ShareX vs Greenshot
Both are free screen capture & recording tools. Here is how they actually differ.
ShareX and Greenshot at a glance
| Feature | ShareX | Greenshot |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | ShareX Team | Greenshot |
| Licence | Open Source | Open Source |
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | No | No |
| Linux | No | No |
| Mobile | No | No |
| Source code | Public | Public |
ShareX: what it's good at
ShareX captures any region, window, scrolling page or screen recording, then runs it through a configurable pipeline — annotate, watermark, save, upload and copy the link automatically. Unmatched in the free space.
- Region, window and scrolling capture
- Screen recording to video or GIF
- Automated post-capture workflows
- Built-in annotation and effects
Greenshot: what it's good at
Greenshot is a lightweight screenshot tool focused on speed: capture a region or window, annotate and highlight it immediately, then export wherever needed. Ideal for documentation and bug reports.
- Region, window and full-screen capture
- Immediate annotation and highlighting
- Obfuscate sensitive information
- Very small and fast
Which should you choose?
Both are free, so the honest answer is that you can install either and decide for yourself — that is the advantage of free software over a paid trial.
Both run on Windows. Both are open source, so neither locks you in.
We deliberately do not publish a star rating for either. We have no way to verify a rating that would be honest at scale, and an invented one would be worse than none — so we give you the facts and let you decide.
Frequently asked questions
Is ShareX better than Greenshot?
Neither is universally better. ShareX the most capable free screenshot and capture tool, while Greenshot quick, simple screenshots with fast annotation. The right pick depends on your platform and workflow.
Are both really free?
ShareX is open source and Greenshot is open source. Both can be downloaded without paying.
Can I install both?
Yes. Since neither costs anything, installing both and comparing them on your own files is usually the fastest way to decide.
