FloatSnap vs CleanShot X
CleanShot X is the full-featured Mac screenshot suite. FloatSnap does one thing — screenshots that float on top of your work. Here's an honest look at which one you actually need.
Updated October 6, 2026 · Competitor details from public product pages; check cleanshot.com for current pricing
Short answer: If you need screen recording, scrolling capture, GIFs, or shareable cloud links, get CleanShot X. If what you mostly do is keep a screenshot visible while you work in another app — with OCR and light annotation — FloatSnap does that with fewer steps for $5, and stores nothing.
At a glance
| FloatSnap | CleanShot X | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5 once, all updates included | $29 once (includes 1 year of updates), Cloud subscription optional; also on Setapp |
| Devices per license | Up to 5 Macs | See vendor |
| Floating / pinned screenshots | Every capture floats by default | Yes, via Pin to Screen |
| Dismiss | One click | Close button / shortcut |
| OCR (copy text from screen) | Yes, on-device | Yes |
| Annotation | Pencil, shapes, arrows, highlight | Extensive (blur, text, counters, more) |
| Screen recording / GIF | No | Yes |
| Scrolling capture | No | Yes |
| Cloud upload / share links | No — by design | Yes (CleanShot Cloud) |
| Screenshot history | None — nothing is stored | Yes |
| Download size | 1.4 MB | Larger |
| Free trial | 14 days, no signup | See vendor |
Where CleanShot X wins
CleanShot X is excellent, and for many people it's the right answer. It records your screen as video or GIF, captures scrolling pages, offers a deep annotation editor (blur, pixelate, step counters, text styles), hides desktop icons, and uploads to the cloud with a shareable link. If you write documentation, make tutorials, or file a lot of bug reports with video, it earns its price.
Where FloatSnap wins
- Floating is the default, not a feature. In FloatSnap, ⌘⇧9 → drag → it's already floating above every window. No overlay to choose from, no extra click to pin. Click once and it's gone.
- Nothing to clean up. Captures aren't saved anywhere unless you choose Save, so there's no history or Desktop clutter.
- Privacy is structural. No cloud component, no account, no analytics. Useful when you're floating client invoices, financial statements, or internal docs — see FloatSnap for accountants.
- Price. $5 once, every future update included, five Macs.
- Tiny. 1.4 MB, menu bar only, no dock icon.
Who should pick which
Choose CleanShot X if you…
- Record screen videos or GIFs
- Need scrolling screenshots of long pages
- Share screenshots as links with teammates
- Want a full annotation editor with blur and text styles
Choose FloatSnap if you…
- Mostly need to reference something while typing elsewhere
- Do data entry, form filling, or spreadsheet work
- Work on a laptop without a second monitor
- Want OCR and light annotation without a big app
- Prefer tools that store and upload nothing
Plenty of people run both: CleanShot X for documentation and recording, FloatSnap on ⌘⇧9 for quick floating references. The shortcuts don't clash.
Frequently asked questions
Is FloatSnap a CleanShot X alternative?
For floating screenshots, OCR, and basic annotation, yes — at $5 instead of $29. It doesn't do screen recording, scrolling capture, GIFs, or cloud sharing.
What does FloatSnap do differently?
Every capture floats on top by default, and one click dismisses it. Nothing is stored — screenshots exist only on screen until you dismiss, copy, or save them.
Can I use both?
Yes. FloatSnap uses ⌘⇧9, which doesn't conflict with CleanShot X's default shortcuts.
Try FloatSnap free for 14 days
No signup, no card. $5 once if you keep it.