// HONEST COMPARISON · CHECKED SEPTEMBER 2026
Overlaid vs
DemoPro
DemoPro is a small, focused app that does live annotation really well for $3.99. It has no visible interface at all: you hold a hotkey, draw, and let go.
Overlaid does more, and costs more. Whether that's worth it depends on whether you need zoom and keystrokes, which DemoPro doesn't list.
PICK DEMOPRO IF
you want the cheapest good option, love hold-to-draw, or never want to grant Screen Recording permission.
PICK OVERLAID IF
you need zoom, a keystroke overlay or a ruler built in, or want to try before you buy.
// AT A GLANCE
THE BASICS.
// CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE
Where DemoPro is better.
It's $3.99
Hard to argue with. That's less than Overlaid's launch price and about a third of the regular one.
Hold to draw
Hold the hotkey, draw, release, and you're back to your app. It's a lovely way to work, and Overlaid doesn't have a hold mode. We toggle draw mode on and off instead.
No Screen Recording permission, ever
DemoPro deliberately never asks for it. Overlaid needs it for zoom and the magnifier (not for drawing), which some people and some IT departments would rather avoid.
Whiteboard and break timer
A white or black canvas for sketching, and a countdown timer with a custom message. Overlaid has neither.
A laser pointer style
Its cursor highlight comes as a ring, disc, laser or spotlight.
Where Overlaid is better.
+Zoom is built in
Freeze the screen and zoom up to 8x, then draw on it. DemoPro links you to macOS's own zoom settings instead of zooming itself.
+Keystroke overlay
Shortcuts shown as keycaps as you press them. DemoPro's site doesn't list anything like it.
+Ruler and highlighter
Measure in pixels and points, and highlight like a real marker. Neither is listed for DemoPro.
+Move and resize marks
Grab an arrow you've drawn and put it somewhere else, or resize it.
+A free trial
Seven days with everything unlocked. App Store apps like DemoPro generally can't offer one.
// FEATURE BY FEATURE
SIDE BY SIDE.
“Not listed” means we couldn't confirm it from DemoPro's own site or docs either way. It might exist. If it does, tell us and we'll update this.
Choose DemoPro if
- ✓You want the lowest price
- ✓You like holding a key to draw
- ✓You can't grant Screen Recording permission
- ✓You want a whiteboard or break timer
Choose Overlaid if
- ✓You zoom into details while presenting
- ✓You show keyboard shortcuts
- ✓You want to move and resize marks after drawing
- ✓You want to try it free first
// FAQ
QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK.
Not its own. DemoPro points you to macOS's Accessibility Zoom and lets you use it alongside its annotations.
Only for zoom and the magnifier. Drawing, cursor effects and keystrokes work without it, and Overlaid only asks when you first use a feature that needs it.
No. Draw mode is a toggle (⌃⌥D by default). If hold-to-draw is how you like to work, DemoPro does it well.
// WHERE THIS CAME FROM
SOURCES.
Checked September 2026. Apps change. If something here is out of date or wrong, email us and we'll fix it.
// YOUR NEXT CALL
Don't take our word for it. Try both.
7 days free with every feature. Then a one-time purchase. No account, no subscription.