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Preview vs ShareX

Professional comparison and analysis to help you choose the right software solution for your needs.

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Preview
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ShareX

Preview vs ShareX: The Verdict

⚡ Summary:

Preview: Preview is a free and open-source document viewer application for macOS. It allows quick viewing of multiple file formats including images, PDFs, Markdown files, Office documents, and more. Preview has basic editing capabilities and annotation tools for PDFs.

ShareX: ShareX is a free and open source screenshot and screen recording utility for Windows. It allows capturing screenshots, recording screen and uploading images/recordings to over 80 destinations. Key features include region capture, scrolling capture, video annotation, hotkey activation, image editing and sharing.

Both tools serve their respective audiences. Compare the features, pricing, and user ratings above to determine which best fits your needs.

Last updated: May 2026 · Comparison by Sugggest Editorial Team

Feature Preview ShareX
Sugggest Score — —
Category Office & Productivity Productivity
Pricing Open Source Open Source

Product Overview

Preview
Preview

Description: Preview is a free and open-source document viewer application for macOS. It allows quick viewing of multiple file formats including images, PDFs, Markdown files, Office documents, and more. Preview has basic editing capabilities and annotation tools for PDFs.

Type: software

Pricing: Open Source

ShareX
ShareX

Description: ShareX is a free and open source screenshot and screen recording utility for Windows. It allows capturing screenshots, recording screen and uploading images/recordings to over 80 destinations. Key features include region capture, scrolling capture, video annotation, hotkey activation, image editing and sharing.

Type: software

Pricing: Open Source

Key Features Comparison

Preview
Preview Features
  • View PDFs, images, text files and more
  • Annotate PDFs with shapes, text boxes, signatures
  • Basic image editing tools
  • Fill out and sign PDF forms
  • Combine PDFs and export as PDF or other formats
  • Tabbed interface to view multiple files
  • Quick Look support to preview files
  • Built-in screen capture tool
ShareX
ShareX Features
  • Screen capture
  • Screen recording
  • Upload images/recordings to many destinations
  • Region capture
  • Scrolling capture
  • Video annotation
  • Hotkey activation
  • Basic image editing

Pros & Cons Analysis

Preview
Preview
Pros
  • Free and included with macOS
  • Fast and lightweight
  • Supports many common file formats
  • Useful annotation and editing tools
  • Easy to use interface
Cons
  • Limited functionality compared to paid alternatives
  • Lacks advanced PDF editing features
  • No OCR for scanning text in images
  • No collaboration tools
ShareX
ShareX
Pros
  • Free and open source
  • Powerful capture and annotation tools
  • Many export/upload options
  • Lightweight and customizable
  • Active development and community support
Cons
  • Steep learning curve
  • Uploader lacks robust error handling
  • Limited to Windows platform
  • Basic editor lacks advanced features

Pricing Comparison

Preview
Preview
  • Open Source
ShareX
ShareX
  • Open Source

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Learn More About Each Product

Preview
Preview
Reviews, pricing & alternatives →
ShareX
ShareX
Reviews, pricing & alternatives →

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