Makro vs TextExpander
Makro vs TextExpander.
The incumbent. Desktop app, subscription-only, no free tier.
Matrix
Side by side, no hedge-words.
Pricing reflects TextExpander's published site as of April 2026 (US region).
Feature
Makro
TextExpander
Free tier
Yes
No
End-to-end encrypted sync
Yes
No
Local AI (Ollama / LM Studio)
Yes
No
On-device OCR (Smart Copy)
Yes
No
Import from other tools
10 formats
No
Platform
Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Brave
macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Lowest paid tier
$2.99/mo or $149 lifetime
$4.16/mo (billed annually, no free tier)
Verification: 2,495 automated tests in the Makro repo and continuous external code review. Full threat model on /security/architecture.
TextExpander strengths vs tradeoffs
Where TextExpander wins, and where Makro does.
TextExpander strengths
- Mature desktop apps across four operating systems
- Real-time team-snippet collaboration
- Large enterprise install base
TextExpander tradeoffs
- No free tier - subscription required from day one
- Server holds the keys; macros are not end-to-end encrypted
- No local AI option
Verdict: Choose TextExpander if you need native desktop app coverage across macOS + iOS + Android and you are fine paying monthly with no free tier. Choose Makro if browser coverage is enough, you want a free tier, and you want end-to-end encryption.
Migration
Moving from TextExpander to Makro.
Step by step: Export snippet group as CSV from TextExpander, then Settings > Import > TextExpander (.csv) in Makro. See the full migration guide for what carries over.