--- title: "MacCopilot vs RewriteBar: Which Writing Tool Fits You?" description: "Compare MacCopilot and RewriteBar to find the best AI writing assistant for your needs. Discover differences in features, pricing, and usability." url: "https://rewritebar.com/comparison/maccopilot" --- # MacCopilot vs RewriteBar: Which Writing Tool Fits You? ## Summary MacCopilot is a native macOS copilot AI that lets you select any area of your screen and chat about it using OpenAI (including GPT-5.5), Claude, Google Gemini, Ollama, or a compatible endpoint. It focuses on visual analysis and screen-based interactions, with flexible screenshot capture. MacCopilot is a $19.99 one-time license with your own API keys and no bundled model quota. RewriteBar is a specialized text editing assistant that lives in your menu bar, offering a command-palette UI for instant grammar/spelling fixes, tone shifts, summarization/expansion, and translation into 500+ 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 MacCopilot and RewriteBar? | | MacCopilot | RewriteBar | | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Primary Function | Visual screen analysis and AI chat about screen content | Text editing and writing assistance across applications | | Integration | Screen capture and selection with AI chat interface | Works in any macOS app via a menu-bar command palette (Cmd+Shift+P) | | AI Models | OpenAI GPT-5.5 plus GPT-4o/4.1/4.5, Gemini 2.0/2.5, Claude 3.5/3.7, Ollama, Azure, OpenAI-compatible servers | Subscription uses current OpenAI and Anthropic models on RewriteBar's backend; one-time license lets you choose from 38 providers | | Visual Analysis | Select any area of screen and get AI insights about it | Text-focused analysis and editing | | Text Editing | Not the primary focus - designed for screen content analysis | Grammar/spelling correction, tone adjustment, summarization, expansion | | Translation | Can translate text visible on screen | Instant translation into 500+ languages and dialects | | Screenshot Tools | Flexible screenshot captures with resizable selection areas | No built-in screenshot functionality | | Custom Actions | Not mentioned as a core feature | Create your own action with custom prompts for specialized workflows | | Keyboard Shortcuts | Hotkeys for capturing screenshots | Trigger command menu and navigate with keyboard (Arrow keys, Enter, etc.) | | Privacy & Security | Supports local Ollama models for privacy-focused users | API key in Keychain; direct-to-provider; no RewriteBar servers for one-time license | ## Platform & Compatibility ### MacCopilot - **OS:** macOS - **Architecture:** Intel & Apple Silicon - **Works In:** Screen capture and AI chat interface ### RewriteBar - **OS:** macOS 13+ (Ventura and later) - **Architecture:** Intel & Apple Silicon - **Works In:** Any application with a text field ## Pricing & Licensing How does MacCopilot compares with RewriteBar in terms of Pricing and License? | | MacCopilot | RewriteBar | | ---------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- | | Free Trial | Not mentioned | Free trial: 100 requests | | One-Time License | $19.99 (lifetime access) | $29 Standard or $59 Pro, one-time | | Subscription | Not offered; no bundled LLM quota | Optional Gateway add-on: $5/month or $40/year | | AI Service Costs | Pay OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, or a local server directly | BYOK on the license; optional Gateway for hosted models | ## Strengths & Gaps ### MacCopilot Strengths - Visual screen analysis and AI chat about screen content - Flexible screenshot capture with resizable selection areas - Multiple AI model support (OpenAI including GPT-5.5, Claude, Gemini 2.5, Ollama) - Local Ollama support for privacy-focused users - Hotkeys for quick screenshot capture ### MacCopilot Gaps - Not specialized for text editing and writing assistance - No built-in grammar/spelling correction features - No translation into multiple languages as a core feature - No custom action creation for specialized workflows - Requires your own API keys; no hosted model quota ### RewriteBar Strengths - Specialized for text editing and writing assistance - Built-in translation into 500+ languages - Grammar/spelling correction and tone adjustment - Custom action creation for specialized workflows - One-time license first; optional Gateway add-on for hosted models ### RewriteBar Gaps - No visual screen analysis capabilities - No built-in screenshot functionality - No local model support - Text-focused only (no visual content analysis) ## Which to Choose? ### Choose MacCopilot if… - You need to analyze visual content on your screen (images, charts, designs, code). - You want to chat with AI about anything visible on your screen. - You prefer a visual-first approach with screenshot capture and analysis. - You want local model support for privacy-focused usage. ### Choose RewriteBar if… - You primarily need text editing and writing assistance. - You want grammar correction, tone adjustment, and translation features. - You prefer a command palette interface for quick text actions. - You want a one-time license, with optional Gateway if you prefer hosted models. - You need custom actions for specialized text workflows. ## 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 70 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)[IntelliBarSee detailed comparison between IntelliBar and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/intellibar)[TypoTabSee detailed comparison between TypoTab and RewriteBar](https://rewritebar.com/comparison/typotab)[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!