ShareX for Mac: What to Use Instead (2026)

Is there a ShareX for Mac?

No. ShareX is Windows-only and has no Mac version. It's built on .NET and Windows Forms, which don't run natively on macOS, and the developers have no announced plans to port it. Running ShareX in a Windows VM (Parallels, UTM) technically works but is impractical — you'd only capture the VM window, not your Mac desktop.

The good news: macOS has several native screenshot tools that cover most of what ShareX does. Below is a feature-by-feature mapping of ShareX's capabilities to Mac equivalents, so you can pick the right replacement for your workflow.

ShareX features mapped to Mac equivalents

The only ShareX feature with no clean Mac equivalent is its custom workflow automation system (after-capture tasks, custom uploaders, chained actions). macOS Shortcuts can replicate some of this, but there's no Mac screenshot tool with ShareX's depth of automation.

Best ShareX replacements for Mac

1. macOS built-in Screenshot — the free starting point

Before installing anything, check whether macOS's built-in tools cover your needs. The screenshot shortcuts (Cmd+Shift+3/4/5) handle region, window, and full-screen capture. The Screenshot toolbar (Cmd+Shift+5) adds screen recording. Preview's Markup tools give you arrows, text, shapes, and signatures. And holding Ctrl during any screenshot shortcut copies to clipboard instead of saving a file — the Mac equivalent of ShareX's clipboard capture.

Covers: Region/window/fullscreen capture, basic screen recording, clipboard capture, simple annotations via Markup.

Missing vs. ShareX: No scrolling capture, no GIF recording, no OCR, no cloud upload, no annotation editor at capture time, no automation.

2. LazyScreenshots — best for developers switching from Windows

If you used ShareX primarily to capture screenshots and paste them somewhere quickly, LazyScreenshots ($29 one-time) matches that workflow on Mac — with a twist. It auto-pastes captures directly into AI coding tools (Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT) with one keystroke. No save-to-disk, no drag-and-drop. It also includes scrolling capture, OCR, burst mode, AI background removal, annotations, color picker, pixelation, and format conversion (PNG/JPG/WebP).

Covers: Region/window/fullscreen capture, scrolling capture, OCR, annotations, clipboard workflow, color picker, auto-paste into AI tools.

Missing vs. ShareX: No screen recording, no GIF creation, no cloud upload service, no automation workflows.

3. CleanShot X — closest all-in-one ShareX equivalent

CleanShot X (~$29 one-time) is the Mac app that covers the most ShareX features in one tool. Screenshots, scrolling capture, screen recording, GIF creation, OCR, a full annotation editor (numbered steps, blur, callouts), and optional cloud sharing via CleanShot Cloud ($8/mo). If you want a single app that replaces ShareX for daily capture-annotate-share workflows, this is it.

Covers: Region/window/fullscreen capture, scrolling capture, screen recording, GIF recording, OCR, annotations, cloud upload, clipboard workflow.

Missing vs. ShareX: No custom workflow automation. CleanShot Cloud costs extra ($8/mo) if you need cloud sharing. No Linux version if you work cross-platform.

4. Shottr — best free tool for measurement and OCR

Shottr (free, with optional $12–$30 licenses) is lightweight and fast. Its standout features are pixel measurement overlays and OCR — point at any two elements and Shottr shows the exact pixel distance between them. If you used ShareX's built-in ruler or color picker, Shottr's versions are better.

Covers: Region/window/fullscreen capture, scrolling capture, OCR, pixel measurement, color picker.

Missing vs. ShareX: No screen recording, no GIF creation, no cloud upload, minimal annotations. Shottr captures and measures; it doesn't record or share.

5. Kap — best free screen recorder (the GIF half of ShareX)

Kap is a free, open-source screen recorder for Mac. It records screen regions or windows and exports to GIF, MP4, WebM, or APNG. If you used ShareX mainly for its GIF recording, Kap is the Mac equivalent — and it's better at it, with smooth 60fps capture and configurable export quality.

Covers: Screen recording, GIF creation, multiple export formats.

Missing vs. ShareX: No screenshots, no annotations, no OCR, no cloud upload. Kap is recording-only — pair it with a screenshot tool (Shottr, LazyScreenshots, or the macOS built-in) for full coverage.

Which combination replaces ShareX on Mac?

No single Mac app replicates everything ShareX does. Here are the best combinations based on your workflow:

• Developer who pastes into AI tools: LazyScreenshots + Kap (for the occasional GIF/recording)
• All-in-one replacement: CleanShot X covers the most ground in one app
• Free setup: macOS built-in + Shottr (measurement/OCR) + Kap (recording) + Flameshot (annotations)
• Designer: Shottr (measurement) + CleanShot X (everything else)