The short version. uPic is a Mac app through and through: it lives in the menu bar, appears in Finder’s Share menu, can take a frame screenshot and upload it in one step, and shows upload progress where you are already looking. PicGo is a cross-platform uploader — macOS, Windows and Linux — with a plugin system, a local HTTP API and a Node.js library. If every machine you use is a Mac and you want the most native feel, uPic is a strong pick. If any of your machines is not a Mac, or you want plugins and scripting, PicGo is.
What uPic does that PicGo does not
It is worth being specific, because these are the reasons Mac users like uPic, and PicGo does not match all of them. From uPic’s README:
- Menu-bar drag and drop, including dragging an image straight out of a browser, with upload progress shown in the menu bar.
- Finder Share Extension: right-click a file, share to uPic.
- Frame screenshot upload: capture a region and upload it in one shortcut, without a separate screenshot tool.
- Global shortcuts for selecting a file, uploading what is on the clipboard and taking that screenshot.
- Command-line upload and a custom upload API that describes the HTTP request, headers, fields and how to pull the URL out of the response.
- An iOS app, if you also upload from a phone.
PicGo on a Mac covers clipboard, drag-and-drop and hotkey uploads, but it has no Finder Share Extension and no capture of its own. You take the screenshot with macOS (Cmd+Shift+4, or Cmd+Ctrl+Shift+4 to copy it to the clipboard) and PicGo uploads it.
What PicGo does that uPic does not
It runs on Windows and Linux. PicGo ships a macOS DMG, a Windows installer, and Linux AppImage, deb and snap packages. If you write on a Mac but develop on Linux, or your team is mixed, everyone can use the same uploader with the same hosts and naming rules. uPic’s desktop app is macOS-only.
Configuration follows you between machines. With a PicGo Cloud account, configuration sync carries uploader settings, plugin configuration and hotkeys from one PicGo installation to another, including from a Mac to a Windows or Linux machine. It is free on every plan and has an end-to-end encrypted mode. It syncs settings, not image files, and it does not install plugins for you.
Plugins extend what an upload can do. Installable picgo-plugin-* packages add hosts (S3-compatible storage, Cloudflare R2, MinIO and more) and processing steps (compression, watermarking, format conversion). uPic’s custom uploader describes where a file goes; PicGo plugins can also change what gets uploaded.
It fixes links you have already published. When a host shuts down, the pic-migrater plugin re-uploads every image referenced in your Markdown to the current host and rewrites the links. The migration guide covers Obsidian vaults as well as plain folders.
Other programs can call it. The desktop app runs a local HTTP server that editors and tools use — that is how the Obsidian integration works. PicGo-Core adds a picgo command and a Node.js API that returns URLs as values, useful for documentation generators and build scripts.
You can start without a host. An optional PicGo Cloud uploader with a free tier is built into the app. uPic expects you to bring a supported service or define a custom endpoint.
Side by side
| PicGo | uPic | |
|---|---|---|
| Desktop platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS (plus an iOS app) |
| Finder integration | No Finder Share Extension | Finder Share Extension; menu-bar drag and drop with progress |
| Built-in screenshot | No — use the OS tool | Frame screenshot and upload |
| Adding a host | Install a plugin | Custom upload API configuration |
| Image processing | Via plugins | — |
| Migrating links in existing Markdown | pic-migrater plugin | — |
| Scripting | Local HTTP API; PicGo-Core CLI and Node.js API | Command-line upload |
| Settings across machines | PicGo Cloud configuration sync (Free and up) | — |
| Hosting included | Optional PicGo Cloud | Bring your own |
In Typora, both work
Typora’s image upload documentation lists uPic on macOS and PicGo / PicGo-Core as supported uploaders. On a Mac either one turns a pasted image into a hosted link. The Typora guide covers the PicGo side, including PicGo-Core for when you want the same setup on Windows or Linux.
Check which uPic you are installing
uPic’s README says only the Mac App Store build is current, and that the Homebrew and GitHub builds remain at v0.21.1. If you install it from Homebrew, you will not get the latest version. PicGo’s GitHub releases and download page carry the current build for all three platforms.
When uPic is the better fit
If every computer you upload from is a Mac, you value the Finder Share menu and in-app screenshot capture, and uPic’s supported services or custom API cover your host, uPic will feel more at home on macOS than PicGo does. You do not need plugins, a Node.js API or cross-platform sync for that workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Why choose PicGo over uPic?
A: For Windows or Linux support, plugins that add hosts or process images, a way to migrate existing Markdown links, a Node.js API, or configuration sync between machines. On a Mac-only setup, uPic’s native integration is the main reason to prefer it.
Q: Can both tools work with Typora?
A: Yes. Typora’s documentation lists uPic on macOS and PicGo or PicGo-Core as supported uploaders.
Q: Does uPic support custom services and automation?
A: Yes. uPic documents command-line upload and a custom upload API with configurable method, headers, fields, path templates and URL extraction. PicGo adds a local HTTP API, PicGo-Core’s Node.js API and installable plugins, on three operating systems.
Q: I use uPic today. Can I switch without breaking old links?
A: Yes. Images stay on the host they were uploaded to, so existing links keep working. Configure the same host in PicGo and new uploads go there. Run the old tool alongside for a while if you like; only if you later move hosts do the old links need pic-migrater.
For a single command-line binary, see PicGo vs Upgit. If Windows screenshot capture is part of the decision, see PicGo vs ShareX.
Public sources
- PicGo GitHub README
- PicGo downloads
- PicGo Cloud guide
- PicGo configuration sync documentation
- PicGo-Core GitHub repository
- PicGo Markdown image migration plugin
- uPic GitHub README
- uPic custom upload guide
- uPic Mac App Store listing
- Typora image upload documentation
Sources reviewed in September 2026. Product availability, storefront requirements, service limits and plugin compatibility can change; check the linked sources before installing or migrating.