Refine vs Espanso

Side-by-side comparison for macOS

Refine

8.0

Productivity

Grammar checker

Espanso

8.0

Productivity

Cross-platform Text Expander written in Rust

Metric	Refine	Espanso
Category	Productivity	Productivity
AI Score	8.0	8.0
30-day Installs	48	998
90-day Installs	79	2.8K
365-day Installs	315	11.2K
Version	1.30	2.3.0
Auto-updates	Yes	No
Deprecated	No	No
GitHub Stars	34.2K	13.4K
GitHub Forks	3.0K	389
Open Issues	20	488
License	MIT	GPL-3.0
Language	TypeScript	Rust
Last GitHub Commit	1mo ago	1mo ago
First Seen	Jul 14, 2025	Aug 9, 2023

Reviews

Refine

Refine is an open-source grammar checker that offers a local, offline alternative to Grammarly. It leverages a React framework to provide flexibility for developers, making it ideal for those seeking privacy and customization in their writing tools.

Refine checks and improves grammar in written text using a local, offline approach.

Pros

+ Open-source and community-driven with strong support.
+ Runs offline, ensuring privacy and no internet dependency.
+ Flexible React framework for developers to build custom tools.

Cons

- Still emerging compared to established grammar checkers.
- User interface may not be as polished as competitors.

Espanso

Espanso is a cross-platform text expander written in Rust, offering real-time keyword replacement and a focus on privacy. It allows users to customize shortcuts and expand them as they type, making it ideal for productivity-focused users on macOS and other platforms.

Espanso detects typed keywords and replaces them in real-time, acting as a powerful text expansion tool.

Pros

+ Privacy-focused and open-source
+ Cross-platform support
+ Built with Rust for performance and security
+ Highly customizable with support for custom shortcuts
+ Real-time expansion as you type

Cons

- No automatic updates available
- Installation issues reported on some platforms
- High number of open issues may indicate areas needing attention

View Refine details → View Espanso details →