WriterBar vs Steer
Steer fixes and improves your wording in any Mac app, tailors the tone to the app you are in, and has a free tier, a low yearly plan and a lifetime option. WriterBar costs less for a lifetime license, lets you choose the AI model, and adds an action library and snippets.
Core features
| WriterBar | Steer | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 in any app and run it from a shortcut |
| What it does | A built-in library of ready-made actions (writing, tone, productivity, developer, academic, business, customer support), plus your own custom actions | Fixes spelling, improves wording, and makes sentences coherent, concise and professional |
| Tone | You pick an action such as Make Professional or Make Casual | Automatically tailors the tone to the app you are in |
| Works in | Any Mac app with selectable text | Any app, including Slack, Teams, Apple Mail, Microsoft Word and Chrome |
| Languages | A Translate action | Works in any language, but works best with English and quality in other languages may vary |
| Snippets and PopClip | Reusable snippets and signatures with variables; Yes, any action or snippet can run from a PopClip button | Not listed on its site |
AI models and privacy
| WriterBar | Steer | |
|---|---|---|
| The AI behind it | 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) | OpenAI, through its own open-source backend |
| 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 | Says it does not collect or store your data and works only on text you allow; the backend is open source on GitHub |
Platform and compatibility
| WriterBar | Steer | |
|---|---|---|
| Supported macOS | macOS 14 or later | macOS 12 or later |
| Other platforms | macOS | Its site also lists Microsoft Windows |
Pricing and licensing
| WriterBar | Steer | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One-time purchase | Free tier, yearly subscription, or a one-time Lifetime purchase |
| Price | Standard $19, Pro $39, paid once | Pro $3.60 a month billed yearly; Lifetime $149 once |
| Free option | Free trial with 100,000 credits (about 100 rewrites on fast models), no card required | A free Starter plan with 10 fast requests a day |
| Refunds | 14 days on one-time licenses | See its terms |
Where each one is stronger
Steer is stronger at
- A free tier you can keep using, within its daily limit.
- Tone adjusted automatically for the app you are in.
- A low yearly price.
- An open-source backend.
- Runs on macOS 12 and 13, and lists a Windows version.
WriterBar is stronger at
- A lifetime license for less: $19 or $39 against $149.
- Choose the AI model or use your own API key.
- A built-in action library plus snippets and signatures.
- PopClip support and a ⌥Space command palette.
- A result panel to replace, copy or refine the rewrite.
Which should you choose?
Choose Steer if
- You want a free tier to use indefinitely, within its daily limit.
- You want the tone adjusted automatically for the app you are in.
- You are on macOS 12 or 13, which WriterBar does not support.
- You also use Windows.
Choose WriterBar if
- You want a lifetime license for less: $19 or $39 against $149.
- You want to choose the AI model or use your own API key.
- You want a library of ready-made actions plus snippets and signatures.
- 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 Steer free?
Its site lists a free Starter plan with 10 fast requests a day. Pro is $3.60 a month billed yearly, and Lifetime is $149 once.
Does Steer work in languages other than English?
Its site says it works in any language but works best with English, and quality in other languages may vary.
Which AI does Steer use?
Its site says text is processed through the OpenAI API via its open-source backend, and names GPT-4.
Can I pick the AI model in WriterBar?
Yes. WriterBar offers built-in cloud models from several vendors, and on Standard and Pro you can use your own key for Anthropic, OpenAI, Gemini or OpenRouter.
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 Steer comes from its public pages as of October 2026, so check Steer, Steer pricing for current details. If something here is out of date, tell us at support@writerbar.app.