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Utilities · head to head

CleanShot X vs Everything

CleanShot X logo

CleanShot X

Utilities

Paid Mac screenshot and screen recording tool with annotation, scrolling capture and cloud sharing

From
$29/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Everything logo

Everything

Utilities

Instant filename search for Windows

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Everything has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CleanShot X there is no free tier at all, unlike Shottr, so a user has to commit 29 dollars before ever trying the full feature set beyond a trial.; Everything searches filenames only, not file contents, which is the deliberate trade for its speed
  • They diverge on capability: CleanShot X covers Annotation toolbar, Everything covers Instant results.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CleanShot X and Everything actually diverge.

Attributes where CleanShot X and Everything differ
AttributeCleanShot XEverything
Starting price$29/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseFree; donations accepted
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMacWindows

Identical on both: 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 CleanShot X

  • Annotation toolbar
  • Scrolling capture
  • Cloud sharing links
  • Self-cleaning desktop
  • Quick GIF and video recording
  • All in one clipboard

Only in Everything

  • Instant results
  • MFT-based indexing
  • Tiny footprint
  • Regex and filters

What people use each for

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

CleanShot X

  • A support or design team that shares annotated screenshots constantly and wants a polished result without extra editing stepsnot Everything
  • Someone who frequently captures long web pages or documents and wants a single stitched scrolling screenshotnot Everything
  • A user who wants a screenshot with no desktop clutter visible in the background without manually tidying firstnot Everything
  • A team that wants branded shareable links with custom domains rather than generic hosted image URLsnot Everything

Everything

  • Finding a file by name instantly instead of waiting on Windows Searchnot CleanShot X
  • Locating duplicates and stray files across large drivesnot CleanShot X
  • Navigating a machine with hundreds of thousands of filesnot CleanShot X

Where each one falls short

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

CleanShot X

  • There is no free tier at all, unlike Shottr, so a user has to commit 29 dollars before ever trying the full feature set beyond a trial.
  • App updates beyond the first year require an optional 19 dollar a year fee, which some users only discover after the first year lapses.
  • Cloud Pro team features are a separate ongoing subscription on top of the one-time app purchase, so the full cost for a team is higher than the headline 29 dollars suggests.
  • It is Mac only, so a mixed Windows and Mac team cannot standardise on one screenshot tool across both platforms.
  • Its video recording is more basic than a dedicated screen recorder such as Kap or a full editor, so heavier video work still needs separate software.

Everything

  • Searches filenames only, not file contents, which is the deliberate trade for its speed
  • Windows and NTFS only: no macOS or Linux build, and non-NTFS volumes fall back to slower indexing
  • Requires administrator rights to read the Master File Table

Pricing, plan by plan

CleanShot X

$29/one-time
  • CleanShot X$29/one-time
    • Permanent licence, keep the app forever
    • 1GB of cloud storage included
    • One year of app updates, optional 19 USD per year after
  • Cloud Pro$8/month
    • Per user, billed annually
    • Branded sharing domains and self-destruct links
    • SSO for team accounts

Everything

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core functionality
    • Personal use

Which should you pick?

Choose CleanShot X if

  • You need annotation toolbar.
  • You work on Mac.
  • You also want scrolling capture.
CleanShot X review

Choose Everything if

  • You need instant results.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want mft-based indexing.
Everything review

Questions people ask

Is CleanShot X or Everything better?
Neither clearly leads. CleanShot X starts at $29/one-time and Everything at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CleanShot X or Everything?
Everything has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/one-time for CleanShot X and Free for Everything.
Does CleanShot X or Everything run on more platforms?
CleanShot X runs on Mac. Everything runs on Windows.
Can I use Everything for free?
Yes. Everything has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CleanShot X starts at $29/one-time.
What is CleanShot X best used for?
CleanShot X is most often used for a support or design team that shares annotated screenshots constantly and wants a polished result without extra editing steps, someone who frequently captures long web pages or documents and wants a single stitched scrolling screenshot, a user who wants a screenshot with no desktop clutter visible in the background without manually tidying first, a team that wants branded shareable links with custom domains rather than generic hosted image urls. Of those, a support or design team that shares annotated screenshots constantly and wants a polished result without extra editing steps and someone who frequently captures long web pages or documents and wants a single stitched scrolling screenshot are not what Everything is typically brought in for.
What can CleanShot X do that Everything cannot?
CleanShot X covers Annotation toolbar, Scrolling capture, Cloud sharing links, Self-cleaning desktop. Everything covers Instant results, MFT-based indexing, Tiny footprint, Regex and filters.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CleanShot X: Is CleanShot X a subscription?

The app itself is a one-time purchase. Only the optional Cloud Pro team plan and post-first-year update access are subscriptions or recurring fees.

Everything: Is Everything free?

Yes, free to use with donations accepted.

CleanShot X: Does CleanShot X include cloud storage?

Yes, 1GB is included with the base purchase; more storage and team features require the separate Cloud Pro subscription.

Everything: Why is it so much faster than Windows Search?

It reads the NTFS Master File Table directly instead of crawling the filesystem, so indexing a whole volume takes seconds.

CleanShot X: Is there a free version?

No. There is a trial but no permanent free tier, unlike Shottr.

Everything: Can it search inside files?

Only in a limited way. It is built for filename search, and full content search is not what it is for.

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