Shotbolt and CleanShot X
CleanShot X is a mature, well-made app and plenty of people are happy with it. Shotbolt takes a different approach: a lower price, a local-only design, an editor with a Layers panel, and speed and ease of use as the first priority. Here is how they differ, so you can choose.
| Shotbolt | CleanShot X | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 once at launch, then $15, free updates for all 1.x | $35 once with 1 year of updates, optional renewal at $19 per year (Basic), or $10 per user per month, billed annually (Pro) |
| Cloud and sharing | Personal: none. Everything stays on your Mac, or in an iCloud Drive folder you pick. Team sharing is planned for Business | CleanShot Cloud included: share links, comments, team features on Pro |
| Account | No account | Free Cloud account with a license, not required to use the app |
| System requirements | macOS 26, Apple silicon | macOS 13 or newer |
CleanShot X details from its pricing page and website, checked on 2026-10-05. Prices and features change; check the source for the current offer. CleanShot X is a trademark of its owner, and Shotbolt is not affiliated with it.
Where Shotbolt differs
- Lower price
- One payment of $9.99, with every 1.x update included.
- Local by design
- No account, and your captures never leave your Mac. Text recognition runs on your Mac.
- A layered editor
- A Layers panel lists every annotation front to back, and everything stays editable after you save and reopen it.
- Speed and ease of use first
- The overlay appears before anything else happens and the clipboard is ready the moment you let go. It is designed with older Apple silicon Macs in mind.
- An easy switch
- Your CleanShot X shortcuts, export folder and after-capture actions carry over on first launch.
Where CleanShot X may suit you better
If these matter to your work today, CleanShot X is a good choice.
- Cloud sharing, comments and team administration
- Support for much older macOS versions
- Many years of development behind it