PreviewKit vs Screen Studio vs Shots.so vs Rotato

Direct answer: Screen Studio records your screen. PreviewKit, Shots.so, and Rotato style footage or designs you already have into a polished preview. Shots.so is the closest match to PreviewKit in scope, Rotato goes deepest into true 3D rendering, and Screen Studio doesn't compete with the other three at all — it solves the step before them. The right pick depends on whether you need to record, how much control you want, and your budget.

People land on this comparison after searching for a "screen recording to mockup" tool and finding four names that don't actually do the same job. This is checked directly against each vendor's own site and pricing page as of September 3, 2026 — pricing and feature gates change, so confirm anything time-sensitive before you buy.

What does each tool actually do?

• PreviewKit — browser-based, styles a recording you already have into a device-mockup video or still image, with export presets sized for specific marketplaces and platforms.
• Screen Studio — a native macOS app that records your screen and automatically zooms and smooths the cursor as you go. It doesn't import outside footage as its main workflow.
• Shots.so — browser-based, styles screenshots or video you upload into device mockups with a wide range of backgrounds and effects.
• Rotato — a 3D rendering tool (native Mac app, plus a separate browser-based Rotato Web product) that turns designs, screenshots, or video into fully 3D device scenes with camera and lighting control.

Which of these tools can actually record your screen?

Only Screen Studio. PreviewKit, Shots.so, and Rotato all require you to already have a recording, screenshot, or design file — none of them capture your screen. If you don't have footage yet, that's a different problem than this article covers, and Screen Studio is built specifically for it. If you already have something to work with, the other three are the relevant comparison.

Static image export, compared

• PreviewKit — unlimited PNG and JPG stills on the free plan, no watermark.
• Shots.so — PNG export is available on the free plan; higher resolution (up to 6K) and WebP export are paid-plan features.
• Rotato — PNG export up to 8K on the Mac app's Premium tier, lower resolutions on cheaper tiers.
• Screen Studio — no static image export at all. Its own export guide lists only GIF and MP4. If you need a still image, Screen Studio isn't a candidate.

Video export, compared

• PreviewKit — 2 free MP4 exports, then unlimited on Pro or Lifetime, no watermark on any plan.
• Shots.so — gated behind a paid plan. Switching its editor to video/animation mode and trying to export prompts an upgrade — the free plan appears to be image-only.
• Rotato — video is a core feature on both Rotato for Mac and Rotato Web, included from the entry tier up, with no separate video paywall the way Shots.so has one.
• Screen Studio — MP4 and GIF are the entire product, up to 4K 60fps, but there's no free tier at all.

2D vs 3D presentation

PreviewKit and Screen Studio are both 2D — device frames and background styling around flat footage. Shots.so is mostly 2D as well, with a "Tilt" perspective effect and a paid backgrounds feature described as adding 3D shapes and shadows, but it isn't a full 3D scene system. Rotato is the only one doing real 3D: camera lens control, adjustable reflections and shadows, and a "Real Clay" render mode, positioned explicitly as an alternative to learning Blender or Cinema 4D.

Mockup and device options

• PreviewKit — 30+ scenes: MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, and tablet, staged on glass, stone, concrete, wood, and armchairs.
• Shots.so — a large, frequently updated device library including current iPhone models, iPad Pro, MacBook Pro and Air, and Apple Watch. No Android devices confirmed.
• Rotato — 30+ custom-modeled 3D devices, including a dedicated Android lineup (Pixel and Galaxy) alongside Apple hardware — broader device coverage than the other three.
• Screen Studio — no device mockup library. It offers iPhone/iPad frame overlays only for footage recorded directly from that device over USB.

Editing depth and learning curve

PreviewKit is built to be finished in minutes — import, pick a scene, export. Shots.so has a broader style palette (presets, filters, AI-generated backgrounds) and takes a bit longer to explore, especially once you're in its paid animation timeline. Rotato has the steepest curve of the four because 3D scene composition is a genuinely deeper skill than 2D framing, though its own materials frame that curve as far shorter than learning dedicated 3D software. Screen Studio's editing is mostly automatic — the zoom and cursor work happen for you, with a handful of settings to adjust rather than a full editor to learn.

Who is each tool actually built for?

• PreviewKit — people who already have a recording and need it sized correctly for a specific marketplace or platform, fast.
• Screen Studio — Mac-using founders, course creators, and tutorial makers who need to record their screen and have it look polished automatically.
• Shots.so — social and app marketers who want a wide range of stylistic options for screenshots and short animated clips.
• Rotato — designers, agencies, and freelancers who need agency-grade 3D product renders and would otherwise hire a 3D freelancer or learn dedicated 3D software.

What does each tool cost?

Verified directly from each vendor as of September 3, 2026:

• PreviewKit — Free (2 MP4 exports, unlimited stills, no watermark); Pro $12/month or $79/year; Lifetime $149 one-time.
• Screen Studio — no free tier; $29/month, or $9/month billed yearly (about $108/year). No one-time license is available to new customers.
• Shots.so — free plan (image export only); Plus $10/month or $7.92/month billed annually (about $95/year); Pro $15/month or $10.42/month billed annually (about $125/year).
• Rotato — two separate products. Rotato for Mac is a one-time purchase: Basic €79, Standard €89, Premium €199. Rotato Web is a subscription: $15/month or about $6.58/month billed annually (about $79/year).

Important limitations to know before you pick

• PreviewKit doesn't record anything and doesn't do 3D rendering or deep timeline animation — it's a fast styling layer, not a full editor.
• Screen Studio is macOS only, with no Windows version planned, and has no static image export whatsoever.
• Shots.so locks essentially all video and animation output behind a paid plan, and its own terms page lists plan names that don't quite match what the in-app upgrade flow shows — a minor inconsistency worth a second look if pricing seems unclear.
• Rotato's native Mac app requires macOS 11 or newer on roughly a 2015-or-later Mac, and its cheapest Basic tier is limited to phone mockups only, with no templates included.

Which tool should you actually use?

Choose Screen Studio if you don't have a recording yet and you're on a Mac — it's genuinely excellent at the capture step, but you'll still need a styling tool afterward if you want marketplace-sized output, since it has no export presets for that and no still-image export at all.

Choose Shots.so if you want a wide range of visual styles and effects for social and app-store content and don't mind paying to unlock video.

Choose Rotato if the job genuinely calls for photoreal 3D — camera moves, reflections, multi-device scenes — and you're prepared for either a one-time payment on the Mac app or a subscription for the web version.

Choose PreviewKit if you already have a recording and need the fastest path to a correctly sized preview or still image, with a free plan to try before paying anything. For the Framer-specific version of that workflow, see how to make a Framer template preview video without After Effects and how to create Framer thumbnails and Open Graph images faster. For the general version, start with how to turn a screen recording into a polished website preview, and if you need the same footage working across multiple platforms, see how to repurpose one product recording for Framer, X, and Instagram. If you're comparing platforms rather than tools, our Webflow vs. Framer breakdown takes the same even-handed approach.

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FAQ

Can I use more than one of these tools together?

Yes, and it's a common combination. Screen Studio to record and polish the raw capture, then PreviewKit, Shots.so, or Rotato to stage that footage into a sized, mockup-framed preview. They solve different steps in the same process rather than competing for the same job.

Which of these tools has a free plan?

PreviewKit's free plan includes 2 MP4 exports and unlimited stills with no watermark. Shots.so has a free plan limited to image export. Screen Studio and Rotato for Mac have no free tier, though Rotato offers an unlimited free trial before you pay.

Which of these tools work on Windows?

PreviewKit and Rotato Web both run in the browser, so Windows works fine. Shots.so is also browser-based. Screen Studio and the native Rotato for Mac app are macOS only.

Do any of these tools record my screen for me?

Only Screen Studio. PreviewKit, Shots.so, and Rotato all expect you to bring existing footage, a screenshot, or a design file.

Is a 3D mockup always better than a 2D one?

No. 3D adds production time and a real learning curve, and a lot of marketplace thumbnails and social posts read just as well in a clean 2D frame. Reach for 3D when the format specifically calls for it — a product launch video with camera movement, for instance — not by default.

What's the cheapest way to get a real video preview to test with?

PreviewKit's 2 free MP4 exports or Rotato's unlimited free trial are the two ways to get actual video output before paying anything.