the server and creates a short link, similar to Screenrec .
With Lightshot, you can also search for images similar to the one you captured. We’re not exactly sure what the point of that is, but it’s cool nonetheless. Either way, Lightshot is still a free Snagit alternative worth downloading for Chrome users.
It is worth mentioning, however, that these plugins often cause lagging.
Lightshot is a free Chrome extension that allows you to capture screenshots
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Powerful online editor
Cons:
- Must create an account and upload to save and edit screenshots
- Lacks security when you upload to edit pics
6. Jing
Jing is an interesting alternative to Snagit in that they were both created and released by TechSmith . With both a free and premium version, Jing allowed you to record audio and video then upload directly to the internet automatically creating a shareable link.
You’ve probably noticed that we used the term “allowed”, in the past tense. That is because Jing is no longer available for video capture and has been replaced with Snagit.
But before you begin shouting at us, you should know that Jing can still be used for simple image capturing and, yes, it is still free. It may have lost a capability or two, but it’s still a Snagit alternative.
Jing is another screenshot utility by Techsmith (the creators of Snagit)
Pros:
- Basic editing features that don’t require a learning curve
- Can be saved in multiple formats
Cons:
- Can no longer record videos
- App can be taxing on systems causing lagging
7. PicPick
We’re going to keep this one as simple as the app itself. PicPick is an easy screen capture tool that allows you to extensively edit the image you’ve captured. With cool graphics accessories like a color picker, pixel ruler, and color palette, there are hundreds of ways to edit and design anything on your screen.
Their free version excludes you from automatic updates and tech support (which we found quite rude) but it’s not a bad alternative to Snagit for Windows. You certainly won’t be displeased… unless you end up needing support, then yes, you are on your own.
PickPick captures screenshots and lets you edit them
Pros:
- Can capture rolling screen
- Advanced photo editor
Cons:
- Editor may be a little hard to get used to
- Can only share publicly
8. TinyTake
TinyTake is in the same realm as Screenrec in that it allows for video and image capture for free. Yet, unlike Screenrec, you can only record up to 5 minutes of video.
You have the ability to add text to your recording and share it online. It’s fairly easy to use with a simple interface and easy to understand options.
Sadly, it is only available for Windows. So, all you Mac and Linux users, we apologize on their behalf. Yet, we can’t be too hard on TinyTake. There aren’t too many free Snagit alternatives for windows that can record video along with images.
TinyTake is one of the free Snagit alternatives that can also record video
Pros:
- Can capture webcam
- Can blur sensitive information
Cons:
- Limited recording time
- Only available for Windows.
9. Screenpresso
Screenpresso sounds like an app that’s exclusive to coffee shop owners, but don’t worry, it’s available to anyone. Adding to our list of image and video captures for free, Screenpresso fits snuggly among the elites.
Simple, easy to use, minimal interface, immediate sharing. You know the drill. The recurring issue, however: it is only available for Windows. It is still a sweeter option than the $50 Snagit.
Screenpresso is a simple image screen capturing tool
Pros:
- Has a document generator
- Can delay capture
Cons:
- Limit on video recorder
- Comes with watermark
10. Shutter
Hey, Ubuntu /Linux users! Have we got an app for you! Shutter swings in to attempt to help you capture your computer screen. If you’re looking for a simple Linux screenshot tool , this could be it.
Video capture is not available, but they make up for this flaw with fairly decent editing features and available plugins for cool effects. It is without a doubt worth a shot for Ubuntu loyalists that don’t need to record screen video.
Shutter is an image screen capturing tool for Linux/Ubuntu
Pros:
- Open-source which allows for additional editing features and effects
- Can upload directly to sharing sites
Cons:
- Only for Linux
- Can’t capture video
11. ShareX
This Windows-only screen tool doesn’t just give Snagit a run for its money, it’s also a direct competitor of the Windows Snipping Tool, and it seems to be doing a fine job of it. Share X is a busy little app that seems to jam-pack tons of features into a single desktop app.
There are dozens of editing features including a color picker, image splitter, image combiner, and of course your basics like annotation and blur effects. You can even upload your screen grabs to over one dozen sites. There are just so many features and so many options, does anyone else have decision fatigue?
Pros:
- Extensive editing features
- 19 annotation tools
Cons:
- Too many options flood the user interface with multiple menus and drop-down options making it difficult to find what you’re looking for
- No instant link for easier sharing
12. Steam
For you gamers out there, you don’t have to rely on an app that is best suited for enterprises. For you, there’s a not-so-little app called Steam . Steam is an easy to use screen recorder, live stream app, and screenshot tool.
While in gameplay, you can simply press F12 on Windows or Option+fn+F12 on Mac to capture an in-game screenshot. After the screenshot is automatically saved to the Steam cloud, you can edit it with basic annotation features and upload it to Steam or share it on Facebook.
Pros:
- Simple screenshot hotkey
- Can manipulate computer screen before taking a screenshot
Cons:
- Can only be used for screenshotting gameplay
- Limited sharing options
13. SnapDraw
Talk about professional features in a free app! ScreenRec isn’t the only one. While SnapDraw can’t record video, it makes up for it with the awesome screenshot editing capabilities. Yes, you can capture regions of your screen and fullscreen. Yes, you can capture a webcam.
But it’s what you can do with your captures that makes SnapDraw a better free alternative to SnagIt. You can turn any of your images into 3D. It can also capture transparency/translucency. If that weren’t enough, you can also arrange and manipulate screenshots and set background colors or images.
Pros:
- High-quality editing features
- Simple user-interface
Cons:
- Doesn’t record video
- No easy way to share
What is the best Snagit alternative?
We’ll leave that decision up to you. Each program offers unique features and tools, but in our opinion, Screenrec takes the cake. It is the only tool that runs on most operating systems such as Windows, Linux and Mac, captures images as well as it works as a video recorder and offers instant sharing. Screenrec is a triple threat that no other free screen capture tool has been able to match.
Conclusion
In all, Snagit hurts our brains and our wallets. It doesn’t offer nearly enough features or capabilities to not be free. With 9 proven top snagit alternatives, you have plenty of options though. We hope this breakdown has been helpful and you will find here the right tool for your needs.
Snagit is a screen capture tool that can record your desktop and grab screenshots. Camtasia can record your screen but can't capture screenshots. Camtasia is designed for more professional video editing and it has many more options compared to SnagIt. In short, SnagIt is like an easier, more basic version of Camtasia that can capture screenshots.
Yes. Go to the Video tab and select the option that best fits your use case. You can capture your desktop with the cursor and include your webcam (face cam) if you want.
Yes, you can record the computer audio. Go to the Video tab and switch on 'Record System Audio'.
References and Further Reading?
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The Microsoft Snipping Tool has been around since Windows Vista. Sadly, it hasn’t improved much and that’s why many people end up googling “ the best free snipping tool alternatives”.
In recent versions of Windows 10, the Snipping Tool was replaced by Snip & Sketch. You’d think that would be an enhanced snipping tool… But no.
Just like the old Windows screenshot utility, Snip & Sketch still cannot save your images as a .jpg or .gif. And if you want editing tools like arrows or callouts, you can just forget about that. No need to worry, though. We’ve created a round-up of the 8 best free snipping tool alternatives (that you won’t find in the Microsoft Store).
How To Choose A Screenshot (Snipping) Tool
In order to settle on the best Snipping Tool alternative, you need to ask yourself a few questions…
| ❑ | Do I want to add annotations? |
| ❑ | Do I want it to work across operating systems? |
| ❑ | Do I want a light interface with user-friendly options? |
| ❑ | Do I want to be able to share quickly and securely? |
Keeping that in mind, let’s review the contenders!
Top 8 Free Snipping Tool Alternatives
1. Screenrec
Possibly the best Snipping Tool alternative, ScreenRec offers pretty much the easiest way to snip on Windows. All you have to do is remember a simple keyboard shortcut (Alt-S).
Best For…
ScreenRec is a high-resolution snipping tool which makes it perfect for anyone who wants to take hd screenshots with a single button, annotate them, and share them in a matter of minutes. This screenshot software automatically saves your screenshots to the cloud.
Platform
Windows, Mac, and Linux
2. Snipping Tool ++
If you search for “Microsoft snipping tool download”, you’ll probably come across Snipping Tool++ which resembles the built-in Windows utility a lot. It can capture any boxed or free form region and gives you basic editing options.
Snipping Tool ++ may not be fancy, but it does have an easy-to-use interface as well as the ability to configure the Print Screen key to open the app. This Windows screenshot app doesn’t have many editing and annotation options to crowd it.
In order to use Snipping Tool ++, you’ll need to have Java Runtime Environment installed on your system beforehand. Nonetheless, if you’re looking for a simple snipping tool you can download on Windows 7, 8 or 10, Snipping Tool ++ is worth giving a shot.
Best For…
Snipping Tool ++ is for anyone who wants a basic, easy to use screen capture tool.
Platform
Windows only
3. Greenshot
Greenshot happens to be a very light screenshot snipping tool that’s both free and open source. There aren’t too many features, but it still has Windows Snipping Tool beat as it allows you to edit your image by cropping or annotating it.
Greenshot lets you upload your screenshots directly within the app to multiple image sharing sites. It’s not a secure way to share your screenshots, but at least it’s easy.
Although there are no advanced features, Greenshot is still one of the best free snipping tools for Windows 7, 8, 10 because it’s extremely easy to use.
Best For…
Greenshot is best suited for users who don’t care too much about fancy features and would like to upload their screenshots directly to public social media sites.
Platforms
Windows only
4. Lightshot
Often named a “Greenshot alternative”, Lightshot is a Windows screen snipping tool that lets you quickly take a picture of your desktop or a selected region and share it. A bit like ScreenRec, you instantly get a shareable link and can upload your image to Lightshot’s servers. Lightshot also has an image search feature that allows you to search for images similar to your own.
One of the biggest problems with the Windows built-in tool is its inability to create a variety of outputs for your image. Meaning, there is no way for you to save your image as any other format than .png. With Lightshot, you can save your image as a .jpg or .gif or even .pdf.
Best For…
Lightshot is one of the best free snipping tools for Windows 10 for those who want to take screenshots and edit them within the same app without hassle.
Platforms
Windows, Mac, browser extension.
5. Screenpresso
The Microsoft Snipping Tool is free to download and so is Screenpresso. That’s where the similarities end.
Screenpresso is a snipping tool alternative for Windows 10 and earlier that can record audio/video like ScreenRec and export screenshots in different formats like Lightshot. The iOS app can also come in handy when you need mobile screen capturing and editing. Unfortunately, it is not available for Android, but we’ll take what we can get.
Best For…
Screenpresso best suited for professionals who are always on the move and want a quick screenshot app for both desktop and mobile.
Platforms
Microsoft Windows, iPhone, iPad
6. PicPick
PicPick is practically an image editor disguised as a freeware snipping tool. Seriously, it has editing options that you may find somewhere in something as professional as Photoshop. From color picker to a pixel ruler and even a color palette, there’s no shortage of editing capabilities.
With editing capabilities like watermarking, motion blur and brightness control, PicPick makes Snipping Tool look like Microsoft Paint in comparison.
Best For…
PicPick is for those who wish to have a large selection of editing options.
Platforms
Windows
7. DuckCapture
Don’t let the silly name fool you. DuckCapture is anything but silly when it comes down to application and user-friendliness. Its screenshot abilities, editing options, and sharing capabilities make it a great snipping tool alternative available for free.
In terms of capturing screenshots, you can take images of specific regions, the full screen, or a scrolling window. Once you’ve captured your image, you can use the annotation tools to mark up your image as you see fit. Share your screenshots via email or FTP.Best For…
DuckCapture is one of the best screenshot programs for those who want to easily screen grab and need to a lot of editing options.
Platforms
Windows, Mac OS X
8. Jing
Jing is that elusive creature that captured everyone’s attention when it stepped onto the scene. But over the years it began to fade further and further into the abyss of the Internet that’s continually trying to keep up with our ever-shrinking attention spans.
- In the beginning, you were able to record audio/video along with full screen snips. Not anymore. Now, it’s just an image snipping tool available for free download.
We’re not complaining, though. The interface is far simpler than that of the Snipping Tool and it doesn’t require genius-level brain functioning to open the app.
Best For…
Jing is suited for people who don’t want the fancy features but will appreciate the simplicity of a reliable piece of screenshot software.
Platforms
Windows and Mac
The Verdict: Which Is The Best Free Snipping Tool?
We fully believe that ScreenRec is the best free snipping tool alternative for Windows 7, 8 or 10. Besides, it works on Mac and Linux, too.
But why do we say that? Because no other app can quickly and efficiently allow you to snip a screenshot, annotate it, and share it privately as well as ScreenRec can. Let’s not forget about the 2 gigs of free cloud storage and multi-platform availability as the icing on the cake. You can download ScreenRec and try it yourself.
Of course, feel free to test out the other screen recording solutions on this list and decide which one is best for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Mac does also have its alternative to the Windows Snipping Tool and it’s called Grab. It’s a built-in tool which has several screen-capture modes and allows you to save what you captured in various formats. If Grab doesn’t fully satisfy your needs, there are some other free alternative tools for Mac, such as LightShot and Greenshot.
The easiest way to open Snipping Tool is to go to the Start menu by either selecting it or pressing its keyboard button, type Snipping tool and select it or simply press Enter. The program itself has some hotkeys such as choosing snipping mode by pressing Alt+M (works on Windows 10 only), making a new screenshot in the last mode you chose - Alt+N and Ctrl+S for saving your snip.
If you need to record a video of desktop, Snipping Tool isn’t the right tool as it only makes screenshots. An easy-to-use, effective and free alternative for screen recording is ScreenRec. It allows you to capture videos and share them instantly.
Snipping Tool is a built-in Windows tool and is, therefore, free of charge, as it comes along with the installation of your Windows OS.
References and Further Reading?
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