The TextExpander free plan gives you 5 active snippets with unlimited expansions, on Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Chrome and Android, and lets you swap one snippet every two weeks. That’s enough for your most-typed phrases, but if you only need a few shortcuts, your phone and computer may already do this for free.
Key takeaways
- Free forever: 5 active snippets, unlimited expansions, unlimited saved snippets, no credit card.
- One “swap” every two weeks lets you activate a different snippet. TextExpander picks the least recently used one to bench.
- Basic fill-ins and simple dates work. Date math, scripts, nested and conditional snippets are paid-only.
- Paid plans start at US$5 per user per month (Pro, billed annually).
- iPhone and Mac have free Text Replacement built in. Windows doesn’t have true text expansion, but clipboard history and the free, open-source Espanso fill the gap.
What the TextExpander free plan includes
A text expander turns a short abbreviation into a longer block of text. Type ;addr and your full business address appears. Type ;thx and a polite thank-you email lands in the box. TextExpander has been one of the best-known paid apps in this space for years. In October 2026, 9to5Mac reported it now offers a free tier. Here’s what you get, based on TextExpander’s own Learning Center:
- 5 active snippets at a time. You can store as many snippets as you like; only 5 expand.
- Unlimited expansions of those 5.
- Autocorrect snippets that don’t count toward your 5.
- Basic fill-ins (blanks you fill in each time) plus simple date and time.
- Unlimited snippet groups, and sync across Mac, Windows, Chrome, iOS and Android.
- Small teams: up to 5 members, each with their own 5 active snippets.
What’s not included: date and time math, nested snippets, JavaScript, AppleScript and shell scripts, conditional fill-ins, external sharing, snippet history and analytics. If a snippet uses a paid-only feature, it stays saved but won’t expand.
How swaps work (the part people miss)
Swaps are how TextExpander keeps the free plan useful but limited:
- You get one swap every two weeks.
- A swap happens when you type the abbreviation of a saved (inactive) snippet while a swap is available.
- A confirmation pops up showing which snippet will turn on and which one gets benched. You can cancel.
- You can’t choose which one gets benched. It’s always your least recently used active snippet.
- If you’ve already used your swap, the saved snippet simply won’t expand until the next swap unlocks. Your 5 active ones keep working without limits.
Practical tip: pick your 5 carefully on day one and avoid typing the abbreviations of saved snippets by accident, or you could burn a swap you didn’t mean to.
Set up your 5 best snippets in 10 minutes
- Sign up at textexpander.com (no credit card) and install the app on the devices you use most.
- List what you type every week. For most GTA small businesses that’s an email sign-off, your address, an e-transfer or payment instructions line, a quote follow-up, and a “thanks for your order” reply.
- Pick a prefix such as a semicolon (
;sig,;pay) so abbreviations never trigger in normal typing. - Add a fill-in for the customer’s name so the message still feels personal.
- Use autocorrect snippets for your common typos. They’re free and don’t use a slot.
Need ideas for the text itself? Our 5 AI prompts for better business emails can help you draft polished templates to save as snippets.
Free alternatives already on your devices
iPhone and iPad: go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement, tap +, and enter a phrase and shortcut. There’s no 5-item limit.
Mac: open System Settings > Keyboard > Text Replacements. Apple says that with iCloud Drive on and the same Apple Account signed in, your replacements sync between Mac, iPhone and iPad. The catch: plain text only, no fill-ins, and some apps ignore them.
Windows: Windows doesn’t have system-wide text expansion built in. The closest free option is clipboard history: press Windows key + V, turn it on, and pin your common replies. Microsoft says it holds up to 25 entries and pinned items survive a restart. For true expansion, Espanso is a free, open-source text expander for Windows, Mac and Linux. It’s powerful but set up by editing text config files, so it suits the more technical.
Android: Gboard and Samsung Keyboard both offer personal dictionary shortcuts, though how well they work varies by device.
Honest comparison: the built-in tools are unlimited and free, but basic. TextExpander’s free plan wins on fill-ins, cross-platform sync (including Windows and Android together) and team sharing. If you live on one Apple ecosystem and only need plain text, you may not need TextExpander at all.
Station verdict
A good free taste. Try built-in shortcuts first.
Five active snippets with fill-ins, synced across every platform, is a genuinely useful free offer, especially for a small team juggling a Windows PC at the shop and iPhones on the road. If your needs are plain text on Apple devices, the built-in Text Replacement is unlimited and free. Our take is based on TextExpander’s official documentation; we haven’t scored it.
FAQ
Is TextExpander free now?
Yes, there’s a free-forever plan for individuals and teams of up to 5, with 5 active snippets per person. Paid plans add unlimited active snippets and advanced features.
How much is TextExpander Pro in Canada?
TextExpander lists Pro from US$5 per user per month billed annually, and Business from US$10 (annual) or US$12 (monthly). We didn’t find separate Canadian pricing, so expect a US-dollar charge on your card.
What happens to my snippets if my trial ends?
Nothing is deleted. You move to the free plan, the next 5 snippets you use become active, and the rest stay saved.
Does Windows have text replacement like iPhone?
Not system-wide. Use pinned clipboard history (Windows key + V), a free tool like Espanso, or a cross-platform app like TextExpander.
Looking for more free tools? See our 8 free AI tools for small business owners or browse all Tools.
Sources: TextExpander: Free plan · TextExpander: How swaps work · TextExpander pricing · 9to5Mac · Apple Support · Microsoft Support · Linux Uprising (Espanso). This article was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by Media Station. Disclosure.