Quick comparison
| Feature | Refrain | Apple Text Replacement |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 one-time | Free, built in |
| Where it lives | Menu bar | System-wide, invisible |
| Trigger | Click in menu | Type a shortcut string |
| Multi-paragraph text | Built for it | Supported but awkward |
| Storage | Plain markdown file you own | iCloud-synced plist |
| Edit outside the app | Any editor | System Settings only |
| Works in Electron apps, terminals | Yes, clipboard paste | Unreliable |
| Sync to iOS | No | Yes, via iCloud |
How Apple Text Replacement actually works
Apple Text Replacement is a macOS feature you'll find in System Settings → Keyboard → Text Replacements. You map a short string (like @@sig) to a longer one (your email signature). When you type the short string almost anywhere in macOS, the system swaps it for the full version.
It's free. It syncs to your iPhone and iPad via iCloud. It's built in.
Where Apple Text Replacement wins
Credit where it's due. Apple's version beats Refrain when:
- The text is short. One-line signatures, email addresses, your home address, canned replies. The keyword-expansion model is perfect for this.
- You need it on your iPhone and iPad too. iCloud syncs text replacements across all your Apple devices. Refrain doesn't have a mobile app.
- You want zero installation, zero purchase, zero configuration. It's already on your Mac.
@@addr to my address," Apple Text Replacement is the correct tool and I can't honestly tell you to buy Refrain for that. Use what's free.Where Refrain wins
Text Replacement falls apart once the text gets long or the context gets weird. That's most of the AI prompt use case.
- Multi-paragraph prompts. Apple Text Replacement can technically store paragraphs, but editing them inside System Settings is miserable. There's no real text area, just a cramped field. Refrain has a full editor window.
- Reliability in Electron apps and terminals. Text Replacement relies on the active text field honoring system-level expansion. Plenty of apps ignore it: VS Code in some modes, Slack, some browser inputs, iTerm. Refrain's clipboard paste works anywhere you can press Cmd+V.
- You can see your list. Refrain shows every prompt in the menu bar. Text Replacement is invisible; you have to remember every shortcut you set up. If you forget
@@planpromptexists, it might as well not. - Plain-text file. Your prompts live in a markdown file you can open in any editor. Apple stores them in an internal plist; exporting is a chore.
- No typing required. For long prompts, typing a shortcut and waiting for expansion is slower than clicking once in the menu bar. The menu bar click is also faster when you're looking for a prompt you haven't memorized.
Using both together
They work fine side by side, and honestly I do this. Apple Text Replacement for short stuff: signatures, email addresses, !brb, !omw, anything you type as an abbreviation. Refrain for the long AI prompts you need visible.
Which to pick
Apple Text Replacement if your use case is short keyword-expanded snippets you type as abbreviations. It's free and it's already on your Mac.
Refrain if you need multi-paragraph prompts for Claude Code, ChatGPT, Cursor, or anywhere else, and you want them in the menu bar as a visible list rather than memorized triggers.