Xnip review
Xnip combines scrolling screenshots, markup, and on-device OCR in a macOS desktop app.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Xnip is a macOS desktop app for capturing and annotating screenshots, aimed at Mac users who want scrolling capture and straightforward markup without a cloud-based workflow. It can capture selected areas and windows, including multiple windows and their shadows, as well as content beyond the visible screen. Its tools include freehand drawing, pixelation, numbered steps, and highlighting. The Mac App Store listing says it requires macOS 13.5 or later, which makes that system requirement relevant before choosing it.
The app’s feature set goes beyond basic capture: it offers on-device screenshot text recognition, image pinning in an always-on-top floating window, color picking, and a physical-unit measurement indicator for selected objects. The vendor describes Xnip as offline and on-device, a fit for people who prefer local screenshot handling. Its focus remains desktop capture and annotation; it is not positioned around cloud sharing or browser-based capture. Choose it if those local tools and scrolling screenshots match your Mac workflow, rather than if sharing and collaboration are central.
Xnip is freemium, with a free plan. The U.S. Mac App Store lists a yearly Xnip Pro subscription and two in-app purchase entries named “No watermark & Edit window”; the published purchase options distinguish the subscription from those entries, but the listing does not explain their feature differences further. Pricing and availability may vary by region. This gives buyers a free way to consider the app alongside paid options, though the purchase structure may require checking the current Mac App Store listing. It is suited to solo and small-scale use; users needing a browser extension, cloud sharing, or a non-Mac desktop app should look elsewhere.
Xnip pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Captures content beyond the visible screen with scrolling capture
- Adds freehand drawing, pixelation, numbered steps, and highlighting
- Recognizes screenshot text on-device and can pin images above other windows
- Where it doesn't
- Available only for macOS
- No cloud sharing or browser extension
- Paid options include separate no-watermark and edit-window purchases
Xnip fact sheet, pricing and score →
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