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Shorthand and aText
aText, by Trần Kỳ Nam, and Shorthand side by side: what each does, what it costs, and where it runs. Facts about aText come from its own website, checked on November 5, 2026.
Side by side
Feature
Shorthand
aText
Platforms
macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon
macOS, Windows (separate licenses)
Price
Free download
$4.99 for one year, or $29.99 lifetime (personal); business and floating licenses; 21-day free trial on Mac
Native on Apple Silicon
yes
yes
Where it works
system-wide in all apps
system-wide in all apps
Fill-ins and forms
yes: fields, pop-up menus, optional sections, live preview
yes: editable fields and menus
Date math
yes
yes
Script snippets
AppleScript, shell, and JavaScript
yes: script snippets (AppleScript on Mac)
AI
12 providers (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, local models, and more) with your own key and a fallback
none advertised
Sync
your own folder (Dropbox, iCloud Drive), optionally encrypted
your own folder (iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive)
Team sharing
no
yes, through a shared sync folder
Account required
no
no
Encryption or app lock
yes: AES-256 encryption and a Touch ID or password lock
yes: optional password protection
Per-app rules
yes, per group and per snippet, plus an app and website blocklist
yes
Open source
no
no
Latest version
1.5.4, November 1, 2026
macOS 3.21, 2024-09-07
Where aText shines
Very low price, with a lifetime option
Mac and Windows with sync through your own folder
Optional password protection, no account
Where Shorthand is different
AI built in, with your own key: rewrite selected text, AI inside snippets, and 12 providers with a fallback.
A privacy blocklist: Shorthand stops listening completely in password managers and on sites you block, and asks before working in a new app.
Opens a TextExpander library directly, fill-ins and all, if you’re coming from there too.
Shorthand’s limits, to be fair
Mac only, and only Macs with Apple Silicon (M1 or newer).
No iPhone or iPad app.
No team sharing: a synced folder works for one person’s Macs.
Sync uses a folder you provide (Dropbox or iCloud Drive), not a built-in cloud service.
Moving from aText
Directly: an .atext library file or aText’s JSON export. aText’s own variables stay as text. Choose File ▸ Import Snippets… in Shorthand. Step-by-step switching guide
Sources
Checked November 5, 2026. Prices and features change, so check aText’s website before you decide. Spotted a mistake? Email support@shorthandexpander.com and we’ll fix it.
aText is a trademark of its owner. Shorthand is an independent product, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by aText or its owner.