TextCortex alternative
A TextCortex alternative with one shortcut for every app
A TextCortex alternative that works in every app on Windows and Mac, with a typed trigger, Quick Actions on selected text, voice typing and the option to bring your own OpenAI, Claude or Gemini key.
TextCortex offers an AI assistant through a browser extension and a desktop app, with a chat sidebar and rewriting tools. It covers a lot of ground.
KeyShift narrows the surface to what you touch a hundred times a day: the text under your cursor. One shortcut on a selection, one typed trigger without a selection, voice when your hands are busy, and text from screen when the words are in an image. Same on Windows and macOS, free plan with everything.
What TextCortex is built around
- A sidebar assistant and chat, reached through the extension or the desktop app.
- Templates and personas you set up inside its interface.
- Its own model access and credit system.
What KeyShift does instead
- Quick Actions on selected text in any app: fix, translate, change tone, summarize, reply. Result typed in place.
- The typed trigger: keyshift plus your instruction, then space twice. No window opens.
- Your own key on Pro: OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, OpenRouter, or a local model through Ollama. Pay the provider directly, no credits used.
- Custom actions with hotkeys and AI Workflows for the repeated, multi-step jobs.
- Voice typing with clean-up, text from screen, clipboard history with AI actions.
TextCortex vs KeyShift at a glance
| TextCortex | KeyShift | |
|---|---|---|
| AI on selected text in any desktop app | Via desktop app | Yes, one shortcut |
| Typed trigger without selecting | No | Yes |
| Bring your own AI key | No | Yes (Pro) |
| Local model (Ollama), text stays on device | No | Yes (Pro) |
| Voice typing | Limited | Yes |
| Text from screen (OCR) | No | Yes |
| Custom actions with hotkeys | Templates | Yes (Pro) |
| Free plan | Yes, with limits | Yes, 25 AI actions a month |
Based on each product's public features. Other products change; if something here is out of date, write to support@keyshift.ai and we will fix it.
How KeyShift works, in any app
- Quick Actions: select text, press Ctrl+Shift+A (⌘⇧A on Mac), pick an action. The result replaces the selection.
- The typed trigger: write normally, add keyshift plus your instruction, press space twice. No selection, no shortcut.
- Voice (Ctrl+Shift+M), text from screen (Ctrl+Shift+O) and clipboard history (Ctrl+Shift+V) for the text you do not have yet.
- Undo any replacement with Ctrl+Shift+Z, up to 20 steps.
Windows 10 and later, macOS 11 and later, and Android. See the getting started guide.
Questions people ask
Which AI models can I use?
On our credits: current OpenAI, Claude and Gemini models. On Pro with your own key: any of those providers, anything on OpenRouter, any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, or Ollama locally.
Is there a chat?
Yes. The Launcher (Ctrl+Shift+Space) has Ask the AI, and the result can be inserted where you were typing.
Is my text used for training?
No. Text goes to the AI provider only for the action you asked for and is not used to train any model.
Try it in your own apps
Free plan, 25 AI actions a month, no card needed. Pro from €4 a month billed yearly.