WriterBar vs Elephas
Elephas is a subscription Mac assistant built around answers from your own documents, which it calls Private Brains, with sources for every answer. WriterBar is a one-time purchase focused on rewriting selected text and reusing snippets. A year of Elephas Personal comes to $180, against $19 or $39 once for WriterBar.
Core features
| WriterBar | Elephas | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Rewriting selected text and reusable snippets, on demand | Answers from your own documents, with the source shown for every answer |
| How you use it | Select text, press ⌥Space or click a PopClip button, pick an action; the rewrite replaces your selection in place | Add documents to a Brain, then ask questions about them |
| Files it works with | Text you select in any app | PDF, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Markdown, text, CSV, HTML, EPUB and images of text; web pages by URL |
| Citations | Not applicable | Quoted passages with page, slide or sheet locations |
| Rewriting actions | A built-in library of ready-made actions (writing, tone, productivity, developer, academic, business, customer support), plus your own custom actions | Its site describes document Q&A, not a rewriting action library |
| Teams | Pro covers 3 devices | Shared Team Brains with manager, contributor and reader roles |
AI models and privacy
| WriterBar | Elephas | |
|---|---|---|
| Choosing the AI | 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) | Elephas AI included, your own API key (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini and others), or an on-computer model |
| Personal details | 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 | Hides names, email addresses and phone numbers before any cloud AI sees your text |
| Where data lives | Your text is processed in memory and not stored | Documents stay on your computer, in an encrypted database; team sync is end-to-end encrypted |
Platform and compatibility
| WriterBar | Elephas | |
|---|---|---|
| Supported macOS | macOS 14 or later | macOS 14 or later on Apple Silicon |
| Mobile | macOS menu bar app | Desktop only; its site says there is no mobile app for the new Elephas |
| Languages | A Translate action | Searches in eight languages: English, German, Spanish, French, Hindi, Tamil, Japanese and Chinese |
Pricing and licensing
| WriterBar | Elephas | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One-time purchase | Monthly or yearly subscription |
| Price | Standard $19, Pro $39, paid once | Personal $19 a month or $180 a year; Professional $29 a month or $288 a year; Team $29 per person a month |
| Free trial | Free trial with 100,000 credits (about 100 rewrites on fast models), no card required | 7 days, no card needed |
| Computers | Pro covers 3 devices | Personal 1 computer, Professional 3 computers |
| Refunds | 14 days on one-time licenses | See its terms |
Where each one is stronger
Elephas is stronger at
- Answers from your own documents, with sources for every answer.
- Personal details hidden before text reaches a cloud model.
- An on-computer model option, so nothing needs to leave your Mac.
- Team plans with shared knowledge, roles and usage policies.
- End-to-end encrypted sync.
- Search across eight languages.
WriterBar is stronger at
- Pay once instead of subscribing.
- A library of actions for rewriting, tone, translation and replies.
- Snippets and signatures with variables.
- PopClip support and a ⌥Space command palette.
- A lower price for an individual: $19 or $39 once.
Which should you choose?
Choose Elephas if
- You want to ask questions of your own documents and get answers with sources.
- You want personal details hidden before text goes to a cloud model.
- You need team plans with shared knowledge and usage caps.
- You want an on-computer model option built in.
Choose WriterBar if
- You would rather pay once than subscribe.
- You mainly rewrite, shorten, translate or reply to text you have selected.
- You want a built-in library of actions and reusable snippets.
- You want PopClip support.
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 Elephas a writing assistant?
Its site is built around answering questions from your own documents with sources, rather than a library of rewriting actions. WriterBar is the reverse: it rewrites the text you select and does not index documents.
What does a year of Elephas cost?
Personal is $19 a month, or $15 a month billed as $180 a year. Professional is $29 a month, or $24 a month billed as $288 a year. WriterBar Standard is $19 and Pro is $39, paid once.
Can WriterBar answer questions from my documents?
No. WriterBar works on text you select. If you need answers from files with sources, that is what Elephas is for.
Do both offer a free trial?
Yes. Elephas gives 7 days with no card needed. WriterBar gives 100,000 credits (about 100 rewrites on fast models), with no card required.
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 Elephas comes from its public pages as of October 2026, so check Elephas pricing, Elephas for current details. If something here is out of date, tell us at support@writerbar.app.