A CleanShot X alternative for Mac
Smooth Recorder records screen demos with automatic zooms and a smooth cursor, and it also takes screenshots, scrolling captures and text. Here is how it compares with CleanShot X, feature by feature, using what each product says about itself.
At a glance
Smooth Recorder
- Price
- $9 once during early access, $19 after launch. No subscription.
- Platform
- A native macOS app built in SwiftUI and AppKit, for macOS 15 and later.
CleanShot X
- Price
- Basic is $35 once with a year of updates (then $19 a year for updates). Pro is $12 a month, or $120 a year.
- Platform
- A native macOS app.
From cleanshot.com, September 2026.
Feature by feature
| Feature | Smooth Recorder | CleanShot X |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-zoom on your clicks | ||
| Smooth cursor | ||
| Captions made on your Mac | Cloud only | |
| Cut by editing the transcript | ||
| Screenshots with an editor | ||
| Scrolling capture | ||
| Copy text from the screen | ||
| GIF export | ||
| Native Mac app | ||
| Pay once, no subscription | Updates yearly |
Where they differ
Captions made on your Mac
Smooth Recorder: Captions are transcribed on your Mac, in one click. CleanShot X: partly (cloud only).
Cut by editing the transcript
Smooth Recorder: Delete words in the transcript to cut the video; ums and uhs go in one click. CleanShot X: no.
Pay once, no subscription
Smooth Recorder: One payment. No subscription and no account. CleanShot X: partly (updates yearly).
What both do
- Auto-zoom on your clicks.
- Smooth cursor.
- Screenshots with an editor.
- Scrolling capture.
- Copy text from the screen.
- GIF export.
- Native Mac app.
Compare with other apps
- Screen Studio alternative
- Cap alternative
- Screen Charm alternative
- FocuSee alternative
- Tella alternative
- Camtasia alternative
- Loom alternative
CleanShot X details are from its own website, September 2026; check there for the latest. Smooth Recorder details are from the app itself. Names are trademarks of their owners; we're not affiliated.
One key for every kind of capture.
Press ⌥1, pick an area, press Return, and it's on your clipboard. Open it in the editor to give it your look. Screenshots, recordings, GIFs and more.