Epic Pen alternative for Windows: pay once, or stay put
Epic Pen is a good screen pen, and its free Basic version is enough for many people. If you hit the Pro renewal, or you need presenting tools around the pen, SHARA is the Epic Pen alternative that costs $19.99 once. Here is where each one wins.
- You’d rather pay once. SHARA Pro is $19.99 one time. Epic Pen Pro renews at €24 a year.
- You present more than you write. SHARA’s free tier pairs the pen with a laser, an arrow, text labels and a cursor halo.
- Your audience needs to see more than drawings only. The Keystroke Pill and four zoom modes come with Pro.
- You want no account. SHARA needs no sign-in and sends no telemetry.
- •You write with a stylus. Epic Pen has pressure sensitivity. SHARA’s pen strokes have a fixed thickness.
- •You want 24 colours. Epic Pen Pro has 24 plus a custom picker. SHARA’s free tier keeps one saved colour per tool.
- •You also teach on a Mac. Epic Pen runs on Windows and Mac. SHARA is Windows only.
Updated October 17, 2026
Epic Pen vs SHARA: only the rows that change the decision
Rows where both tools do the same job (drawing over live apps, an eraser, custom hotkeys) are left out.
| What decides it | Epic Pen | SHARA |
|---|---|---|
| Price model | Basic free. Pro €24 a year, billed yearly | Free tier. Pro $19.99 once, 14-day refund |
| Runs on | Windows and Mac | Windows 10 and 11 |
| Pen pressure | ✓Pressure and multi-touch (Wacom, Surface) | ✕No pressure sensitivity |
| Text and whiteboard | ✓Text, whiteboard Pro; screenshots free | ✓Text, screenshots FREE; whiteboard PRO |
| Highlighter | ✓Included in Basic | ✓Highlighter PRO |
| Shapes | Lines, ellipses, rectangles, arrows (Pro) | Arrow FREE; Line, Rectangle, Circle PRO |
| Colours | 16 in Basic, 24 in Pro | One saved colour FREE; colour sets PRO |
| Cursor and click cues | Highlighted cursor (Pro) | ✓Halo with click flash FREE; click colours PRO |
| Keystroke display | Not listed | ✓Keystroke Pill, hides passwords PRO |
| Zoom and spotlight | Not listed | ✓Magnifier, Live Zoom, Spotlight, Broadcast PRO |
| Account | Pro trial asks you to verify an email account | No account, no telemetry |
Try SHARA next to Epic Pen on your own setup. The free tier never expires, and every install starts with a 14-day Pro trial.
Three differences that matter after the first week
One payment instead of a renewal
Epic Pen Pro is €24 a year billed annually, per epicpen.com. SHARA Pro is $19.99 once, with a 14-day money-back guarantee. Nothing to cancel later.
Proof: the cost table below, using each vendor’s own list price.
Presenting tools, not only ink
Epic Pen is built around writing: pressure, text, a whiteboard. SHARA is built around presenting: the halo shows where you click, the Laser points without leaving marks, the Pill shows your shortcuts, and the Magnifier enlarges small menus.
Proof: one Wheel or the docked toolbar. Ctrl+Space opens Magnifier, Draw, Color, Erase, Shape, Screen.
Ink that waits, then clears
The first Esc puts your ink in idle, so it stays on screen while you use your apps normally. A second Esc erases all ink and shapes. So you can mark a cell, go back to typing in Excel, and wipe the marks when the point is made.
Proof: Ctrl+Z undoes up to 32 steps, and right-click also exits drawing.
“Wonderful, clearly stands out from other applications with this functionality…”
Microsoft Store review, Germany
One payment vs a yearly plan, year by year
List prices on each vendor’s site, before tax. Epic Pen charges in euros and SHARA in US dollars, so we don’t convert; the gap grows with every renewal either way.
The honest caveat: this isn’t a like-for-like trade. Epic Pen Pro’s money buys text, shapes, a whiteboard, fading ink and 24 colours. SHARA Pro’s buys the Highlighter, line and box shapes, a whiteboard, four zoom modes, the Keystroke Pill and colour sets. If Epic Pen Basic already covers what you do, you pay nothing either way.
Get SHARA Pro, $19.99 onceFree forever tier. SHARA Pro is a $19.99 one-time lifetime license with a 14-day money-back guarantee, usable across your personal Windows devices via the Microsoft Store. Epic Pen Pro also offers a 14-day free trial, and institutions can ask Epic Pen for multi-licence pricing.
Switch in three steps, without uninstalling anything
There is nothing to migrate: neither tool stores projects, only ink on the screen.
- Install SHARA free from the Microsoft Store.Keep Epic Pen installed. SHARA starts with a 14-day Pro trial, so you can test the paid tools on real lessons before you decide.
- Find your habits on the Wheel.Press Ctrl+Space and pick Draw (or use the docked toolbar), or hold Ctrl+Win+X to draw with the current tool. Hold Shift for straight lines snapped to 45°. Every global hotkey is configurable, so if a shortcut clashes with one you set in Epic Pen, change either one.
- Decide before the trial ends.Stay on the free tier, or buy Pro at sharacursor.com/buy and restore it in SHARA’s System tab (Unlock Now, then Restore Purchase with your purchase email). Cancel an Epic Pen renewal only once you’re sure you won’t miss pressure, fading ink or 24 colours.
Switching from Epic Pen, answered
Is there a free Epic Pen alternative?
Does SHARA support pen pressure on a Surface or Wacom tablet?
Can I run Epic Pen and SHARA on the same PC?
Will people in Zoom or Teams see SHARA’s ink?
Is SHARA Pro a subscription?
Keep presenting. Skip the renewal.
Halo, laser, pen, arrow and text free forever. Zoom, Highlighter, shapes, whiteboard and the Keystroke Pill for one $19.99 payment.
Disclosure and methodology: Mashyo makes SHARA. We compared documented features and list prices, not a benchmark: Epic Pen facts come from epicpen.com (home, features and pro pages) and Epic Pen’s 2022 Mac launch post; SHARA facts from the app. Where Epic Pen doesn’t list a feature, we say “not listed” rather than assume it’s missing. Prices change, so check both sites before you buy. Last updated: October 17, 2026.