PointerFocus alternative for Windows: free to keep, or stay put
PointerFocus is a small, cheap pointer highlighter, and at $12.50 it is hard to beat on price. If you want a free tier that never expires, drawing tools beyond one pen, and a Microsoft Store install, SHARA keeps the cursor halo, click flash, Pen and Laser free. Here is where each one wins.
- You want a free tier with no timer. The cursor halo with its click flash, Pen, Laser, Arrow and text labels stay free. PointerFocus shows a registration reminder after 5 minutes of use.
- You teach or present with more than a pen. A laser, an arrow and text labels are free, and a docked toolbar or the Ctrl+Space Wheel holds every tool.
- You want spotlight, zoom and keys in one place. Spotlight and three more zoom modes and the Keystroke Pill come with Pro, free for your first 14 days.
- You’d rather install from the Microsoft Store. SHARA needs no account and sends no telemetry.
- •You want the lower price. PointerFocus is $12.50. SHARA Pro is $19.99, though the free tier costs nothing.
- •You run an older Windows. PointerFocus lists Windows 11 back to XP. SHARA is Windows 10 and 11 only.
- •You control it from a phone. PointerFocus has an Android remote app. SHARA doesn’t list one.
Updated November 1, 2026
PointerFocus vs SHARA: only the rows that change the decision
Both highlight the pointer, dim the screen, show keys, magnify and draw. These are the rows where they differ.
| What decides it | PointerFocus | SHARA |
|---|---|---|
| Price model | Trial, then $12.50 license | Free tier. Pro $19.99 once, 14-day refund |
| Trial limits | Reminder after 5 min; not for commercial use | Free never expires. 14-day Pro trial |
| Upgrades | 1 year included, then 50% of the price | Pro is yours forever |
| Runs on | Windows 11 back to XP | Windows 10 and 11 |
| Install | Zip from its site (SmartScreen prompt) | Microsoft Store |
| Pointer highlight | ✓Coloured circle, ring on click | ✓Halo with click flash FREE; click colours PRO |
| Spotlight | ✓Dims the screen around the pointer | ✓Spotlight PRO |
| Keystrokes | ✓Shows shortcuts and keys | ✓Keystroke Pill, pauses in password fields PRO |
| Draw on screen | ✓Pen with colour and width | ✓Pen, Laser, Arrow, text FREE; shapes PRO |
| Magnifier | ✓Screen magnifier | ✓Lens, Live Zoom, Broadcast PRO |
| Whiteboard | Not listed | ✓White, black or grid PRO |
| Account | License key by email | No account, no telemetry |
Try SHARA next to PointerFocus 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
A free tier instead of a reminder
PointerFocus works in trial mode, but a registration reminder pops up after 5 minutes of running and the trial can’t be used commercially. SHARA’s free tier has no timer.
Proof: pointerfocus.com/buy.html, and the SHARA FAQ.
A toolbox you can reach from one key
PointerFocus is a single toolbar of pointer tools. SHARA puts the halo, Laser, Pen, Spotlight, zoom and keys on a docked toolbar or one Wheel, so you switch tools without leaving the slide.
Proof: Ctrl+Space opens Magnifier, Draw, Color, Erase, Shape, Screen.
Updates arrive through the Store
PointerFocus 2.4 is its latest stable download, and the file on the server is dated 29 December 2022, with a 2.5 beta offered separately. SHARA installs and updates through the Microsoft Store.
Proof: pointerfocus.com/download.html and the beta page. We can’t tell whether a final 2.5 is planned.
$12.50 once, or free first: the cost, year by year
List prices on each vendor’s site, in US dollars, before tax. PointerFocus is cheaper to buy; the question is whether you need to buy at all.
The honest caveat: PointerFocus is the cheaper purchase, and its license never expires. Its money buys the whole toolbox at once. SHARA’s free tier already covers the halo, click flash, Pen, Laser, Arrow and text; Pro adds Spotlight, zoom, the Keystroke Pill, shapes, the Highlighter and the whiteboard. If the free tier is enough, you pay nothing.
See SHARA pricing and the 14-day trialFree 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. PointerFocus’s price excludes sales tax or VAT, includes one year of free upgrades, and an extra year of upgrades costs 50% of the license price. Its license can be installed on 3 computers.
Switch in three steps, without losing anything
There is nothing to migrate: neither tool stores projects, only effects on the screen.
- Install SHARA free from the Microsoft Store.Keep PointerFocus installed, but close it before you start SHARA so two circles don’t follow your pointer. SHARA starts with a 14-day Pro trial, so you can test Spotlight, zoom and the Keystroke Pill on a real talk.
- Find your habits on the Wheel.Press Ctrl+Win+H to toggle the halo, hold Ctrl+Space for the Wheel and pick Draw, or press Ctrl+Win+X to draw with the current tool. Ctrl+Win+T turns the Keystroke Pill on. Every global hotkey is configurable in Settings.
- 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. Remove PointerFocus only when you’re sure you won’t miss it: its FAQ says to run
unins000.exein the install folder, and one license covers 3 computers.
Switching from PointerFocus, answered
Is there a free PointerFocus alternative?
Does PointerFocus work on Windows 11?
Is PointerFocus still updated?
Will people in Zoom or Teams see SHARA’s halo and ink?
Is SHARA free, and is Pro a subscription?
None of these worked: what now?
Can I run PointerFocus and SHARA on the same PC?
Keep the spotlight on you. Keep the free tier.
Halo, click flash, Pen, Laser, Arrow and text free forever. Spotlight, zoom, shapes 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: PointerFocus facts come from pointerfocus.com (home, buy, download, FAQ and beta pages, read November 1, 2026) and Microsoft Learn’s PowerToys mouse utilities page; SHARA facts from the app. Where PointerFocus 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: November 1, 2026.
