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Utilities · head to head

Shottr vs WinDirStat

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
WinDirStat logo

WinDirStat

Utilities

Windows disk usage analyser that shows where space went as a colour-coded treemap

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Shottr it lacks CleanShot X cloud link hosting and self-cleaning desktop features, so teams that share links constantly may find it thinner.; WinDirStat it walks the directory tree rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a full scan takes minutes where WizTree takes seconds on the same drive.
  • They diverge on capability: Shottr covers Pixel-precise annotation, WinDirStat covers Treemap visualisation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Shottr and WinDirStat actually diverge.

Attributes where Shottr and WinDirStat differ
AttributeShottrWinDirStat
Pricing modelOne-time purchaseOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsMacWindows

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 Shottr

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

Only in WinDirStat

  • Treemap visualisation
  • Three linked views
  • Multithreaded scanning
  • Cleanup actions
  • Any filesystem
  • GPL licensed

What people use each for

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

Shottr

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

WinDirStat

  • Finding what filled a Windows system drive when the usual suspects are not responsiblenot Shottr
  • Auditing a shared or network drive where files are spread across thousands of foldersnot Shottr
  • Environments where licence terms forbid personal-use-only freeware on company machinesnot Shottr
  • Explaining disk usage visually to someone who will not read a list of folder sizesnot Shottr

Where each one falls short

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

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.

WinDirStat

  • It walks the directory tree rather than reading the NTFS master file table, so a full scan takes minutes where WizTree takes seconds on the same drive.
  • The version most users have installed is the 2007 build, and because it was dormant for so long, search results and download mirrors still point at it.
  • It is Windows only, so a mixed estate needs a different tool for macOS and Linux machines.
  • There is no scheduling, reporting or export for fleet use, so it answers a question on one machine at a time rather than monitoring storage across an organisation.
  • Hard links, junctions and deduplicated volumes can be counted in ways that make the totals disagree with what Windows reports, which causes confusion on servers.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

WinDirStat

Free
  • WinDirStatFree
    • GPL licensed
    • Commercial use permitted
    • No paid edition or feature gating

Which should you pick?

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

Choose WinDirStat if

  • You need treemap visualisation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want three linked views.
WinDirStat review

Questions people ask

Is Shottr or WinDirStat better?
Neither clearly leads. Shottr starts at Free and WinDirStat at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Shottr or WinDirStat?
Shottr starts at Free and WinDirStat at Free.
Does Shottr or WinDirStat run on more platforms?
Shottr runs on Mac. WinDirStat runs on Windows.
Can I use Shottr for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Shottr best used for?
Shottr is most often used for a user who wants ocr and precise annotation without paying anything up front, someone evaluating whether a screenshot tool is worth paying for before committing money, unlike cleanshot x which requires payment first, a user who occasionally needs a colour picker and is fine with the free tier for everything else, anyone who wants a lighter alternative to cleanshot x without giving up scrolling capture or annotation. Of those, a user who wants ocr and precise annotation without paying anything up front and someone evaluating whether a screenshot tool is worth paying for before committing money, unlike cleanshot x which requires payment first are not what WinDirStat is typically brought in for.
What can Shottr do that WinDirStat cannot?
Shottr covers Pixel-precise annotation, Built in OCR, Scrolling capture, Colour picker. WinDirStat covers Treemap visualisation, Three linked views, Multithreaded scanning, Cleanup actions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

WinDirStat: Is WinDirStat still maintained?

Yes. It was dormant from around 2007 until new maintainers resumed development and released the 2.x line with multithreaded scanning and current Windows support.

Shottr: Does Shottr do OCR?

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

WinDirStat: Can I use it at work?

Yes. It is GPL licensed with no personal-use restriction, which is the practical advantage over free-for-personal-use alternatives in this category.

Shottr: Is there a subscription?

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

WinDirStat: Why is it slower than WizTree?

Different method. WizTree reads the NTFS master file table directly; WinDirStat traverses directories, which is slower but works on any filesystem, including network shares.

WinDirStat: Does it run on macOS or Linux?

No. Separate projects exist with similar treemap interfaces, but WinDirStat itself is Windows only.

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