Semicolon triggers
Start triggers with a semicolon and they won't fire by accident in normal writing.
Your snippets, typed for you.
Type Shortcut is a free text expander for Mac and Windows. Type a short trigger like ;addr and it becomes the text you saved, in any app.
To: Jordan Lee
Subject: Re: Thursday delivery
Click the email and type
It all happens where you type.
Triggers expand in place, in any app, the moment you finish typing them.
Search every snippet
Press Alt+Space (Option+Space on a Mac), search by name or text, and press Enter.
Fill-in fields
Add blanks for a name, a date or a list of choices. You fill them in before the text goes in.
Backspace to undo
Press Backspace right after an expansion to get your trigger back.
Starter packs
Turn on packs that fix 164 common typos or add symbols, emoji, dates and email replies.
Sync with your own cloud
Put your snippet folder in Dropbox, iCloud Drive or OneDrive to use it on every Mac and PC.
Switching from TextExpander.
Export your groups, then import the files. Fill-ins and dates carry over.
- Sign in at app.textexpander.com/exportSnippets and export each group as a file.
- In Type Shortcut, open Settings, Import and choose the file. Each export becomes a group.
- Your abbreviations work right away.
snippets/work.yml
matches:
- trigger: ";addr"
replace: |
4 Harbour Lane
Portland ME 04101
- trigger: ";ty"
replace: "Thanks, {{form.name}}!"
vars:
- name: form
type: form
params:
layout: "Name: [[name]]"Your snippets are plain files.
No account
There's nothing to sign up for. Your library is a folder of text files you can open, back up or edit.
Your typing stays private
The app sends anonymous usage analytics, never what you type. You can turn it off in Settings.
PrivacyWorks with Espanso
It uses Espanso's file format, so an existing Espanso folder works as it is.
How it compares
| Feature | Type Shortcut | TextExpander Free | Text Blaze Free | Espanso |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free plan (Pro is paid) | Free plan (Pro is paid) | Free |
| Snippets | Unlimited | 5 active at a time | Limited | Unlimited |
| Fill-in fields and date pickers | Yes | Paid plans | Limited uses per day | Yes, in config files |
| Snippet editor app | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (edit text files) |
| Account needed | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Type Shortcut
- Price
- Free
- Snippets
- Unlimited
- Fill-in fields and date pickers
- Yes
- Snippet editor app
- Yes
- Account needed
- No
TextExpander Free
- Price
- Free plan (Pro is paid)
- Snippets
- 5 active at a time
- Fill-in fields and date pickers
- Paid plans
- Snippet editor app
- Yes
- Account needed
- Yes
Text Blaze Free
- Price
- Free plan (Pro is paid)
- Snippets
- Limited
- Fill-in fields and date pickers
- Limited uses per day
- Snippet editor app
- Yes
- Account needed
- Yes
Espanso
- Price
- Free
- Snippets
- Unlimited
- Fill-in fields and date pickers
- Yes, in config files
- Snippet editor app
- No (edit text files)
- Account needed
- No
Competitor plans as listed on their pricing pages in November 2026. Sources: textexpander.com/pricing and blaze.today/plans.
Questions
Is Type Shortcut really free?
Yes. There is no paid plan, no account and no snippet limit.
Does it work on Mac and Windows?
Yes: macOS 11 or later (Apple silicon and Intel) and Windows 10 or 11. Snippets work in any app where you type.
Can I import my TextExpander snippets?
Yes. Export your groups from TextExpander, then open Settings, Import in Type Shortcut. Fill-ins and dates carry over.
I use Espanso. Will my snippets work?
Yes. Type Shortcut reads Espanso's YAML files, so you can point it at your Espanso folder and get a snippet editor, a search bar and fill-in forms on top.
Can I use the same snippets on several computers?
Yes. Put your snippet folder in iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive or Google Drive and every Mac and PC uses the same snippets.
Is my typing private?
Yes. Your snippets stay on your computer, and the app never sends what you type. It sends anonymous usage analytics, which you can turn off in Settings.