Side by side
Beeftext vs Espanso
Both stand on text expansion software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Windows
Choose Beeftext if you want a free, open-source Windows tool for inserting saved text by typing short keywords. Its maintenance mode means users looking for planned new features may want to look elsewhere.
Visit Beeftext
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Espanso provides text expansion with support for templates, scripts and reusable packages. Users should be comfortable configuring it through YAML and checking whether their preferred trigger types are supported.
Visit EspansoThe facts
| Beeftext | Espanso | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | beeftext.org | espanso.org |
| On text expansion software | #8 of 31 | #4 of 31 |
Beeftext: what it does well
- Free, with no ads or malware.
- Open source under the MIT License.
- Combos replace short keywords with longer snippets.
- Snippets support Unicode in any language.
- The daily update check can be disabled.
What to know first
- Available for Windows only.
- The project is in maintenance mode, with no new features planned.
- The project is not seeking contributors and rejects pull requests.
Espanso: what it does well
- Free and open-source under GPL-3.
- Search snippets with Alt+Space.
- Snippets can run scripts and accept form values.
- Supports reusable packages through Espanso Hub.
- Offers app-specific configurations.
What to know first
- Configuration uses YAML files.
- The homepage says a GUI is planned for the future.
- It ships with very few built-in matches.
- Some trigger types are not currently supported.
Alternatives to Beeftext Alternatives to Espanso The whole list