Kiruna vs CleanShot X
Superb capture and annotation. It does not build the camera move.
CleanShot X is the best screenshot tool on the Mac and it records video too. The two apps overlap less than the category suggests: CleanShot is built around capturing and marking up what is on screen, Kiruna is built around turning a take into something worth watching.
macOS 15 or later, Universal
Free tier, or one payment for Lifetime
macOS
$29 one-time with a year of updates, or $8/user/month billed annually for the Pro plan
| Feature | Kiruna | CleanShot X |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic camera path that zooms to clicks | Kiruna: Yes | CleanShot X: No |
| Backdrops with padding, corners and shadowCleanShot offers custom wallpapers behind a capture | Kiruna: Yes | CleanShot X: PartlyPartly |
| Captions from your narration | Kiruna: Yes | CleanShot X: No |
| Webcam overlay | Kiruna: Yes | CleanShot X: Yes |
| Keystrokes drawn on screenCleanShot highlights mouse clicks and keystrokes | Kiruna: Yes | CleanShot X: Yes |
| Vertical and square output from one take | Kiruna: Yes | CleanShot X: No |
| Pick an export resolution up to 4K | Kiruna: Yes | CleanShot X: No |
| Annotate a screenshot with arrows and text | Kiruna: No | CleanShot X: Yes |
| Scrolling capture of a long page | Kiruna: No | CleanShot X: Yes |
| Hide desktop clutter and notifications while recordingKiruna hides its own window from the picker; CleanShot hides notifications and desktop icons | Kiruna: PartlyPartly | CleanShot X: Yes |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
When CleanShot X is the better pick
- Most of your work is screenshots rather than video. Nothing on the Mac beats it for capture, annotation and scrolling grabs.
- You want one tool for stills and quick clips, and you do not need a camera path or captions.
- You would rather pay $29 once for a utility than think about video at all.
Try it against your own take
Record something you already made a video of, and compare the two side by side.
Checked on 26 July 2026 against cleanshot.com, cleanshot.com/pricing. Prices and features change, and we would rather fix a mistake than keep it: if something here is out of date, tell us at hello@kiruna.app.