While most operating systems come with a screen capture function pre-installed, many users desire more options or features than those which are standard for most systems. There are several freeware programs available which can offer a wider variety of functionality for using and modifying screen capture images.

One of the most popular free, stand-alone screen capture programs is Screenshot Captor.  Screenshot Captor allows you to edit images and save them in a wide variety of formats, email them directly, upload to a hosting service, or send the image straight to your printer. This program offers the widest variety of options, including delayed capture, which is not included in some other screen capture programs.Screenshot Captor can be used to snap the entire screen, just a region of the screen, just one object on the screen, or even a scolling window. Users can utilize a hotkey or the system tray for screen captures, depending upon their individual preferences. The only drawback is that Screenshot Captor will repeatedly remind you to register, which can be annoying; however, registration is free.

For excellent and diverse editing functions, SnapDraw is one of the leading screen capture programs. The tools offered in the built-in editor are extensive, such as 3-D perspectives, reflections, and more. While it can only be used for full-screen or window captures, the image can be cropped afterward during editing, so it is almost as convenient as programs which offer the ability to capture only part of the screen. There is no delayed capture function. After capturing and editing images, they can be saved to a variety of formats, but there is no direct-to-printer function.

Cropper is a simple, quick way to capture either your entire screen, an active window, or just part of the screen by using either the icon or a hotkey. This program does not offer delayed capture, and some other more advanced options offered by other programs. It can, however, send images straight to the printer or clipboard, or can be saved as an image file in JPG, BMP, or PNG formats. It also allows for a screenshot and a thumbnail to be created at the same time.

Since there is a wide range of features available, and each program differs in which ones it offers, the best strategy is to download a program which offers the features you need without the clutter of options you will never use. This will allow for more streamlined use and faster learning of the program you choose.