Pluck vs Snagit: Free Extension vs Paid Software

Snagit is the industry standard for professional screenshots. Pluck is a free browser extension focused on web element capture. They serve different audiences.

The cost question

Snagit costs $63 for a perpetual license (or $40/year with maintenance for updates). It’s a professional tool with professional pricing.

Pluck is free. No trial period, no feature limits, no subscription.

What you get

Snagit

• Capture anything on your screen
• Advanced image editor with annotations
• Screen recording and GIF creation
• Templates, stamps, and presets
• OCR text extraction
• Cloud integration (Screencast, Google Drive, etc.)
• Scrolling capture

Pluck

• Web element capture
• Automatic styling (padding, backgrounds)
• Clipboard or download output
• That’s it

Snagit does much more. But most people don’t need most features.

Real-world comparison

Scenario: Screenshot a tweet for Twitter

With Snagit:

1. Open Snagit capture
2. Select the region around the tweet
3. Open in Snagit Editor
4. Crop precisely
5. Add padding/background
6. Export

With Pluck:

1. Click the Pluck icon
2. Click the tweet
3. Done

For web content, Pluck is dramatically faster.

Scenario: Annotated screenshot for documentation

With Snagit:

1. Capture
2. Add arrows, callouts, text
3. Use templates for consistency
4. Export

With Pluck: This isn’t Pluck’s job. Use Snagit or another editor.

Who should use which

Choose Pluck if:

• You mostly screenshot web content
• You want instant results without editing
• You don’t want to pay for software
• You value simplicity over features

Choose Snagit if:

• Screenshots are core to your job
• You need editing and annotation
• You capture from desktop apps, not just web
• You create training materials or documentation

Can they coexist?

Absolutely. Many professionals use both:

• Pluck for quick social media screenshots
• Snagit for detailed documentation and training

The free + $63 combination covers all screenshot needs.