The Snipaste Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Snipaste in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Snipaste
The Insider’s Guide
Screenshot tool that pins images to the screen as floating windows
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Snipaste’s own pages.
Made by Snipaste · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Snipaste’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Snipaste’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.0
GPA, above 154 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade
Snipaste is a snipping tool for Windows, macOS and Linux that can also pin a screenshot, or clipboard text, colors or images, back onto the screen as a floating window. Snipaste 2 is free for personal use; business use needs a one-time PRO license, which also unlocks features added after the 1.x line.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Snipaste, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Install and press a hotkey, with nothing to set up.
- 1
Best for pinning screenshots to the screen
Snipaste snips the screen and pins screenshots, text or colors as floating windows.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $8.99 one-time, 1 device.
- 3
There is a free plan
Snipaste 2 is free for personal use only, with bug-fix updates and the core snipping, pinning and annotation tools.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 5
Snip with UI detection
Capture a region with automatic detection of windows and interface elements, pixel-level control, a color picker and multi-screen support.
- 6
Pin as floating windows
Paste a screenshot, clipboard text, HTML, color info or an image file as a floating window you can zoom, rotate, flip and make translucent.
- 7
Annotation tools
Free includes rectangles, ellipses, arrows, pencil, marker, text, mosaic, blur and eraser; PRO adds counters, magnify and re-editing.
- 8
A 3.0 GPA, above 154 of 186
That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
Nothing Snipaste does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 3 things listed below take a company.
Snipaste at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $8.99 one-time, 1 device
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Snipaste
- Category
- Desktop Utilities
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for pinning screenshots to the screen
Snipaste snips the screen and pins screenshots, text or colors as floating windows. But Snipaste 2 is free for personal use only, new features arrive in PRO, and a licence doesn't cover a future major version.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free for personal use, and PRO is $8.99 one-time for one device, far under a year of this category's typical subscription. |
| Free plan and trial | B | The core snipping, pinning and annotation tools are free for personal use. Business use needs PRO or the older 1.x line. |
| Features | B | Snipping with UI detection, pinning, annotation and a portable build. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job, though some capture extras are PRO. |
| Ease of use | B | Install and press a hotkey, with nothing to set up. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Windows, macOS and Linux, computers only. No phone or web version. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Snipaste is for
- Fits if you want to pin a screenshot beside your work while you type
- Works for personal use on Windows, Mac or Linux
Who it is not for
- Not for you if it is for business use, as that needs a PRO licence
- Watch out: new features arrive only in PRO, and 1.x stays at version 1.16.2
- Watch out: a licence doesn't cover new major versions, and the vendor only promises a discount for a future 3.0
- Tight if you want to use it on several machines: 3 devices is $19.99 and the Microsoft Store licence is a separate purchase
Good to know
Good for
- Developers and designers who pin reference images beside their work
- Keyboard-driven screenshot capture on Windows, Mac or Linux
- Personal users, who can stay on the free version
Worth knowing
- Free for personal use only; business use needs a Snipaste 2 PRO license or the older 1.x line.
- Snipaste 1.x stays at version 1.16.2, and new features arrive only in PRO.
- A license does not cover new major versions; the vendor promises a discount for a future 3.0.
- The Windows-only Microsoft Store license and the desktop license are separate purchases.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8.99 one-time
To start. There is a free plan too
Snipaste has a free plan. Paid plans start at $8.99 one-time, 1 device.
The core snipping, pinning and annotation tools are free for personal use.
Free
$0
Personal use only. Includes region capture, window detection, pinned image windows and basic annotation.
PRO, 1 device
$8.99
one-time, 1 device (Windows, Mac or Linux)
Business use allowed, plus the PRO features such as text extraction, super-snip and more annotation tools.
PRO, 3 devices
$19.99
one-time, up to 3 devices (Windows, Mac or Linux)
Same PRO license for three devices; includes minor-version updates, with a discount promised for a future version 3.
PRO, Microsoft Store
$19.99
one-time, up to 10 Windows 10 or 11 devices
Tied to your Microsoft account. It is a separate license from the desktop version and not interchangeable with it.
The free plan
Snipaste 2 is free for personal use only, with bug-fix updates and the core snipping, pinning and annotation tools.
Read from snipaste.com on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
20% off the second license type
Buyers of the desktop or the Microsoft Store license can email a receipt for 20% off the other version.
Stated on docs.snipaste.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Screenshot tool that pins images to the screen as floating windows. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, one-time purchase, keyboard-first, screenshots.
Snipping with UI detection, pinning, annotation and a portable build.
- Snip with UI detection
- Capture a region with automatic detection of windows and interface elements, pixel-level control, a color picker and multi-screen support.
- Pin as floating windows
- Paste a screenshot, clipboard text, HTML, color info or an image file as a floating window you can zoom, rotate, flip and make translucent.
- Annotation tools
- Free includes rectangles, ellipses, arrows, pencil, marker, text, mosaic, blur and eraser; PRO adds counters, magnify and re-editing.
- PRO capture extras
- PRO adds text extraction, QR and barcode decoding, super-snip with no hotkey, fixed-ratio capture and rounded-corner screenshots.
- Portable and customizable
- Portable builds run without installing, with theme color, tray icon and hotkey settings; PRO adds more hotkey bindings.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Listary
Snipaste is made by Snipaste.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
154/186
Other desktop utilities it is graded above
Snipaste's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 154 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 27.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 55 of 186) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 111).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Snipaste’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 55 of 186
- BFree plan and trialAbove 75 of 186
- BFeaturesAbove 113 of 186
- BEase of useAbove 78 of 186
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 111 of 186
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Nothing Snipaste does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 3 things listed below take a company.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 154 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade. It costs $8.99, paid once.
What you could not
- Capture tools hooked into the operating system.
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Snipaste’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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
PicPick, ShareX, Greenshot, Shottr and Lightshot
The 5 tools Snipaste is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
PicPick
Free plan · from $30/yr
Windows screen capture, image editor and design tools in one app.
- Only Snipaste lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Snipaste can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- PicPick also covers screen recording and file sharing.
- 2.6GPA
ShareX
Free
Free, open-source screenshot and screen recording for Windows.
- Only Snipaste lists macOS and Linux apps.
- Snipaste can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- ShareX is open source, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
Greenshot
Free plan · from $1.99 one-time
Free, open-source screenshot tool for Windows with an editor.
- Only Snipaste lists a Linux app.
- Snipaste can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Greenshot is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Shottr
Free plan · from $12 one-time
Small Mac screenshot tool with annotation, OCR and a ruler.
- Only Snipaste lists Windows and Linux apps.
- 3.0GPA
Lightshot
Free
Screenshot tool for selecting an area and sharing a link.
- Only Snipaste lists a Linux app.
- Only Lightshot lists a browser extension.
- Snipaste can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Snipaste free?
Snipaste has a free plan. Snipaste 2 is free for personal use only, with bug-fix updates and the core snipping, pinning and annotation tools.
How much does Snipaste cost?
Snipaste lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Snipaste work on?
Snipaste is available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Snipaste offer any discounts?
Snipaste publicly lists the following: 20% off the second license type.
Does Snipaste have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Snipaste is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does Snipaste have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Snipaste is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is Snipaste open source?
Snipaste is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Does Snipaste work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
What does Snipaste integrate with?
Snipaste's listing names Listary. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Snipaste?
Snipaste is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Snipaste?
The closest alternatives to Snipaste in our directory are PicPick, ShareX, Greenshot, Shottr and Lightshot.
How does Snipaste compare with other desktop utilities?
Snipaste's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 154 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 27.
Could I make my own version of Snipaste?
Nothing Snipaste does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 3 things listed below take a company.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Snipaste’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Snipaste's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Snipaste. Prices change, so check snipaste.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Snipaste, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/snipaste
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Snipaste: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/snipaste
Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/snipaste/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded desktop utilities after Snipaste, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Desktop Utilities Insider's GuideEvery one of the 187 desktop utilities we grade, compared
- Just Color Picker Insider's GuideFree portable color picker and editor for Windows and macOS3.2 GPA
- LocalSend Insider's GuideOpen-source file sharing between nearby devices, no cloud3.2 GPA
- Mos Insider's GuideFree Mac menu bar utility for smooth mouse wheel scrolling3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Snipaste’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Snipaste is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Snipaste. Prices and plans change: check snipaste.com before you buy.