ShareX vs Greenshot: Full Toolkit or Simple Screenshots?
Pick ShareX if you want one Windows tool that captures screenshots, records your screen as video or GIF, reads text with OCR and uploads the result to a host you choose. Pick Greenshot if you just want fast screenshots with simple annotation on Windows, or you need a screenshot tool that also exists for the Mac.
Both are free and open source on Windows, and both let you grab a region, a window or the full screen and mark it up. ShareX does far more. Greenshot does less, and that is the point.
ShareX vs Greenshot at a glance
| ShareX | Greenshot | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free on Windows, US$1.99 on the Mac App Store |
| Free plan | The whole app is free | The whole Windows app is free |
| Platforms | Windows only | Windows, plus a separate, simpler Mac app |
| Open source | Yes, GPLv3 | Yes (Windows), GPLv3 |
| Screen recording | Yes, video and GIF | Not listed on its site |
| Upload destinations | Over 80, plus custom uploaders | Photo sites such as Flickr, plus email and Office |
| Latest Windows version (6 Nov 2026) | 21.0.0 (July 2026) | 1.3.328 (19 Oct 2026) |
| Best for | Power users who capture and share a lot | Quick, simple screenshots and annotations |
What is the main difference between ShareX and Greenshot?
ShareX is a capture, recording and sharing toolkit. Greenshot is a focused screenshot tool.
ShareX describes itself as "a free and open source screenshot tool for Windows with screen capture, screen recording, file sharing and productivity features built into one lightweight application". It has a long list of capture methods (full screen, active window, active monitor, region, scrolling capture, screen recording, GIF recording, auto capture) and an equally long list of "after capture tasks" that can run automatically, such as copying to the clipboard, opening the image editor, running OCR, scanning a QR code or uploading.
Greenshot calls itself "a light-weight screenshot software tool for Windows". Its key features are short: capture a region, window or full screen, annotate, highlight or obfuscate parts of it, then save, print, copy, email or send it to an Office program or a photo site.
Which is easier to use?
Greenshot. It does a few things and its menus stay small, which is why its site says it suits project managers, developers, technical writers and testers who take screenshots every day.
ShareX's power comes with a lot of settings. Its site lists workflows, hotkeys, custom uploaders, image effects, actions and command line arguments. You can ignore most of it and use ShareX as a plain screenshot tool, but expect to spend some time in the settings before it behaves exactly the way you want.
Can Greenshot record your screen like ShareX?
Not according to its site. Greenshot's feature list covers screenshots and annotation and does not mention video or GIF recording.
ShareX lists screen recording, GIF recording ("Easy GIF recording") and an animated GIF maker. If you make short how-to clips or bug reports with video, ShareX covers that without a second app.
Which is better for scrolling screenshots and OCR?
ShareX. It has a scrolling capture mode that works on long pages, and a "Recognize text (OCR)" task that pulls text out of a screenshot.
Greenshot's site says you can capture complete scrolling web pages, but only "from Internet Explorer". Greenshot does not list OCR.
Is there a Mac version of ShareX or Greenshot?
Only Greenshot has one, and it is not the same app. ShareX is Windows only.
On 6 November 2026 we checked Greenshot's downloads page and its Mac App Store listing. The Windows version, 1.3.328 from 19 October 2026, is free and open source. The Mac version costs US$1.99, which the downloads page says is "to cover our own costs". The App Store listing itself carries a warning from the developer: "Greenshot for Mac is NOT as feature-rich as you might expect when you were using it on the PC before." So if you are moving from Windows to a Mac, do not expect the same editor.
Where can you get them?
ShareX offers a setup file, a portable version, and listings on the Microsoft Store and Steam, all linked from its site. Its Steam listing says it can upload images, text or other files to "over 80 supported destinations". Version 21.0.0 was released on GitHub on 3 July 2026, and its code is under the GPLv3 license. ShareX's site says it has "No advertisements".
Greenshot is downloaded from its own site, with older versions and a ZIP build in its version history. Its source code is on GitHub under GPLv3.
Which should you choose?
- You want quick screenshots with arrows, boxes and blur: Greenshot.
- You want the simplest tool with the fewest settings: Greenshot.
- You also need a Mac screenshot app from the same maker: Greenshot, with the Mac limits in mind.
- You record your screen or make GIFs: ShareX.
- You need OCR or scrolling captures in modern browsers: ShareX.
- You upload screenshots to your own server or cloud storage: ShareX, with its custom uploaders.
For other options, such as Lightshot, Flameshot and Snagit, see our ShareX alternatives.
FAQ
Is ShareX better than Greenshot?
For features, yes: ShareX adds screen recording, OCR, scrolling capture and over 80 upload destinations. For a simple screenshot and annotation tool, many people prefer Greenshot.
Are ShareX and Greenshot free?
Yes on Windows. Both are free and open source under GPLv3. Greenshot's Mac version costs US$1.99 on the Mac App Store.
Does ShareX work on Mac or Linux?
No. ShareX describes itself as a screenshot tool for Windows.
Can Greenshot take scrolling screenshots?
Only of web pages in Internet Explorer, according to its site. For scrolling captures in other apps, ShareX has a scrolling capture mode.