Retext

Retext vs aText: A Complete Comparison

Compare Retext and aText side-by-side. See which text expander is the best fit for your workflow.

TL;DR

Choose Retext if you want AI-powered snippet generation, a native Mac app, and straightforward pricing.

Choose aText if you need budget-conscious users who want basic snippet expansion.

Quick Comparison

Retext

AI-powered text snippet expansion for macOS with intelligent snippet generation

Pricing:

$19/month or $99/year for Pro

Free tier: 3 snippets, 5 AI generations per day

Best for:

  • • AI-powered snippet generation
  • • Native Mac performance
  • • Privacy-focused users
  • • Simple, focused workflow

aText

Affordable one-time purchase text expander for Mac with basic snippet features

Pricing:

$5.99 one-time purchase

Best for:

  • Budget-conscious users who want basic snippet expansion
  • Users who prefer one-time purchases over subscriptions
  • Those with simple text expansion needs

Feature Comparison

FeatureRetextaText
Snippet Expansion
AI Generation
Not available
Variables & Placeholders
Folder Organization
Team SharingNot availableNot available
Cross-Platform
Native Performance
Privacy & Local Storage
Customization
Ease of Use

Pricing Comparison

ProductPricing ModelPriceFree Tier
RetextFreemium$19/month or $99/year for Pro
3 snippets, 5 AI generations per day
aTextOne-Time$5.99 one-time purchase

Pros and Cons

Retext

Strengths

  • AI-powered snippet generation with Claude
  • Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) for AI - use your own API key
  • Native macOS app with exceptional performance
  • Global hotkey for instant access
  • Simple, focused interface without bloat

Weaknesses

  • Mac only (no Windows/Linux)
  • No team sharing features
  • Newer product with smaller community

aText

Strengths

  • Extremely affordable one-time price
  • No subscription required
  • Simple and straightforward
  • Local storage - no cloud required
  • Lightweight and fast

Weaknesses

  • Limited feature set compared to alternatives
  • No AI capabilities
  • Basic variable support
  • Infrequent updates
  • Dated interface design

When to Choose Each

Choose Retext if you:

  • Want AI to help generate snippets
  • Prefer native Mac apps over Electron
  • Want simple, predictable pricing
  • Value privacy and local-first storage
  • Prefer focused tools over feature-bloated apps

Choose aText if you:

  • Need budget-conscious users who want basic snippet expansion
  • Need users who prefer one-time purchases over subscriptions
  • Need those with simple text expansion needs

Switching from aText to Retext

Migration difficulty:medium

Can export snippets but format may need conversion

Ready to switch from aText?

Get started with AI-powered text expansion. Free to try with 3 snippets and 5 AI generations per day.

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