WriterBar vs RewriteBar
RewriteBar and WriterBar are close cousins: both are macOS menu bar apps that rewrite selected text with a shortcut, both sell one-time licenses, and both work with PopClip. RewriteBar supports more AI providers and more local-model servers. WriterBar costs less and ships a library of ready-made actions and reusable snippets.
Core features
| WriterBar | RewriteBar | |
|---|---|---|
| How you use it | Select text, press ⌥Space or click a PopClip button, pick an action; the rewrite replaces your selection in place | Select text, then a keyboard shortcut, the menu bar icon or PopClip |
| Grammar and spelling | The Fix Grammar & Spelling action | Grammar and spelling correction |
| Tone and length | Make Professional, Make Casual, Make Confident, Make Shorter, Make Longer and more | Tone changes: more formal, more casual, shorter, longer, clearer |
| Translation | A Translate action into the language you set | Translation into 500+ languages, with quality depending on the model |
| Custom actions | A built-in library of ready-made actions (writing, tone, productivity, developer, academic, business, customer support), plus your own custom actions | Custom commands bound to shortcuts, plus a prompt library |
| Personalisation | Variables in Settings that fill your name, role and company into prompts and snippets | Personalisation context about your role, audience and writing |
| PopClip | Yes, any action or snippet can run from a PopClip button | Yes |
AI models and privacy
| WriterBar | RewriteBar | |
|---|---|---|
| AI providers | 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) | 38 providers and 500+ models |
| Hosted models | Built-in cloud models, paid with credits | RewriteBar Gateway, with 70 hosted models |
| Local models | Apple Intelligence, Ollama, LM Studio and oMLX | Apple Intelligence, Ollama, LM Studio, Osaurus and oMLX |
| 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 | Does not store your text; with your own key or a local model it goes straight to the provider, and the Gateway keeps no copy |
Platform and compatibility
| WriterBar | RewriteBar | |
|---|---|---|
| Supported macOS | macOS 14 or later | macOS 13 (Ventura) or later, Apple Silicon and Intel |
| Permission needed | macOS Accessibility, to read your selection and write the rewrite back | macOS Accessibility, to read the selected text and paste the result |
| Other platforms | macOS menu bar app | No Windows, Linux, iOS or browser version |
Pricing and licensing
| WriterBar | RewriteBar | |
|---|---|---|
| One-time price | Standard $19, Pro $39, paid once | Standard $29, Pro $59 |
| Devices | Pro covers 3 devices | Standard 1 device, Pro 3 devices; extra devices $19 each |
| Free trial | Free trial with 100,000 credits (about 100 rewrites on fast models), no card required | 35,000 credits, about 88 rewrites by its own estimate, no card required |
| Cloud AI after the trial | Pro includes a year of WriterBar Cloud (3 Million credits a month); optional credit packs | Pro includes a year of RewriteBar Gateway; $40 a year after that |
| Refunds | 14 days on one-time licenses | See its terms |
Credits are each app's own unit, and each app estimates rewrites its own way, so treat trial comparisons as rough.
Where each one is stronger
RewriteBar is stronger at
- More AI providers and models: 38 providers and 500+ models.
- One more local-model server, Osaurus, on top of the Ollama, LM Studio, oMLX and Apple Intelligence support both apps share.
- Runs on macOS 13, one version earlier.
- A hosted Gateway with 70 models.
- Custom commands bound to their own shortcuts.
- Translation into 500+ languages, by its own claim.
WriterBar is stronger at
- A lower one-time price: $19 and $39 against $29 and $59.
- A built-in library of ready-made actions across writing, developer, academic and business work.
- Reusable snippets and signatures with variables.
- A command palette on ⌥Space that searches and runs any action.
- A result panel to replace, copy or refine the rewrite.
- A 14-day refund on one-time licenses.
Which should you choose?
Choose RewriteBar if
- You want to run local models through Osaurus or oMLX.
- You want a provider WriterBar does not list directly, such as Groq.
- You are on macOS 13.
- You want hosted models through a single Gateway subscription.
- You want to bind your own commands to their own shortcuts.
Choose WriterBar if
- You want the lower price: $19 and $39 against $29 and $59.
- You want a ready-made library of actions plus snippets and signatures.
- You want a command palette on ⌥Space to search and run any action.
- You want to refine a rewrite in a panel before it replaces your text.
- You want your text kept out of storage and training.
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
How is WriterBar different from RewriteBar?
They do the same core job: rewrite selected text from a shortcut, with PopClip support. RewriteBar supports far more AI providers. WriterBar costs less and adds a built-in action library, snippets and a command palette.
Which is cheaper, WriterBar or RewriteBar?
WriterBar: Standard $19, Pro $39. RewriteBar: Standard $29, Pro $59. Both are one-time purchases and both cover 3 devices on the top plan.
Can WriterBar run local models like Ollama?
Yes. WriterBar connects to Ollama, LM Studio and oMLX on your Mac and can run Apple Intelligence on-device. RewriteBar also supports Osaurus.
Can I compare the free trials directly?
Only roughly. Each app's credit is its own unit, so the credit totals can't be compared. WriterBar's trial is 100,000 credits (about 100 rewrites on fast models); RewriteBar's is 35,000 credits, about 88 rewrites by its own estimate. Both rewrite counts are estimates that depend on the model and the length of your text.
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 RewriteBar comes from its public pages as of October 2026, so check RewriteBar for current details. If something here is out of date, tell us at support@writerbar.app.