# ctrlhq vs Presentify: Screen annotation, without another menu bar app.

> ctrlhq vs Presentify: both let you draw on your Mac screen, spotlight and zoom. Presentify is a focused annotation app; ctrlhq adds recording, meeting notes and tasks.

- ctrlhq: $24.99 once (launch price, regular $29), no subscription. Native, about 16 MB. macOS 26 Tahoe or later.
- Presentify: screen annotation app. Price: $14 once, or with Setapp. Source: https://presentifyapp.com
- Facts checked October 2026. Also relevant if you're looking at ZoomIt for Mac, Mouseposé.

Presentify is a well-loved screen annotation app for Mac. It draws over anything, puts a halo around your cursor, and spotlights or zooms into parts of the screen, with a lot of styling options and a tiny download.

ctrlhq covers the core of that job too: pen, highlighter, arrows, shapes and text, auto-erase, a whiteboard, spotlight, a live zoom lens and a cursor halo with click ripples, all on global shortcuts. The difference is everything around it. The same app records your screen with the annotations in it, takes meeting notes on-device and runs your tasks from the notch. If annotation is all you need, Presentify is a great pick. If you'd also use the rest, ctrlhq saves you an app.

## ctrlhq vs Presentify at a glance

| | ctrlhq | Presentify |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $24.99 once (launch price, then $29) | $14 once, or with Setapp |
| Pen, highlighter, arrows, shapes and text | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-erase drawings | Yes | Yes |
| Whiteboard | Yes | Yes |
| Spotlight and zoom | Yes | Yes |
| Cursor highlight with click animations | Yes | Yes |
| Global shortcuts (Stream Deck) | Yes | Yes |
| Cursor highlight shapes | Ring | Ring, squircle, rhombus |
| Gradient ink | No | Yes |
| Download size | About 16 MB, with everything else | About 1 MB |
| Built-in screen recording | Yes, and it captures your drawings | No |
| Meeting notes, tasks and time tracking | Yes | No |
| macOS | 26 Tahoe or later | See the developer's site |

## Choose Presentify if

- You only want screen annotation, in the smallest possible app.
- You want more styling: cursor shapes, gradient ink and finer control over every tool.
- You're on an older macOS: ctrlhq needs 26 Tahoe or later.

## Choose ctrlhq if

- You record tutorials or demos and want the annotations captured by the same app.
- You'd use the meeting notes, teleprompter, tasks or the other tools too.

## Lightweight by design

ctrlhq is a native Swift app, about 16 MB to download, with no background daemons unless you use App Lock. It replaces a handful of single-purpose apps with one that's already running in your notch.

## The ctrlhq features that cover Presentify

- [Screen annotation](https://ctrlhq.app/features/screen-annotation): Annotate your Mac screen live: draw on anything, spotlight the pointer, zoom into small text and highlight your cursor, in meetings and recordings.
- [Screen recording](https://ctrlhq.app/features/screen-recording): Record a screen or one window with your face in a bubble, your mic and your Mac's audio.
- [Teleprompter](https://ctrlhq.app/features/teleprompter): Your notes scroll right under the camera, so you never glance away mid-sentence.

## FAQ

### Can ctrlhq draw on my screen like Presentify?

Yes. Press ⌃⌥A to draw over any app with a pen, highlighter, arrows, shapes or text, in five colours. Auto-fade, a whiteboard, spotlight, zoom and a cursor halo are included.

### Does it work in Zoom and Google Meet?

Yes, when you share a whole screen. Like Presentify, the drawings sit on top of your screen, so a single-window share won't show them.

### What about ZoomIt for Mac?

Microsoft's ZoomIt for Mac is free and open source, with static and live zoom and drawing. It's a good pick if you want a free, single-purpose tool.

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Presentify is a trademark of its owner. ctrlhq isn't affiliated with it. Download ctrlhq: https://ctrlhq.app/download · All comparisons: https://ctrlhq.app/compare