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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.

The short answer

Free plan
Both — Alter has a free plan, MacGPT is free to use
Best fit
Alter: Mac power users who want context-aware actions without copy and paste · MacGPT: Mac users who want a hotkey to ChatGPT and nothing more
Platforms
Alter: macOS · MacGPT: macOS, iOS
Trust score
About even — Alter 78, MacGPT 81
Status
Both up at our last check (Oct 16, 2026)

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

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$29/mo—
Trust score78 / 10081 / 100
PlatformsmacOSmacOS, iOS
CompanyAlterGood Snooze
Launched—2023
Last verifiedOct 16, 2026Oct 16, 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. Pro is now offered monthly as well as yearly, but stays single-user under a fair-use budget, 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's bundled models run under a monthly fair-use budget, after which queries may be routed to cheaper models
  • 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

Alter vs MacGPT: the questions people ask

Is Alter cheaper than MacGPT?

MacGPT is free to use; Alter starts at $29/mo.

Does Alter or MacGPT have a free tier?

Both: Alter has a free tier, and MacGPT is free to use.

More comparisons

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