FastStone Capture vs PicPick (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FastStone Capture and PicPick share a 2.6 GPA, and only PicPick has a free plan.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
FastStone Capture grades higher on value for money. PicPick grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FastStone Capture
Windows screen capture, annotation and screen recorder
PicPick
Windows screen capture, image editor and design tools in one app
Which one is for you
Pick FastStone Capture if
- Fits if you want a one-time purchase for screenshots on a Windows PC
- Works for people who capture scrolling pages and mark them up before sending
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you use a Mac, Linux or a phone, since there is no version for them
- Skip it if you want a free plan: after 30 days a license is required
- Too light for video work beyond MP4 and WMV recordings
- Watch out: it needs Windows 10 or 11
Pick PicPick if
- Fits if you capture and mark up screenshots on a Windows PC for personal use
- Works for people who want a color picker and pixel ruler in the same tool
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Linux, since only Windows is listed
- Not for you if it is for work, as business use needs Pro at $30 a year per user
- Tight if you want support, because free users get none and only manual updates
- Watch out: the page mentions a limited-time lifetime option but shows no price
How we grade them
| 2.6GPAFastStone CaptureGood | 2.6GPAPicPickGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$29.95 once for a lifetime license with free upgrades, under a year of this category's middle subscription. A family license for up to 5 computers is $69.95. | BFree for personal use, and Professional is $30 a year, shown as a limited-time price, about $2.50 a month and so around the cheaper quarter of this category. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 30-day trial, then a license is needed. There is no free plan for Capture. | BFree for personal, non-commercial use with the capture, editor and design tools. Work use needs paying, and support and automatic updates are Pro. |
| Features | BCapture modes, an editor, a screen recorder, text capture and pinning. The listing names no gap in the core job, though recordings are limited to MP4 and WMV. | BMany capture modes, a ribbon-style editor, screen recording, color picker, pixel ruler and whiteboard. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating is on record, but it is a program you install and start using with nothing to set up. | BInstall and press a capture hotkey with nothing to set up. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only. The vendor lists no Mac, Linux or mobile version, and it needs Windows 10 or 11. | DWindows only. The download page lists no Mac or Linux version. |
| Best for | Windows screenshots and recordings for a one-time price | screenshots with a built-in image editor on Windows |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FastStone Capture and PicPick. How we grade
Where they differ
- FastStone Capture can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- FastStone Capture also covers video editing.
- PicPick also covers file sharing.
At a glance
| FastStone Capture | PicPick | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $29.95 one-time | $30 per year (Professional, listed as a limited-time price) |
| Free plan | None | Free for personal, non-commercial use with the capture, image editor and design tools, manual updates and no technical support. |
| Free trial | 30-day trial, then a license is required | None listed |
| Windows | ||
| Made by | FastStone Corporation | NG WIN |
| Price read from | faststone.org | picpick.app |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
FastStone Capture
- Windows only: the vendor lists no Mac, Linux or mobile version.
- The vendor says it requires Windows 10 or 11.
- After the 30-day trial a license is required; there is no free plan for Capture.
- Screen recordings save only as MP4 or WMV, with MP3 for audio-only.
PicPick
- Windows only; the download page lists Windows versions and no Mac or Linux build.
- The free version is limited to personal, non-commercial use, and work use needs Pro.
- A Pro license is per user, installable on up to two computers for that user.
- The page mentions a limited-time lifetime option but does not show its price.
Key features
FastStone Capture
- Capture modes
- Grab windows, objects, menus, the full screen, rectangular, freehand or fixed-size regions and scrolling windows or web pages.
- Built-in editor
- Annotate with text, arrows, highlights, callouts and step numbers, blur an area, and apply edge effects, resizing and cropping.
- Screen recorder
- Record screen changes, microphone, speaker audio, webcam and mouse clicks to MP4 or WMV, with a timer and a basic video editor.
- Text capture and pinning
- Pull text from an image with OCR and pin a screenshot on top of other windows like a sticky note.
- Send and save options
- Send captures to a file, clipboard, printer, email, an FTP server, or OneNote, Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents.
- Screen tools
- Includes a color picker, magnifier, crosshair and screen ruler, plus global hotkeys and automatic file naming.
PicPick
- Many capture modes
- Full screen, active window, scrolling window, region, fixed region and freehand, with hotkeys, auto-save and multi-monitor support.
- Screen recording
- Record the full screen, a window or a region with system audio and microphone, saved to a local file.
- Ribbon-style image editor
- Annotate with text, arrows, shapes and callouts, and apply shadows, blur, watermarks, frames and mosaics.
- Design utilities
- Includes a color picker, pixel ruler, magnifier, protractor, crosshair and whiteboard.
- Share and send
- Send captures to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, FTP or email, or get a shareable web link.
Plans
FastStone Capture
Single license$29.95
one-time
Lifetime license for one user, with free upgrades; the order page also lists a volume discount.
Family license$69.95
one-time, for up to 5 computers
Lifetime license for home users covering up to 5 computers.
PicPick
Free$0
Personal, non-commercial use only. Screen capture, image editor and design tools, with manual updates and ads.
Professional$30
per year, per user
Commercial and business use, auto updates, priority support and no ads. Shown as $30, down from a crossed-out $36.
Ways to pay less
FastStone Capture
No public discounts listed.
PicPick
- Lifetime license
Lifetime license, limited-time offer
The pricing page says a one-time lifetime license is available as a limited-time offer, with no recurring fees.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FastStone Capture or PicPick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FastStone Capture starts at $29.95 one-time, and PicPick starts at $30 per year (Professional, listed as a limited-time price).
Which has a free plan, FastStone Capture or PicPick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only PicPick has a free plan. FastStone Capture does not, though it has a free trial.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.