Text expanders for MacHead to head
Espanso vs Typinator
Espanso ranks #2 and Typinator ranks #3 in our guide to the best text expanders for Mac. Espanso is the better pick for most people.
EspansoPick Espanso if you're happy editing config files and want snippets without paying anything.Free, open source#3 in the guide
TypinatorPick Typinator if you only type on a Mac and want to own your text expander outright with no subscription.$49.99 onceWhat decides it
- Espanso costs less over 3 years: Free, against $49.99 for Typinator.
- Both run on Mac.
Side by side
Prices are checked every day.
| At a glance | Espanso | Typinator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free and open source | $49.99 once for Mac, or $29.99 a year with iPhone and iPad |
| How you pay | Free | Pay once |
| 3 years of use | Free Cheaper | $49.99 |
| Free trial | Free to start | Yes |
| Runs on | Mac | Mac |
| Where to buy | Developer | Developer |
| Features | Open source | iCloud sync, Free trial |
| Last updated | Not tracked | 14 Oct 2026 |
Who should get which
Get Espanso if
You type the same replies, addresses or emails all day and won't pay for a text expander.
Get Typinator if
You type the same replies, addresses or code blocks every week and want to own the tool outright.
Skip Espanso if
You want a settings window rather than config files; macOS text replacements cover simple snippets free.
Skip Typinator if
You need a few short shortcuts, and the Text Replacements in macOS Keyboard settings cover that free.
Our verdicts
Espanso
Typing the same replies, addresses and sign-offs all day adds up, and TextExpander charges $60 a year to fix it. Espanso does it free on Mac, Windows and Linux: type a short keyword and it swaps in the full snippet, a date, a script's output or a small form to fill in. The catch is setup, which happens in plain text files, so Typinator suits people who want a settings window.
Typinator
Most text expanders now charge a subscription, but Typinator still sells a $49.99 one-time Mac license next to its yearly plan, against TextExpander's $60 a year. Type a short abbreviation and it fills in longer text, images, dates or code in any Mac app, and it fixes your usual typos as you type. Snippets on iPhone and iPad need the $29.99 yearly plan, and Espanso covers basic snippets for free.
What each one helps you do
Espanso
- Type a long email reply from 3 letters
- Insert today's date in any format
- Fill in a reply template with a form
- Search your snippets when you forget a keyword
Typinator
- Type long replies with a short abbreviation
- Insert today's date with a few keys
- Fix your usual typos automatically
- Use the same snippets on Mac and iPhone
Where to get them
Typinator
$49.99 once for Mac, or $29.99 a year with iPhone and iPad
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From the developerRuns in a trial mode with limited expansions until you buy$49.99Get it
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Neither one quite right?
The other picks in our guide to the best text expanders for Mac.
Read the full guideAll Espanso alternativesAll Typinator alternatives