NotchStar vs Shottr
Shottr captures and annotates screenshots with OCR and scrolling capture at a pay what you want price; NotchStar does not capture, and its $4 Screenshot Tray only holds macOS screenshots.
| NotchStar | Shottr | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Ten tools plus a tray that holds macOS screenshots | Screenshots with annotation |
| Price | $4 once, with a 7 day trial, up to 3 Macs, 7 day refund | Pay what you want; enter $0 for free; no fixed amounts on the homepage; the app can be used free but periodically asks you to buy |
| Minimum macOS | macOS 14 or later, Apple silicon and Intel | macOS Catalina (10.15); optimized for Apple silicon |
| Takes screenshots | Not listed It catches screenshots macOS takes; it does not capture | Included Including scrolling screenshots |
| Annotation | Not listed | Included Text, arrows, highlighter, spotlight and step counter |
| Text recognition | Not listed | Included OCR text recognition and QR reading |
| Ruler and color picker | Not listed | Included A screen ruler, color picker and pinned images |
| Screen recording | Not listed | Not listed No recording in the feature list read |
| Holds recent screenshots | Included A tray of the latest 12, each for 5 minutes | Not listed History is not stated |
| Telemetry | None unless you opt in to anonymous version info | Performance and feature use telemetry with no personal data, per its page; it can be turned off; Google Analytics removed in 1.5.1 |
Sources: Shottr website (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.
Shottr at a glance.
- Made by
- Electric Endeavors LLC (copyright 2025, per its page)
- Who it suits
- A developer or writer who wants fast annotated screenshots without a fixed price.
- Price
- Free tier and paid plans. Shottr website, 4 November 2026: pay what you want; name your price or enter $0 for free. No fixed amounts on the homepage, and the pricing and buy pages tried returned 404. The app can be used free indefinitely but periodically asks you to buy; some features (S3 upload activation, hiding the menu bar icon) need a license.
- Needs
- macOS 10.15 or later. Not stated.
- License
- Closed source
Shottr is one of the 62 apps counted in our pricing statistics and requirements statistics.
Strengths
- Annotations with text, arrows, highlighter, spotlight and a step counter.
- Scrolling screenshots, OCR text recognition and QR reading.
- A backdrop tool, pixelate or erase objects, a screen ruler, a color picker and pinned images.
- S3 compatible upload, and a pay what you want price that can be $0.
Limits
- The free app periodically asks you to buy.
- It records no video, per the feature list read.
- License validation needs internet, and the app checks shottr.cc for updates at launch.
- It sends opt out telemetry about performance and feature use, with no personal data per its page.
Choose Shottr if…
- You take annotated screenshots often and want OCR, a ruler, scrolling capture and an S3 compatible upload.
- You want to choose your own price, including $0.
- You run an older macOS: Shottr lists Catalina (10.15), against NotchStar's macOS 14.
Choose NotchStar if…
- You take screenshots with macOS and 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 an app that never asks for a purchase mid use and sends nothing unless you opt in.
The verdict.
Shottr is a dedicated screenshot app with annotation, OCR and a ruler, and it can cost nothing. NotchStar does not capture; it holds macOS screenshots in a tray among ten tools for $4. Choose Shottr if you annotate or measure. Choose NotchStar if you want a small kit and a holding tray. Prices as of 4 November 2026.
What Shottr is
Shottr is a Mac screenshot app from Electric Endeavors LLC. Its homepage lists annotations (text, arrows, highlighter, spotlight, step counter), scrolling screenshots, OCR text recognition and QR reading, a backdrop tool, pixelate or erase tools, a screen ruler, a color picker, pinned images and S3 compatible upload. It is optimized for Apple silicon and lists macOS Catalina (10.15) as the minimum.
The price is pay what you want, including $0. The app can be used free indefinitely but periodically asks you to buy. Prices as of 4 November 2026.
Who it suits
Developers, writers and anyone who annotates screenshots many times a day and wants it fast. The ruler and color picker are aimed at people checking layouts.
What Shottr does that NotchStar does not
Capture and edit. NotchStar does not take screenshots, annotate them, read text from them or measure anything. Shottr also supports older macOS versions.
What NotchStar does that Shottr does not list
The Screenshot Tray catches screenshots macOS takes and holds the latest 12 for 5 minutes each, so you can drag several into a chat. It sits with 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, and sends nothing unless you opt in.
Switching from Shottr to NotchStar
They do different jobs and work well together. Keep Shottr for capture and annotation, and use NotchStar’s tray to hold the shots macOS itself takes.
What we could not verify
We read the Shottr homepage on 4 November 2026. Its pricing and buy pages returned 404, no release date was read, Intel support is not stated and history size is not stated. The page says no account is needed, though license activation exists. We have not tested the app.
Questions.
Is Shottr free?
Its homepage says to name your price, or enter $0 for free. The app can be used free indefinitely but periodically asks you to buy, and some features, such as S3 upload activation and hiding the menu bar icon, need a license.
Does Shottr send data?
It checks shottr.cc for updates at launch, and license validation needs internet. Its page says telemetry covers performance and feature use with no personal data, and can be turned off.
Does NotchStar annotate screenshots?
No. NotchStar does not capture or annotate. Its Screenshot Tray holds screenshots macOS took.
More comparisons.
- NotchStar vs AgentNotch
- AgentNotch is an MIT licensed app that shows Claude Code and Codex tool calls, tokens and cost in the notch; NotchStar has no agent monitoring. Read it
- NotchStar vs Alcove
- Alcove is a $12.99 one time purchase for macOS 15 or later built around live activities, lock screen widgets and HUDs; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten utilities with none of those three. Read it
- NotchStar vs Alfred
- Alfred is a launcher whose clipboard history needs the Powerpack at 34 GBP and keeps up to 3 months; NotchStar is a $4 once app where clipboard history is one of ten notch tools. Read it
- NotchStar vs Atoll
- Atoll is an open source GPL 3.0 notch app with live activities, lock screen widgets and a very wide feature list; NotchStar is a $4 signed toolbox with neither, and with tools Atoll does not list. Read it
- NotchStar vs Avocado
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- NotchStar vs Bartender
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- NotchStar vs Be Focused
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- NotchStar vs Boring Notch
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- NotchStar vs Brow
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- NotchStar vs ChocolateBar
- ChocolateBar is a $15 menu bar manager that hides crowded icons or shows them in a second row under the bar, on macOS 12 to 15. NotchStar is a $4 notch toolbox that does not manage menu bar icons. Read it
- NotchStar vs CleanShot X
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- NotchStar vs Crest
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- NotchStar vs CueNotch
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- NotchStar vs DaisyDisk
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- NotchStar vs DropNotch
- DropNotch is a free notch file shelf with live status displays and a $15 one time Pro upgrade for clipboard history; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools. Read it
- NotchStar vs Dropover
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- NotchStar vs Droppy
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- NotchStar vs Dropzone
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- NotchStar vs Dynamic Notch
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- NotchStar vs DynamicHorizon
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- NotchStar vs DynamicLake
- DynamicLake adds a Dynamic Island style layer with message and call notifications, plugins, weather and file conversion for $13.99, with 89 changelog entries since June 2024; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten utilities that stays quiet until you open it. Read it
- NotchStar vs Gojo
- Gojo sells clipboard, shelf, window snapping, camera mirror and on device dictation from $9.99 lifetime for one Mac, or $19.99 for up to three; NotchStar is $4 once for up to three Macs. Read it
- NotchStar vs Hidden Bar
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- NotchStar vs Ice
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- NotchStar vs iStat Menus
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- NotchStar vs Korinotch
- Korinotch lists $11.50 lifetime, a 14 day trial and a required account; NotchStar is $4 once with no account, a 7 day trial and ten tools. Read it
- NotchStar vs Maccy
- Maccy is a free MIT clipboard manager you search by typing; NotchStar's clipboard history is one of ten notch tools for $4 and keeps 50 items in memory only. Read it
- NotchStar vs MacNotch
- MacNotch, sold through Setapp, does more: a widget grid, device batteries, file actions and live activities in the closed notch. NotchStar is smaller and costs $4 once, where MacNotch is a subscription from $4.99 a month. Read it
- NotchStar vs MediaMate
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- NotchStar vs MewNotch
- MewNotch is a free GPL 3.0 app that replaces volume and brightness HUDs and adds a shelf with AirDrop, now playing and a mirror; NotchStar is $4 once, signed and notarized, with ten tools. Read it
- NotchStar vs Notch Buddy
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- NotchStar vs NotchBar
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- NotchStar vs NotchBox
- NotchBox is free with a $4.99 Pro purchase, runs on macOS 13 and has shipped 25 listed updates since October 2025; NotchStar is $4 once with a 7 day trial and needs macOS 14, with a similar set of notch tools. Read it
- NotchStar vs NotchDrop
- NotchDrop does one job, a temporary file shelf with AirDrop in the notch, and is open source under the MIT license; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools that includes a shelf with an AirDrop zone. Read it
- NotchStar vs Notchet
- Notchet is a notch clipboard manager with search, text inside images and a shelf for $9.99 once; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox where clipboard history is one of ten tools. Read it
- NotchStar vs Notchi
- Notchi is a free GPL 3.0 app that shows Claude Code and Codex sessions, usage and cost in the notch; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox with no agent monitoring. Read it
- NotchStar vs Notchie
- Notchie is a teleprompter in the notch for $29.99 once that hides during screen sharing in supported apps and pauses when you hover; NotchStar's teleprompter is one tool in a $4 toolbox. Read it
- NotchStar vs Notchmeister
- Notchmeister is a free Mac App Store app from The Iconfactory that adds decorative effects around the notch; NotchStar adds ten working tools instead. Read it
- NotchStar vs NotchNest
- NotchNest is a free Mac App Store download with capped free use, $2.99 a month or $14.99 once, and on device AI helpers; NotchStar is a $4 one time toolbox of ten tools with no caps. Read it
- NotchStar vs NotchNook
- NotchNook Pro (28 October 2026) adds live activities, AI agent approvals, clipboard and a teleprompter for $19 lifetime or $3 a month on Apple silicon; NotchStar is a $4 one time toolbox with none of the live features. Read it
- NotchStar vs NotchPop
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- NotchStar vs NotchThings
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- NotchStar vs OmniNotch
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- NotchStar vs OneNotch
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- NotchStar vs PastePal
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- NotchStar vs PromptSmart
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- NotchStar vs QuackScreen
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- NotchStar vs Raycast
- Raycast is a launcher whose clipboard history keeps 3 months on the free plan and is unlimited on Pro at $10 a month; NotchStar is a $4 once app where clipboard history is one of ten notch tools. Read it
- NotchStar vs Sapphire
- Sapphire is a free, AGPL licensed notch app with Face ID, window snapping, a lock screen and a big free feature set, plus monthly AI and live data plans from $15.99; NotchStar is a $4 one time toolbox with none of those. Read it
- NotchStar vs Seam
- Seam is a Dynamic Island style surface with live activities, a lock screen display, coding agent progress and on device voice dictation for $19.90 on Apple silicon; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools you open on purpose. Read it
- NotchStar vs Session
- Session is the dedicated focus timer, with website and app blocking, calendar sync and AppleScript, on a $4.99 monthly or $39.99 yearly plan; NotchStar has simpler Pomodoro timers for $4 once. Read it
- NotchStar vs Stats
- Stats is a free, open source menu bar monitor with sensors, GPU, Bluetooth and a clock; NotchStar is a $4 closed source toolbox where system stats is one of ten tools. Read it
- NotchStar vs SuperIsland
- SuperIsland is a free app with live activities, a JavaScript extension SDK and store, and meeting join links, but it needs a physical notch and has had no release since June 2026; NotchStar is $4 once with ten tools. Read it
- NotchStar vs TopNotch
- TopNotch, a free app from the CleanShot team, makes the camera housing blend into a black menu bar; its last release was June 2023. NotchStar keeps the notch visible and puts ten tools around it. Read it
- NotchStar vs Tuneful
- Tuneful is a focused $4.99 music controller for Spotify and Apple Music that needs macOS 15; NotchStar is a $4 toolbox of ten tools with Now Playing as one of them. Read it
- NotchStar vs Vibe Notch
- Vibe Notch, formerly Claude Island, is an Apache 2.0 open source app for monitoring Claude Code and approving permissions from the notch; NotchStar has no agent monitoring. Read it
- NotchStar vs Xnapper
- Xnapper beautifies and redacts screenshots from $29.99 with a year of updates; NotchStar does not capture, and its $4 Screenshot Tray only holds screenshots macOS already took. Read it
- NotchStar vs Yoink
- Yoink is a long established drag shelf with clipboard history and an iOS companion at $8.99 once with a 28 day trial; NotchStar is a $4 app whose shelf is one of ten tools. Read it
- Shottr alternatives
- Every option next to Shottr, 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.