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Utilities · head to head

PeaZip vs Shottr

PeaZip logo

PeaZip

Utilities

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

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: PeaZip there is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.; 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: PeaZip covers Wide format support, Shottr covers Pixel-precise annotation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PeaZip and Shottr actually diverge.

Attributes where PeaZip and Shottr differ
AttributePeaZipShottr
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeOne-time purchase
PlatformsWindows, Linux, BSDMac

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 PeaZip

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

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.

PeaZip

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

Shottr

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

Where each one falls short

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

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.

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

PeaZip

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

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 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

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 PeaZip or Shottr better?
Neither clearly leads. PeaZip starts at Free and Shottr at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PeaZip or Shottr?
PeaZip starts at Free and Shottr at Free.
Does PeaZip or Shottr run on more platforms?
PeaZip runs on Windows, Linux, BSD. Shottr runs on Mac.
Can I use PeaZip for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is PeaZip best used for?
PeaZip is most often used for opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refuse, sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a password, deploying one archiver across windows and linux desktops with the same interface and behaviour, running from a usb stick on machines where software cannot be installed. Of those, opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refuse and sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a password are not what Shottr is typically brought in for.
What can PeaZip do that Shottr cannot?
PeaZip covers Wide format support, Strong encryption, Secure delete, Checksums and hashes. Shottr covers Pixel-precise annotation, Built in OCR, Scrolling capture, Colour picker.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PeaZip: Is PeaZip free for business use?

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

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.

PeaZip: Does it work on macOS?

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

Shottr: Does Shottr do OCR?

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

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.

Shottr: Is there a subscription?

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

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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