Best screen annotation apps for Mac, compared by use case
Lasso is a fit for drawing live and turning your marks into an annotated screenshot. Presentify combines drawing with a cursor halo and zoom. DemoPro is built around hold-to-draw shortcuts. ScreenBrush supports pressure-sensitive brushes, and Microsoft ZoomIt combines drawing with live magnification and recording.
Compare Mac screen drawing tools
Lasso publishes this guide and makes one of the apps below. The comparison uses the developers’ documentation and App Store listings, reviewed in November 2026. We selected these apps because each can draw over a live Mac screen, then compared what each helps you do next.
| App | Choose it when | Workflow |
|---|---|---|
| Lasso | You want to keep a marked-up image after explaining something live | Draw highlights and numbered steps, then capture, crop or copy the result |
| Presentify | You need your audience to follow the cursor or see small details | Switch between on-screen drawing, cursor highlighting, spotlight and zoom |
| DemoPro | You need to interrupt a live demo for a quick mark | Hold a shortcut to draw and release it to resume the demo |
| ScreenBrush | You want pressure-sensitive strokes on compatible hardware | Use the Brush tool with variable pressure or use the overlay as a laser pointer |
| Microsoft Sysinternals ZoomIt | You want a free utility for drawing, magnifying and recording | Zoom into a live app, draw on screen or record a walkthrough |
Lasso for live markup you can send afterward
In a design review, open the app you want to discuss, press Option–Shift–A (⌥⇧A), and press H for a translucent highlight or C for numbered steps. If the next person needs a copy of what you explained, press Shift–S to capture a region with your marks. Open the capture to crop or add a label, then copy it into a ticket or message.
Lasso also has a whiteboard you can pan and zoom, and a local MCP server for compatible AI clients. It runs on macOS 14 Sonoma or later on Apple silicon and Intel Macs. The one-time price is $9.99 USD. Drawing works without macOS Screen Recording permission. Capture and blur need it.
Lasso vs. Presentify for live presentations
Both apps draw over live Mac apps and offer a whiteboard. Choose Presentify if you spend the demo moving between buttons and fields and need a halo that follows your cursor. Presentify also spotlights areas or zooms in when text is too small for viewers to read.
Choose Lasso as a Presentify alternative if the same walkthrough needs to become a screenshot. For example, place three numbered marks over the controls in a settings panel, capture the region and paste it into a follow-up. Lasso’s fading laser pointer works for a quick gesture. For a persistent cursor halo or live screen magnification, use Presentify.
DemoPro for quick marks during a live demo
DemoPro’s hold-to-draw shortcut suits a workflow where you switch frequently between drawing and operating the app you’re showing. You can choose when marks clear and use the countdown timer for a break or an exercise during a workshop.
ScreenBrush for a pressure-sensitive brush
ScreenBrush can vary the width of a stroke with compatible pressure-sensitive hardware. It also offers a laser pointer and a companion remote that can advance Keynote or PowerPoint slides. The Mac App Store lists a free download with in-app purchases.
Microsoft ZoomIt for live magnification and recording
Use Sysinternals ZoomIt if your audience needs to read small controls or code while you keep working in the app. It can magnify a live screen, draw at normal size, and record a walkthrough. Microsoft offers a free Mac version on the Mac App Store.