NexSnap

Taking a screenshot is a basic function that's built into many devices and operating systems. However, remix culture demands that we not only capture what we see, but also customize it with flair for sharing with friends. NexSnap’s free screen-capture utility makes it easy to add cool visual flourishes to your screenshots. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support video recording, and many of its features are behind a $9.99-per-year paywall. And if you're open to paying for a screen-capture app, we more highly recommend Snagit, our Editors' Choice winner.

Getting Started With NexSnap

NexSnap is free to use and doesn’t require you to create an account. It asks you to authenticate your profile via email, but you can skip this step. The free version is essentially a demo that lets you take screenshots and do some light editing (though NexSnap slaps its watermark on the images). You can also upload images and edit them in NexSnap's browser-based version, but you must download the desktop app for Mac or Windows to actually take screenshots. A Linux version is coming soon. Unfortunately, the browser version noticeably slowed my laptop’s performance while testing the app in Google Chrome. I didn’t experience this issue with other web browsers or the desktop app.

NexSnap has mobile apps for Android and iOS, but to access those you must subscribe to NexSnap Pro for $9.99 per year. The subscription includes most of NexSnap’s coolest editing features, including HD quality exports, 3D tilt effects, and custom image backgrounds and canvas sizes. A subscription also removes the NexSnap watermark that appears on images captured or edited in the free version.

NexSnap Pro has a reasonable price, as well as a one-week free trial. If you’re OK with paying for screenshot software, you’ll get more advanced premium features, such as OCR text-recognition support or GIF making, with Ashampoo Snap ($39.99) or Snagit ($62.99). If you don’t want to pay that much upfront, Droplr is another subscription ($8 per month), while Screencast-O-Matic has a robust free tier alongside its paid plans (starting at $4 per month).

Using NexSnap

NexSnap is extremely easy to use. The app is similar to Windows Snip and Sketch, a built-in, free utility for Windows 10 and 11. NexSnap’s website explains everything through useful animated GIFs. You can capture a window, an entire screen, a rectangular chunk of the screen, or draw a freeform shape to crop out an irregular screen section. From there, you can export the screenshot as a JPG or PNG file.

However, to get the most out of NexSnap, you should take advantage of its image-editing features. Whether you use the free or Pro versions, NexSnap lets you spruce up screenshots by changing the background, importing images, and altering angles. Apply hip filters like Brooklyn to mellow out your image or Dogpatch to brighten it up. Different frames let you see how your image would look on various devices, such as a MacBook Pro or Samsung Galaxy Note 20. NexSnap provides free background stock photos from Unsplash. You have a lot of granular control over values like shadow opacity, color gradient, and border size. You can also annotate images with text and drawings. 

I quickly and casually produced pictures that look pretty slick. Just don’t think this replaces dedicated, professional photo editing software. NexSnap says more functionality is coming soon, such as pro templates and the ability to upload images from URLs. Cloud support is also on the way, which would definitely make NexSnap more useful for organizations looking to collaborate on and sync files between team members. Right now, NexSnap caters to individuals, not businesses. 

Note, though, that NexSnap doesn't let you record video, even with a Pro subscription. Premium screenshot apps, even ones that mostly focus on images, usually let you record at least some video. The best ones record not only your screen but also your face using a webcam. For easy free video recording, check out Vimeo Record. 

Easy to Use, Easy on the Eyes

NexSnap remembers that taking screenshots shouldn’t be complicated and that a screen-capture utility should offer something more exciting than just holding down PrtScn. The free version is more of a taste than a complete product, but the subscription is affordable, and either way, the software produces nifty images. However, if you're willing to pay more money for advanced screenshot features and video recording, our Editors’ Choice pick Snagit is your best bet.