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Utilities · head to head

BetterTouchTool vs Shottr

BetterTouchTool logo

BetterTouchTool

Utilities

Mac gesture, shortcut and automation customisation tool sold as a one-time licence with a lifetime tier

From
$12/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shottr logo

Shottr

Utilities

Free Mac screenshot tool with annotation and OCR, with an optional paid tier for extra features

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Shottr has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: BetterTouchTool the preferences interface has hundreds of settings across many tabs, so getting one custom gesture working can take longer than with a dedicated single-purpose app.; Shottr it lacks CleanShot X cloud link hosting and self-cleaning desktop features, so teams that share links constantly may find it thinner.
  • They diverge on capability: BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Shottr covers Pixel-precise annotation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BetterTouchTool and Shottr actually diverge.

Attributes where BetterTouchTool and Shottr differ
AttributeBetterTouchToolShottr
Starting price$12/one-timeFree
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: pricing model (One-time purchase), platforms (Mac), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Utilities).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in BetterTouchTool

  • Gesture customisation
  • Keyboard shortcut remapping
  • Window snapping
  • Touch Bar customisation
  • Scripted actions
  • Floating menus and widgets

Only in Shottr

  • Pixel-precise annotation
  • Built in OCR
  • Scrolling capture
  • Colour picker
  • Quick resize and export
  • Free core functionality

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

BetterTouchTool

  • A power user who wants every trackpad gesture and shortcut on the machine remapped to a specific actionnot Shottr
  • Someone with accessibility needs who benefits from remapping input devices away from default behaviournot Shottr
  • A user who wants window snapping bundled with much broader system customisation rather than a single-purpose appnot Shottr
  • Someone already on a Setapp subscription who wants BetterTouchTool included rather than purchased separatelynot Shottr

Shottr

  • A user who wants OCR and precise annotation without paying anything up frontnot BetterTouchTool
  • Someone evaluating whether a screenshot tool is worth paying for before committing money, unlike CleanShot X which requires payment firstnot BetterTouchTool
  • A user who occasionally needs a colour picker and is fine with the free tier for everything elsenot BetterTouchTool
  • Anyone who wants a lighter alternative to CleanShot X without giving up scrolling capture or annotationnot BetterTouchTool

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

BetterTouchTool

  • The preferences interface has hundreds of settings across many tabs, so getting one custom gesture working can take longer than with a dedicated single-purpose app.
  • The Standard Licence stops receiving updates after two years unless renewed or upgraded to Lifetime, which is easy to miss and can leave a user on an outdated build.
  • It is Mac only, offering nothing for a Windows machine in a mixed household.
  • Because it can intercept almost any input, misconfiguration can make gestures or shortcuts behave unpredictably across different apps, which takes time to debug.
  • It overlaps in function with several single-purpose tools such as Rectangle for windows or Karabiner-Elements for key remapping, so a new user has to decide whether they want one broad tool or several focused ones.

Shottr

  • It lacks CleanShot X cloud link hosting and self-cleaning desktop features, so teams that share links constantly may find it thinner.
  • Pricing tiers and their exact contents have shifted and are inconsistently reported across sources, making it harder to know exactly what a given tier unlocks before buying.
  • The free tier periodically prompts to purchase, which some users find naggy over long term daily use.
  • It is Mac only, offering nothing for a Windows machine in a mixed environment.
  • Video and GIF recording is more limited than a tool built specifically for that, such as Kap or CleanShot X.

Pricing, plan by plan

BetterTouchTool

$12/one-time
  • Standard Licence$12/one-time
    • Free updates for two years
    • App keeps working on the last version after that
    • Single user licence
  • Lifetime Licence$24/one-time
    • Free updates for as long as the app exists
    • Single user licence
    • Also available bundled through Setapp

Shottr

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full capture and annotation for everyday use
    • Built in OCR included
    • Occasional prompt to consider purchasing
  • Basic$8/one-time
    • One-time unlock of extra features
    • Removes purchase prompts
  • Friends Club$25/one-time
    • Higher one-time tier
    • Access to experimental features and priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose BetterTouchTool if

  • You need gesture customisation.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want keyboard shortcut remapping.
BetterTouchTool review

Choose Shottr if

  • You need pixel-precise annotation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want built in ocr.
Shottr review

Questions people ask

Is BetterTouchTool or Shottr better?
Neither clearly leads. BetterTouchTool starts at $12/one-time and Shottr at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BetterTouchTool or Shottr?
Shottr has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $12/one-time for BetterTouchTool and Free for Shottr.
Does BetterTouchTool or Shottr run on more platforms?
Both run on Mac, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Shottr for free?
Yes. Shottr has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BetterTouchTool starts at $12/one-time.
What is BetterTouchTool best used for?
BetterTouchTool is most often used for a power user who wants every trackpad gesture and shortcut on the machine remapped to a specific action, someone with accessibility needs who benefits from remapping input devices away from default behaviour, a user who wants window snapping bundled with much broader system customisation rather than a single-purpose app, someone already on a setapp subscription who wants bettertouchtool included rather than purchased separately. Of those, a power user who wants every trackpad gesture and shortcut on the machine remapped to a specific action and someone with accessibility needs who benefits from remapping input devices away from default behaviour are not what Shottr is typically brought in for.
What can BetterTouchTool do that Shottr cannot?
BetterTouchTool covers Gesture customisation, Keyboard shortcut remapping, Window snapping, Touch Bar customisation. Shottr covers Pixel-precise annotation, Built in OCR, Scrolling capture, Colour picker.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BetterTouchTool: Is BetterTouchTool a subscription?

No. It is a one-time purchase, either a Standard Licence with two years of updates or a Lifetime Licence with updates indefinitely.

Shottr: Is Shottr free?

Yes, the core app can be used free indefinitely, with an optional one-time paid tier for extra features and no more purchase prompts.

BetterTouchTool: Can I get it without buying it directly?

Yes, it is included in the Setapp subscription bundle alongside other Mac utilities.

Shottr: Does Shottr do OCR?

Yes, built in OCR extracts text from a captured screenshot without needing a separate app.

BetterTouchTool: Does it replace Rectangle or Karabiner-Elements?

It can cover much of what both do, since it includes window snapping and key remapping, but each of those apps is more focused on its single job.

Shottr: Is there a subscription?

No. Any paid tier is a one-time purchase, not a recurring subscription.

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