Comparison
Fast Reply vs TextExpander on iPhone
TextExpander is built around typing an abbreviation from memory, and works across Mac, Windows and iOS. Fast Reply is iPhone-first: you can type a trigger the same way, or browse a labelled list and tap the reply when you have forgotten the code. Pick TextExpander if you type mostly on a desktop and need Windows; pick Fast Reply if the phone is where you actually answer. If you are searching from a Mac, that is the trade-off in one line: Fast Reply does not run there, so the question is whether the phone is where your replies actually get written.
Competitor details checked on . Prices and features change - confirm on TextExpander's own page before deciding.
Side by side
Only the axes where both apps' behaviour is documented. A row reads "Not confirmed" where TextExpander's listing did not state it either way - not as a No. "Coming soon" marks a Fast Reply capability that is built but not yet available in the shipped app.
| Capability | Fast Reply | TextExpander |
|---|---|---|
| Works as a keyboard in any app | Yes | Yes |
| Browse and tap a reply (no code to remember) | Yes | No |
| Type a short trigger and it expands | Yes | Yes |
| Fill-in-the-blank fields, filled as you send | Yes | Yes |
| Folders inside folders | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Image or file attachments | Yes | Not confirmed |
| iCloud sync across your devices | Yes | Yes |
| Shared library for a team | Coming soon | Yes |
| Hand a folder over by link | Yes | Yes |
| On-device AI rewording | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Price | $19.99/year or $2.99/month | See their site TextExpander prices per user per month and changes tiers periodically - check their own site rather than trusting a number quoted on ours. |
| Free tier | Keyboard and sending are free; five of your own replies to create | See their site |
Why you might pick TextExpander instead
If most of your typing happens on a Mac or a Windows machine and you need the same snippets there, TextExpander covers platforms Fast Reply does not. Fast Reply is iPhone and iPad only.
We would rather you ended up with the right tool than with ours. If the paragraph above describes you, buy theirs.
Where Fast Reply goes further
- Two ways to reach a reply. Type a short trigger and it expands, or browse a labelled list and tap - so forgetting the code costs you nothing.
- Blanks that fill as you send. One reply covers every conversation, instead of a dozen near-identical copies with the name changed.
- Folders inside folders. A library of hundreds stays navigable by client, property or project rather than turning into one long scroll.
- Attachments on a reply. Pin a logo, a price sheet or a link to a reply, so the follow-up file goes out with the message instead of thirty seconds after it.
- Hand a folder over by link. Send a private link and someone gets your whole folder - installing a shared folder is free. A shared team library for up to five people is coming soon.
- Private by default. Your replies stay on your phone. Nothing you type on the keyboard is logged or transmitted.
Questions
Is Fast Reply a good TextExpander alternative?
TextExpander is built around typing an abbreviation from memory, and works across Mac, Windows and iOS. Fast Reply is iPhone-first: you can type a trigger the same way, or browse a labelled list and tap the reply when you have forgotten the code. Pick TextExpander if you type mostly on a desktop and need Windows; pick Fast Reply if the phone is where you actually answer. If you are searching from a Mac, that is the trade-off in one line: Fast Reply does not run there, so the question is whether the phone is where your replies actually get written.
Why might I pick TextExpander instead?
If most of your typing happens on a Mac or a Windows machine and you need the same snippets there, TextExpander covers platforms Fast Reply does not. Fast Reply is iPhone and iPad only.
What does Fast Reply cost?
The keyboard and sending replies are free, including up to five replies of your own to create. Pro - unlimited replies, autotext expansion, fill-in-the-blank fields, attachments, iCloud sync and folder sharing by link - is $19.99 a year or $2.99 a month after a 7-day free trial.
Can I move my snippets over from TextExpander?
Paste them in. Fast Reply takes a block of pasted text and splits it into separate replies, so moving a set is a copy-and-paste job rather than re-typing everything one at a time.
Start with the replies you already send.
Then never type it again. Free to download, no account and no card - five replies of your own, and the keyboard in every app. Pro is $19.99 a year or $2.99 a month after a 7-day trial.
For iPhone and iPad · English, Spanish, French, German and Japanese