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Shorthand and Rocket Typist

Rocket Typist, by Witt Software, and Shorthand side by side: what each does, what it costs, and where it runs. Facts about Rocket Typist come from its own website, checked on November 5, 2026.

Side by side

Feature

Shorthand

Rocket Typist

Platforms

macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon

macOS, iOS, iPadOS

Price

Free download

Free (10 plain-text snippets); Pro $19.99 one-time on Mac ($9.99 on iOS, separate); also in Setapp

Native on Apple Silicon

yes

yes

Where it works

system-wide in all apps

system-wide on Mac; on iPhone/iPad through its own keyboard

Fill-ins and forms

yes: fields, pop-up menus, optional sections, live preview

yes (Pro): text prompts and options

Date math

yes

yes

Script snippets

AppleScript, shell, and JavaScript

partial: JavaScript code snippets (Pro)

AI

12 providers (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, local models, and more) with your own key and a fallback

yes: Smart Snippets with Apple Intelligence or your own OpenAI-compatible key (Pro)

Sync

your own folder (Dropbox, iCloud Drive), optionally encrypted

iCloud across Mac, iPhone, and iPad

Team sharing

no

yes: shared iCloud folders (Pro)

Account required

no

no (iCloud for sync)

Encryption or app lock

yes: AES-256 encryption and a Touch ID or password lock

no: vendor FAQ says snippet data isn't encrypted

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

3.4.3, 2026-11-04

Where Rocket Typist shines

  • Free tier and a low one-time Pro price

  • Mac, iPhone, and iPad with iCloud sync and shared folders

  • Imports TextExpander, Typinator, TypeIt4Me, and CSV

Where Shorthand is different

  • Optional AES-256 encryption of your library and backups, and a Touch ID or password lock.

  • A privacy blocklist: Shorthand stops listening completely in password managers and on sites you block, and asks before working in a new app.

  • AppleScript, shell, and JavaScript snippets, run in the background with a time limit.

  • 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 Rocket Typist

Directly: an .rtfolder or .rockettypist export, with dates, fields, and option menus converted. Choose File ▸ Import Snippets… in Shorthand. Step-by-step switching guide

Importing from other apps · Exporting your snippets

Sources

Checked November 5, 2026. Prices and features change, so check Rocket Typist’s website before you decide. Spotted a mistake? Email support@shorthandexpander.com and we’ll fix it.

Rocket Typist is a trademark of its owner. Shorthand is an independent product, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Rocket Typist or its owner.