The free, private CleanShot X alternative for Mac & Windows
If you don't need recording or cloud sharing, you may not need to pay. EiSen gives you screen capture, numbered steps, blur, a pixel loupe, and on-device OCR on macOS and Windows, free and open source.
Windows direct-download note
The Microsoft Store version is the recommended Windows install and receives Store-managed updates. The direct NSIS .exe fallback is unsigned, so SmartScreen may show Unknown publisher or Windows protected your PC, and managed devices may block it. Verify the SHA-256 sidecar on GitHub Releases before running.
macOS 11+ (Apple Silicon download) and Windows 10/11 (64-bit) • Zero telemetry
EiSen vs. CleanShot X
Side-by-side feature and architectural comparison.
| Feature | EiSen Free / Open Source | CleanShot X |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (MIT open source) | $35 once with 1 year of updates ($19/year to renew), or Pro from $10/month |
| Cloud | None: no upload feature | Optional CleanShot Cloud, not required to use the app |
| Text OCR | On device (Apple Vision on macOS; Windows.Media.Ocr on Windows) | On device |
| Cover sensitive content | Solid Redact and Blur | Pixelate and Blur |
| Screen recording | No | Yes, with a video editor |
| Scrolling capture | No | Yes |
| Download Package Size | 4.56 MB macOS DMG / 2.60 MB Windows NSIS fallback; Store package varies | Varies by release |
| Account or license | None | License key |
| Platform Support | macOS 11+ (Apple Silicon download) & Windows 10/11 (64-bit) | macOS 13+ |
Why choose EiSen
Free, with no paid tier
No subscription, no renewal fee, and no locked features. Everything in EiSen is free for personal and commercial use under the MIT license.
Stays on your device
EiSen makes no network requests for capture, save, OCR, or settings. OCR uses Apple Vision on macOS or Windows.Media.Ocr on Windows, on your own computer.
Lightweight Native App
Built with Rust and Tauri v2. It runs quietly from the macOS menu bar or Windows system tray.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why look for a CleanShot X alternative at all?
CleanShot X is a strong tool with recording and cloud sharing that EiSen doesn't have. EiSen suits people who only need capture, annotation, redaction, and OCR, want to pay nothing, or prefer a tool with no upload feature at all.
Can EiSen extract text from images like CleanShot X OCR?
Yes. EiSen includes on-device OCR: Apple Vision on macOS and Windows.Media.Ocr on Windows. Select a region and copy the recognized text to your clipboard, with no connection needed.
Is EiSen truly free and open-source?
Yes. EiSen is MIT licensed with its full source code on GitHub. There is no paid tier and no upgrade prompt.
How does EiSen compare to Shottr?
Shottr is a small native Mac app, free to use with reminders after 30 days, $12 for a license, and it has scrolling capture and S3 upload. EiSen is open source with no paid tier, has no upload feature, and also runs on Windows at version 0.2.
Ready to try the free CleanShot alternative?
Download EiSen and try it on your next screenshot, on macOS or Windows.