EasyScreenOCR Alternatives for Mac: 6 Options Compared
By Eduard Bruch, developer of Optic · Updated
EasyScreenOCR is a Mac app that captures part of the screen and turns it into text, with translation and batch processing on top. People look for an alternative when they want a one-time price instead of a Pro subscription, QR codes on screen, or a smaller tool that only copies text.
Short answer: my pick is Optic, a menu bar app that copies the text in any area you drag across the screen and reads QR codes shown on screen, for $4.99, a one-time purchase with no subscription. Stay with EasyScreenOCR if you need translation or batches of images; for free options use Live Text or Shottr, for open source TRex.
Disclosure: I build Optic, so the pick is my opinion. Competitor details checked 2026-10-10, from each vendor's own page and Mac App Store listing.
EasyScreenOCR alternatives at a glance
| App | Best for | Price model | Min macOS | QR on screen | OCR languages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optic (my pick) | Text and QR codes from any screen area, one-time price | $4.99 one-time (Mac App Store) | 14.0 | Yes: QR, Micro QR, Aztec, Data Matrix, PDF417 | 21 |
| EasyScreenOCR (for reference) | Screen OCR plus translation and image batches | Free; Pro $6.99/month, $19.99/year or $29.99 lifetime | 13.0 | Not stated | "100+" listed |
| TextSniper | Long-established screen OCR utility | $9.99 one-time (Mac App Store); direct licence from $7.99 | 12.0 (store listing) | Yes, "QR code and barcode reader" | "Over 25", depends on macOS |
| TRex | Open source | $7.99 (Mac App Store) or free MIT source on GitHub | 14.6 (store listing) | Yes, "QR Code and barcodes" | Not stated |
| Shottr | Free screenshot tool with OCR | Free to use; one-time licence for commercial use | 10.15 | Yes ("OCR feature also reads QR codes") | Not stated |
| OwlOCR | PDFs, image files and batches | Free Core; Pro $19.99/year or $49.99 once | 13.3 | Yes, QR codes and barcodes | Depends on macOS |
| macOS Live Text | Free, built in | Built in | 12 Monterey | Not documented | Varies by region and language |
Prices are from the US Mac App Store and vendor pages on 2026-10-10. "Not stated" means the vendor's pages did not say, not that the feature is missing.
How we checked
I read EasyScreenOCR's Mac App Store listing (version 3.0.0) and each alternative's own page and listing on 2026-10-10, and took only what they state. easyscreenocr.com returned a server error that day, so EasyScreenOCR facts come from its listing only. I build and use Optic, and every Optic line comes from its code and store listing (all Optic facts). I did not test the accuracy or speed of any other app.
What EasyScreenOCR does
EasyScreenOCR ("EasyScreenOCR - Image to Text" on the Mac App Store) is a screen capture OCR app. Its listing, checked 2026-10-10, states:
- "Capture any part of your screen and extract editable text", with the result "automatically copied to your clipboard".
- "Auto Language Detection" and "100+ Languages Supported" for OCR.
- "Built-in Translation" into a list of languages, and "Batch Processing" of several images.
- "All OCR runs locally on your Mac", customizable hotkeys and history records.
- Free to use, with Pro for "batch OCR (more than 5 images at once)" and "extended translation capacity (over 1000 characters)": $6.99 per month, $19.99 per year or $29.99 lifetime. It needs macOS 13.0 or later.
Its listing does not mention QR codes.
Best for text and QR codes at a one-time price: Optic
Optic is a menu bar app for Mac: choose Capture Text or Capture QR Code, drag a box over any area of any connected display, and the result is on your clipboard.
- Recognition runs on the Mac with Apple's Vision framework; the app has no network access, no account and no analytics.
- 21 recognition languages, each one can be switched off in Settings; Code mode keeps indentation; line breaks can be kept, removed or smart-merged.
- Reads QR, Micro QR, Aztec, Data Matrix and PDF417 codes on screen, and links open from the history of your last 20 captures. Any capture can be read aloud.
- $4.99, a one-time purchase: no subscription and no in-app purchases. Needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later.
What EasyScreenOCR has that Optic does not: translation, batches of image files, more OCR languages on its list, customizable hotkeys and support for macOS 13. If you translate what you capture every day, EasyScreenOCR or a separate translator fits that job better. Optic copies the original text; for languages, see OCR foreign language text on Mac.
Get Optic on the Mac App Store
Best established alternative: TextSniper
TextSniper is a screen OCR utility for Mac. It is $9.99 one-time on the US Mac App Store, with direct licences from $7.99 on textsniper.app; its listing mentions a "QR code and barcode reader", text-to-speech, vertical Chinese, Japanese and Korean text and customizable keyboard shortcuts, and needs macOS 12 (checked 2026-10-10). Side by side with Optic: Optic vs TextSniper.
Best open-source alternative: TRex
TRex is an open-source screen OCR app under the MIT licence. The Mac App Store build is $7.99 and needs macOS 14.6; the listing says "Every feature in TRex works offline" and that it reads QR codes and barcodes (github.com/amebalabs/TRex and App Store listing, checked 2026-10-10).
Best free alternatives: Shottr and Live Text
- Shottr is a screenshot and annotation app whose OCR "also reads QR codes". It can be used for free, with a paid one-time licence required for commercial use, and runs on macOS 10.15 and up (shottr.cc, checked 2026-10-10).
- Live Text is built into macOS 12 and later for images in Preview, Photos, Quick Look and Safari. It does not read text in other apps' windows, video calls or dialogs. More: Mac Live Text limitations.
All free options side by side: best free OCR for Mac.
Best for files and batches: OwlOCR
OwlOCR grabs screen areas, opens images and PDFs, exports searchable PDFs and reads barcodes and QR codes; batch OCR is in Pro. It has a free Core tier, Pro is $19.99 per year or $49.99 once, and it needs macOS 13.3 (owlocr.com and App Store listing, checked 2026-10-10). If batches were the reason you used EasyScreenOCR, this is the closer match; more in batch OCR screenshots on Mac.
FAQ
What is a good EasyScreenOCR alternative for Mac?
My pick is Optic (I build it): drag a box over any area of the screen and the text or QR code content is on your clipboard, for $4.99, a one-time purchase with no subscription. TRex is the open-source option, Shottr is free to use, and OwlOCR handles PDFs and batches.
Is EasyScreenOCR free?
Its Mac App Store listing says the free version has full functionality, and Pro ($6.99 per month, $19.99 per year or $29.99 lifetime on the US store, checked 2026-10-10) adds batches of more than 5 images and translation of more than 1,000 characters.
Is there an EasyScreenOCR alternative without a subscription?
Yes. My pick is Optic at $4.99, a one-time purchase, one-time. TextSniper ($9.99) and TRex ($7.99) are also one-time purchases on the US Mac App Store, and EasyScreenOCR itself offers a $29.99 lifetime plan (all checked 2026-10-10).
Which EasyScreenOCR alternative reads QR codes?
Optic, TextSniper, TRex, Shottr and OwlOCR all say they read QR codes from the screen. Optic reads QR, Micro QR, Aztec, Data Matrix and PDF417 codes, not 1D barcodes. More: how to scan a QR code on Mac.
Does Optic translate text like EasyScreenOCR?
No. Optic copies the recognized text in its original language. If you need translation built in, EasyScreenOCR lists it.
Get Optic on the Mac App Store · Best screen OCR apps for Mac · TextSniper alternatives · All Optic facts