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DrawPen vs macshot

Side-by-side comparison for macOS

DrawPen

7.0
Productivity

Screen annotation tool

macshot

8.0
Productivity

Screenshot and screen recording tool

Metric DrawPen macshot
Category Productivity Productivity
AI Score 7.0 8.0
30-day Installs 69 750
90-day Installs 185 751
365-day Installs 695 751
Version 0.0.50 4.0.4
Auto-updates Yes Yes
Deprecated No No
GitHub Stars 764 977
GitHub Forks 54 57
Open Issues 29 31
License MIT GPL-3.0
Language JavaScript Swift
Last GitHub Commit 2mo ago 15d ago
First Seen Sep 14, 2025 Apr 26, 2026

Reviews

DrawPen

DrawPen is a free, open-source screen annotation tool that allows users to draw, highlight, and annotate on their screens. It supports multiple platforms, including macOS, and offers a simple yet effective way to capture and share visual ideas. Ideal for educators, presenters, and anyone needing quick screen annotations.

DrawPen enables users to draw on their screen for annotations, highlights, and visualizations.

Pros

  • + Cross-platform support for macOS, Windows, and Linux
  • + Free and open-source with MIT license
  • + Active development and recent updates

Cons

  • - Limited community discussion and engagement
  • - May lack advanced features compared to established annotation tools

macshot

macshot is a feature-rich native macOS screenshot and screen recording tool that offers annotation, auto-redaction of PII, GIF recording, OCR, translation, and scroll capture. It's a free, open-source alternative to paid tools like CleanShot X, benefiting users who need a versatile and efficient screenshot utility.

macshot captures screenshots and records screen activity with advanced editing and annotation features.

Pros

  • + Free and open-source with a wide range of features
  • + Native macOS implementation for smooth performance
  • + Supports collaboration and sharing of screenshots

Cons

  • - Some users report issues with color accuracy and image quality
  • - Lacks Apple Pencil support for drawing and annotations