--- title: "IntelliBar vs RewriteBar: Which Writing Tool Fits You?" description: "Compare IntelliBar and RewriteBar to find the best AI writing assistant for your needs. Discover differences in features, pricing, and usability." url: "https://rewritebar.com/comparison/intellibar" --- # IntelliBar vs RewriteBar: Which Writing Tool Fits You? ## Summary IntelliBar is a native macOS app that provides access to multiple AI models (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google Gemini, and local models via Ollama) through a single interface. It offers a command menu, response comparison, and prompt completions, with a one-time $29 license plus usage-based fees paid directly to model providers. 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 starts at $29 for a one-time license. An optional RewriteBar Gateway add-on ($5/month or $40/year) adds hosted models if you do not want to use your own API key. ## Core Features What are the core features of IntelliBar and RewriteBar? | | IntelliBar | RewriteBar | | ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Integration | Spotlight-like interface with command menu (⌘K) for quick access | Works in any macOS app via a menu-bar command palette (Cmd+Shift+P) | | PopClip Integration | No PopClip extension available | PopClip extension available for seamless text selection workflow | | AI Models | Published list is still GPT-4o, o1, o3-mini, Claude 3.5/3.7, Gemini 2.0, Grok, Llama, plus Ollama and custom endpoints | Subscription uses current OpenAI and Anthropic models on RewriteBar's backend; one-time license lets you choose from 38 providers | | Grammar & Style | Chat interface for text editing and tone adjustments | Grammar/spelling correction, tone adjustment via command menu | | Summarize & Expand | Chat interface supports summarization and text expansion | Summarize or expand selections on-the-fly | | Translation | Via chat interface (no preset language list) | Instant translation into 500+ languages and dialects | | Response Comparison | Send same prompt to multiple models and compare responses side by side | Single model response at a time | | Prompt Completions | Auto-completes prompts as you type | No built-in prompt completion | | Local Storage | Chat history stored locally on device | API key in Keychain; direct-to-provider; no RewriteBar servers for one-time license | | Privacy & Security | Direct connection to AI providers; no intermediaries; local model support | API key in Keychain; direct-to-provider; no RewriteBar servers for one-time license | ## Platform & Compatibility ### IntelliBar - **OS:** macOS (specific version not mentioned) - **Architecture:** Intel & Apple Silicon - **Works In:** Spotlight-like interface; command menu ### RewriteBar - **OS:** macOS 13+ (Ventura and later) - **Architecture:** Intel & Apple Silicon - **Works In:** Any application with a text field ## Pricing & Licensing How does IntelliBar compares with RewriteBar in terms of Pricing and License? | | IntelliBar | RewriteBar | | ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------- | | Free Trial | Available for evaluation | Free trial: 100 requests | | One-Time License | $29 (reduced from $49); usage-based fees paid to model providers | $29 Standard or $59 Pro, one-time | | Subscription | Not available | Optional Gateway add-on: $5/month or $40/year | | AI Service Costs | Pay providers directly; their site still quotes GPT-4o $0.50, Claude 3.5 $0.98, Gemini 2.0 $0.03 | BYOK on the license; optional Gateway for hosted models | ## Strengths & Gaps ### IntelliBar Strengths - Multiple AI model access from single interface - Response comparison across different models - Local model support via Ollama - Prompt completions and command menu - Direct connection to AI providers ### IntelliBar Gaps - No built-in translation presets - Requires API keys for each model provider - Chat-based interface (not command-palette focused) - No built-in grammar/spelling correction presets ### RewriteBar Strengths - Lightning-fast command-palette UI for in-line text fixes - One-time license first; optional Gateway add-on for hosted models - Built-in translation into 500+ languages without extra setup - Specialized for text editing and formatting ### RewriteBar Gaps - Single model response at a time - No response comparison feature - No prompt completion feature - Text-only (no multimodal support) ## Which to Choose? ### Choose IntelliBar if… - You want to compare responses from multiple AI models simultaneously. - You prefer a chat-based interface with prompt completions and command menu. - You want local model support and direct connection to AI providers. - You want one interface for OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, and local Ollama models. ### Choose RewriteBar if… - You value an ultra-fast command-palette for quick grammar fixes, tone adjustments, summarization, and translation. - You want a one-time license, with optional Gateway if you prefer hosted models. - Your workflow is primarily text-based and you want specialized text editing features. - You want straightforward translation into multiple languages without configuring models. - You prefer a focused tool for text editing rather than a general AI chat interface. ## Ready to Experience the Difference? Download RewriteBar today and see why our users love RewriteBar over the competition. Start your free trial with no credit card required. [Download RewriteBar Free](https://rewritebar.com/download)[Request Free License](https://rewritebar.com/request-free-license) No credit card required • 100 free executions • Cancel anytime ## Purchase a License All licenses include the full app. Pay once, then add extra devices or RewriteBar Gateway anytime. ### Get 50% back Create a short RewriteBar demo, share it publicly, and get up to 100% of your purchase refunded. [Learn more](https://rewritebar.com/discount) Trial Try it for free 1 device Free - 1 Active Device - 35,000 Credits (One-Time) - BYOK - Third Party Providers No credit card required Standard One-time license with cloud credits and API key support. 1 device $29 USD One-time - 1 Active Device - 35,000 Credits (One-Time) - Unlimited App Updates - Third Party Providers - BYOK - Local AI Providers One-time payment Best value Pro One-time license with RewriteBar Gateway Subscription for 1 year. 3 devicesAI Gateway included $59 USD One-time - 3 Active Devices - 3 Million Credits (Monthly) - Unlimited App Updates - Third Party Providers - BYOK - Local AI Providers - 1 Year RewriteBar Gateway Subscription One-time payment ### Optional Add-Ons Extra devices or RewriteBar Cloud Subscription. Extra Device Add one Active Device to your license. 1 deviceAdd-on $19 USD One-time - Add 1 Active Device to your license - For Standard or Pro licenses One-time payment RewriteBar Gateway Use RewriteBar Gateway as your AI provider without your own API key. $40 USD Annually - Access 71 AI models - 3 Million Credits (Monthly) - Premium Models Included Billed annually ## How does RewriteBar compare to other AI Writing Tools? We compared RewriteBar to other popular AI writing assistants to help you find the best tool for your needs. [Kerlig AISee detailed comparison between Kerlig AI and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/kerlig-ai)[BoltAISee detailed comparison between BoltAI and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/bolt-ai)[ElephasSee detailed comparison between Elephas and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/elephas)[WriterBrewSee detailed comparison between WriterBrew and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/writerbrew)[AlterSee detailed comparison between Alter and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/alter)[FixKey AISee detailed comparison between FixKey AI and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/fixkey)[FridayGPTSee detailed comparison between FridayGPT and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/fridaygpt)[SteerSee detailed comparison between Steer and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/steer)[TypoTabSee detailed comparison between TypoTab and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/typotab)[MacCopilotSee detailed comparison between MacCopilot and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/maccopilot)[GrammarlySee detailed comparison between Grammarly and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/grammarly)[TypolySee detailed comparison between Typoly and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/typoly) Frequently Asked Questions ## Your Questions, Answered Have a question? Contact me on [Twitter](https://x.com/m91michel) or by [email](mailto:support@rewritebar.com?subject=Question%20about%20RewriteBar). - ### How Does It Work? 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. - ### Is RewriteBar Safe? 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 25 MB in size — lightweight and privacy-focused. - ### Can RewriteBar Be Used in Any App and Webpage? Yes, RewriteBar works with almost any application or website that supports text input. It runs quietly in the background so you can stay focused and keep your writing flow. Examples include: - Google Chrome - Google Docs - Microsoft Word - Slack - WhatsApp - Emails - Microsoft Teams - Notion - Visual Studio Code - ### Is There a Free Trial? Yes, you can try RewriteBar for free with 35,000 credits. No credit card required. When you’re ready to continue, choose a one-time Standard or Pro license. - ### Can I Get a Refund? Yes, you can request a refund within 14 days of purchase. Just reach out via [email](mailto:support@rewritebar.com?subject=Rewritebar%3A%20Refund%20request). - ### Which Languages Are Supported? RewriteBar App Interface is translated into 12 languages. The translation action supports over 500 languages. However, language Support also depends on the selected model. State of the Art cloud models support most languages, while smaller local models can only support a limited number of languages. If you encounter issues with a specific language, feel free to contact us. - ### Do Any Additional Costs Apply? RewriteBar (once purchased) and local models do not incur additional costs. Additional charges apply only when using cloud AI providers via the BYOK (bring your own API key) option. In that case, you pay your chosen provider directly. - ### How Do I Cancel My Subscription? You can cancel your subscription through the [Subscription Portal](https://billing.stripe.com/p/login/bIYdUVc87ad72Wc4gg). If you have any questions, feel free to [contact us via email](mailto:support@rewritebar.com?subject=Rewritebar%3A%20Cancel%20subscription). - ### Do I Need a ChatGPT Plus Subscription for RewriteBar? No. Subscriptions like ChatGPT Plus/Pro or Claude Pro apply to their chat applications. API access is billed separately by each provider on a pay-as-you-go basis and is not included in those subscriptions. You can use your own API key (BYOK) and pay the provider directly, or use the RewriteBar AI Cloud (included in the RewriteBar subscription). - ### Why Does the App Need Accessibility Permissions? RewriteBar requests macOS Accessibility permissions so it can function as designed. This allows the app to read your currently selected text and replace it with the improved result, so it works seamlessly in your favorite apps. We do not store your data. - ### How Do I Get an API Key? You can create an API key with any supported provider below: - [OpenAI](https://platform.openai.com/) - [Anthropic](https://platform.claude.com/) - [Google](https://aistudio.google.com/) - [Groq](https://console.groq.com/) - [DeepSeek](https://platform.deepseek.com/) - [OpenRouter](https://openrouter.ai/) - [Mistral](https://mistral.ai/) - [XAI](https://x.ai/api) - [TogetherAI](https://www.together.ai/) - [Azure AI Foundry](https://azure.microsoft.com/products/ai-foundry) - [LM Studio](https://lmstudio.ai/) - [302.AI](https://help.302.ai/en/docs/ji-cheng-dao-OpenAI-guan-fang-SDK) - [Amazon Bedrock](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/bedrock/latest/userguide/bedrock-mantle.html) - [Baseten](https://docs.baseten.co/development/model-apis/overview) - [Cloudflare AI Gateway](https://developers.cloudflare.com/ai-gateway/usage/chat-completion/) - [Cortex](https://cortex.so/docs/capabilities/embeddings/) - [DeepInfra](https://deepinfra.com/docs/openai%5Fapi) - [Firmware](https://voltagent.dev/models-docs/providers/firmware/) - [Fireworks AI](https://docs.fireworks.ai/tools-sdks/openai-compatibility) - [Hugging Face](https://huggingface.co/docs/inference-providers/tasks/chat-completion) - [io.net](https://io.net/docs/reference/ai-models/get-started-with-io-intelligence-api) - [Moonshot AI](https://platform.moonshot.ai/console/api-keys) - [MiniMax](https://platform.minimax.io/docs/api-reference/text-openai-api) - [Nebius Token Factory](https://docs.tokenfactory.nebius.com/api-reference/introduction) - [OpenCode Zen](https://opencode.ai/docs/zen) - [OVHcloud AI Endpoints](https://www.ovhcloud.com/en/public-cloud/ai-endpoints/catalog/) - [Scaleway](https://www.scaleway.com/en/docs/managed-inference/reference-content/openai-compatibility/) - [Venice AI](https://docs.venice.ai/) - [Vercel AI Gateway](https://vercel.com/docs/ai-gateway/sdks-and-apis/openai-compat) - [Z.AI](https://docs.z.ai/guides/develop/openai/python) - [ZenMux](https://docs.zenmux.ai/guide/quickstart) - [Cerebras](https://cloud.cerebras.ai/) Setup instructions are available in our [documentation](https://rewritebar.com/docs) - ### What Is the Difference Between the Subscription and the One-Time License? **One-Time License:** Includes all RewriteBar features but requires you to set up your own API accounts with AI providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.). You pay the providers directly for usage. **Subscription:** Includes all features from the one-time license plus RewriteBar Gateway access and priority support. No need to set up API accounts—you can access the same AI models through our cloud service. You can still use your own API key (BYOK) or local models at any time. - ### Is There a Windows Version? No. There is no Windows version, and none is planned. RewriteBar is purpose‑built and optimized for macOS. We may explore a Chrome extension in the future. - ### I Have Another Question You can reach out any time by [email](mailto:support@rewritebar.com?subject=Question%20about%20Rewritebar). I’m happy to help!