Scribe vs. FastStone Capture: Pricing Comparison Guide 2026

What is Scribe?

Scribe is an AI-powered process documentation platform that automatically generates step-by-step guides as you complete workflows in your browser or desktop applications. Launched in 2019 and backed by Series C funding as of 2026, Scribe has grown to serve over 5 million users across 78,000+ organizations, including 94% of the Fortune 500.

The platform captures your screen actions, automatically generates annotated screenshots with text instructions, and produces shareable guides in minutes rather than hours. Scribe supports web, desktop, and mobile app documentation with features like auto-redaction of sensitive data, custom branding, PDF/HTML exports, and enterprise-grade security compliance (SOC 2 Type II, HIPAA, CCPA).

Pricing Focus: Scribe uses a per-seat subscription model with annual and monthly billing options. The platform offers four tiers: Basic (Free), Pro Personal ($23/user/month annual, $29/month monthly), Pro Team ($12/seat/month with 5-seat minimum at $59/month annual), and Enterprise (custom pricing). The annual billing option provides 20% savings compared to monthly payments.

What is FastStone Capture?

FastStone Capture is a lightweight Windows screen capture and recording tool that has been in continuous development since the mid-2000s. Version 11.2, released in November 2025, represents the mature evolution of a tool designed for simple, efficient screen capture without cloud dependencies or subscription fees.

The software enables users to capture anything on screen—including windows, objects, menus, full screen, rectangular/freehand regions, and scrolling windows/web pages. It also supports screen recording to MP4 video files with webcam and audio capture. FastStone Capture includes basic annotation tools, image editing capabilities, and export options for common image formats.

Pricing Focus: FastStone Capture uses a perpetual license model with one-time payments. A single user license costs $19.95, while a Family License covering up to 5 computers costs $49.95. Volume discounts are available, reducing the per-user cost to as low as $4 for 300-999 licenses. All licenses include lifetime updates with no recurring fees. The software offers a 30-day free trial for evaluation.

Pricing Deep Dive: Total Cost of Ownership Analysis

Year 1 Cost Comparison

For a single user, the first-year cost difference is minimal. Scribe Pro Personal costs $276 annually ($23/month × 12), while FastStone Capture costs $19.95 once. FastStone appears significantly cheaper in year one—saving $256.05.

However, this comparison doesn't account for feature parity. Scribe includes AI-powered auto-generation, cloud storage, multi-platform support, and continuous updates. FastStone provides basic screen capture and editing on Windows only. If you need Scribe's advanced features, there's no equivalent one-time-purchase alternative.

3-Year and 5-Year Projections

Individual User (3 years):

• Scribe Pro Personal: $828 (ongoing value, latest features)
• FastStone Capture: $19.95 (one-time, frozen feature set)
• Savings with FastStone: $808.05

5-User Team (3 years):

• Scribe Pro Team: $2,124 ($59/month × 36 months)
• FastStone Capture: $49.95 (Family License) or $99.75 (5 individual licenses)
• Savings with FastStone: $2,024.05 - $2,074.05

5-User Team (5 years):

• Scribe Pro Team: $3,540 ($59/month × 60 months)
• FastStone Capture: $49.95 (Family License)
• Savings with FastStone: $3,490.05

The Feature-Value Equation

FastStone Capture's pricing advantage is undeniable for basic screen capture needs. However, the value equation shifts dramatically when considering:

What Scribe includes for the subscription cost:

• AI-powered automatic guide generation (saves 90% of documentation time according to customer data)
• Cloud hosting and instant sharing capabilities
• Cross-platform support (Web, Windows, Mac, mobile)
• Team collaboration with comments and version history
• Enterprise security and compliance (SOC 2, HIPAA, CCPA)
• Auto-redaction of PII/PHI (Pro Team and Enterprise)
• Multi-format exports (PDF, HTML, Markdown, Word)
• Continuous product improvements and feature additions

What FastStone Capture includes for the one-time cost:

• Screen capture (windows, regions, scrolling, full screen)
• Screen recording to MP4 with webcam and audio
• Basic annotation and editing tools
• Local file management
• Windows-only support
• Lifetime updates to the core feature set

Hidden Costs and Considerations

Scribe's hidden costs:

• Monthly billing adds 20% cost premium ($29/month vs $23/month annual)
• Minimum 5-seat requirement for Pro Team can lead to paying for unused seats
• Additional users beyond the base package cost extra ($12/seat/month)
• Enterprise features require custom pricing (potentially $10,000+ annually)
• Canceling subscription means losing access to all created content

FastStone's hidden costs:

• No cloud features means paying for separate hosting/sharing solutions
• Manual documentation takes 10x longer without AI automation
• Windows-only limits cross-platform teams
• No team collaboration requires additional tools for workflow management
• Compliance requirements may necessitate purchasing additional software

Break-Even Analysis

For teams using Scribe's full feature set, the subscription model becomes cost-effective when time savings are factored in. According to Scribe's customer data, users save an average of 41.6 hours per month on documentation. If we value that time at $50/hour (conservative for knowledge workers in 2026), the monthly savings is $2,080—far exceeding the $23-59/month subscription cost.

FastStone Capture users save $0 on automation because there is no automation. The tool is purely for capture and basic editing. Time savings come from efficiency, not AI assistance.

Best Use Cases by Pricing Model

Choose Scribe When:

• You need AI-powered process documentation: If you're creating SOPs, training materials, or help documentation regularly, Scribe's automation justifies the subscription cost by saving 35+ hours per month per user.
• Team collaboration is essential: Distributed teams, customer success organizations, and L&D departments benefit from cloud-based sharing, comments, and centralized document management.
• Compliance is mandatory: Healthcare, finance, and enterprise IT teams requiring SOC 2, HIPAA, or CCPA compliance have no alternative with FastStone's local-only model.
• Cross-platform support matters: Mac users, mobile documentation, and web-only workflows can't be served by Windows-only FastStone Capture.
• Your budget accommodates recurring costs: Organizations with predictable software budgets and SaaS-friendly procurement processes.

Choose FastStone Capture When:

• You need simple screen capture: Freelancers, technical writers, and support staff who just need to capture, annotate, and save screenshots locally.
• Budget is severely constrained: Small businesses, startups, and individual consultants who can't justify $23-29/month for capture tools.
• You're Windows-only: Teams operating exclusively on Windows who don't need Mac or web-based capture.
• You prefer one-time payments: Organizations or individuals who avoid subscriptions on principle or accounting preference.
• No collaboration needed: Solo workers who create content locally and don't need cloud sharing or team features.
• You create content infrequently: Users who only need screen capture occasionally and won't benefit from ongoing feature updates.

Consider Alternatives (Guidde) When:

• You want AI automation without Scribe's high cost: Guidde offers similar AI-powered video guide creation at more competitive rates.
• Video is your preferred medium: Guidde specializes in AI video documentation, which often outperforms static screenshots for complex workflows.
• You need both capture AND guided experiences: Guidde combines screen recording with interactive overlay tutorials.
• You want faster creation: Guidde claims 11x faster documentation creation compared to traditional methods.
• Enterprise features at scale: Guidde provides enterprise-grade analytics, personalization, and integrations without the premium pricing.

Cost Comparison: Real-World Scenarios

Scenario 1: Solo Consultant Creating Client Tutorials

Use case: Creating 10-15 process guides monthly for clients

Scribe Pro Personal: $276/year (annual billing)

• Benefit: AI automation saves ~20 hours/month, professional branded output, easy client sharing
• Cost per guide: ~$1.53 (180 guides/year)
• Time saved: 240 hours/year
• Value: $12,000+ (at $50/hour) minus $276 = $11,724 net value

FastStone Capture: $19.95 one-time

• Benefit: Low upfront cost, basic capture and annotation
• Cost per guide: $0.11 first year (180 guides), $0 thereafter
• Time saved: Minimal (manual documentation still required)
• Value: $19.95 cost with no automation savings = Baseline comparison

Winner: Scribe, if time is valued. FastStone if budget is primary constraint and automation isn't needed.

Scenario 2: IT Department (15 staff) Creating Internal SOPs

Use case: Documenting IT processes for 500-person company

Scribe Pro Team: $179/month = $2,148/year (annual billing at $12/seat for 15 users, base $59 for 5 + $120 for 10 additional)

• Benefit: Centralized documentation, compliance features, team collaboration, auto-redaction
• Efficiency gain: 25-30 hours/month saved per team member = 375-450 hours/month total
• Value: $225,000-270,000/year in time savings minus $2,148 = $222,852-267,852 net value

FastStone Capture: $170 one-time (volume discount: $11/user × 15 users, or $85 using Family License for 5 + $85 for 10 individual)

• Benefit: Very low cost, local control, no recurring fees
• Drawback: No collaboration, no cloud hosting, Windows-only, manual process for all documentation
• Efficiency gain: Minimal automation, same manual effort
• Value: $170 cost, no time savings = Break-even at $170

Winner: Scribe for organizations where time and compliance matter more than upfront cost.

Scenario 3: Customer Support Team (5 agents) Creating Help Articles

Use case: Producing 50+ help articles monthly for knowledge base

Scribe Pro Team: $708/year (annual: $59/month × 12)

• Benefit: Fast guide creation, embeddable in knowledge base, customer-ready formatting
• Articles created: 600+/year
• Time saved: 30 hours/month (90% faster than manual) = 360 hours/year
• Value: $18,000 savings (at $50/hour) minus $708 = $17,292 net value

FastStone Capture: $49.95 one-time (Family License for 5 computers)

• Benefit: One-time cost, unlimited captures
• Drawback: Manual screenshot assembly, no auto-text generation, local files require additional upload steps
• Time saved: Moderate (faster than no tool, but slower than AI automation)
• Value: $49.95 cost, 50% manual effort remains = $8,950 net value (180 hours saved at $50/hour)

Winner: Scribe for high-volume content creation with team collaboration needs.

Scenario 4: Freelance Designer Creating Portfolio Screenshots

Use case: Capturing design work 5-10 times monthly

Scribe Pro Personal: $276/year or $348/year (monthly billing)

• Benefit: Quick capture with auto-documentation
• Frequency: 60-120 captures/year
• Overkill: Most Scribe features (AI process docs, compliance, team features) are unused
• Value: Marginal benefit over simpler tools = Poor ROI

FastStone Capture: $19.95 one-time

• Benefit: Low cost, sufficient features for basic capture and editing
• Frequency: Unlimited captures for life
• Perfect fit: All needed features, no recurring cost, simple workflow
• Value: Excellent fit for use case = Optimal ROI

Winner: FastStone Capture—perfect example of not overpaying for unused features.

Total Cost of Ownership: 5-Year Projection

Note: These calculations assume annual Scribe billing and don't factor in time savings value or feature utilization differences.

Scribe: Pricing Pros and Cons

Pricing Pros

• Free tier available: Basic plan allows unlimited free use for web-only capture, making it accessible for trial and light use.
• Predictable costs: Clear per-seat pricing makes budgeting straightforward for teams and enterprises.
• Annual discount: 20% savings with annual billing reduces effective cost to $23/month from $29/month.
• Volume efficiency: Pro Team pricing drops to $12/seat/month, which is competitive for teams of 5+ users.
• All-inclusive: Price includes hosting, storage, updates, support, and continuous feature additions.
• Enterprise flexibility: Custom pricing for large organizations allows negotiation and tailored contracts.
• No hidden costs: Unlike some competitors, there are no extra charges for exports, sharing, or basic integrations.

Pricing Cons

• Subscription fatigue: Adds another monthly/annual expense to already-crowded SaaS budgets.
• High individual cost: $23-29/month for solo users is expensive compared to one-time alternatives.
• 5-seat minimum for Team plan: Forces small teams to pay for unused seats or choose the more expensive Personal plan.
• Long-term cost accumulation: Over 5 years, individual users pay $1,380+ vs. $19.95 for alternatives.
• Loss of access upon cancellation: All created guides become inaccessible if subscription ends.
• Monthly billing premium: Month-to-month billing costs 26% more than annual commitment.
• Enterprise pricing opacity: Custom pricing requires sales calls, slowing procurement for larger organizations.

FastStone Capture: Pricing Pros and Cons

Pricing Pros

• Extremely low cost: $19.95 one-time payment is among the cheapest screen capture solutions available.
• No recurring fees: One payment covers lifetime use with no subscription anxiety.
• Lifetime updates included: All future versions and updates are free forever.
• Family License option: $49.95 covers 5 computers for home users, excellent value for households.
• Volume discounts: Per-seat cost drops to $4-8 for organizations buying 100+ licenses.
• 30-day full trial: Test all features before purchasing, with no credit card required.
• Perpetual ownership: Software remains functional even if vendor discontinues development.
• Budget-friendly scaling: Adding users costs only $19.95 each with no forced tiers or minimums.

Pricing Cons

• No free tier: Trial expires after 30 days; must purchase to continue using.
• No cloud features: Sharing, collaboration, and hosting require separate paid services.
• Windows-only: Mac users must purchase different software entirely.
• No compliance certifications: Enterprises needing SOC 2, HIPAA, or other certifications must look elsewhere.
• Frozen feature set risk: If development slows, you're stuck with current capabilities.
• No team management: Multi-user organizations lack centralized licensing, updates, or usage tracking.
• Manual processes only: No AI assistance means slower, more labor-intensive documentation.
• Limited support: Basic email support only, no dedicated customer success or phone support.

The Verdict: Which Pricing Model Wins?

The 'winner' in this pricing comparison depends entirely on your use case, feature needs, and time valuation:

Choose Scribe if: You need AI-powered process documentation, team collaboration, compliance features, or cross-platform support—and you create documentation frequently enough to justify $23-59/month through time savings. For teams producing 10+ guides monthly, the ROI is clear: Scribe saves 35+ hours per user per month, worth thousands of dollars even at modest hourly rates.

Choose FastStone Capture if: You need simple screen capture without collaboration or automation, operate solely on Windows, create content infrequently, and strongly prefer one-time purchases over subscriptions. For solo users or small teams doing occasional screenshot work, FastStone's $19.95-$49.95 cost is unbeatable value.

The pricing paradox: FastStone Capture is significantly cheaper in absolute dollars, but Scribe delivers dramatically better ROI when time savings are factored in. A tool that costs 70x more but saves 900% of your documentation time is actually the economical choice—if you use it.

However, there's a third option: Guidde challenges the Scribe vs. FastStone dichotomy by offering AI-powered video guide creation with competitive pricing that falls between the two. Teams seeking automation without Scribe's premium cost, or visual video guides superior to FastStone's static screenshots, should seriously evaluate Guidde's unique value proposition.

Ultimately, don't choose based on upfront price alone. Calculate total cost of ownership including time savings, feature utilization, and alignment with your actual workflow. The cheapest tool is often the most expensive in the long run.

Why Both Scribe and FastStone Fall Short: The Guidde Advantage

While Scribe and FastStone Capture serve their respective niches well, both platforms share critical limitations that impact modern documentation workflows in 2026:

Shared Limitations of Both Platforms

1. Static Documentation Limitations

Both Scribe and FastStone produce static content—screenshots with annotations or text. In 2026, 73% of learners prefer video content over written documentation (Forrester Research), yet neither platform excels at creating engaging, walkthrough-style video guides with AI assistance.

2. Manual Effort Still Required

Scribe automates text generation but requires clicking through processes. FastStone requires complete manual assembly. Both demand significant user time investment—Scribe averages 15-20 minutes per guide, FastStone 30-60 minutes. Neither achieves the sub-2-minute creation time modern AI tools enable.

3. Limited Personalization

Neither platform offers AI-powered personalization of guides based on viewer role, skill level, or previous interactions. Everyone sees identical content regardless of context.

4. Engagement and Completion Gaps

Static screenshots have 40-50% completion rates versus 80-90% for video walkthroughs. Neither Scribe nor FastStone provides interactive, overlay-based guidance that keeps users engaged.

5. Pricing Extremes Without Middle Ground

FastStone is too basic for modern teams; Scribe is expensive for its static output. The market needs an AI-powered solution at accessible pricing.

Enter Guidde: The Next-Generation Alternative

Guidde represents the evolution of documentation tools—combining the automation of Scribe, the accessibility of FastStone's pricing philosophy, and the engagement of professional video, all powered by generative AI:

🚀 11x Faster Creation

Guidde's AI creates complete video guides in under 2 minutes. Click record, complete your workflow once, and Guidde automatically generates a professional video guide with voiceover, annotations, and step-by-step overlays. This is 7-8x faster than Scribe and 15-30x faster than FastStone's manual process.

🎥 Video-First, AI-Powered

Unlike static screenshots, Guidde produces engaging video walkthroughs with AI-generated voiceovers in 100+ languages. Viewers see exactly how to complete tasks with visual motion, not static images. Completion rates average 85% versus 45% for text-based guides.

💰 Competitive, Transparent Pricing

Guidde offers subscription plans that are more affordable than Scribe's $23-59/month tiers while delivering superior video output. Free plans include meaningful limits (not just 'trials'), and paid plans scale efficiently for teams without the 5-seat minimums or enterprise pricing opacity.

🎯 AI Personalization at Scale

Guidde's AI adapts guides based on viewer context—role, department, skill level, previous completions. The same workflow can automatically generate beginner, intermediate, and expert versions, or customize by department (Sales vs. Support vs. IT).

🔒 Enterprise-Grade Without Enterprise Pricing

Guidde provides SOC 2 Type II compliance, HIPAA readiness, SSO, SCIM provisioning, and advanced analytics at mid-tier pricing—not locked behind 'contact sales' enterprise gates. FastStone offers none of these; Scribe charges premium prices for them.

📊 Measurable Impact and Analytics

Guidde tracks viewer engagement, completion rates, drop-off points, and time-to-competency. You can prove ROI and continuously optimize guides. Neither Scribe nor FastStone provides meaningful analytics.

🔗 Seamless Integration Ecosystem

Guidde integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Confluence, Notion, Zendesk, Salesforce, and 100+ platforms. Guides appear contextually where users work. FastStone has no integrations; Scribe's integrations are limited to embedding.

⚡ Real-World Results

• Training time reduced by 60%: New hires reach productivity 2.5x faster with Guidde video guides vs. traditional documentation.
• Support ticket deflection increased 45%: Self-service video guides resolve issues before escalation to human agents.
• Documentation costs decreased 73%: AI automation eliminates the need for dedicated technical writers for routine process docs.
• Global reach without translation costs: AI voiceovers in 100+ languages make content accessible worldwide instantly.

The Guidde Pricing Advantage

While Scribe charges $23-59/month and FastStone saves money upfront but requires hours of manual work, Guidde delivers AI-powered video creation at competitive subscription rates with transparent pricing. There are no 5-seat minimums, no bait-and-switch enterprise pricing, and no feature limitations that force upgrades.

More importantly, Guidde's 11x speed advantage means you create more guides in less time—multiplying ROI beyond what either Scribe or FastStone can achieve.

The Bottom Line

If you're comparing Scribe vs. FastStone based on pricing, you're asking the wrong question. The real question is: What's the total cost—including time, engagement, and outcomes—of your documentation process?

Guidde answers that question with AI-powered video guides that cost less to create, engage viewers better, and deliver measurable business results that neither static screenshots nor basic screen recording can match.

Try Guidde free today and experience the future of documentation—11x faster, infinitely more engaging, and priced for real-world teams.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Scribe cost compared to FastStone Capture?

Scribe costs $23/user/month (annual billing) or $29/month (monthly billing) for individuals, and $12/seat/month for teams of 5+ users ($59/month minimum). FastStone Capture costs $19.95 for a single lifetime license or $49.95 for a Family License covering 5 computers. Over 5 years, a single Scribe user pays $1,380 vs. $19.95 one-time for FastStone—a $1,360 difference.

Does FastStone Capture have recurring costs?

No. FastStone Capture uses a perpetual license model with one-time payment. All future updates are included free for life. There are no subscription fees, renewal costs, or hidden charges.

What's included in Scribe's free plan?

Scribe's Basic plan is free forever and includes web-based process capture, unlimited guide creation, quick customization, and link/embed sharing. However, it lacks desktop/mobile capture, custom branding, PDF exports, team collaboration, and advanced security features available in paid plans.

Can I use FastStone Capture on Mac?

No. FastStone Capture is Windows-only software (Windows 7, 8, 10, 11, Vista, XP). Mac users must choose alternatives like Scribe, Guidde, CleanShot X, or other cross-platform solutions.

Does Scribe's pricing include cloud storage?

Yes. All Scribe plans include cloud hosting and storage for your guides at no additional cost. You can create unlimited guides (storage limits may apply on some plans) and share them via links or embeds without paying for separate hosting.

What happens to my Scribe guides if I cancel my subscription?

If you cancel your Scribe subscription, you lose access to all guides stored in Scribe's platform. You can export guides to PDF, HTML, or Markdown before canceling to retain local copies, but these won't update or sync. This is a significant consideration when comparing subscription vs. perpetual license models.

Are there volume discounts for FastStone Capture?

Yes. FastStone offers significant volume discounts: 2-9 licenses cost $17 each, 10-19 cost $14 each, 20-49 cost $11 each, 50-99 cost $8 each, 100-299 cost $5 each, and 300-999 cost $4 each. Organizations buying 1000+ licenses should contact FastStone for custom quotes.

Can teams collaborate in FastStone Capture?

No. FastStone Capture is a local, single-user application with no cloud features, sharing capabilities, or team collaboration tools. Files are saved locally and must be manually shared via email, file servers, or third-party platforms. For team collaboration, consider Scribe or Guidde.

Does Scribe offer education or nonprofit discounts?

Yes. Scribe provides discounts for educational institutions (.edu email addresses) and 501(c)(3) nonprofits or international equivalents. You must apply through their discount forms and provide proof of status. Discount amounts vary but can significantly reduce subscription costs.

What's the best alternative to both Scribe and FastStone Capture?

Guidde is the superior alternative, combining the best of both worlds: AI-powered automation like Scribe with accessible pricing and the visual engagement that static screenshots can't match. Guidde creates video guides 11x faster than manual methods, includes AI voiceovers in 100+ languages, provides enterprise-grade security at mid-tier pricing, and delivers 85% completion rates versus 45% for text-based guides. Unlike Scribe's static screenshots or FastStone's manual process, Guidde produces engaging video walkthroughs that accelerate training, reduce support tickets by 45%, and prove ROI through built-in analytics. Try Guidde free and experience next-generation documentation that's faster to create and more effective than either competitor.

Explore further

• Scribe vs. FastStone Capture: Pricing Comparison Guide 2026