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Alter vs MacGPT

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors. Alter publishes a starting price ($240); MacGPT does not. Both have a free tier.

AltermacOS assistant that reads what is on your screen and acts on it from a spoken commandMacGPTMenu bar and global-hotkey access to ChatGPT on macOS, using the web session or your own OpenAI key.

Side by side

FactAlterMacGPT
CategoryDesktop & OS AssistantsDesktop & OS Assistants
Pricing modelFreemiumFree
Starts at$240 year—
Public APINoNo
PlatformsmacOSmacOS, iOS
CompanyAlterGood Snooze
Launched—2023
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

Alter

A Mac assistant that starts from screen context rather than an empty chat box, which is the difference between asking about a document and pasting it in first. Bring-your-own-key on the free tier is unusually generous. The paid plan is annual-only and single-user, and the whole thing is Mac-only with no mobile or web surface.

Pros

  • Reads screen and app context so commands do not need the content pasted in
  • 80+ built-in actions plus roughly 2,000 service integrations
  • Supports 50+ cloud models and local models, so you are not tied to one provider
  • Free tier keeps all features if you bring your own keys or run locally
  • Meeting recording with speaker identification is included rather than a separate product

Cons

  • macOS only, with no Windows, mobile or web version
  • Pro is sold annually at $240 with no monthly option
  • The licence is single-user and only one device can be active at a time
  • Screen-context access is a broad permission to grant a third-party app

MacGPT

The cheapest way to stop alt-tabbing to a browser tab: a hotkey, a menu bar icon, and an inline mode that answers inside the text field you are already in. It costs nothing and you bring your own OpenAI key. It is also a 2023 indie utility that has since been renamed on Gumroad, so treat it as a working tool rather than a supported product.

Pros

  • Menu bar, global hotkey and inline text-field modes
  • Works either through the ChatGPT web session or your own OpenAI API key
  • Listed at zero cost on Gumroad, so no subscription of its own
  • Free iOS companion app, GeePeeTee
  • Named indie developer with a public press kit and privacy policy

Cons

  • Site copyright still reads 2023 and shows no sign of active development
  • The Gumroad product has been renamed MenuGPT, so branding no longer matches the site
  • API mode means you pay OpenAI separately for every token
  • No support commitment of any kind

Which one fits

Choose Alter if you need

  • Mac power users who want context-aware actions without copy and paste
  • People who already pay for model API access and want a better client
  • Anyone needing local models for work that cannot go to a cloud provider

Choose MacGPT if you need

  • Mac users who want a hotkey to ChatGPT and nothing more
  • People who already pay OpenAI and want a thin client
  • Anyone avoiding another monthly subscription

More comparisons

Browse all Desktop & OS Assistants →