WriterBar vs Alter
Alter is a broader Mac assistant: it uses screen and app context, takes voice input, summarises meetings and ships 80+ built-in actions, with a free plan, yearly plans and a one-time Lifetime option. WriterBar is narrower: it rewrites the text you select, at a lower one-time price.
Core features
| WriterBar | Alter | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Rewriting selected text and reusable snippets, on demand | A broader assistant that understands your screen and app context |
| How you use it | Select text, press ⌥Space or click a PopClip button, pick an action; the rewrite replaces your selection in place | Voice-first workflows and dictation, screen context, and drag-and-drop |
| Built-in actions | A built-in library of ready-made actions (writing, tone, productivity, developer, academic, business, customer support), plus your own custom actions | 80+ built-in actions, customisable |
| Meetings | No | Recording with speaker identification and instant summaries, with an offline option |
| Automation | Yes, any action or snippet can run from a PopClip button | Connects to 2,000+ services, with webhooks and Shortcuts |
| Native Mac actions | No | Auto-insert, control apps, and access to iMessage, Maps and Calendar |
AI models and privacy
| WriterBar | Alter | |
|---|---|---|
| AI models | Built-in cloud models from vendors including Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, xAI and Mistral; or your own key for Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini or OpenRouter (300+ models) | 50+ models, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Groq, Mistral and Cerebras, plus router services and custom endpoints |
| Your own API key | Yes, on Standard and Pro | Yes |
| Local models | Apple Intelligence, Ollama, LM Studio and oMLX | Ollama and LM Studio, working offline |
| What happens to your text | Text is processed in memory and not stored or logged, and is never used to train models; with your own API key it goes straight from your Mac to that provider | Prompts and data sent to models are encrypted, chats stay local, and it does not train on your data; it collects anonymous usage analytics, which can be turned off |
Platform and compatibility
| WriterBar | Alter | |
|---|---|---|
| Supported macOS | macOS 14 or later | macOS 13 (Ventura) or later; a universal app for Apple Silicon and Intel |
| Support | Email support at support@writerbar.app | A Discord community or email |
Pricing and licensing
| WriterBar | Alter | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One-time purchase | Free plan, yearly plans, or a one-time Lifetime purchase |
| Price | Standard $19, Pro $39, paid once | Local+ $29 a year, Pro $240 a year, Lifetime $720 once |
| Free option | Free trial with 100,000 credits (about 100 rewrites on fast models), no card required | A free plan, plus a 7-day trial with no card |
| Refunds | 14 days on one-time licenses | See its terms |
Where each one is stronger
Alter is stronger at
- Understands what is on your screen and in your apps.
- Voice dictation and voice-first workflows.
- Meeting recording and summaries, with an offline option.
- Automation across 2,000+ services.
- A free plan with your own providers, and macOS 13 support.
WriterBar is stronger at
- A much lower one-time price: $19 or $39 against $720 for Lifetime.
- A focused tool for rewriting selected text.
- A built-in action library and snippets with variables.
- PopClip support and a ⌥Space command palette.
- Text is not stored or logged by WriterBar.
Which should you choose?
Choose Alter if
- You want an assistant that understands what is on your screen and in your apps.
- You want voice dictation and meeting summaries in the same tool.
- You want to automate across thousands of services.
Choose WriterBar if
- You mainly want to rewrite selected text with one shortcut.
- You want a low one-time price: $19 or $39 against $720 for Lifetime.
- You want a built-in library of actions and reusable snippets.
- You do not want screen or voice features.
WriterBar plans
Buy the app once. See the full details on the pricing page.
Trial
Free
Try WriterBar with real cloud AI — no card required.
- 100,000 credits (one-time)
- All built-in actions & snippets
- Free AI models
- Buy credits or subscribe any time
Standard
$19 one-time
One-time purchase with cloud credits and API key support.
- 1 Million credits (one-time)
- All AI models
- Bring your own API keys
- Apple Intelligence on-device
- Everything synced across devices
- Unlimited app updates
Pro
$39 one-time
One-time purchase with a year of WriterBar Cloud included.
- 3 Million credits/month — 1 year of WriterBar Cloud included
- All AI models
- Bring your own API keys
- Apple Intelligence on-device
- Everything synced across devices
- Unlimited app updates
Frequently asked questions
Is Alter free?
Its site lists a free plan, a 7-day trial with no card, and says you can keep using it free with your own providers. Paid plans are Local+ at $29 a year, Pro at $240 a year, and Lifetime at $720.
Can Alter work offline?
Its site says it connects to Ollama and LM Studio for fully local AI, and offers an offline option for meetings. WriterBar can also work fully offline, with Ollama, LM Studio or Apple Intelligence.
Which is better for rewriting text?
WriterBar is built for exactly that job and costs far less. Alter does rewriting too, as one part of a much broader assistant.
Does Alter collect data?
Its site says prompts and data sent to models are encrypted, it does not train on your data, and it collects only anonymous usage analytics, which can be disabled.
How does WriterBar work?
Select text in any app, press your WriterBar hotkey (⌥Space by default) or click a PopClip button, and pick an action such as Improve Writing. The result streams into a small panel where you can replace the original text, copy it, or refine it further. On Mac, WriterBar reads and writes the selection through the macOS Accessibility API, with a clipboard fallback for apps that do not expose their text.
Why does WriterBar need the Accessibility permission?
It is what lets WriterBar read the text you have selected and write the improved version back in place, in any app. You grant it under System Settings → Privacy & Security → Accessibility. It is used only for reading and replacing your current selection.
Is there a free trial?
Yes. Every account starts with a one-time grant of 100,000 credits (about 100 rewrites on fast models), no card required, with all built-in actions and snippets and the free AI models.
How much does WriterBar cost?
Standard is $19 and Pro is $39, both one-time purchases with unlimited app updates. Optional credit packs for the built-in cloud AI start from $2.19 and never expire.
Can I use my own API key?
Yes, on Standard and Pro, for Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini and OpenRouter. Your key is stored in the macOS Keychain, and your text goes directly from your Mac to that provider.
Does WriterBar store my text?
No. With the built-in models, your text is sent over an encrypted connection to WriterBar’s server, forwarded to an AI provider, and streamed back, processed in memory only and never logged or kept. It is never used to train AI models.
Can I get a refund?
Yes: 14 days from purchase on one-time licenses. Email support@writerbar.app with your purchase details. After heavy use of the trial or a paid credit balance, a refund request is reviewed case by case.
Which apps does WriterBar work in?
Practically all of them: browsers, Mail, Slack, Notes, Word and Google Docs, code editors, and anything else with a text field. If an app does not expose its text through Accessibility, WriterBar falls back to a clipboard-based flow.
How does WriterBar compare with other tools?
Written by WriterBar. What we say about Alter comes from its public pages as of October 2026, so check Alter, Alter pricing for current details. If something here is out of date, tell us at support@writerbar.app.