The CleanShot X alternative for Windows.
CleanShot X: The Mac screenshot and recording utility. Sceed is a screen recorder and editor for Windows 10 and 11 that finishes the video for you. It records without the cursor and draws a smooth one back, eases zooms in and out where you place them, adds a camera look, a frame and a background, and exports 4K at 60 fps straight to disk. Nothing is uploaded.
CleanShot X is a Mac utility for screenshots, scrolling capture, annotations, GIFs and quick screen recordings, with an optional cloud for links. It does not run on Windows and its video side is deliberately simple. Sceed is a Windows app built around the finished video.
Why people switch
- You work on Windows 10 or 11.
- You want an editor: zoom points, camera looks, frames, effects, sections.
- The cursor should be redrawn and smoothed after recording.
What you would give up
- You work on a Mac.
- Screenshots and quick GIFs are most of the job.
- You want a small utility that lives in the menu bar.
Sceed and CleanShot X, feature by feature
| Sceed | CleanShot X | |
|---|---|---|
| Basics | ||
| Runs on | Windows 10 and 11 | Mac |
| Price | Free plan; Pro monthly or yearly | One-time license; cloud subscription |
| Recordings live | On your disk | On your disk, or CleanShot cloud |
| Works without an account | Free account | |
| Capture | ||
| Window, area or monitor | ||
| System audio and mic | ||
| Webcam | Overlay | |
| Live streaming | ||
| Editing | ||
| Editor built in | Trim only | |
| Cursor redrawn after recording | ||
| Cursor smoothing and looks | ||
| Zooms | Numbered points, eased | |
| Camera looks | Many looks | |
| Frames and backgrounds | Frames and backgrounds | Screenshot backgrounds |
| Region effects | Many kinds | Screenshot annotations |
| Sections between clips | Many styles | |
| Text and lower thirds | On screenshots | |
| Captions made on the machine | ||
| Privacy blur | On screenshots | |
| Keystroke overlay | Shows keystrokes | |
| Output | ||
| 4K export | 4K at 60 fps | |
| GIF export | Planned | |
| Share link | Cloud links | |
Compiled from each product's public pages, checked September 2026. Read the full Sceed vs CleanShot X comparison →
Moving from CleanShot X
- 01
Download Sceed
Free, with a free account and no card. Windows 10 and 11.
- 02
Record one take
Pick a window, an area or a monitor. The cursor is not recorded, so it can be fixed later.
- 03
Let the defaults work
Frame, background, cursor smoothing and a camera look are already on. Drop a zoom point where it matters.
- 04
Export
4K at 60 fps, straight to disk. What you scrubbed is what you ship.
Questions
- Is there a CleanShot X for Windows?
- No. CleanShot X is Mac only. For recording on Windows, Sceed covers the video side; for screenshots, ShareX or Snagit.
- Does CleanShot X edit video?
- Trim and a few options. Sceed has a full timeline with cursor, zoom, camera, effects, sections, text and audio lanes.
- Which keeps files local?
- Both record to disk. CleanShot X offers an optional cloud; Sceed never uploads.
Sceed and CleanShot X as a list
- Runs on: Sceed Windows 10 and 11; CleanShot X Mac.
- Price: Sceed Free plan; Pro monthly or yearly; CleanShot X One-time license; cloud subscription.
- Recordings live: Sceed On your disk; CleanShot X On your disk, or CleanShot cloud.
- Works without an account: Sceed Free account; CleanShot X Yes.
- Window, area or monitor: Sceed Yes; CleanShot X Yes.
- System audio and mic: Sceed Yes; CleanShot X Yes.
- Webcam: Sceed Yes; CleanShot X Overlay.
- Live streaming: Sceed No; CleanShot X No.
- Editor built in: Sceed Yes; CleanShot X Trim only.
- Cursor redrawn after recording: Sceed Yes; CleanShot X No.
- Cursor smoothing and looks: Sceed Yes; CleanShot X No.
- Zooms: Sceed Numbered points, eased; CleanShot X No.
- Camera looks: Sceed Many looks; CleanShot X No.
- Frames and backgrounds: Sceed Frames and backgrounds; CleanShot X Screenshot backgrounds.
- Region effects: Sceed Many kinds; CleanShot X Screenshot annotations.
- Sections between clips: Sceed Many styles; CleanShot X No.
- Text and lower thirds: Sceed Yes; CleanShot X On screenshots.
- Captions made on the machine: Sceed No; CleanShot X No.
- Privacy blur: Sceed Yes; CleanShot X On screenshots.
- Keystroke overlay: Sceed Yes; CleanShot X Shows keystrokes.
- 4K export: Sceed 4K at 60 fps; CleanShot X Yes.
- GIF export: Sceed Planned; CleanShot X Yes.
- Share link: Sceed No; CleanShot X Cloud links.