Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Spectacle App VS Snipping Tool

Compare Spectacle App VS Snipping Tool and see what are their differences

Spectacle App logo Spectacle App

Move and resize windows with ease.

Snipping Tool logo Snipping Tool

Use Snipping Tool to capture a screen shot, or snip, of any object on your screen, and then annotate, save, or share the image
  • Spectacle App Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-18

Important note: Spectacle is no longer being actively maintained

  • Snipping Tool Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-06

Spectacle App features and specs

  • User-Friendliness
    Spectacle App offers an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, which allows users to quickly understand and navigate through its features without a steep learning curve.
  • Efficiency
    The app provides keyboard shortcuts for managing window sizes and positions, enhancing workflow efficiency and minimizing the time spent on window management.
  • Customization
    Users can customize the keyboard shortcuts according to their preferences, making the app versatile and adaptable to different working styles.
  • Free to Use
    Spectacle App is available at no cost, providing powerful window management features without any financial barriers.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, Spectacle App allows users to contribute to its development and modifications, promoting community collaboration and transparency.

Possible disadvantages of Spectacle App

  • Limited Development
    The app is no longer actively maintained, which may result in compatibility issues with newer operating systems or a lack of new features over time.
  • Basic Functionality
    While effective, Spectacle App offers relatively basic functionality compared to some commercial window management tools, which may have more advanced features.
  • No Multi-Monitor Support
    Spectacle App lacks robust support for managing windows across multiple monitors, which can be a limitation for users with complex setups.
  • Potential Bugs
    As an open-source project without ongoing maintenance, users might encounter bugs or glitches that will not be addressed through official updates.

Snipping Tool features and specs

  • Built-in Tool
    Snipping Tool comes pre-installed with Windows, eliminating the need for additional software downloads or installations.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The tool has a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy for users of all levels to capture screenshots.
  • Multiple Capture Modes
    Offers several capture modes like free-form snip, rectangular snip, window snip, and full-screen snip to provide flexibility in taking screenshots.
  • Annotation Features
    It provides basic annotation tools such as a pen, highlighter, and eraser, allowing users to mark up their screenshots.
  • Delay Feature
    Includes a delay feature that allows users to capture screenshots after a set amount of time, useful for capturing context menus or transient states.

Possible disadvantages of Snipping Tool

  • Limited Editing Tools
    The built-in editing tools are quite basic and don't offer advanced features, limiting post-capture modifications.
  • No Scrolling Capture
    Snipping Tool does not support scrolling captures, making it inadequate for capturing long webpages or documents.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users report performance lags and glitches, particularly when taking multiple screenshots in quick succession.
  • No Cloud Integration
    There is no built-in feature to directly save or upload screenshots to cloud services, which can be inconvenient for users who rely on cloud storage.
  • Deprecated Status
    As Microsoft is gradually moving towards Snip & Sketch and other newer tools, Snipping Tool may not receive future updates, potentially leading to compatibility issues.

Spectacle App videos

Demo of Spectacle App for Mac

More videos:

  • Review - Spectacle App Showcase: Window Management, Manipulation, & Organization for Mac (2017)

Snipping Tool videos

How To Use Snipping Tool In Windows 10 [Tutorial]

More videos:

  • Review - New Snipping Tool review. Snip & Sketch

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Spectacle App and Snipping Tool)
Window Manager
100 100%
0% 0
Screenshot Annotation
22 22%
78% 78
OSX Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Screenshots
24 24%
76% 76

User comments

Share your experience with using Spectacle App and Snipping Tool. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Spectacle App and Snipping Tool

Spectacle App Reviews

Moom vs Magnet vs Spectacle
While custom sizes can only be done with Moom, the predefined window sizes are provided by Magnet and Spectacle out of the box, but can also be configured manually with Moom. It’s also possible to assign keyboard shortcuts. So, in this case, if you want all the features, Moom can do them all.
Source: medium.com

Snipping Tool Reviews

Top 13 Free Snagit Alternatives For 2021
This Windows-only screen tool doesn’t just give Snagit a run for its money, it’s also a direct competitor of the Windows Snipping Tool, and it seems to be doing a fine job of it. Share X is a busy little app that seems to jam-pack tons of features into a single desktop app.
Source: screenrec.com
15 Best Snagit Alternatives in 2020
Snipping Tool helps you to take a screenshot of your screen. It enables users to capture the whole screen or selected area in a rectangular form.
Source: www.guru99.com
30 Best Free Screen Capture Tools and Plugins
Snipping Tool, a simple tool shipped along with Windows, can snip in free-form or rectangular form. After snapping, it allows you to draw freely or add highlights on the image, and then, you can save the image or copy it to the clipboard.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Spectacle App seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 4 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Spectacle App mentions (4)

Snipping Tool mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Snipping Tool yet. Tracking of Snipping Tool recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Spectacle App and Snipping Tool, you can also consider the following products

Greenshot - Greenshot is a free and open source screenshot tool that allows annotation and highlighting using the built-in image editor.

ShareX - ShareX is a free and open source program that lets you capture or record any area of your screen...

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

LightShot - The fastest way to take a customizable screenshot.

Snagit - Screen Capture Software for Windows and Mac

Moom - Move your mouse over the green zoom button in any window, and Moom's mouse control overlay will appear (as seen in the above animation).