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Retext vs Raycast: A Complete Comparison

Compare Retext and Raycast 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 Raycast if you need developers and power users wanting a modern launcher.

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

Raycast

Modern Mac launcher with built-in snippet expansion and AI capabilities

Pricing:

Free for personal use, Pro $8/month for AI and advanced features

Free tier: Snippet expansion free, AI requires Pro subscription

Best for:

  • • Developers and power users wanting a modern launcher
  • • Those who want snippets as part of a larger toolkit
  • • Users who value modern design and UX
  • • Mac users already in the Raycast ecosystem

Feature Comparison

FeatureRetextRaycast
Snippet Expansion
AI Generation
Variables & Placeholders
Folder Organization
Team SharingNot 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
RaycastFreemiumFree for personal use, Pro $8/month for AI and advanced features
Snippet expansion free, AI requires Pro subscription

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

Raycast

Strengths

  • Beautiful, modern interface
  • Free snippet expansion included
  • Built-in AI assistant (Pro)
  • Extensive extension ecosystem
  • Active development and updates

Weaknesses

  • Snippets are secondary feature to launcher
  • AI requires Pro subscription
  • Limited snippet organization compared to dedicated apps
  • No dedicated snippet editing interface
  • Variable support less robust than TextExpander

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 Raycast if you:

  • •Need developers and power users wanting a modern launcher
  • •Need those who want snippets as part of a larger toolkit
  • •Need users who value modern design and ux
  • •Need mac users already in the raycast ecosystem

Switching from Raycast to Retext

Migration difficulty:easy

Raycast snippets can be exported, also imports from other apps

Ready to switch from Raycast?

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

Download for MacView Pricing

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