BoltAI vs RewriteBar

Choosing the right AI-powered macOS assistant can be a game-changer. This comparison breaks down BoltAI and RewriteBar to help you decide which tool best fits your workflow.

Summary

BoltAI is a native macOS app that injects OpenAI GPT power into every text field, alongside a built-in prompt library, custom AI Assistants, and Stable Diffusion image generation, all for a one-time $69 license (per Mac) with one year of updates. RewriteBar lives in your menu bar, offering a command-palette UI for instant grammar/spelling fixes, tone shifts, summarization/expansion, and translation into 30 languages. RewriteBar is available via a $5/month ($40/year) subscription (using its own AI service) or a $29 one-time license where you supply your own API key from various providers.

Core Features

What are the core features of BoltAI and RewriteBar?

BoltAIRewriteBar
Integration
Injects GPT into any macOS text field (requires OpenAI key setup)
Works in any macOS app via a menu-bar command palette (Cmd+Shift+P)
Grammar & Style
Instant fixes, tone presets via chat UI
Grammar/spelling correction, tone adjustment via command menu
Summarize & Expand
Chat interface supports outlines, summarization, brainstorming
Summarize or expand selections on-the-fly
Translation
Natively via GPT only (no preset language list)
Instant translation into 30 languages
Custom AI Assistants
Create tailored "AI Assistants" with system prompts & parameters
Define custom rewrite templates & keyboard shortcuts
Multimodal Inputs
Stable Diffusion image generation, screenshot chat, OCR/sensitive-data redaction
Text-only
Prompt Library
150+ built-in prompts for coding, marketing, writing tasks
No bundled prompt library
Model Flexibility
OpenAI GPT + support for Anthropic, Google, Groq, OpenRouter & local Ollama
Subscription uses RewriteBar's backend (GPT-4.1 suite); one-time license lets you choose from 7 providers
Privacy & Security
API key in Apple Keychain; no middle servers; local redaction
API key in Keychain; direct-to-provider; no RewriteBar servers for one-time license

Platform & Compatibility

BoltAI

  • OS: macOS 12+ (Monterey and later)
  • Architecture: Intel & Apple Silicon
  • Works In: Any text field; image-generation panel

RewriteBar

  • OS: macOS 13+ (Ventura and later)
  • Architecture: Intel & Apple Silicon
  • Works In: Any application with a text field

Pricing & Licensing

How does BoltAI compares with RewriteBar in terms of Pricing and License?

BoltAIRewriteBar
Free
No Premium Features
Free trial: 100 requests (GPT-4o-mini)
One-Time (API Key)
$69 perpetual, 1 device, includes 1 year of updates; OpenAI key required
$29 (lifetime; supply your own API key; choose provider/model)
Subscription
Not available
$5/month or $40/year
Team / Multi-Seat
From $225 to $400
Contact for pricing

Strengths & Gaps

BoltAI Strengths

  • Full multimodal support (images, OCR, redaction)
  • Custom AI Assistants + prompt library for task-specific workflows
  • Single, perpetual license with local security

BoltAI Gaps

  • No built-in text summarization presets or translation presets
  • Requires OpenAI API key (no bundled AI service)
  • Updates only for one year with initial purchase

RewriteBar Strengths

  • Lightning-fast command-palette UI for in-line text fixes
  • Flexible pricing: subscription or one-time with any provider
  • Built-in translation into 30 languages without extra setup

RewriteBar Gaps

  • Text-only (no images or PDFs)
  • Does not provide chat interface and focuses on text replacement

Which to Choose?

Choose BoltAI if…

  • You need multimodal AI (image generation, OCR, redaction) alongside writing help.
  • You want task-specific AI Assistants and an extensive prompt library.
  • You prefer a one-time license and are comfortable managing your own OpenAI API key.

Choose RewriteBar if…

  • You value an ultra-fast command-palette for quick grammar fixes, tone adjustments, summarization, and translation.
  • You prefer flexible pricing with options for a subscription (AI included) or a one-time purchase (bring your own API key).
  • Your workflow is primarily text-based and you don't need document/image chat or image generation.
  • You want straightforward translation into multiple languages without configuring models.

Pricing

Start using RewriteBar and get 20% off

Get 20% off for limited time! You can use code DISCOUNT20 at checkout to redeem your discount.

Trial

Try it for free

Free

  • Up to 100 requests
  • Access to our Cloud AI service
  • Includes 14 AI models
Start for free

No credit card required

Monthly Plan

Use our AI Cloud service (3 million words)

$5

USD

Monthly
  • Access our AI Cloud service (19 models)
  • Option to use your own AI provider API key
  • Choose from 11+ AI providers
  • Choose from 350+ AI models
  • Unlimited app updates
  • Use on unlimited devices

Billed monthly

Save 33%

Annual Plan

Use our AI Cloud service (3 million words)

$60

$40

USD

Annually
  • Access our AI Cloud service (19 models)
  • Option to use your own AI provider API key
  • Choose from 11+ AI providers
  • Choose from 350+ AI models
  • Unlimited requests (With API key)
  • Unlimited app updates
  • Use on unlimited devices

Billed annually

Use RewriteBar with an API Key

Requires an API key

Pay as you go

One-time purchase. Use your own API key — no subscription, no recurring fees.

$29

USD

OneTime

One time payment

  • Option to use your own AI provider API key
  • Choose from 11+ AI providers
  • Choose from 350+ AI models
  • Send request directly to AI provider
  • Option to use local models (e.g., Ollama)
  • Unlimited requests (With API key)
  • One-time payment
  • Licensed per device

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Have a question? Contact me on Twitter or by email.

  • RewriteBar captures the currently selected text using the macOS clipboard and sends it to a language model for rewriting. The corrected version is then automatically pasted back, replacing the original text.

  • Yes. RewriteBar does not store or track any of your data. How your text is processed depends on the provider you choose:

    • RewriteBar (default): Your selected text is sent to the RewriteBar server, which forwards the request to a language model and returns the corrected version. We do not store your text or API key on our server.
    • Third-Party Providers (e.g. OpenAI, Mistral, Ollama): Your request is sent directly from your device to the provider’s API. RewriteBar never sees or processes your text.

    The app is built using native macOS tools and is just 6 MB in size — lightweight and privacy-focused.

  • Yes! RewriteBar works with almost any application or website that supports text input.

    Here are some examples:

    • Google Chrome
    • Google Docs
    • Microsoft Word
    • Slack
    • WhatsApp
    • Emails
    • Microsoft Teams
    • Notion
    • Visual Studio Code
  • Yes! You can try RewriteBar for free with up to 100 corrections. After that, you can upgrade to a subscription or one-time license.
  • Yes, you can request a refund within 7 days of purchase. Just reach out via email.
  • RewriteBar has been tested with English and German, but it should work with any language supported by ChatGPT. If you encounter issues with a specific language, feel free to contact us.

  • After your purchase, you'll receive an email with:

    • A download link for the app
    • A license key to activate it
    • The license key also includes unlimited app updates.

    The license key also includes unlimited app updates.

  • There are no additional costs with the subscription plan. If you're using the one-time license, you’ll need to provide an OpenAI API key, which may incur charges based on your usage. For most users, around $1 per month is enough to get started.
  • You can cancel your subscription through the Subscription Portal.
    If you have any questions, feel free to contact us via email.
  • No, a ChatGPT Plus subscription is not required. The OpenAI API operates on a pay-as-you-go basis, so you only pay for what you use. Alternatively, you can use the RewriteBar AI Cloud (included in the subscription plan).
  • The app requires macOS accessibility permissions to retrieve the selected text and replace it with the corrected version. This enables RewriteBar to work with any application. No data is stored.
  • You can create an account on OpenAI and generate a new API key.
    Setup instructions are available in our help center
  • The one-time license requires an Provider API key (OpenAI or other) and may incur usage-based costs from the Provider. The subscription plan includes access to the RewriteBar AI Cloud and is ideal for users who don’t want to manage their own API key.
  • No, there is no Windows version. RewriteBar is built with native macOS tools and isn’t compatible with Windows. If you're on Windows, you can try this alternative:Grammarsen.
  • You can reach out any time by email. I’m happy to help!