BoltAI vs WriteMage

BoltAI

The best-value option for heavy Mac users who already hold API keys and resent paying a third $20 monthly subscription. If you do not want to manage keys and top up provider credit, an ordinary chat subscription is less friction.

Pros

• +One-time $79 licence instead of an open-ended subscription
• +Own-key model means you pay provider rates with no markup
• +Local chat storage with optional passphrase encryption
• +MCP server support and custom agents built in

Cons

• −Licence covers only one year of updates, then you renew or freeze
• −Provider API usage is billed separately on top of the licence
• −Windows is advertised on the pricing page but still marked coming soon
• −Mobile app is beta and single-maintainer development is a real continuity risk

WriteMage

The idea is right — an AI prompt floating over any app beats copying text into a browser tab — and the bring-your-own-key model makes it far cheaper than subscription assistants. The catch is maturity: the app has been in beta since its first build in late 2022, the site still advertises a launch sale for a final version that has not shipped, and there is no company behind it.

Pros

• +Overlay works across any macOS app without copy-paste
• +Native iOS keyboard extends the same access to the phone
• +Chat history stored locally, and the developer says the app ships no telemetry
• +A one-time lifetime licence is offered instead of a subscription

Cons

• −Still in beta years after the first build, with no visible release date
• −Most tiers require you to supply and fund your own OpenAI key
• −No company details, terms page or changelog reachable on the site

Is BoltAI cheaper than WriteMage?

They charge in different units, so there is no like-for-like answer: BoltAI starts at $79 once, WriteMage at $10/mo. Entry price is the lowest paid plan as we last verified it.