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Utilities · head to head

CleanShot X vs PeaZip

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
PeaZip logo

PeaZip

Utilities

Open-source archive manager for Windows and Linux supporting more than two hundred formats

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only PeaZip 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.; PeaZip there is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • They diverge on capability: CleanShot X covers Annotation toolbar, PeaZip covers Wide format support.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where CleanShot X and PeaZip differ
AttributeCleanShot XPeaZip
Starting price$29/one-timeFree
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMacWindows, Linux, BSD

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 PeaZip

  • Wide format support
  • Strong encryption
  • Secure delete
  • Checksums and hashes
  • Split and join
  • Portable builds

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 PeaZip
  • Someone who frequently captures long web pages or documents and wants a single stitched scrolling screenshotnot PeaZip
  • A user who wants a screenshot with no desktop clutter visible in the background without manually tidying firstnot PeaZip
  • A team that wants branded shareable links with custom domains rather than generic hosted image URLsnot PeaZip

PeaZip

  • Opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refusenot CleanShot X
  • Sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a passwordnot CleanShot X
  • Deploying one archiver across Windows and Linux desktops with the same interface and behaviournot CleanShot X
  • Running from a USB stick on machines where software cannot be installednot 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.

PeaZip

  • There is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • It is effectively a single-maintainer project, and for software deployed to every desktop in a company that concentration of risk deserves an explicit decision.
  • The interface exposes a great many options at once and looks dated next to the system archiver, which generates support questions from non-technical users.
  • Bundled backend binaries sometimes trigger antivirus heuristics on managed Windows fleets, so deployment usually needs an allowlist entry prepared in advance.
  • Its own PEA and ARC formats are not readable by other tools, so using them for anything you send externally creates a dependency for the recipient.

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

PeaZip

Free
  • PeaZipFree
    • LGPLv3 licensed
    • Commercial use permitted
    • All formats and encryption features included

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 PeaZip if

  • You need wide format support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, BSD.
  • You also want strong encryption.
PeaZip review

Questions people ask

Is CleanShot X or PeaZip better?
Neither clearly leads. CleanShot X starts at $29/one-time and PeaZip at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CleanShot X or PeaZip?
PeaZip has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/one-time for CleanShot X and Free for PeaZip.
Does CleanShot X or PeaZip run on more platforms?
CleanShot X runs on Mac. PeaZip runs on Windows, Linux, BSD.
Can I use PeaZip for free?
Yes. PeaZip 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 PeaZip is typically brought in for.
What can CleanShot X do that PeaZip cannot?
CleanShot X covers Annotation toolbar, Scrolling capture, Cloud sharing links, Self-cleaning desktop. PeaZip covers Wide format support, Strong encryption, Secure delete, Checksums and hashes.

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.

PeaZip: Is PeaZip free for business use?

Yes. It is LGPLv3 licensed with no personal-use restriction and no paid edition.

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.

PeaZip: Does it work on macOS?

No supported build is offered. Mac users need a different archiver.

CleanShot X: Is there a free version?

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

PeaZip: How does it differ from 7-Zip?

It uses similar backends but adds far wider format support, a password manager, keyfile two-factor encryption, secure deletion and a graphical front end that also runs on Linux.

PeaZip: Should I use the PEA format?

Only for your own storage. Nothing else reads it, so anything sent to another party should be 7z or ZIP with AES-256.

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