Lightshot review (2026): is it any good?
Screenshot tool for selecting an area and sharing a link
Lightshot report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for quick area screenshots shared as a link
Lightshot grabs a chosen area of the screen and can upload it for a short link. It is free, but sharing sends your image to the vendor's server, and the site's footer stops at 2022.
Who Lightshot is for
- Fits if you want a free screenshot tool that makes a link
- Works for people who take a screenshot a few times a day
Who Lightshot is not for
- Watch out: sharing uploads your image to the vendor's server
- Not for you if you want screen recording, as none is listed
- Skip it if you use Linux, as no app is listed
- Watch out: the footer shows 2009 to 2022, which suggests updates are rare
Why Lightshot gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyFree on Windows and Mac, under 60% of the category's cheaper quarter.
- AFree plan and trialFree outright with no cap listed and nothing locked.
- CFeaturesArea capture, quick edit, upload with a short link and similar-image search. There is no listed scrolling capture or screen recording, so it covers a narrow job.
- BEase of useNo rating on record. You press a key, drag, and save or share.
- CPlatforms and integrationsWindows, Mac and browser extensions. All computers, with no phone app and no listed integrations.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Skillbrains's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
Make Lightshot? Put this grade on your site
Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges
<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/lightshot#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/lightshot.svg" alt="Lightshot: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Lightshot stands among desktop utilities
Lightshot's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 83 of the 96 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 53 of 96) and worst on features (C, above 1).
Lightshot has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 97 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Lightshot’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 24 of 96, level with 72
- AFree plan and trialAbove 53 of 96, level with 43
- CFeaturesAbove 1 of 96, level with 67
- BEase of useAbove 34 of 96, level with 62
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 62 of 96, level with 25
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 52 desktop utilities. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Keep Lightshot, or make your own?
Keep it
Lightshot is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 83 of the 96 other desktop utilities we grade.
What you could not
- Capture tools hooked into the operating system.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- A real app for macOS and Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
- Sharing with other people, which means accounts and invitations.
What this rests on. Lightshot’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Lightshot?
Lightshot is a screenshot app for Windows and Mac, with browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. You select any area of the screen, edit the capture, and upload it to get a short link. It also offers a similar-image search for a selected region. The site lists the download as free.
Worth knowing
- Sharing uploads the image to the vendor's server.
- The site's footer shows a 2009-2022 copyright, which suggests updates are infrequent.
- No Linux app is listed on the page.
Key features
- Area capture
- Select any region of the desktop and capture it in two clicks.
- Instant edit
- Edit a capture while taking it, or later in the online editor.
- Upload and short link
- Uploads the image to the vendor's server and returns a short link right away.
- Similar image search
- Select an image on screen to find similar images.
- Gallery
- A signed-in My Gallery page keeps your uploaded screenshots.
- Browser extensions
- Extensions for Chrome and Firefox are linked from the site, alongside the desktop apps.
Lightshot pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Lightshot is free to use.
- Starts at
- Free
- Free plan
- None
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Lightshot | $0 | The download page offers the app for free on Windows and Mac. |
Read from app.prntscr.com on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Lightshot before you buy.
Lightshot alternatives
- Lightshot vs Shottr
Free plan · from $12 one-time
- Lightshot vs Greenshot
Free plan · from $1.99 one-time
Common questions
Does Lightshot have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Lightshot is listed for Windows and macOS.
Does Lightshot have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Lightshot is listed for Windows and macOS.
Is Lightshot open source?
Lightshot is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.