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MacGPT vs PaletteBrain

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. PaletteBrain publishes a starting price ($29); MacGPT does not. Only MacGPT is free.

MacGPTMenu bar and global-hotkey access to ChatGPT on macOS, using the web session or your own OpenAI key.PaletteBrainOne-time-purchase macOS utility that runs ChatGPT commands on selected text in any app, using your own API key

Side by side

FactMacGPTPaletteBrain
CategoryDesktop & OS AssistantsDesktop & OS Assistants
Pricing modelFreePaid
Starts at—$29 month
Public APINoNo
PlatformsmacOS, iOSmacOS
CompanyGood SnoozeAbruptive LLC
Launched2023—
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

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

PaletteBrain

A cheap, honest deal: one payment puts GPT into every Mac text field, and because you bring your own key there is no markup on model usage. The catch is scope — it is a thin OpenAI/Azure wrapper from a small indie vendor, with no Windows version and no support for Anthropic, Google or local models mentioned.

Pros

  • One-time $29 license instead of a recurring fee
  • Works on selected text in any macOS app or website
  • Custom command library with per-command shortcuts
  • Text goes only to OpenAI/Azure — no middleman server

Cons

  • Useless without a separately billed OpenAI or Azure key
  • Locked to OpenAI-family models; no Claude, Gemini or local options stated
  • Single-developer product, so long-term maintenance is a bet

Which one fits

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

Choose PaletteBrain if you need

  • Mac users who want system-wide AI text commands without a subscription
  • People already holding an OpenAI API key
  • Repetitive rewriting tasks bound to custom keyboard shortcuts

More comparisons

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