aText vs Typinator

aText

• People who want a low-cost text expander on a Mac or a Windows PC
• Syncing snippets between Windows and macOS through a cloud folder already in use
• Work inside virtual machines and remote desktop sessions

Typinator

• Mac users who want snippets kept on their own devices, not a vendor's servers
• People who want a one-time price for a Mac-only text expander
• Teams sharing standard replies and spelling corrections across Macs and iPhones

aText

• Mac and Windows licenses are separate purchases; a license for one platform does not work on the other.
• A license for version 3 for macOS does not cover version 2 or a future version 4, and there is no upgrade discount from version 2.
• The website's downloads are dated 2024: version 3.21 for macOS, listed for macOS 10.12 to 15, and version 1.41 for Windows.
• Personal One year and Floating licenses expire after a year, and the site does not say what the free Windows version leaves out.

Typinator

• There is no free plan. Without a license account the app runs in a trial mode that limits expansions.
• Basic and Advanced are for private use only; work use needs the Business plan at $59.99 per user a year.
• The iPhone and iPad app needs an Advanced or Business subscription. The one-time Basic license is Mac only and covers one major version.
• Windows is in public beta and described as not ready for production use. Typinator 10 needs macOS 13, and the iOS app needs iOS 18.

aText

Abbreviation expansion

Typing an abbreviation in any application replaces it with a phrase you defined. Snippets can also be searched and inserted without typing the abbreviation.

Rich text snippets

Snippets can hold formatted text, images and attachments for insertion into apps such as Word, Mail, Outlook, Pages and Gmail.

Fields, dates and scripts

Advanced functions include editable fields, date and time calculations, generated keystrokes, mouse scripts and scripting; the Windows app supports Batch, PowerShell, JavaScript and VBScript.

Auto-correction and built-in snippets

Capitalizes new sentences and corrects double capitals, and ships with snippet sets for common misspellings, HTML and JavaScript coding, and emoji.

Sync and sharing

Data syncs through OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive or a shared network folder, between Macs and Windows PCs, and can be shared in a multi-user setup.

Virtual machines and remote desktops

The vendor says aText works in virtual machines and remote desktop clients, and offers a configurator for adapting it to individual applications.

Typinator

Abbreviation expansion

Typing an abbreviation such as addr or sig inserts the stored text block, image or code snippet. It works system-wide on macOS and iOS, online or offline.

Variables and forms

Snippets can include dates, clipboard content and custom fields, and interactive forms with dropdown menus, then place the cursor automatically.

Quick Search

Finds snippets by keyword, or suggests them as you type, and inserts the result without leaving the current app.

Automatic typo correction

Predefined autocorrection sets fix common typos in several languages, and custom corrections can be added for brand names and technical terms.

Scripts and AI prompts

Abbreviations can run AppleScript, Python or shell scripts, or hold prompts for ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude. Apple Intelligence can help write and translate snippets.

Local storage, chosen sync

Snippets stay on the device. Sync is optional through iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, a NAS or WebDAV, and sets can be shared with a team through shared links.

aText

• Personal One year$4.99

  for one year, 1 user; does not renew automatically

  One user on up to 3 computers. The license cannot be moved between computers and expires after a year without an automatic charge.

• Personal Lifetime$29.99

  one-time purchase, 1 user

  One user on up to 5 computers, with transfers between computers allowed up to 5 activations a year.

• Business$29.99

  one-time, per computer; $14.99 or $9.99 at volume

  A lifetime license for one computer with unlimited users. The single-license price is set higher to deter personal use.

• Floating$9.99

  per concurrent user, for one year

  One concurrent user at a time on unlimited computers, with a 30-minute seat time-out. Needs an internet connection; suggested for the portable version.

Typinator

• Basic$49.99

  one-time payment, excl. VAT

  Mac only and for private use. One user on up to 2 devices, with minor updates and fixes within the current major version.

• Advanced$29.99

  per year, excl. VAT

  Mac and iOS apps for private use. One user on up to 3 devices, with major version upgrades and product email support.

• Business$59.99

  per user / year, excl. VAT

  For professional use: up to 5 devices per user, VAT invoicing, centralized license administration and priority support.

• EnterpriseCustom

  Everything in Business plus single sign-on, onboarding support and customized training, arranged with the vendor.

aText

• Lifetime license

  Personal Lifetime license for $29.99

  A one-time Personal Lifetime license costs $29.99 for one user on up to 5 computers, against $4.99 for a license that lasts one year.

• Other savings

  Volume pricing on Business licenses

  The buy page shows Business licenses at $29.99, $14.99 or $9.99 depending on quantity, and says volume discounts also apply to Personal One year licenses.

Typinator

• Other savings

  Productivity Suite with PopChar and KeyCue

  The Advanced Suite bundles Typinator, PopChar and KeyCue for $44.99 a year, shown against $69.97. The Business Suite is $89.99 per user a year, shown against $139.97.

• Other savings

  Reduced-price upgrade from older versions

  Owners of a license key for a previous major version qualify for an upgrade to the latest major version at a reduced price.