ActiveWords vs PhraseExpander
ActiveWords
activewords.comPhraseExpander
phraseexpander.comSide by side
| Figure | ActiveWords | PhraseExpander |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 28 | 4 |
| Spec score · Text Expanders Software | 8.6 (#3) | 8.0 (#12) |
| Spec score · Text expanders | 7.9 (#15) | 8.2 (#10) |
| Free plan | No | No |
| Integrations | Free add-ins are provided for Outlook, Evernote, Microsoft Office, Salesforce Classic and Lightning, Microsoft Teams, Clio, Toodledo, and other uses. | PhraseExpander works in any application and can share templates through shared folders or cloud services including Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive. |
| Supported platforms | Windows 10 and 11 | Windows |
| Team snippet sharing | Yes | Yes |
Plans
ActiveWords
- Personal Annual LicensePrice not published
- Personal Annual LicensePriced on request
- Enterprise Annual License (up to 5 users)$170 a year
- Enterprise Annual License (up to 10 users)$340 a year
- Enterprise Annual License (up to 15 users)$510 a year
- Enterprise Annual License (up to 20 users)$640 a year
- Enterprise Annual License (up to 25 users)$800 a year
- Enterprise Annual License (up to 30 users)$900 a year
- Enterprise Annual License (up to 50 users)Priced on request
- Enterprise Annual License (up to 50 users)Price not published
PhraseExpander
- EnterprisePriced on request
- Standard$80, paid once
- Professional$180, paid once
- Medical$280, paid once
In their own words
ActiveWords
ActiveWords turns typed words into triggers for Windows text expansion and automation. It can insert plain or formatted content, including RTF, HTML, and images, correct spelling in any context, launch programs, files, folders, and web pages, or run scripted sequences. One typed word can trigger multiple actions. Version 5’s ActionPad searches Words, applications, files, folders, and Start Menu items, and handles advanced and date calculations. Selected Text actions can search highlighted text, create email, open a URL, pass text to a custom script, or display it in Large Type. Sync stores Words, Actions, and Tags in a cloud-synced folder, commonly used with Dropbox, OneDrive, Box, and Google Drive. Enterprise deployments add read-only shared items, multiple shared files, centralized control, and support for Terminal Services, LAN, WAN, and NAS. ActiveWords supports Windows 10 and 11 and Windows Server 2019; Windows 7 is unsupported. There is no free plan, but a free 60-day trial requires no credit card.
PhraseExpander
PhraseExpander is a Windows text-expansion application from PhraseExpander, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Turin, Italy. It stores commonly used text and inserts it into applications when you type an associated abbreviation. SmartComplete presents matching phrase suggestions while you type, with Shift used to trigger a suggestion. Dynamic templates support fill-in variables, previews, and conditional logic based on entered values. Macros can launch applications, open websites, search the web, insert dates and times, calculate, manage the clipboard, and perform conditional actions. The software works in any application, and templates can be shared through folders or Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive. Data is stored locally, while server communication is limited to licensing and update checks. Daily backups can be saved locally or to a cloud drive. A 21-day trial requires no credit card and has no listed limitations. Paid licenses include one year of support and upgrades; ongoing updates require renewal.