NotchStar vs CleanShot X
CleanShot X captures, annotates and records, from $35 with a year of updates; NotchStar does not capture, and its $4 Screenshot Tray only holds screenshots macOS already took.
| NotchStar | CleanShot X | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Ten tools plus a tray that holds macOS screenshots | Screenshots and screen recording |
| Price | $4 once, with a 7 day trial, up to 3 Macs, 7 day refund | Basic $35 once with 1 GB cloud and one year of updates, then $19 per year to renew; Pro $10 per user per month billed annually; no trial; 30 day money back guarantee; also on Setapp with a 7 day trial |
| Minimum macOS | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel | macOS 13.0; silicon is not stated |
| Takes screenshots | Not listed It catches screenshots macOS takes; it does not capture | Included Its own capture, including scrolling capture |
| Annotation and redaction | Not listed | Included Markup, redaction and backgrounds |
| Screen recording | Not listed | Included With webcam, click highlights, keystrokes, MP4 or GIF, and a built in video editor |
| Text recognition | Not listed | Included On device text recognition and QR reading |
| Capture history and recent shots | Included A tray of the latest 12 screenshots, each for 5 minutes | Included Capture history, and pinning screenshots above windows |
| Cloud sharing links | Not listed | Included With comments; 1 GB on Basic, unlimited on Pro subject to fair use |
| Other tools | Included Clipboard history, file shelf with AirDrop, calendar, timers and more | Not listed Not listed on the pages read |
Sources: CleanShot X website (checked 4 November 2026), CleanShot X pricing (checked 4 November 2026). “Not listed” means the source does not mention it, which is not proof the feature is missing. Prices and features change, so check before you buy.
CleanShot X at a glance.
- Made by
- MTW (mtw.team, per the footer)
- Who it suits
- A designer, support or product person who captures and shares screenshots and clips all day.
- Price
- One time purchase. Pricing page, 4 November 2026: Basic $35 one time, with 1 GB cloud and one year of updates; optional renewal $19 per year. Pro $10 per user per month billed annually; the monthly billing price is not stated. No trial. 30 day money back guarantee. Also on Setapp with a 7 day trial.
- Needs
- macOS 13 or later. Not stated.
- License
- Closed source
CleanShot X is one of the 62 apps counted in our pricing statistics and requirements statistics.
Strengths
- Markup, redaction, backgrounds and scrolling capture.
- Screen recording with webcam, click highlights and keystrokes, saved as MP4 or GIF, with a built in video editor.
- On device text recognition and QR reading.
- Cloud sharing links with comments, capture history and pinning screenshots above windows.
Limits
- Updates after the first year cost $19 per year.
- There is no free trial; the pricing page offers a 30 day money back guarantee instead.
- Cloud storage is 1 GB on Basic; unlimited on Pro is subject to fair use.
- The page does not state silicon support or a release date, and the cloud privacy policy was not read.
Choose CleanShot X if…
- You capture and share screenshots and clips all day and want annotation, recording and cloud links.
- You need scrolling capture, redaction, text recognition or a video editor.
- You want a 30 day money back guarantee and are fine paying $19 per year for updates after year one.
Choose NotchStar if…
- You already take screenshots with macOS and only want a tray to drag several into a chat.
- You want clipboard history, a file shelf, timers and calendar in the same $4 app.
- You want no yearly renewal: $4 once for up to 3 Macs, with a 7 day trial.
The verdict.
CleanShot X is a full capture app and NotchStar is not one. The Screenshot Tray holds up to 12 macOS screenshots for 5 minutes each. Choose CleanShot X if you capture, mark up or record. Choose NotchStar if you want a cheap holding tray among ten tools. Prices as of 4 November 2026.
What CleanShot X is
CleanShot X is a Mac screenshot and screen recording app from MTW. Its site lists markup, redaction, backgrounds, scrolling capture, screen recording with webcam, click highlights and keystrokes, MP4 or GIF output, a built in video editor, on device text recognition, QR reading, capture history, pinned screenshots and cloud sharing links with comments.
Basic is $35 once, with 1 GB of cloud and one year of updates. After that, updates cost $19 per year. Pro is $10 per user per month, billed annually. The pricing page lists no trial and a 30 day money back guarantee. Prices as of 4 November 2026.
Who it suits
People who make and share screenshots and clips as part of their work: support teams, designers, product people and writers of documentation.
What CleanShot X does that NotchStar does not
Almost everything about capturing. NotchStar does not take screenshots at all. It has no markup, no recording, no text recognition and no cloud links. CleanShot X also keeps a capture history and can pin a screenshot above other windows.
What NotchStar does that CleanShot X does not list
The Screenshot Tray catches screenshots macOS takes and hangs the latest 12 under the notch for 5 minutes each, so you can drag several into a chat at once. Around it are clipboard history, a file shelf with an AirDrop zone, now playing, calendar and reminders, timers, a teleprompter, a camera mirror, system stats, quick notes and disk tools. It is $4 once with a 7 day trial.
Switching from CleanShot X to NotchStar
This is not a swap. NotchStar is not a capture tool. If you only used CleanShot X to take a quick shot and move it somewhere, macOS screenshots plus the tray can cover that. If you annotate or record, keep CleanShot X.
What we could not verify
We read the CleanShot X home and pricing pages on 4 November 2026. The Pro yearly cost is not stated, and no release date, silicon support or cloud privacy policy was read. We have not tested the app.
Questions.
Does NotchStar take screenshots?
No. The Screenshot Tray catches screenshots macOS takes and holds up to 12 of them for 5 minutes each. It does not capture, annotate or record.
How much is CleanShot X?
Its pricing page lists Basic at $35 once, with 1 GB of cloud and one year of updates. Renewal is $19 per year. Pro is $10 per user per month billed annually. It lists no trial and a 30 day money back guarantee.
Can I use both?
Nothing in the pages we read says they conflict, but we have not tested them together.
More comparisons.
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- NotchStar vs Notchmeister
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- NotchStar vs NotchNest
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- NotchStar vs Seam
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- NotchStar vs Shottr
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- NotchStar vs Stats
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- NotchStar vs SuperIsland
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- NotchStar vs TopNotch
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- NotchStar vs Vibe Notch
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- NotchStar vs Xnapper
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- NotchStar vs Yoink
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- CleanShot X alternatives
- Every option next to CleanShot X, with price and macOS support. See the alternatives
- Best Mac notch apps
- A neutral roundup of the options. Read the guide
Put your notch to work.
Buy it once for $4, activate it in a minute, and keep it. Not sure yet? Try every tool in the browser on the home page, or install the 7 day trial.