Camtasia vs CleanShot X: Features, Pricing and User Reviews 2026

Camtasia

Professional Screen Recording Software

Video Editing Software Screen Recording+2 more

CleanShot X

Professional Mac Screenshot Tool

Screen Recording GIF Creators+1 more

Camtasia

Professional Screen Recording Software

Video Editing Software Screen Recording+2 more

CleanShot X

Professional Mac Screenshot Tool

Screen Recording GIF Creators+1 more

Camtasia

Camtasia is a desktop software that records your computer screen and edits the footage into finished videos. You can capture everything happening on your screen, add your webcam feed, record voice narration, and include system audio all at the same time. Each element records on its own track, giving you complete control when editing.

The software comes with AI-powered tools that help create scripts, generate voiceovers, remove background noise, and produce captions automatically. You also get access to millions of royalty-free images, videos, and music tracks. Camtasia works on both Windows and Mac computers, and now includes a free web version for quick recordings. The editing interface uses simple drag-and-drop actions, making it accessible for beginners while still offering advanced features for experienced creators.

CleanShot X

CleanShot X is an all-in-one screenshot and screen recording application designed for macOS. It goes far beyond basic screen capture by offering professional editing tools, cloud storage, and intelligent features that save time and improve the quality of your captures.

You can take screenshots of specific areas, full screens, windows, or even entire scrolling pages. The app includes a built-in editor with annotation tools like arrows, text, shapes, highlights, and blur effects. It can also hide desktop icons automatically, add custom backgrounds, and freeze your screen to capture tricky elements like dropdown menus.

For screen recordings, CleanShot X lets you create videos or GIFs with system audio, mouse clicks, and keyboard shortcuts visible. Everything integrates smoothly with its cloud service for instant sharing via links.

Features of Camtasia and CleanShot X

Camtasia

Record screen, camera, and audio in 4K quality
AI script generation and voiceover creation
Automatic caption and transcript generation
Text-based video editing capabilities
Background noise and filler word removal
100+ million royalty-free stock assets
Interactive quizzes and SCORM export
Customizable templates and themes
Multi-language support and translation
Direct sharing to YouTube, Vimeo, and LMS platforms

CleanShot X

Multiple screenshot modes with smart window detection
Professional annotation and editing tools
Automatic desktop icon hiding
Screen freeze for difficult captures
Scrolling capture for long pages
Screen recording with audio and GIF creation
Cloud storage with instant shareable links
OCR text extraction from images
Custom backgrounds and branding
Capture history to retrieve recent screenshots

Use Cases of Camtasia and CleanShot X

Camtasia

Screen Recording Tutorial Creation Training Video Creation Video Editing Product Demo Creation Explainer Video Creation

CleanShot X

Screen Recording Screenshot Capturing Screenshot Annotation Bug Report Creation GIF Creation

Pricing of Camtasia and CleanShot X

Camtasia

Camtasia offers flexible pricing plans for individuals, teams, and educational institutions:

For Individuals:

Essentials Plan ($179.88/year): Includes AI features like background removal, noise reduction, transcription, and unlimited caption generation with the Camtasia Editor.
Create Plan ($249/year): Everything in Essentials plus text-based editing, automatic filler word removal, AI script generation, and 200+ voiceover options with Camtasia Audiate included.
Pro Plan ($599/year): All Create features plus avatar generation, transcript translation, audio dubbing, image generation, and access to 100+ million premium stock assets with unlimited video sharing.

For Teams and Business:

Business ($198/user/year): Flexible licensing for teams up to 99 users with transferable licenses and volume discounts for 10+ users.
Enterprise (Custom pricing): Flat annual fee covering unlimited users, dedicated success manager, and locked pricing for 3 years.

For Education:

Educators ($162.36/user/year): 18% discount off regular price for accredited institution staff.
Students ($45/year): 75% discount for verified full-time students with valid ID in US, UK, and Canada.

Camtasia also offers a free web version (Camtasia online) with basic recording and editing features, perfect for quick screen captures without downloading software.

CleanShot X

CleanShot X offers flexible pricing to match different needs. The basic plan provides excellent value for individual users.

App + Cloud Basic costs $29 as a one-time payment. This includes the full Mac app to keep forever, one year of free updates, and 1GB of cloud storage. After the first year, you can optionally renew for $19 per year to get continued updates, or simply keep using the version you have without renewing. Students and existing PixelSnap 2 users receive special discounts.

App + Cloud Pro is designed for teams and power users at $8 per user per month when billed annually, or $10 per month when billed monthly. This includes access to the Mac app for all team members, unlimited cloud storage, custom domain and branding options, password-protected links with self-destruct controls, and advanced team management features including single sign-on.